CANTON – A year after Congress voted to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, North Country Public Radio is continuing to adapt to the loss of nearly $350,000 in annual federal support, reported the radio station in a recent press release. 

The funding had helped pay for North Country news coverage, locally produced podcasts, daily music programming and the infrastructure needed to broadcast emergency weather and public safety alerts.

In response to the cuts, NCPR launched a fundraising effort that brought in about $500,000 from individual donors in a matter of weeks. Station leaders said the donations helped stabilize operations in the short term, but they say the long-term challenge of replacing the lost federal funding remains.

"There are a lot of people who care about our future," Station Manager Mitch Teich said.

Teich said the station now relies almost entirely on individual donations and business sponsorships to cover operating expenses, including salaries, programming and its network of 34 transmitters.

"So far, we've been able to avoid reducing our staff, cutting programs or turning off any of our 34 transmitters," Teich said.

As some public media organizations have responded to financial pressures by reducing staff, cutting programming or consolidating operations, NCPR officials said they are focused on maintaining local news coverage and serving communities across the North Country.

The station also continues to provide its programming without commercial advertising or paywalls.

Station officials said NCPR has received several recent journalism awards, including recognition for coverage of education, health care and sports.

Even with strong donor support, NCPR says it still faces an ongoing budget gap because of the loss of federal funding. As a result, the station has set a higher fundraising goal for its summer campaign, which begins Monday, July 27.

"We're living through unusual times. We need to keep clearing the bar we've raised over the last year," Teich said. "As we build our strategy to permanently replace those federal funds, our audience plays an enormously important role in keeping NCPR strong and helping us grow to serve the North Country now and into the future."

People who wish to support the station can donate through its website or by making contributions through donor-advised funds, IRA charitable distributions, stock transfers, planned gifts, estate gifts or vehicle donations. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.