Lawmakers advance legislation to stabilize local radio stations jeopardized by federal cuts

Better known as AMPERS, the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations is an association of 17 independent locally programmed and managed radio stations across the state.

Affiliated with a school, college or university, tribal nation or licensed to a community, many are in areas not served by traditional media.

Already operating on shoestring budgets, the stations lost a combined $3.5 million in federal funding earlier this year, more than 40% of the operating budget for some stations.

KKWE, which serves the White Earth Indian Reservation, took a $239,000 hit, or 48% of its operating budget. A $172,000 loss for KOJB that serves the Leech Lake Indian Reservation is about 44% of its budget. In the Thief River Falls area, KSRQ is out $169,000, or about 40% of its budget.

“These are just amazing community institutions that do all kinds of things for all kinds of people,” said Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-Mpls), whose community is served by AMPERS stations KBEM, KFAI and KMOJ. 

Her comments came moments before a bill that could provide a small bit of assistance was overwhelmingly approved Monday by the House Ways and Means Committee and sent to the House Floor.

Sponsored by Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia), HF4591 would provide $165,000 in Fiscal Year 2027 “to provide resources, software, training and assistance to help its member stations consolidate resources and expenses.” And it would decrease the statutory minimum number of required staff per station needed to qualify for state funding from two full-time equivalents to 1.5.

“If they lose their state funding as well, they will most likely go dark. If they go dark, they won’t come back,” Joel Glaser, AMPERS president and CEO, told the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee March 24. He acknowledged that asking the state to backfill the lost federal funding is unrealistic.

“Having local media outlets is one of the cornerstones of democracy,” Rep. Larry Kraft (DFL-St. Louis Park) said at that meeting.

Stations have been looking for years at ways to consolidate efforts, Glaser said. For example, stations share the responsibility of scheduling underwriting messages, which can include promos. To do that takes a small part of a full-time equivalent position at each station. “With $165,000, AMPERS can hire an FTE to do all of that work for all of the stations freeing individuals up to do other work. It will (also) cover the cost of the software.” A fee would be charged to stations for the position in future years.