In a ‘normal’ year, the total costs to operate WNZR on a day-to-day basis over a 12-month period are usually in the $130,000 range.  This does NOT include Joe and Marcy Rinehart’s salaries.  Marcy is a full-time staff member of Mount Vernon Nazarene University and Joe is a full-time faculty member.

 

Lifeline 2023 and 2024 were such a blessing.  When you helped us meet and exceed our goal, you gave us some margin to absorb some rising costs, especially in terms of subscriptions, equipment, and student employment.

 

Our goal is always to be good stewards of MVNU’s support, sponsor support, and listener support.  MVNU provides about 20% of our operating budget, with business underwriting providing another 25% and Lifeline around 55%.

 

What does Lifeline help us do? Mainly, it supports our staffing, including our full-time Assistant Station Manager (Eric Brown), our full-time Office Manager (Sue MacDonald), and a student staff, made up of around eight Leadership Team members, 4 summer staff members and students who fill in during holiday breaks.

 

2025 has brought some challenges to MVNU as it looks to trim a budget deficit, so to keep staffing intact, we are using more of our fundraising and underwriting funds to keep Eric and Sue here full-time.

 

Lifeline also helps maintain our station vehicle, Big Blue, helps handle the licensing costs for our online streaming services, our website and app hosting, and includes maintenance of the equipment we use to broadcast to Knox County 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, including some of our video streaming.

 

We know we can’t do it without you!

 

Because of you, we’ve been able to:

• Start online audio streaming at wnzr.fm in 2003

• FCC license renewals in 2004, 2012 and 2020

• Hire a part-time Office Manager in 2009

• Purchase Big Blue in 2009

• Increase FM signal strength in 2011

• Start online video streaming of Cougar Sports in 2011 with WNZR.tv

• Develop an Android and iTunes app and upgrade it in 2017

• Partner with MVNU to hire an Assistant Station Manager in 2018 and promote our Office Manager to FT status last year

• Re-wrap Big Blue in the summer of 2022

 

WNZR’s desire is to go beyond being a typical college radio station and be a ministry to the community.  We want our students to experience a real, everyday application of fulfilling MVNU’s mission: shaping lives by educating with an emphasis on Christ-likeness, lifelong learning and service. We also feel this approach is the best way for our students to learn the skills they need to be relevant communicators in a world that needs the good news of Jesus Christ!

 

And with your response to Lifeline fundraisers over the years, you’ve sent us a STRONG message: keep doing what you’re doing!  Nevertheless, we need your continued partnership!

 

Our needs for 2025 include these approximate costs:

 

• 51% of the hourly rate for our full-time Assistant Station Manager, Eric Brown. TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $18,600

• 66% of the hourly rate for our full-time Office Manager, Sue MacDonald. TOTAL COST: $17,700

• Additional support of Eric and Sue: $5,000

• Financial support of our WNZR Student leadership team during the school year, summer and breaks. This includes student hosts on The Morning Thing and The Afternoon Drive. COST $30,000

• Online music streaming fees. COST: $600

• Website and smartphone app services COST: $3,000

 

With your support, we can continue to reach our community with the awesome message of Christ and His love! Thank you for all you have done to support WNZR through prayer and finances.

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With gratitude,

 

Joe Rinehart

Marcy Rinehart