MONTEREY – A white light flashes above the studio door as Bonnie Ralston takes to the air waves of Allegheny Mountain Radio, one of the many stations across the United States imperiled by President Donald Trump’s funding cuts. The station, which relies on volunteers like Ralston, is one of the only to broadcast in the area, delivering news, sports and music to the small mountain towns along the border of Virginia and West Virginia. “We don’t know what is going to happen to us,” Ralston, 59, told newsmen. At Trump’s request, Republicans in Congress voted to cut federal money for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the key funding source for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), both of which conservatives have long accused of liberal bias. But those funds also backed many smaller radio and TV stations around the nation. Allegheny Mountain Radio, for instance, is expected to lose funding that accounted for 60-65 percent of its budget. The small station, which employs 10 people, has enough reserves to survive for at least a year, said general manager Scott Smith. “We cannot continue operating in the red and pulling from reserves forever. We know we’re going to run out of money at some time if we don’t find more income.” “Ultimately, the consequences are our very existence when it comes down to it,” said Smith, 58. Nestled in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains in the Appalachia region of the eastern United States.
, the radio station is one of the only local media outlets in the rural area. Few outside radio signals reach this remote region, about 60 miles from the nearest shopping center, where the telephone network is unreliable. In Monterey, a small town of around 120 residents, Allegheny Mountain Radio is a lifeline. “It’s very vital for local information,” said Jay Garber, the mayor of Monterey, noting that most of the town’s inhabitants are elderly and rely on traditional forms of media. Local resident Polly Turner, 74, told AFP she does not own a computer and depends on the radio station to stay informed.
“We need it. We’ll be lost without it,” she said. Chris Wayne, another Monterey local, warned that the loss of Allegheny Mountain Radio could have serious consequences. “As soon as you get out of town a little bit, the cellphone signal goes away. So if you don’t have that, the radio station is the only way you’re gonna find out if there’s, like, flood water coming,” the 42-year-old explained, adding that the town is located below the Jackson River, a major waterway. Allegheny Mountain Radio’s rural listeners, who overwhelmingly supported Trump during last year’s presidential election, have not always welcomed the radio station despite its vital role. “Some people say we’re too leftist because we utilize NPR newscast,” Smith, the station’s manager, said.
“I think the majority of people here understand the value that we provide, no matter what political orientation they might ascribe to,” he continued. Since Congress finalized the funding cuts, messages of support have poured in from the community, and more than 200 people have donated to keep Allegheny Mountain Radio running. The communal rallying has left Smith feeling “optimistic.” “When you’ve got that level of support and validation coming to you, it only hardens your resolve,” he said. “We’re not going to roll over and die. We’re going to keep kicking and fighting and finding ways to make this work.”
