KRWG Public Media in Las Cruces names new content director

LAS CRUCES — Over six years, listeners of KRWG Public Media broadcasts have grown accustomed to hearing the voice of on-air host and FM operations manager KC Counts. They may be hearing a bit less of her soon, as she steps into the role of content director.

Counts, who has worked in broadcasting for more than 30 years, has hosted National Public Radio daily programs “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” as well as KRWG-TV’s “Fronteras: A Changing America.” She has served as interim content director since July 1 with the departure of her predecessor, Anthony Moreno, who had been with the station for 12 years.

Counts oversees radio and television content and supervises anchors, reporters and producers. She also plays a role in community outreach and collaborations that contribute to KRWG programming.

In a news release, KRWG General Manager Adrian Velarde said Counts “brings a deep understanding of our mission and community, along with proven leadership and editorial expertise. She will play a key role in guiding her team through the evolving digital media landscape to ensure KRWG continues delivering content that meets audiences where they are.”

In addition to its radio and television programming, KRWG publishes local news and commentary on its website, KRWG.org. Its base of operations is on New Mexico State University’s Las Cruces campus, with a coverage area encompassing southern New Mexico and the El Paso, Texas, area.

Counts assumes her role as public media stations across the U.S. are squeezed by lost federal funding. In July, Congress rescinded $1.1 billion in funding appropriated for public broadcasting, which supported NPR and PBS as well as hundreds of local affiliates, such as KRWG, which otherwise rely on memberships and periodic pledge drives to maintain local news and cultural programs, as well as local emergency alerts.

Funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting contributed to 35% of KRWG’s television budget and 25% of its radio budget. The CPB, which is shutting down its operations after nearly six decades, distributed grants to 1,500 public media stations.

Counts said it was not yet clear how much the loss of that funding would cut into KRWG’s operations.

“I hope that the change will be minimal,” she told the Journal. “A couple of people have left and positions haven’t been filled, meaning we all have to figure out how to do more with less — which anyone who has worked in media for an appreciable amount of time can certainly understand.”