As the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s educational nonprofit radio station, WUTK 90.3 FM, which has been on the air since 1982, has served as a launch pad for great careers in broadcasting for Vols like Mike Keith, the radio play-by-play voice of the Tennessee Titans, and Lelan Statom, the Emmy-winning meteorologist with NewsChannel 5 in Nashville.
When COVID-19 hit, underwriting support from concert promoters and live music venues disappeared, putting the station in a tight spot. WUTK relies on underwriters and in-person fundraising events, which were also curtailed. In order to operate, the station must raise between $135,000 and $150,000 annually.
“Because we rely on the generosity of our supporters, an event like Big Orange Give is very important to us, and this year it shined even brighter,” said Benny Smith, WUTK’s general manager and program director. “We were in a good spot, initially, but because of COVID-19, at least 50 percent of our station’s revenue went away. We’ve always found ways to fundraise before, but now many of those funds just no longer exist.”
Thanks to our donors, we’re able to put this money into improving the station even during the toughest of times.
– Benny Smith, WUTK general manager and program director
The School of Journalism and Electronic Media recently supported the purchase of upgraded equipment for WUTK, and the station is currently able to cover the cost of retaining its staff of three full-time employees. However, gifts from alumni and friends during Big Orange Give have enabled the station to pay for the installation of its new equipment. These upgrades bring it to par with comparable college radio stations, about 95 percent of which are funded through their institution’s regular budget.
“We needed $2,500 to hire an engineer to install new equipment that allows students to do their broadcasting shifts remotely,” Smith said. “That was our Big Orange Give goal, and I’m so thankful to say that we received nearly double.”
The new equipment will not only allow students to practice broadcasting from home, it will also improve the station for its listeners by allowing song titles to be transmitted over the airwaves for radios to display.
“It’s been a tough battle for us,” Smith said. “We’ve had to focus on surviving financially, but really we’re a learning lab for students. Usually we train 30 to 40 new DJs each semester, and the fact is the more you practice the better you get. This equipment will help us keep the learning lab open, and our staff will be able to get back to spending more time with students. Thanks to our donors, we’re able to put this money into improving the station even during the toughest of times.”
Big Orange Give, held November 18, 2020, rallied the UT community, and more than 4,500 gifts were made to the university, surging past the day of giving’s initial $2.5 million goal in just 24 hours. With more than a thousand funds to choose from, donors were able to support the areas of UT that mean the most to them. For many, that meant coming to the aid of WUTK during a challenging time. The station also helped other areas of campus connect with their alumni and supporters through regular announcements and promotions during Big Orange Give.
“We’re part of this great university, and we’re proud of that and feel obligated to get the word out for all areas of campus seeking support to continue their great work,” Smith said. “We want to reiterate that we used these generous donors’ money to stay on the air, improve our lab, and better serve our students.”
