Radio Rehoboth could go silent this weekend
If its funding situation doesn’t change immediately, Radio Rehoboth 99.1 could go silent as early as this weekend.
“We’ve been struggling for a little while, as far as donations go,” said Radio Rehoboth General Manager Jeff Balk. “We could probably make it through the rest of the month, but there’s no need to prolong it.”
Founded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2017, the radio station was previously located on Rehoboth Avenue Extended next to what is now Diego’s Bar & Nightclub and had a 35-foot-tall antenna attached to the roof of its building. A few years later, in 2020, it moved to South First Street and increased the height of its antenna to 100 feet by attaching it to the tower behind Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company off Route 1 near Rehoboth.
Balk said the radio station has two rents – one for the station downtown and one for the antenna on Route 1. He said all in – rent, licensing and streaming fees – it takes about $25,000 a year to run the station, and it recently lost a $500-a-month supporter.
“That doesn’t sound like a lot, but for a small nonprofit it is,” said Balk. “We were told it was a financial decision and that they’d reevaluate at the beginning of next year.”
The station has attempted to raise funds, but donations have been limited, said Balk. There have been businesses and others who have said they’ll donate, but then don’t follow up on it, said Balk.
All of the work to keep the station running is done by volunteers and the station recently had to stop using its weather service, said Balk. That’s done in house now, he said.
Radio Rehoboth won four Best of Delaware awards this year and listenership numbers continue to grow, said Balk. The station provides a much-needed service of unbiased news and community events, he said.
Balk said the radio station’s license was recently renewed for an additional eight years, and could be transferred to another nonprofit for the cost of equipment and other fees paid.
Donations are tax-deductible and the best way to donate is on the station’s website under the Donate Now button, said Balk, adding checks can also be sent to the station at 7 S. First St., Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.
For more information, go to radiorehoboth.com, call 302-401-9991 or email info@radiorehoboth.com.
This story has been updated with the correct call numbers for Radio Rehoboth.
Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
