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Transmitting to Tomorrow
21st Century Public Radio for Western North Carolina
Download the Capital Campaign Brochure (pdf)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. WHY IS A WCQS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN NECESSARY?
A. The goals in this campaign are unique, critical and one-time expenses. A capital campaign is necessary to raise the funds needed to accomplish these important goals. WCQS cannot fund these projects from its annual revenue. Those funds are required to keep the station on the air. WCQS is at a crossroad and needs a successful capital campaign to move forward. Thousands of Western North Carolina residents are without public radio service. The WCQS schedule is completely filled leaving no room to bring in new programs. The station's building needs safety upgrades and its current design is insufficient for our growing needs. Our equipment is obsolete. The station is spending money on debt service that could be used to support programming.
A successful campaign will remedy these situations. This is not a traditional bricks-and-mortar campaign. It will build the station's capacity for service as it yields ongoing financial benefits to the station. It will deliver a new audience — with many new listeners that will become financial supporters; it will create more valuable rental income opportunities in our building; and it will retire a large and costly mortgage debt.
Q. WHAT DOES A SECOND WCQS RADIO STATION MEAN FOR LOCAL LISTENERS?
A. Many public radio markets have several public radio stations. In these markets each station provides a certain type of programming so that the community has access to a full spectrum of public radio offerings. By adding a second station WCQS will double its airspace and be able to offer more programs that our listeners have been demanding for years. Because radio frequencies very seldom become available this is a monumental opportunity for our region.
Q. HOW WILL THE STATION BENEFIT FROM ADDING ADDITIONAL TRANSLATORS?
A. The coverage provided by new WCQS translators will reach almost 3O,OOO additional people and help the station fulfill its mission to bring public radio service to all corners of Western North Carolina. As WCQS becomes an important cultural and educational resource for these new areas, more listeners will become financial supporters of the station and more businesses will become station underwriters.
Q. WHEN WAS THE LAST WCQS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AND HOW MUCH WAS RAISED?
A. The last campaign occurred in 1992 and raised slightly more than $7OO,OOO. These funds were used to purchase land to relocate our Asheville transmitter and tower, increase the power of this transmitter, add a new translator for Waynesville and the Cherokee Indian Reservation, improve and expand the station's local news programming and double the size of the station's endowment. As a result of these improvements, the WCQS audience has more than doubled. Our news and public affairs programming has become more professional, has expanded and has won statewide awards. Our financial support from listeners and local businesses has also increased. Ownership of our transmitter site continues to yield a lasting benefit for WCQS. We lease excess space on our tower to other communication entities and raise 7% of our annual operating budget from this resource. A key objective in this campaign — to own a debt-free building — can yield a similar benefit to the station as we earn rent from leasing the excess space in our downtown building.
Q. HOW MUCH MONEY IS REQUIRED TO BEGIN THE STATION RENOVATION?
A. This renovation project is modular and gives WCQS great flexibility in timing its implementation. We have begun Phase 1: install a sprinkler system and new fire-rated exits. As additional funds are committed, we can begin other phases of the project: (2) create new offices in the adjacent expansion area; (3) renovate the programming and studio areas; (4) renovate the central administrative area; (5) retrofit the basement for workshop, storage and parking areas.
Q. A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN WILL GIVE WCQS THE CAPACITY TO GROW. HOW WILL THE STATION SUPPORT THIS GROWTH ON AN ANNUAL BASIS?
A. This campaign will yield new sources of reliable and unrestricted annual income for WCQS. Paying off the mortgage will release significant funds that can be redirected into programming and operational support. A renovated building will be more attractive to renters and justify higher lease payments. New listener and business supporters will emerge from the new communities we will serve with our five new translators. Future staff growth will be closely monitored and positions will not be added unless the station has confirmed that new funds are available year after year to support any new positions.
Q. WHO OWNS WCQS AND HOW ARE THEY HELPING WITH THIS CAMPAIGN?
A. WCQS is owned by Western North Carolina Public Radio, Inc. — a non-profit organization created in 1979 to bring public radio service to the Western North Carolina region. A Board of Directors governs WCQS. All members of the Board have made gifts to this campaign.
Q. WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED SOURCES OF SUPPORT FOR THIS CAMPAIGN?
A. As stated above, our Directors have all made gifts to this campaign. So have all members of the WCQS staff. WCQS will also solicit funds from foundations, individuals, businesses and through special events.
Q. HOW WILL THE STATION FUND THE INCREASED OPERATING COST OF AN EXPANDED FACILITY?
A. As the owner, the station currently pays the building's overhead costs for the proposed expansion spaces. New heating, ventilation and electrical equipment will be more efficient and less costly to operate than the current equipment, which is more than 15 years old. Expansion will only cause a nominal increase in utility costs. The new translators are low wattage equipment and cost less to operate than a light bulb. Given historical levels of community support, WCQS can expect that contributions from new listeners will more than cover the costs to operate our new translators.
Q. WILL THE STATION'S ON-AIR FUND DRIVES BE A PART OF THE CAMPAIGN?
A. No. The station's on-air drives support the WCQS annual operating fund. It is critical that the station continues to reach its annual operational fundraising goals to maintain the quality and success of its established broadcast service. In order to preserve this success, funds pledged to the capital campaign must be over and above the support you may provide through the station's on-air drives, renewal mailings and business underwriting.
Q. MANY CAMPAIGNS RAISE FUNDS IN ADVANCE TO BUY OR BUILD A FACILITY. WHY IS THIS CAMPAIGN BEGINNING AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE BUILDING?
A. WCQS occupied this building for twelve years before becoming the owner. It was recognized that this purchase would give the station a permanent home, room for expansion and a rental income stream. The station would have lost these advantages by not buying the building when this opportunity was presented. In the years since the purchase, board and staff were able to develop long-range plans, study the future needs of the station and work with architects to design an ideal renovation plan. Rather than rushing into a campaign, WCQS took the time to investigate the most economical and responsible options for the station before bringing a plan forward for your consideration and request for support.
Q. HOW MANY LISTENERS AND SUPPORTERS DOES WCQS HAVE?
A. WCQS has 67,300 listeners each week (according to the Arbitron Research Company — Fall, 2OO3). In 20O3, 4,79O listeners supported the station. WCQS projects that at least 25% of these current supporters will contribute at some level to this campaign.
Q. WHAT IS THE STATION'S ANNUAL BUDGET?
A. WCQS has a 2OO5 annual operating budget of $1,148,968. This campaign seeks to raise an amount that is less than the cost of operating WCQS for two years.
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