Last Monday a dedicated group of volunteers spent the afternoon and evening installing a new mixer board, reconfiguring equipment, adjusting the transmitter, and cleaning the studio. Our show hosts and their guests will enjoy an improved broadcast experience, and discerning ears may detect improved sound, depending on your radio and location.
This major upgrade would not have been possible without hours of painstaking work by Bennett Kobb, Mark Decker, Joey Dunnigan, and our stalwart station manager Rob Roark. Heartfelt thanks to them, and to everyone else who donates their time and talent to creating the voice of our community and keeping it on the air.
Most of our programming originates locally, but we are also grateful for show hosts who share programming from around the country— from Wimberley to upstate New York, including Mike August, Dan Barker and Anne Laurie Gaylor, Cheryl Beversdorf, Mike Bilansky, Lynn Borton, Jeff Bressler, Steve Chelmsford, Jamie Dell’Apa, Salwa Khan, and Jake Longwell. We appreciate these hosts making their programming available at no charge.
The award-winning news show “Democracy Now” is also being broadcast for free right now, though eventually we will need to donate to help cover their expenses. We have also been gifted with a year’s worth of membership in Public Radio Exchange (PRX), which gives us access to their programming.
Donated programming is always welcome because, as a 501(c)(3), allvolunteer non-profit organization, we are always in need of funds. We are especially grateful for the support we have received from the Burdine-Johnson Foundation, from Jim Ellinger of Austin Airwaves, from the Wittliff Collections at Texas State, and from many other friends who have donated to sustain our mission.
The equipment that was just installed was purchased with Federal American Rescue Plan funds that were generously allocated to KZSM by the Hays County Commissioner’s Court. Many thanks to them and to the City of San Marcos, which has also allotted federal funds to us. And we are on the FM dial because the city gave us the broadcast license they acquired for communication during emergencies.
And we are grateful to everyone who helps to organize our community events, notably Songbird Sheri Swartz and John Michael and the Retro Cats for our successful sock hop July 19. Through events, especially the San Marcos Music Awards, we can give back to the community that has done so much to support us.
