All City Club of Idaho Falls forum audio is archived at ifcityclub.com
KISU's FM broadcast of this forum: September 22 at 7:00 pm
KISU-FM is a broadcast partner of the Idaho Falls City Club.
Join us for lunch Oct 2, from 12:00-1:30pm at the Idaho Falls ISU Campus in the Bennion Student Union Multi-Purpose Room (1784 Science Center Dr.) for the program: ISU - Creating Access Through Opportunity and Collaborations with ISU President Robert Wagner.
For details and to RSVP visit IFCityClub.com
Slides used in this presentation:
The attached audio is a recording of the City Club of Idaho Falls’ inaugural program for its 18th season, held on September 18, 2025. The event features moderator (Dr. David Adler) reflections and an in-depth address by Jamon Anderson, General Manager and Director of Programming at KISU-FM, discussing the impact of federal funding cuts to public broadcasting, as well as KISU’s current operations and local significance.
Main Topics
- The program opens with historical context about City Club’s role in promoting bipartisanship, notable past speakers, and upcoming events including an Idaho State University presidential address and a city election debate.
- The impact of the recent cancellation of federal funding for NPR and public television is explained, including bipartisan concern and specific votes from Idaho’s congressional delegation. The discussion frames this as a national crisis with major consequences, especially for rural public media stations.
Speaker Highlights
- Jamon Anderson shares his background in radio and educational leadership, describing the organizational structure and operations of KISU-FM, its partnership with City Club, and its critical role in local programming and university athletics.
- Anderson details that KISU’s mission combines providing high-quality public radio to campus and communities, as well as real-world broadcasting experience for Idaho State University students. He emphasizes student involvement and the importance of professional development at KISU.
Key Issues Discussed
- CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) funding history is outlined: KISU first qualified in 2010 after meeting financial requirements, which has since enabled expansion, equipment upgrades, and enhanced programming.
- Federal CPB funding cutbacks are expected to affect KISU’s ability to purchase national programming, sustain local shows, cover music licensing, and maintain transparency and administrative standards. Additional impacts include loss of rural and tribal station support, program cancellations, reduction in public service announcements, and new challenges in music streaming/reporting.
- KISU’s funding model is reviewed: historically reliant on student government, now challenged by the loss of roughly $130,000 annual CPB grant. Anderson notes that close collaboration with other Idaho public broadcasters will be needed to address shortfalls.
- There is concern about sustaining local news, music, and PSAs at previous quality levels, plus staff adaptation due to student involvement and anticipated cuts.
- The event reflects on broader themes of government intervention in media, the importance of non-commercial journalism, and the threat of diminished community service resulting from public broadcasting austerity measures.
