AMPERS asks for $4.5 million to sustain 17 community public radio stations and classroom resources

Representative Liz Frazier presented House File 2321 seeking $4,500,000 in legacy funding for AMPERS, the Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations, which represents 17 independent community radio stations.

Joel Glaser, president and CEO of AMPERS, told the committee the association supports hyperlocal stations licensed to tribes, communities, colleges and universities. Glaser said AMPERS used legacy funding to employ contractors and artists, pay for FTEs at member stations, and produce thousands of radio segments that are used on air and as classroom resources. “We represent and support 17 different hyper local community radio stations throughout the state of Minnesota,” Glaser said.

Glaser highlighted projects including veterans’ oral histories and Minnesota's Legacy, a series explaining how Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment funds are spent. He said AMPERS produced nearly 1,300 radio segments in FY24 and about 30,000 segments since legacy funding began in 2009. The request, Glaser said, would amount to roughly $16,000 per station per year and enable additional projects each station has planned.

Committee members from both parties expressed support; Representative Heintzeman said AMPERS’ 990 filings were more in line with public expectations than some larger media organizations, and Representative Cha praised AMPERS’ coverage of Hmong veterans and other community-focused work. Representative Frazier asked members to support the bill; the committee laid House File 2321 over for possible inclusion.