Elizabeth City, N.C. — In an age dominated by streaming services, podcasts and on-demand entertainment, one form of media continues to hold its ground—radio. Elizabeth City State University’s (ECSU) WRVS-FM 89.9 is proving that its signal still reaches hearts, thanks to a generous $60,000 in anonymous donations—a $50K and an additional $10K donor—and a $193,488 grant from the Public Media Bridge Fund to support the station’s mission of education and community connection.
The gifts, received through the Division of University Advancement and the ECSU Foundation, come as a timely affirmation of faith in local broadcasting and university-based media training.
“Even as the world moves faster and becomes more digital, there’s something lasting about the human connection radio creates,” said ECSU Chancellor S. Keith Hargrove. “WRVS gives our students a voice, gives our region a platform, and gives our community something real to hold on to. These anonymous donors clearly recognize the value of that.”
The $193K grant is designed to sustain essential local public media services following the elimination of Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding, while helping stations successfully transition to sustainable operating models. The Public Media Bridge Fund is a strategic initiative designed to guide the public media through crisis.
WRVS-FM 89.9 became the first radio station in Elizabeth City and one of the first radio stations in northeastern North Carolina to broadcast using high-definitionRadio technology. The station has served the area with NPR news, sports, and music for over 39 years. According to the station’s webpage, WRVS is a “listener-supported public radio service of ECSU, so the single, largest and most important source of funding is you—the listener.”
WRVS-FM 89.9 serves as both a vital campus learning laboratory and a trusted regional news and entertainment source for northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. The station features a blend of gospel, jazz, rhythm and blues and community affairs programming, produced and presented in part by ECSU students gaining hands-on experience in broadcasting, journalism and media production.
Kevin J. Wade, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and former interim vice chancellor for University Advancement, said the donations and grant send a strong message about the continued importance of local voices in media. “Radio may not be the newest platform, but it’s still one of the most personal,” Wade said. “When listeners tune in, they hear their neighbors, their classmates and their community. These contributions help us continue building that bridge between ECSU and the people we serve.”
Melba Smith, director of Radio and Television Services, added that philanthropy, like the anonymous donations, strengthens the university’s long-standing commitment to regional service and student development. “These donations reinforce what we already know. People still believe in purpose-driven storytelling and community connection,” Smith said. “Both the donations and the grant will allow us to invest in the next generation of broadcasters and ensure WRVS continues to inspire and inform.”
With the $60,000 in anonymous gifts and the additional $193,488 grant from the Public Media Bridge Fund, WRVS-FM 89.9 remains proof that even in a world of shifting technology, the power of radio has not lost its sound.