Native Public Media Provides Training for KOYA Radio Staff

ROSEBUD, SD – Native licensed stations are often located in some of the most rural and geographically remote areas of the United States. Public radio stations like KOYA 88.1 FM, licensed to the Sicangu Lakota, play a critical role in providing local news and information and in serving a central role during times of emergencies and disasters.

Located on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, keeping KOYA on air with adequate funding is an annual goal. KOYA is one of 36 Tribal licensed radio stations that receives funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. To remain in the CPB matching grant program, the station must raise funding from non-federal sources.

On May 3, Native Public Media staff Joseph Begay and Elyse Dempsey visited KOYA’s close-knit station family to provide a customized Underwriting 101 training and a guided overview of the CPB Community Service Grant requirements.

According to Dempsey, learning is often two-way. “We learned more about the station’s history within the Rosebud community from station manager Mary Lee Fast Horse. And they learned from us the rules and regulations that govern revenue generation for public radio stations,” states Dempsey.

“The highlight of the Underwriting 101 training was the [discussion on] policy development. Our team is new to public radio, and we needed guidance on Underwriting policies and procedures. With the templates provided in the NPM Underwriting 101 guidebook, we will be able to run our station with a better understanding for potential underwriters,” states Fast Horse.

In addition to the KOYA staff, members of the Tribe’s finance department, who are no strangers to broadcast ownership, attended the training. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe also owns the commercial radio station, KINI.