By: Lindsay Tague, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb. – According to NPR.org, public radio has been a staple in the broadcasting world that gained its start in 1910.
Whether it be pop, rock or country music, more than 244.5 million Americans listen to the radio every week, according to 4Media Group.
90.7 KVNO is Omaha’s classical music radio station, The station has been on air for over 50 years.
Emma Cooney, KVNO’s Development Associate, says that the key to staying on is listener support.
“In order to create the radio, we rely very heavily on the support of our listeners all coming together to fund it,” says Cooney.
Musical America Worldwide conducted a study with a Maryland-based Station Resource Group that determined 11 million Americans listen to a public radio station each week.
The station will see listener support come through when it comes time for fundraisers. The Pew Research Center says public radio stations listenership had a 9 percent decline from 2021 to 2022.
Cooney says community involvement and listener hold-up is what will stop the decline from increasing.
