East Tennessee State University’s public radio station, 89.5 WETS-FM, invites listeners to support the power of thoughtful programming during its Spring Fundraiser, happening now through Friday.
For more than half a century, WETS-FM has served the region with a blend of national and local news, classical music and stories rooted in Appalachia.
The station’s spring drive helps fund that mission — sustaining programs that inform, enrich and connect the communities of East Tennessee and beyond.
This fund drive comes at a time when public radio faces growing headwinds across the country.
“Public radio has always offered something different,” said Chad Barrett, station director. “Whether it’s in-depth reporting, conversations that challenge us or music that lifts our spirits, WETS is here to serve. Listener support is what keeps that going.”
The station aims to raise as much as possible through the end of the week (and fiscal year) to safeguard against loss of federal funding.
Make online donations at wets.org or call (888) 895-9387. Phones are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
A service of ETSU since 1974, WETS-FM recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and cut the ribbon on a new radio tower that “will help WETS to weather any storms that come our way,” Barrett said. That project, funded by the state of Tennessee and listener donations, represents the type of public-private support that has long powered WETS’s success.
“Stations like WETS play a vital role in the cultural and civic life of our region,” Barrett said. “They give us space to learn, reflect and be inspired. That’s worth celebrating — and supporting.”
