One year ago, Congress eliminated already-allocated federal funding for public broadcasting — a devastating blow to local media and the millions who rely on it daily.
That decision wiped away $500,000 per year in funds that KCUR depended upon on to serve the people of the Kansas City region.
It was a dire moment, marking a sudden shift from how KCUR has been supported since its inception.
The community stepped up in a big way. During an emergency fundraising drive held following the rescission, thousands of gifts poured into KCUR, helping to close the gap for that fiscal year in just days.
And hundreds of you purchased specially designed "Defend" t-shirts, literally wearing your support for KCUR.
The rescission is likely permanent, meaning KCUR will continue to rely on audience support as it never has before. And the impacts on public media as a whole will continue to reverberate: some stations have been forced to shrink, and the system is still in flux due to legal and political uncertainty.
KCUR's future is evolving as we continue the amicable separation from our license holder, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and moving from the campus to a new temporary location on the Country Club Plaza.
KCUR has remained strong because of the support from our audience.
Despite the uncertainty from events over the past year, KCUR has been able to:
- Create and distribute award-winning journalism recognized regionally and nationally
- Launch a comprehensive guide to the World Cup in Kansas City, including a new Soccer City '26 newsletter
- Produce a four-part series of the A People's History of Kansas City podcast on how Kansas City came to be a soccer city, and open a one-of-its-kind exhibition at the Kansas City Public Library
- Partner with The Kansas City Star on the SportsBeat KC podcast
- Continue our services uninterrupted despite being forced to relocate in just five weeks in December
- Expand the regional Harvest Public Media reporting service to new stations, encompassing the entire middle of the country from Wisconsin to Texas
- Broadcast Up To Date live from remote locations to allow audience participation and interaction (with more coming soon!)
- Serve a monthly average of 1 million across our digital, broadcast and on-demand platforms, every single day.
We know that you, our community of supporters, will keep KCUR strong and resilient.
As the country prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding, we at KCUR are honored that so many remain fiercely committed to the rights cemented in the 1st Amendment: the Freedom of the Press.
If you are not already a KCUR donor, we hope you will consider joining the thousands who support KCUR's local, independent public service.
Your support makes KCUR's work possible — from reporting that keeps officials accountable, to storytelling that connects our community. You can make sure the future of local journalism is strong.
