KUYI Hopi Public Radio’s existence is threatened by the Trump administration’s plans to gut the Corporation For Public Broadcasting.
Nearly half its funding is made up by federal dollars, much like other public radio stations that serve rural, tribal, African-American and other minority populations.
KNAU’s Adrian Skabelund spoke with KUYI General Manager Samantha Molina about how the station reacts to this moment.
ADRIAN SKABELUND, KNAU: How concerned are you for the future of the station right now?
SAMANTHA MOLINA, KUYI: I'm very concerned. Our radio station has a staff of five, and it is only now that we're able to be at full capacity to give the best service to our community.
So funding decreasing, or a loss of funding would definitely change the flow of what KUYI is now today, which is relevant in the lives of our community members.
We are the primary, and in many cases, the only source for community-wide alerts, news, weather updates, road safety, and emergency announcements. This level of service is typical of many rural and tribal stations, especially in the areas like ours on Hopi where limited broadband access and economic insecurity can severely impact communication and connectivity.
So at KUYI, our role goes far beyond entertainment. You know, sometimes we're a lifeline, at most times we're a lifeline.
SKABELUND: Could you speak to the availability of news, be it national, local, for a place like Hopi?
MOLINA: So with the closure of, most recently, our tribal newspaper, KUYI is now the only locally based media outlet serving Hopi.
So that puts a lot of responsibility on our shoulders, but it's also a role we take very seriously, keeping our community informed and connected.
SKABELUND: There's also a cultural and community impact that the station has. How could that be impacted?
MOLINA: If you ask people on Hopi what they love most about KUYI, it would be that they'd mention our morning show, which is called Tatawi.
It's a place where you can hear Hopi language, songs, stories and community voices, community updates. And for some it's the sound of home, whether they're listening on the reservations or are far away.
During crises like COVID, KUYI became a trusted voice. So even outside of emergencies, we do provide a daily sense of connection and cultural grounding.
Recently, we've tried to heighten the access to language on the radio. And we've been successful in doing so with our [Hopi] language-speaking volunteers. So, we continue to be a consistent source of reliable public interest information, but also, serve as entertainment as well.
SKABELUND: So, obviously, NPR and three Colorado stations sued the federal government, and one of those stations was Four Corners Public Radio —
MOLINA: The Native radio.
SKABELUND: Yeah, did that feel important to you, or notable to you, that [the tribal] aspect of the impact that these cuts could have is represented within that challenge?
MOLINA: Definitely. By having that tribal radio station be a part of this litigation, what it's going to do, it's going to bring attention to tribal and rural radio stations across the nation.
Although, PBS is a big entity in public media, sometimes tribal and rural radio stations will fall through the cracks.
And by that station representing me, KUYI, in this litigation, it's gonna bring attention to our need and the impact that loss of funding will have.
SKABELUND: Samantha, thank you so much for giving us some of your time today.
MOLINA: Thank you so much for having me.
Editor's note: KUYI has a content-sharing partnership with KNAU.
