KMUW FM89, Wichita Public Radio at Wichita State University, ended its fall pledge drive Oct. 9, raising $282,000. The record-breaking community response included 420 new KMUW donors.

“It is gratifying to know that the people of south-central Kansas find our programming useful and valuable in their daily lives,” said KMUW general manager Mark McCain. “KMUW lost $30,000 in state funding this past year and federal funding is in jeopardy, so it was necessary to go to our largest funding source—our members—and ask them to cover the loss.”

Public radio’s funding includes contributions from individuals, businesses, grants, universities and the government.

KMUW is licensed to WSU as a Corporation for Public Broadcasting-qualified, non-commercial and full-service public radio station. It is a charter National Public Radio member, and an affiliate of Public Radio International and American Public Media.

In 1949, KMUW began broadcasting as the first 10-watt, non-commercial FM station in the United States.