Just weeks after learning it will lose some $1 million in federal funding, local PBS affiliate WCTE will ask local residents to join the station and support its work.
WCTE President and CEO Avery Hutchins said the station will remind residents Wednesday to “Support Local, Watch Local.” Hutchins said there will be conversations about the station’s longevity, and the importance of membership.
“[Membership] is a critical part of our funding and how we continue to operate and do the things that we do, to run a TV station” Hutchins said. “And we currently have around 2,200 members, and we have a goal of trying to double that this year.”
Hutchins said the telethon will also highlight local content and showcase some of the local impact. The program airs from 3 to 6pm, and live interviews will follow beginning at 7pm.
Hutchins said membership comes with a handful of benefits and a low cost. She said it is just $60 a year, or it can be paid in monthly installments of $5. Hutchins said a big membership benefit is the Passport streaming service, which provides viewers with on-demand programming, extended content, and early releases.
Hutchins said viewers who tune in can expect a lot of fun.
“I hope people will tune in because they’re interested and curious about, you know, what WCTE has been up to,” Hutchins said. “I hope that they’ll tune in and watch so they can become even more educated on the impact that we do have on this community.”
Hutchins said people may not know it, but WCTE’s viewing area covers 14 counties in the Upper Cumberland. She people may not be aware of the station’s work beyond the local, educational programming it offers.
“We’re doing family enrichment programs, we’re doing family engagement workshops, we’re hosting events, we’re telling stories,” Hutchins said. “We’re bringing their stories to the screen, so we’re going out into these communities and making sure they have representation. And that is important for people all over this area and even throughout the country.”
Hutchins said people also do not realize WCTE’s role in public safety. Because it is the only local channel available to some people in the Upper Cumberland, it has become a heavily relied upon source of things like weather alerts and early learning programs.