KLRU is the proud recipient of a Dell Foundation Equipping Youth Literate Communities grant. This two-year, $50,000 contribution will serve to empower youth to learn and excel in a digitally-driven economy — specifically, through support of Sesame Street and our Ready to Learn literacy program. We are grateful for the Dell Foundation’s generous and ongoing support of early education in Central Texas.
Support KLRU and get two tickets to a special event with The Texas Tribune. Food is provided by FRANK and drinks by Live Oak Brewery.
With your $100 donation, you can be in the studio for the recording of The Texas Tribune’s weekly state politics podcast called the TribCast. The event takes place on September 14 from 6 to 8 pm in KLRU’s Studio 6A. Donate now to attend this event.
Timely talk with distinctly Texas flavor, the weekly political podcast features Tribune CEO Evan Smith, Managing Editor Ross Ramsey and political reporter Elise Hu as well as KUT-FM’s Ben Philpott. It’s a provocative weekly skirmish over the latest in Texas politics, policy and pop culture.
The event will feature light refreshments, followed by the recording of the TribCast and then 30 minutes for the audience to ask the panelists questions. Reserve your spot at this event now.
The Texas Tribune is a non-profit, nonpartisan public media organization. The mission is to promote civic engagement and discourse on public policy, politics, government, and other matters of statewide concern, and do this in two principal ways: through original journalism, texastribune.org, and through on-the-record, open-to-the-public events.
KLRU-TV, Austin PBS needs to raise $240,000 in the next 17 days. If we reach our goal early, we’ll return to uninterrupted programming immediately.
As you know KLRU has experimented this year with ways to reduce our need to raise money via pledge. In recent years we’ve reduced on-air pledge from 86 days to just 49 days so far this year. In June, we tested pledging our regular schedule on five-consecutive nights, while highlighted groups doing good work in our community. We stopped fundraising after 11pm on weeknights, so that Charlie Rose airs at its regular time. During our March drive, we reduced the number of pledge interruptions by 20%, while investing new resources to raise money online. Finally we reduced the use of expensive thank you gifts by offering tickets to events that fulfill our mission, while showing you our appreciation.
Next year, we plan to cut back on pledge as never before. However, the need for resources remains. A total of 80% of our funding comes from right here in Central Texas, at an average gift amount of $80. Our ability to provide you the highest quality PBS programming, local productions, one-of-a kind events and outreach activities depends on you. We help you explore your world, and your support makes that exploration available to everyone.
Last week, Betsy Gerdeman, Senior VP of Development, and Shane Guiter, Director of Development, attended the New England Direct Marketing Association (NEDMA) Annual Awards ceremony in Boston, MA where KLRU won the award for successful direct mail campaign in the non-profit fundraising category. The NEDMA Annual Awards event honors creative excellence and innovation in direct marketing and KLRU’s “Action Countdown” campaign went above and beyond expectations.
Thanks to strong support from donors like you, “Action Countdown” raised $128,000 during the summer of 2009 where KLRU and other non-profits were experiencing tough economic conditions.
KLRU shares this award with DMW|Direct, our fantastic partner in direct mail efforts, and most importantly, with our viewers who truly value our services and continue to support us year after year.
Ready to Learn (RTL) at KLRU recently gained the generous support of the Lowe Foundation, whose multi-year grant of $20,000 is helping to ensure that educational PBS children’s television programming is incorporated into RTL workshops in academic years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Our board and staff thanks the Foundation for partnering with us to help close the achievement gap in Central Texas. Together, we are making a difference!
The feature programming Thursday night was the premier of Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio and the people of Central Texas spoke loud and clear in support of the Austin film scene and their local PBS station.
KLRU staff were joined in the studio with volunteers from the Austin Film Society as well as the film’s producer and director, Sam Wainwright Douglas. Throughout the evening Sam shared stories about the production of the film, how he got interested in the Rural Studio and why community support is crucial for local filmmakers.
Special thanks to our volunteers from the Austin Film Society, tireless champions of Austin’s film scene.
Citizen Architect broadcasts nationally on PBS August 23rd. KLRU is proud to be the presenting station of this film.
The arts feature prominently on the regular Wednesday night lineup and on this evening some of Austin’s finest talents performed live on KLRU. Musician Austin Collins performed two songs throughout the premier of American Masters Neil Young: Don’t Be Denied. His soulful, rootsy sound was a fine accompaniment to Mr. Young’s music and stories.
Audiences had the delight of seeing great performances by the McCallum Fine Arts Academy during Great Performances In the Heights. Frankly, they blew us away.
Under the direction of Julie Wright and Scott Tatum, the cast of students grades 9-12 performed two selections from their bilingual adaptation of Evita. They are preparing to take their “show on the road” to Coast Rica this July. As Julie explains:
Community building, outreach and cultural exchange are the Theatre Department’s continuing goals as their bilingual Evita hits the road this coming summer. By working with local theatre professionals, immersion specialists and civic organizations in Central America, McCallum’s Fine Arts Academy has arranged to perform Evita in Costa Rica in July while participating in a two week learning program alongside local performers and technicians.
We wish them the best on their tour and will follow their adventures online.
It’s not a surprise to say the KLRU staff regularly have the honor to work with some of the best musicians and artists on the planet and the talent performing in studio 6B tonight was no exception; thanks to them and all of our community supporters.
The theme Tuesday night in studio 6B was exploration. Brought together by a heated debate over Pluto and the zeros and ones of the digital frontier, fans of science and media gathered together to support Austin’s PBS station
While members of the Austin Planetarium (@austinplanet) answered phones during NOVA program The Pluto Files, executive director Torval Hessel explained to viewers that the argument over Pluto was not a new one. In fact a book on astronomy published more than 100 years ago numbers 450 planets in our solar system, including Pluto. Mr. Hessel spoke earlier in the day to the host of NOVA, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson about Pluto. Listen to their conversation about angry letters from 4th graders, Neil’s first encounters with the night sky, and his thoughts on why Austin needs a planetarium.
The Austin Social Media Club (@SMCAustin) tweeted, blogged and updated their support throughout Frontline: Digital Nation. Co-founders David J Neff and Mike Chapman explained in interviews that social media is a two way conversation. If you’re just starting out try to just listen for awhile, it’ll be easier to understand the conversations taking place and your participation with have more value.
If you’d like to explore the summer sky through a telescope check out the free Austin under the Stars event, more information at Austin Planetarium’s website.
The Austin Social Media Club invites you to attend their next meeting and learn about the latest trends in social media with like minded folks. Check the events calendar at their facebook group.
A big thanks to everyone who supported NOVA and Frontline in their regular Tuesday time slots.
On Monday night, members of the community joined staff live in the studio to help fundraise for KLRU. It was a great kickoff to this week of live television breaks during the regular primetime lineup.
Throughout Antiques Roadshow Austin appraisers gave two lucky KLRU fans a professional examination of their jewelry. Rebekkah Kwast brought in watches that had belonged to her grandmother. After Ralph Mothnar gave a closer look at one of the pieces, a gold watch he discovered to still be in working condition, he determined the value to be around $300.
Elizabeth Chapman’s antique ring proved to be a big surprise. She knew the piece was from her grandmother, a Mardi Gras queen in New Orleans, but was thrilled when Sarah Williams valued the Victorian era ring at more than $3000.
During American Experience we were joined for an interview with Sebastian Puente CEO, Cultural Strategies. Along with his insights on Austin’s Mexican American community he shared a touching story about watching A Class Apart together with his daughter and the important discussion on culture and history that followed.
Thank you to the phone volunteers and guests that made the evening very engaging. Our appraisers were Ralph Mothnar 512-797-1026 and Sarah Williams 512-452-6641.
Instead of interrupting your regular schedule to fundraise for KLRU-TV, Austin PBS, we’ve decided to stick to our normal program lineup and TRUST YOU to support your PBS station.
We often hear from our viewers, “Why don’t you air the shows I depend on all year long during the fundraising drive…I’d like to pledge my support for them?” Well, now is your chance. This week (Monday, June 7 through Friday, June 11) we’re reaching to achieve an aggressive June fundraising goal, but we’ve set aside the traditional pledge programs to bring you a lineup of PBS Newshour, Antiques RoadShow, American Experience, Nova, Frontline, and more. We only ask that you support KLRU. We also have some great thank you gifts, plus every online supporter this week will receive a new KLRU water bottle.
In addition to your favorite PBS programming, members of the community will be joining us to show their support this week. We hope you’ll tune in to see your friends and neighbors live in our studio. It is truly a community effort running Austin’s only locally owned and operated TV station and we thank everyone for their help!
