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Revenues growing at WBFO, Petro tells FSEC
By DONNA BUDNIEWSKI
Reporter Assistant Editor
Membership revenues for WBFO 88.7 FM, UB's award-winning National Public Radio affiliate, grew 10 percent—from $546,000 in 2002 to $604,000 in 2003—with about 100,000 listeners tuning in weekly, Carole Smith Petro, the station's general manager and associate vice president, told the Faculty Senate Executive Committee yesterday as she updated the panel on the station's recent activities and fiscal health.
Ranked number 10 in the nation for listenership out of 46 NPR stations in its market size, WBFO raised 99.9 percent of its $5.5 million goal during the university's recently completed campaign, Petro said.
The station's spring fund raiser also was the most successful to date, raising $215,000. Currently, there are more than 8,000 members of the station—370 of whom are UB faculty and staff, she added.
Broadcasting news, as well as jazz and blues, the station recently completed a major digital conversion project that included the rehabilitation of two control rooms, two studios, the newsroom and the central control room. The total cost of the project, which was funded without state money, Petro pointed out, was $275,000.
In the past four years alone, the station, which has repeater stations in Jamestown and Olean that extend WBFO's reach throughout Western New York, has garnered more than 40 awards from the Associated Press—winning seven this year alone, she noted.
The station was founded in 1959 by UB engineering students, mainly because they were interested in the technology, said Petro. Hoping to increase its reach into rural areas, the station's next project it to build a new tower, she added.
WBFO, which operates as a major public service of UB, also launched the popular "Meet the Author" series this year, which was created with the idea of fostering a kind of "public square" where civic discourse could take place, said Petro.
The median age of WBFO listeners is about 47, with a median income at or above $50,000, she said.
For more information, news and WBFO programming schedules, visit http://www.wbfo.org/.
In other business, Anthony Burgio, newly elected president of the undergraduate Student Association, told the FSEC that he hopes to establish a better relationship with the committee and faculty and staff on campus. One of his primary goals, Burgio said, is to improve student life on campus in part by fostering a sense of community among students-something he says is missing.
Burgio took several questions from committee members, including one on the issue of academic integrity. He said professors must be vigilant and do more to make it impossible for students to cheat.
He said his other goals for SA are to improve programming for students, as well as fiscal accountability. "I think this year you're going to see a very positive change in SA," said Burgio, who said that communication between SA and students also needs to be improved.