Below you’ll find some of the questions we’re asked most frequently about KVUT and our staff. If you don’t see your question addressed here, please get in touch.
Who owns KVUT?
99.7 KVUT is a non-commercial, educational radio station licensed to The University of Texas at Tyler. As an independent department within the College of Arts and Sciences at UT Tyler, which is a component of The University of Texas System, KVUT is legally owned by The UT System Board of Regents.
Who works for KVUT?
KVUT is professionally staffed by career broadcasters and journalists with more than a century of collective experience in their respective fields. Learn more about our staff.
How can I listen?
You can hear KVUT over the air, online and on your smart speaker. Learn more about ways to listen to KVUT.
When can I hear state and local news segments?
State and local news segments from KVUT and The Texas Newsroom air at: 7:04, 7:31, 8:04, 8:31, 9:04, and 10:30 a.m., as well as 12:04, 1:04, and 4:32 p.m., weekdays. We interrupt regular programming for severe weather and breaking news coverage whenever necessary for public safety or in the public interest.
Do I get a gift when I send in a donation?
Sure … why not?
How can I submit a suggestion for a news story?
Visit the Submit a news tip page.
How can I submit a suggestion for a public service announcement?
Visit the Suggest a Public Service Announcement page.
How can I submit a suggestion for the event calendar?
Visit the Event submission page.
We have an event coming up. Can you interview us?
We review event and public service announcement submissions for potential interview topics and guests who would appeal to our broad audience. If you would like to be considered for an interview, please indicate this in your submission. We will contact you if the opportunity arises to interview you either for our news or local interview segments.
I’m a student. Can I be on the radio?
KVUT is a professionally staffed radio station, not a campus or student-run station. However, opportunities arise, through enrollment in mass communication and health science classes at UT Tyler, to be involved in the station. Additionally, we accept a limited number of interns on an infrequent basis, by invitation only.
How can I get involved with the station?
Listen, give, share a link to our website with your friends, brag about us on social media. We plan to have a pathway to volunteering before too long. Check back if you’re interested.
How do I become a member?
Please visit our Giving page for information about the many ways to support KVUT financially.
How can I sponsor a program?
Both for-profit and nonprofit organizations can sponsor programs or program elements on KVUT within the limitations imposed on us by the Federal Communications Commission as part of our non-commercial, educational license grant. For more information, visit our Become a sponsor page.
Why do you ask for money when you get funding from other sources?
KVUT was established as a community service of The College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Texas at Tyler. The college made a significant investment in the development and construction of the station, as well as in providing limited funds for its first years of operation. However, as a public service to the community, it is vitally important that the members of the cities and towns we serve be involved in the station. This includes not only contributing ideas for news coverage, public service announcements and events, but also financial support of the station. We have incredible plans to grow KVUT to better serve East Texas with news, information and music programming that goes both broader and deeper than what we’re able to do know. To accomplish the goal to better serve you, we need your financial support.
When will we start hearing more local programs?
As mentioned above, KVUT is still considered a “start-up” radio station. We’re working with a skeleton staff that allows us to produce a minimum of local programming. As financial support for the station increases, our ability to be even more involved in the local communities we serve will increase. We really are counting on you!
What does “member station” mean?
KVUT pays membership dues to several program providers in order to carry the news magazines and talk shows they offer. These include: National Public Radio (NPR), American Public Media (APM), Public Radio International (PRX), Pub Jazz Music and the Associated Press. We are also members of the Texas Association of Broadcasters.
What’s the difference in “public radio” and “public access”?
“Public radio” refers to stations, like KVUT, that are staffed by professional broadcasters and journalists, but are funded - at least in part - by financial contributions from their listeners. “Public access” typically refers to media outlets that are owned by a city or county, and allow residents with no professional broadcast or journalism experience to volunteer to produce content aired by the station. KVUT is not a public access station.
Can Mike Landess, Jeff Johnson or Lorri Allen speak at our civic club/event/school?
Absolutely! All three members of our on-air team have extensive experience not only as career broadcasters and journalists, but also as speakers. We can discuss KVUT, public radio, the state of journalism in America, and specific topics from our unique experiences. (For example, Mike and Jeff both covered the 9/11 terrorist attacks in Washington, DC, Mike for a local television station and Jeff reporting from the U.S. Capitol and Pentagon for a wire service.)