High Points: Support public radio

It was my feel-good moment of the week, and I must thank the current administration for the inspiration. That’s about the only thing I can think of to thank the current administration for.

You likely have heard that, among the litany of tyrannical acts the Trump administration is attempting to implement, one is the defunding of public media, including National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). On May Day, in the dark of night, the White House issued an executive order titled “ENDING TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZATION OF BIASED MEDIA.” Never mind that the President does not possess the authority to unilaterally suspend funding for public media; that authority rests with Congress.

So, the other day I got up and called each of the two public radio stations in the Valley, KAJX in Aspen and KDNK in Carbondale, and made a donation. I am a monthly subscriber to each station, and the new donations were not for significant amounts of money. Still, it made me feel like I was doing something positive at a time when these two great, local media organizations are under siege.

I love me some public radio, and to have two stations that I can tune to is another example of why living in the Roaring Fork Valley is such a privilege. Both stations have their own unique personalities, and both provide pleasure along with important information to their listeners each and every day. And it’s all free to the public, thanks to a combination of private donations, corporate underwriting, and federal funding.

When I’m in my car, my radio rarely deviates from 91.5, where I get KAJX. I get my “Fresh Air” from Terri Gross, my financial fix with Kai Ryssdal, and my world news from the BBC World Service. The daily local news, weather, and ski reports as offered up by correspondents like Eleanor Bennett and Megan Tackett are vital, especially during the winter months, and I feel like I can trust their accuracy. On the weekends, I tune into syndicated programs like “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me!,” “This American Life,” and the “TED Radio Hour.” All are better than the junk I get on network television.

At home, the radio is always on, and the only station I listen to is KDNK. It is here that I get a dose of the blues each Tuesday morning on “Blues Kitchen.” Thursday it’s “Sister Kate’s SideShow.” And who doesn’t love the “Andy Zanca Youth Empowerment Program”? For over a quarter century, the program has been empowering youth to build self-confidence and develop leadership skills through community broadcasting. It is public radio at its best.

There are so many ways to spend your media money these days. How much do you shell out each month for services like Amazon or Netflix or Hulu or the pluses like ESPN+, Paramount+, or Universal+? And what kind of experience are you getting from each?

If you think about it, there are few things as important as making sure that we maintain these beloved local stations. So do what I did, and make a donation today to support our local public radio stations.

It’s easy: Just grab your credit card and go to aspenpublicradio.org or call 970-920-9000 for KAJX. For KDNK, go to kdnk.org or call 970-963-0139. They will be happy to accept your donation.

It will be the feel-good moment of your week.