KSUT's 2022 year in review
One Small Step conversations
• KSUT was one of six public radio stations selected to receive training and production assistance to collaborate on StoryCorps’ One Small Step initiative. It seeks to facilitate conversation and connection between people of opposing viewpoints.
Reporting collaboration with KSJD
• KSUT embarked on a news collaboration with KSJD Community Radio in Cortez. Voices From the Edge of the Colorado Plateau seeks to cover underrepresented communities in the Four Corners. The multi-year project covers Native, Indigenous, Latinx, and other communities across southwest Colorado. Voices is one of six collaborative projects receiving $1 million from the Colorado Media Project to strengthen and advance equity in local news.
We win awards!
• KSUT was awarded its 10th consecutive Best Radio Station honor in the annual Durango Herald Best of Durango and La Plata County awards.
• KSUT.org and its managing editor and administrator Mark Duggan won Best Small Market Radio Station Website by the Colorado Broadcasters Association. The CBA recognizes radio and TV stations for their excellence in broadcast news and commitment to serving their communities.
Live music!
• KSUT was thrilled to collaborate with the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College in presenting Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. This popular event was at the La Plata County Fairgrounds in celebration of July 4. It drew large and enthusiastic crowds.
• The 15th Annual Pagosa Folk 'N Bluegrass Festival happened in Pagosa Springs in June. It featured virtuoso guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, rising Americana/bluegrass band The Lil’ Smokies, and alt-country powerhouse Sarah Shook & the Disarmers.
• The 26th Annual Four Corners Folk Festival was on Labor Day weekend. Performers included Yonder Mountain String Band, Darrell Scott, Eliza Gilkyson, Gangstagrass, and more. Such cultural gatherings continue to build community.
• KSUT hosted an impressive array of musical guests for both in-studio and virtual live sessions. They include jazz vocalist Catherine Russell, the Fort Mojave traditional Bird Dancers and Singers, bluegrass hall-of-famer Peter Rowan, and local bands The Badly Bent and Stillhouse Junkies.
At our studios
• KSUT hosted a great crowd at the Eddie Box, Jr. Media Center Open House on Wednesday, October 26. More than 100 visitors toured the new studios, met the staff, and socialized. People came from across the KSUT listening area.
• In celebration of our open house, members of the Southern Ute Tribal Council and Eddie Box, Jr. joined us for a wonderful on-air conversation about the rich history of KSUT, which started with the vision of the Southern Ute Tribe.
We build a Tribal Media Center
• KSUT reached a significant milestone in its multi-year strategic plan by hiring Colten Ashley as Tribal Media Center Coordinator. The center offers multimedia training to Native American and Indigenous people. It seeks to expand first-person and narrative storytelling that can be distributed to Native and non-Native audiences throughout Indian Country. Current projects include Native Braids, Native Lens, and partnerships with Rocky Mountain PBS, Fort Lewis College, Dream Warriors, and Vision Maker Media.
Attending conferences
• Several KSUT staff members attended NPR’s annual Super Regional conference in Denver last April. Representatives from stations in large and small communities shared their ideas, strategies, and visions. Breakout sessions delved into harnessing the power of public media to make a case for diversity, equity, and inclusion. And how NPR Member stations play a unique role in responding to the crisis in local journalism.
We're awarded grants
• The Creative Industries Division of the Office of Economic Development awarded KSUT a grant. It came from the Colorado Arts Relief Fund, an initiative to assist artists and arts organizations impacted by COVID-19. The pandemic caused KSUT to cancel three scheduled music festivals in 2020 and 2021.
The future is bright
We're excited about continuing KSUT’s mission of providing a rich local resource. We seek to educate, entertain, and inform with diverse, quality programming designed for our communities.
KSUT has an annual operating budget of $2.4 million that must be met through individual donations, underwriting, special events, and grants. Your generosity ensures the news, music, and entertainment that the Four Corners have relied on since 1976.
Thank you for your support!
