Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $245,114 in federal funding awarded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for Radio Catskill and North Country Public Radio to upgrade their equipment to provide enhanced emergency alert capabilities in the Catskill Mountains and the North Country. The federal funding will be used to replace critical elements of Radio Catskill’s broadcasting infrastructure, as well as to expand North Country Public Radio’s coverage into two currently unserved areas of northern New York and upgrade the station’s equipment, to ensure emergency alerts can be sent to rural and underserved communities in those regions. The funding was allocated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program. The NGWS grant program provides federal funding for public television and public radio stations to replace and upgrade infrastructure to expand alert, warning, and interoperable communications, creating a more resilient and secure public emergency alerting system.
“Ensuring our public media stations have the necessary resources and emergency communications equipment is paramount for public safety,” said Senator Gillibrand. “These two awards will bring vital improvements to the broadcasting infrastructure necessary to ensure emergency alerts can reach rural and underserved communities in New York State. I thank CPB for making these critical investments and will continue to fight to keep our communities safe.”
Funding recipients listed below:
| Recipient | Location | Funding Amount | Purpose |
| Radio Catskill/WJFF-FM | Liberty | $135,439 | Replace critical broadcasting infrastructure to ensure emergency alerts can be sent to rural and underserved communities |
| North Country Public Radio/St. Lawrence University/WSLU-FM | Canton | $109,675 | Expand coverage into two currently unserved portions of northern New York and replace and upgrade critical broadcasting infrastructure to ensure emergency alerts can be sent to rural and underserved communities |