Telling Public Radio's Story
1. Describe your overall goals and approach to address identified community issues, needs, and interests through your station’s vital
local services, such as multiplatform long and short-form content, digital and in-person engagement, education services, community
information, partnership support, and other activities, and audiences you reached or new audiences you engaged.
KGLT 91.1fm is a 46 year old alternative public radio station which began in 1968 at Montana State University, Bozeman. Known for
live announcers playing their choice of music 22 hours per day, KGLT also produces 1,500 to 2,000 public service announcements per
year, and offers three apprentice DJ classes per year. On the www.kglt.net website is a Community Calendar that announces lectures,
concerts, classes, nature programs, and exhibits in all areas where there are translators. Located on the campus of Montana State
University, about one third of the announcements relate to campus offerings such as new classes in departments, recreational
opportunities, volunteer opportunities, fund raisers, and information about enlightening students and employees of their rights, of
programs of diversity, women's issues, returning vet issues, handicap rights, rape alerts and ways to protect oneself (walking in groups
late at night), drunk driver support. Issues on and off campus also include Aids awareness, high blood pressure awareness, bullying,
cancer, environment. Montana is a very environmentally aware state, some might call it an 'AG' state because of all the ranching and
farming, but it is also very dependent on the tourist trade for fishing, hiking, hunting as well as summer and winter recreation. KGLT
is the Emergency Alert System for its 'home' county, plays twice daily avalanche reports and ski reports during the winter, works with
schools to announce closings, gives a fishing report during the fishing season. In Montana, there is a meeting of the minds between
ranchers and sustainability. KGLT informs the public of City and County open forums regarding environmental and planning issues
including water quality, building, parks, and development. The audiences reached are diverse; KGLT ranks #3 and #4 in its home
county of 18 stations and works closely with NPR stations in Montana, with work to collaborate and share audience. KGLT is the
matriarch of community radio in the state of Montana, offering openness, inclusiveness, and interest in the community. Listener's
Personals is a perfect example: There is a daily report of lost animals, ride sharing, etc., with a reliable reputation for helping people
connect. The goal for KGLT is to reach more listeners and offer them this familial yet professional inclusiveness, so that they may
benefit from all the information and education KGLT provides in music appreciation and public service. In order to grow audience
more, streaming has been of great use, and flyers will be posted in all businesses that donate to KGLT for the Annual Fund Drive,
saying: "We support KGLT." Advertising will occur in smaller community newspapers for the Annual Fund Drive. Friends of KGLT
has been visible at a great friend raiser, The Friends of KGLT Music Swap, a sort of flea market of all things music and art where like
minded people can come together, new supporters and old. KGLT helps sponsor community programs such as PechaKucha
(community chit chat) and Farmer's Markets and asks that logos be placed on posters and programs for community awareness of the
station. Empowering students on the Montana State University campus, reaching out to high school students, and sharing timely
information and music with the listeners is part of the vision of this station. It is exciting for staff to have a hand in the growth of a
student and to mentor them as they reach adulthood, helping them to live up to their potential to become informed, more comfortable
with themselves, kind, and ethical.
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6.1 Telling Public Radio's Story
2. Describe key initiatives and the variety of partners with whom you collaborated, including other public media outlets, community
nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions, the business community, teachers and parents, etc. This will illustrate the
many ways you’re connected across the community and engaged with other important organizations in the area.
KGLT produces "Chrysti the Wordsmith", a two minute, 20 year old program about words and their stories. The series is carried by
Yellowstone Public Radio, Billings, MT; Montana Public Radio, Missoula, MT; KCPW in Salt Lake City, and worldwide on Armed
Forces Radio and Television Network. "Montana Medicine Show", also produced at the station, is two minute segments of Montana
history narrated by Bozeman High School Award winning History teacher, Derek Strahn that airs six times a week on KGLT and
seven times per week on three AM stations in Eastern Montana. A book of Medicine Show scripts is coming out and that as well as
the series itself will be offered to libraries across the state. Veteran announcer Tim Tate’s Indie Chill Wave Show airs on KUFM, the
Missoula Montana NPR station. "Tellin' Ellen", personal 1/2 hour interviews produced at KGLT, air on Yellowstone Public Radio.
Montana PBS and KGLT have an ‘in-kind’ underwriting agreement. KGLT is the Emergency Alert System for Gallatin County, home
of the transmitter. KGLT makes its services available for Public Service Announcements to every group on the Montana University
Systems campuses, the various schools within them, including Business, Engineering, Art, Science, Education, Nursing, the
expanding pre-med program, Engineers without Borders, the veterinary pre-program, and the new two year colleges offering associate
degrees. KGLT works to connect organizations with students to give them experience in their desired fields. KGLT is very pleased to
work with Wonderlust (http://eu.montana.edu/wonderlust/) , the Senior citizen exploration and education program, to inform about
voter registration, and health department notifications. Through Public Service Announcements, information is made available about
psychological counseling, book clubs, Head Start programs for kids, help with utility payments, cancer support, free dental and
medical care, free spay/neuter, free food and clothing, environmental issue awareness, recycling, alternative energy use, senior citizen
support, hotlines for sexual abuse, warm lines for mental health issues, and fund raisers for Food Bank, or to help pay a sick child’s
medical bills. KGLT provides information about Music Festivals, free summer events like Music on Main, Christmas Strolls, parades,
Halloween trick or treating, and the Sweet Pea Festival, celebrating arts, food, music, and non-profit organizations. Groups with which
KGLT works: Montana Wilderness, Montana Wildlife, 4-H, Head Start, Human Resources Development Council, Shakespeare in the
Park, Montana Spay/Neuter Task Force, all animal shelters, American Lung Association, MT., Montana Shares, Bridgercare (low cost
medical choice), Befrienders and Senior Centers, libraries on and off campus, Brain Injury Association, Tobacco Use Prevention, Fair
Housing, Arts Centers, Small Business Associations, Montana State University Colleges of Arts and Letters, Engineering, Nursing,
Art, Media, Voice Center, Music Technology, International Studies, Job Corps, Adoption Options, Cancer Institutes, Bear Creek
Respite (alzheimer's patients), Montana Conservation Voters, Montana Association for the Blind, Women's Voters (informational
programs about voting), Humanities Montana, Greater Montana Foundation, and has 80 underwriters (support from businesses). New
is Operation Never Forgotten, and more, Organ Donation information, Parent Place, Hopa Mountain and Thrive (child growth), Big
Brothers/Big Sisters, think tanks, poetry open mics are included. KGLT has live performances by local musicians on the air. Many
performers are young, from the high school or college, but also we had a beautiful performance by an 80 year old man singing
'Country'. We also have young poets do readings on the air, local actors have performed a short scene from a play, the director of the
Fairgrounds has shared information about events such as Winter Fest, a real state fair, but held in the winter.
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3. What impact did your key initiatives and partnerships have in your community? Describe any known measurable impact, such as
increased awareness, learning or understanding about particular issues. Describe indicators of success, such as connecting people to
needed resources or strengthening conversational ties across diverse neighborhoods. Did a partner see an increase in requests for
related resources? Please include direct feedback from a partner(s) or from a person(s) served.
KGLT brings community members together to combine their voices and their energy to solve and support community issues,
educating community about the arts, health and the environment. We have received calls and visits from organizations such as The
Women's Center that an individual needing help heard about options on KGLT. KGLT also works with the Office of Student Success.
The general manager had an opportunity to send a failing student to them for appropriate help to aid the student in her studies and a
number of harassed women to the Voice Center for confidential support. KGLT urges people to make use of their local animal shelters
and the measure is that the shelters as well as other organizations repeatedly inform us of their programs, their Pets of the Week, their
lectures on Adoption Options, Suicide Support, the Hospital Emergency Room advising about driving and texting, and fitness
programs for seniors and students. Apprentices class student ratio has increased, more student programs are calling for public service
announcements, work continues with many campus organizations that rely on KGLT to spread the word to the campus and
community. Underwriters from health and environmental organizations are consistent in their support and include Western
Sustainability, Hopa Mountain (mentioned above), Cardiac and Orthopaedic Care branches of the hospital. For many of these
businesses who fall into a 501-c-3 category, they don't have money in the budget to underwrite, and KGLT makes sure their resources
are known, even helping by producing announcements to air on other stations. Though the main impetus is music at KGLT, many
many people come on for live interviews and bring their favorite music choices with them. When for example, a famous mountain
climber whose focus is the world environment, has a lecture planned, he contacts the station, comes on the air with a dj, and together
they share stories and great music. A gauge of the success of this type of community involvement is Fund Drive pledges and
payments, in 2013 a record $163,000.00 with over 97% collected vs. 2012 $145,000.00 in pledges with $141,000.00 collected. This is
an 11% increase in one year, over 120 pledges more from year to year, representing increased listenership. That groups consistently
work with KGLT is proof of the dependability of the station's and listeners ability to rely on the station for information. Quotes: -Bridger Bowl Coop Ski Area director, Doug Wales: "KGLT has been a powerful voice for the Gallatin Valley for many, many years.
With its wide and eclectic audience of listeners on air and online, Bridger Bowl has benefited greatly from thsi long-term and fruitful
relationship spanning over four decades." --Wild Joe's Coffee House owner, Ron Gompertz: "Underwriting our favorite shows on
KGLT is a great way to support this iconic community station and the most cost effective way we've found to remind our target
audience we're here." --Vootie Productions owner Tom Garnsey: "When I moved to Bozeman in 1983, it was in part due to the power
and personality of Bozeman's own radio gem-KGLT. KGLT is the lifeblood of and the lifeline to culture in our very unique town. We
support GKTL and KGLT gives it back in spades."
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4. Please describe any efforts (e.g. programming, production, engagement activities) you have made to investigate and/or meet the
needs of minority and other diverse audiences (including, but not limited to, new immigrants, people for whom English is a second
language and illiterate adults) during Fiscal Year 2013, and any plans you have made to meet the needs of these audiences during
Fiscal Year 2014. If you regularly broadcast in a language other than English, please note the language broadcast.
Montana State University mission: “The State's land-grant institution, educates students, creates knowledge and art, and serves
communities, by integrating learning, discovery, and engagement.” KGLT is located in the Strand Union Building (the Student
Union), sharing space on the third floor and working consistently with the offices of Diversity, the Women's Center, the Voice Center,
and the university newspaper, the Exponent. International students, once invited to record for individual and group events, have not
failed in years to record announcements about educational celebrations such as Festivals of Lights, Food Bazaars, and the community
response to student events is high. The public service announcements for the international events starts a word of mouth 'buzz' and the
Food Bazaar drew almost 2,000 people in 2013. Social Media has benefited KGLT and groups post their events and presentations
dates on KGLT's Facebook page. The Community Calendar on www.kglt.net reflects many events and activities. From the
community, DJ apprentices range from students to seniors, from out of work to looking to grow. Differences and creativity are
celebrated at KGLT. International students have honed their English language techniques on the air while doing a show. The Japanese
business organization that deals with Montana State University by financing Masters Degree level students from Japan to come to the
United States for one year, spend an hour at the station, learning the business of how the station is run. 14% of the over 15,000
students on the MSU campus are non-white. Announcers are old and young, Native American, Italian, Latino, Asian, handicapped,
blind (KGLT has special computer programs for the sight challenged announcer that enable him to control the font size on the logs
and announcements), gay, black, white. The producer of the Montana Medicine Show and KGLT Music Director, Jim Kehoe is
visiting Bozeman High School regularly, helping the students create "Hawk Talk" minutes that air on KGLT. Students tell of
upcoming events and do interviews. They learn from Jim about trimming to what really matters, about efficient reporting and sharing
of information. These are productions that are full of energy and very appealing. Plus the high school students get their voices on the
radio, a win/win situation for all involved. Upcoming: adding two native Spanish language speakers as DJ's to share music and
information as KGLT continues to educate and play music, to celebrate life, diversity, tradition, history, community service,
inclusiveness, and education for hundreds of years, to be known as a legend of live radio that connects personally with community.
The Latin American Alternative hour plays only Latin music, aside from Ellen's World music show. The General Manager will join
the University President's Task Force, OpenMSU, to support and engage students and employees on campus. The Tellin' Ellen show
will feature an interview of the University President, Waded Cruzado, first Latina President of any Montana university and a force for
equality, which will air on Yellowstone Public Radio as the two stations start their Spring Fund Drives. KGLT continues its open door
policy to student groups and non-profit organizations to create in our recording studio, with staff guidance and production, public
service announcements about their meetings, information workshops, fund raisers, and awareness lectures. One exceptional event is
the Muslim student group honoring the suffering of the poor and hungry with a Day of Hunger and a breaking of a daylong fast with a
Moroccan meal in the Student Union Ballrooms. KGLT plays public service announcements in Spanish. Working with our student
senate liaisons, KGLT presents regularly to Orientation leaders and ‘Advocat’ new student mentor classes in order to reach the
broadest campus audience. Community members, many of whom are MSU alumni, stay connected to the University system through
KGLT. KGLT continues to provide information about lectures, discussions, programs, fund raisers for International Students, for
POW WOW, informal get-to-know-us gatherings, new courses offered by MSU programs, where to find counseling, language
assistance, tutoring, help for sexual assault and assertiveness training. Public Service Announcements include information about
Continuing Education classes offered for ‘people for whom English is a second language and illiterate adults.’ KGLT maintains that:
1. Diversity expands the breadth and depth of the station, 2. Many voices and accents are more interesting than one. 3. Practice in
public speaking is important for students and community members 4. KGLT is music and community service. 5. KGLT listeners
follow closely the progress of budding DJ's and and the station.
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5. Please assess the impact that your CPB funding had on your ability to serve your community. What were you able to do with your
grant that you wouldn't be able to do if you didn't receive it?
Because CPB supports KGLT, the radio station has gained more respect and recognition in the community. The CPB required yearly
independent audit has confirmed KGLT's good business practices and transparency to the Associated Students of Montana State
University (of which KGLT is a program and submits a yearly operations budget), the Board of Regents, Montana State University,
the University President and the listeners, who are KGLT's greatest source of financial support. KGLT would not have been able to
grow its listener base as quickly without CPB funding used for promoting the station in key listening areas with ads in hometown
newspapers. CPB has empowered KGLT staff to grow creatively and as professionals because we are energized by CPB’s dedication
to supporting public media and KGLT’s role in that. Because of CPB, key employees have been able to attend PBMA (Public
Broadcasting Management Association) conferences and DEI (Development Exchange Incorporated) conferences, from which has
they have taken successful marketing and fund raising tips, such as Center for Car Donations, and spent time studying in depth,
compliance with CPB. Since CPB started supporting KGLT, staff has been able to be more proactive and develop a more open
communication with the 80 to 100 volunteer announcers, enabling the DJ’s to have more of a sense of ownership and investment.
KGLT has become a resource for other radio stations starting out and trying to hold onto their grass roots missions CPB has supported
KGLT’s efforts to hold strong in an ever increasing atmosphere of automation in radio by enabling KGLT to update equipment and
technology, to streamline and become efficient in data input and record keeping. CPB has allowed KGLT to focus on the longevity of
the station and growth. Other public media stations, members of the CPB family, are using KGLT productions including Tellin' Ellen
and Chrysti the Wordsmith on Yellowstone Public Radio (KEMC), Chrysti the Wordsmith and the Indie Chill Wave Show on
Montana Public Radio (KUFM). Yellowstone Public Radio and KGLT are collaborating. The two General Managers are discussing
sharing in new territories for KGLT (KEMC and KGLT share physical space in Helena already), and carrying a themed music show
from Yellowstone Public Radio (KEMC) on KGLT. CPB focus on collaboration has led to the KGLT General Manager helping
KEMC on their Fund Drive on air, and the invitation is extended to KEMC General Manager to be live on air on Fund Drive with the
KEMC General Manager and the University President during the KGLT Fund Drive. Grant receipts have increased because of
KGLT’s affiliation with CPB. Greater Montana Foundation, Golden Pearl Foundation, Gilhousen Foundation, Mericos Foundation
and Humanities Montana were buoyed by the CPB's faith in the station. Without CPB, KGLT would not have created and sustained
The Montana Medicine Show, two minute segments of unique Montana History, now in its fifth year and supported by many of the
foundations mentioned above. And because of CPB support, KGLT has grown in popularity, as represented by increasingly more
successful Fund Drives, and has begun working toward an endowment through the Montana State University Foundation. Without
CPB, KGLT would have taken years to accomplish any of these achievements. Other changes thanks to CPB at KGLT: 1. Fund Drive
input program created to streamline effort while accommodating growth and saving money and the environment by not printing as
much. 2. KGLT is part of the American Archive Project and hailed as one of the first stations to submit! 3. Library digitization (over
60,000 CD's) and a program created whereby each of the 80 announcers has their own reference file to the music library. 4.
Collaboration with other public media including Montana PBS, Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Public Radio. 5. With the
CPB funded Marti system, KGLT will have more remote live shows and a presence at important events. 6. Student Employment has
increased, adding part time student support for assistant roles, a money saver as KGLT grows. KGLT has, since 1968, held true to
being an open format music radio station with live DJ’s, whose mission is to serve, partner with, and educate community. Sharing.
Celebrating people, differences, music. Station Growth. Roots. Longevity. Legacy. That is KGLT. KGLT thanks CPB for their
support in regular on air messages and has the logo on the website. Thank you CPB for believing in KGLT, which remains
transparent, invested in people and community, and shares with its listeners the love of music and public service.