Kansas City News Blog

With word earlier this week that National Public Radio, in budget trouble like everyone else in this country, would lay off 7 percent of its work force and cancel a couple of programs, we wondered what might be ahead for Kansas City's KCUR 89.3.

Patrica Cahill, the station's general manager, tells me things aren't as grim as people might conclude from this week's news.

"I was on the board of NPR in 1983 when they almost went bankrupt, and this is so much better," Cahill says. That's because the network is "making corrections" at the beginning of its fiscal year -- FY 2009 started for NPR in October -- instead of waiting until later. "I think they've got a handle on the money, which didn't happen in '83."

"Right now we're OK," Cahill says. "I think people need us and need what NPR and KCUR provide right now more than ever -- to try to make sense of what's going on. We met our goal for the last fundraiser. But we are looking to see what things we can cut back, or at least eliminate some expenses without making it noticeable on the air."

She says she was encouraged to get an e-mail yesterday from a listener who, upon learning that Day to Day would stop airing in March, proposed filling the time with programming from the BBC and segments from the National Press Club. Cahill finds that kind of engagement heartening. "I hope listeners will be more aware of funding needs for NPR and respond with local contributions," she says.

Meanwhile, she's taking the long view. "I've been there, done that," she says of these especially rough economic times. "1983 was a long time ago for some people, but not for me. NPR's gone through ups and downs, and I've been through it and come out just fine. We're going to focus in on what we do well."

I didn't have the heart to ask her how much the station might save by retiring Walt Bodine. -- C.J. Janovy