Elizabeth City, N.C. — Elizabeth City State University’s (ECSU) WRVS 89.9 FM is expanding its role in public media through two recent collaborations—joining the Black Public Radio Network (BPRN) and participating in an $85,000 statewide initiative to strengthen North Carolina’s public radio stations. Announced just days apart, both collaborations unite public media organizations in response to the financial challenges facing the industry by expanding collaboration, strengthening local journalism, creating new revenue opportunities, and ensuring communities continue to receive trusted news, emergency information and culturally relevant programming.
On June 28, WRVS became one of 15 founding affiliates of the newly launched BPRN, a first-of-its-kind national coalition created to strengthen the future of Black public radio through collaboration, revenue growth and cultural impact. The coalition includes 12 public radio stations licensed to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), along with WBGO in New Jersey, THE DROP in Colorado and HYFIN in Wisconsin.
Ernest Walker, general manager of KTSU 90.9 FM at Texas Southern University, founded the coalition to expand national underwriting and sponsorship opportunities, strengthen collaboration among member stations, increase audience engagement and elevate culturally relevant programming. The network has entered a six-month strategic planning phase to develop its long-term operational and revenue strategy with support from industry partners.
At the state level, the North Carolina Local News Lab Fund awarded an $85,000 grant to the North Carolina Public Radio Association, providing seed funding for its 13 member stations to develop collaborative infrastructure and pilot initiatives focused on emergency communications, statewide reporting, underwriting and workforce development.
WRVS joined station leaders from across the state in a six-month planning process that helped shape the initiative and revive the North Carolina Public Radio Association as a more active statewide collaborative. The renewed partnership seeks to strengthen how public media organizations share resources, deliver news and build long-term financial sustainability.
The statewide effort also emphasizes expanding opportunities for students at HBCUs through mentorship and newsroom experience while strengthening reporting capacity across North Carolina. According to the announcement, WRVS was among the HBCU stations most affected by recent federal funding reductions, losing more than 71 percent of its revenue.
Together, the national and statewide collaborations position WRVS among public media organizations working to build a more connected and sustainable future, expand opportunities for students, and preserve the local voices and community service that define public broadcasting.
“WRVS, along with other public media stations at HBCUs, have long shown up for the communities we serve. Helping to bridge the gap between campus and community, our platforms amplify cultural narratives through local programming and student education,” said Melba Smith, station manager of WRVS at ECSU. “HBCU stations and our students are shaping the future of public media every day. By helping to craft this plan, it means the perspectives and stories that we carry into this work have a seat at the table.”
In addition to its on-air and online programming, WRVS engages the community through annual initiatives such as its Back-to-School Bash, Coats in Totes Coat Drive, M.E.D.I.A. Makers youth media program with the local high school, and a Thanksgiving Adopt-a-Family initiative. The station also hosts two annual athletic events: the Northeastern North Carolina High School Athletic Media Day and Border Clash—a high school basketball tournament featuring teams from North Carolina and Virginia. The event honors North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Hall of Fame member Robert L. “Bobby” Vaughan, Sr., and celebrates the deep basketball heritage shared by the two states.
For more information about the statewide collaboration go to https://www.nclocalnews.org/updates-blog/june-2026-public-media-grant. To learn more about ECSU’s national collaboration with the Black Public Radio Network, go to https://blackpublicradio.com.
To learn more about ECSU’s Radio and Television Services and to listen to WRVS 89.9 FM live, visit https://ecsu.edu/radio-tv/.
