Financial Support FAQ

WFUV is made possible by a community of people, in New York and around the world, who keep the station healthy and growing.

Behind the Numbers:

A message from WFUV:

Congressional wrangling over the Federal budget may feel far removed from our daily lives but the impact of some changes, if they happen, could be direct and personal. Take, for example, the music and information you are accustomed to enjoying on WFUV. This station, along with most all public radio and television stations, receives a small but critical part of its support through Congressionally-appropriated funds managed through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (“CPB”). Some budget trimming legislators are aiming to eliminate most, if not all, Federal dollars for CPB and NPR that will affect WFUV. Cuts, if they happen, could hurt 170,000,000 public broadcasting users nationwide.

Currently, WFUV receives financial support from five major sources: Listeners (58%), Corporate Underwriting (24%), Federal/CPB (13%) Fordham University (4 %) and New York State (1%). The sudden loss of any of these resources, e.g., Federal/CPB support, would be difficult to replace and could mean serious cutbacks in what we can bring to you.

Nevertheless, there are some in Washington that are determined to zero out Federal funding for public broadcasting We hope you might consider speaking out for public broadcasting to your Congressional representatives. The web site 170MillionAmericans.org can keep you posted on the situation as it unfolds. Should you want to lend your voice to keep funding for WFUV and other public radio and television services, this web site will suggest ways to be of help.

Several times a year, we ask for your financial support to keep WFUV Public Radio going strong as an independent source of the music and information that gets you through your days. The following Q&A should answer most questions about how the public radio honor system of listener contributions works.

Where does WFUV's operational budget come from?

Well over half the operational budget comes from station members, a little under a quarter from corporate support and a smaller percentage from Fordham University and the government.
What's WFUV's relationship to Fordham University?

WFUV is licensed to Fordham University. Fordham provides in-kind support, such as rent-free studio office space, and about five percent of our operations budget. WFUV is managed by an over 30-person professional staff and the university entrusts them with station operations. The station's mission is to provide a unique public radio service, share the resources of the university with the community, and train the broadcasters of tomorrow. Approximately 70 students work at WFUV in various capacities, and many of them go on to careers in the media and entertainment fields.
What are the costs of the new studios?

Construction of the new studios cost between $5-6 million.
Did member support dollars go towards construction of the new studios?

Fordham University paid for the new studios and WFUV is responsible for repaying the university for their investment. WFUV has a Capital Campaign in place to pay for the "studios, transmission tower and to invest in the station's future." Proceeds from the annual WFUV Gala go toward that campaign.
What are corporate underwriters?

Corporate underwriters are businesses and organizations which support WFUV, typically by purchasing a schedule of short spot announcements which describe their goods or services in non-commercial terms.

If there are any other questions you'd like answered about WFUV, email us anytime at thefolks@wfuv.org.

More about:

Our licensee: Fordham University
Governing and Advisory Bodies