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sherry brownrigg

By Sherry Kennedy Brownrigg

Reflecting with Gratitude; Looking Ahead with Excitement

January 28th, 2025

As I write this, it’s early January. The holidays have come and gone, the cold is here, and I’m digging out my warmest winter paraphernalia (tip of the hat to those ragg wool socks).  

Yes, January can easily overstay its welcome, but thankfully, I’m still in the mode of reflecting on the past year at KVNO and (almost) ready to jump into 2025.  

First, indulge me a bit of reminiscing. 2024 was one of those years you can’t forget. The most memorable event was bidding a fond farewell to Otis Twelve as he retired from radio. I’ve worked with many radio personalities in my career, but none have had the iconic status or impact that Otis did. In each of the five years I’ve been part of KVNO, Otis told he “might retire next year” only to take it back as each new year dawned. When 2024 arrived, however, he knew it was finally time. He stayed at KVNO for 18 years, longer than any other local media outlet, and I’m grateful for that. Otis now reports he is enjoying a “normal” wake up time of 6:30, walks with the dogs and flexing his writing skills to author a few new books.    

Another exciting achievement in 2024 was KVNO growing our listenership exponentially and climbing the ratings to be one of the top ten stations in the Omaha/Council Bluffs market. Although you and I know the magic of classical music (isn’t it strange that not everyone loves it?), it remains a niche format, so this was an incredible feat. 

Finally, thanks to you, 2024 was also a record fundraising year. We grew both our annual fund through sustaining donors, bi-annual fund drives, and basic donations, and the KVNO Future Fund, an endowment fund that is essential to the longevity of KVNO. And as Otis retired, donors wishing to pay tribute to him established the Otis Twelve Legacy Fund, cementing his impact on KVNO for years to come. Of course, I would be a terrible general manager if I didn’t mention that you can find out more information on any of these funds at KVNO.org 

Now, we look to 2025.  

It will be a pivotal year for KVNO, and thanks to your help making last year great, we are able to begin preparing for what will undoubtably be a year of changes. First of all, one change has already occurred – Omaha icon and cartoonist Jeff Koterba took over as host of Morning Classics. Jeff brings a freshness to classical radio, and his creativity, curiosity and can-do spirit are truly a gift to KVNO. 

In the category of not-so-wonderful, there is the matter of funding. As a non-profit public radio station, KVNO faces a bit of uncertainty regarding several important funding sources such as federal and state grants. We’ll need to find other revenue sources, and it will be more important than ever to increase our donor base to offset these losses.  

One of the ways we increase our donor base is to increase our listener base. How do we do that? Participate in our community! You’ll see us out and about at a number of different events this year, plus sponsoring arts performances and serving as emcees and keynote speakers.   

Supporting the arts is a central part of our mission, and we will lean into that mission in 2025 with several new arts initiatives. One of those is Creative Omaha, a new video series that highlights the people and places of the local arts community. Look for that to debut in spring of this year.  

There are truly too many new initiatives planned for this year to mention here, but one final thought is too important to miss. That is bringing you the incredible locally-curated classical music you hear 24/7, wherever you listen to KVNO. We strive to connect you with the music to make a meaningful experience, serving as a refuge that uplifts and creates community. Creating that connection is why we exist, and we plan to bring you the music you love in new ways this year to match the changing trends and platforms music listeners are gravitating to.  

Sound ambitious? Maybe, but I see these initiatives as essential to the future success of KVNO. We must continue to serve you with locally-curated music and arts news as well as grow our listener and donor bases and find new revenue sources. I’m confident we will do this because we have your help.  

KVNO succeeds because we have a partnership with you, so thanks, partner. Thanks for your support in 2024 and throughout the years, and thank you for helping us again in the New Year. You’ve heard the phrase, “we couldn’t do it without you”? It’s never been truer.  

Happy New Year from all of us at KVNO!