Jersey City Based WFMU Looks To Listeners For Support

JERSEY CITY, NJ — A Jersey City based and beloved radio station is looking to its listeners to help it through a tax dispute with the state.

WFMU Radio was asked by the state tax assessor to prove its programming offers educational value as a pretext to keep its tax-exempt status. The station is completely independent and the primary source of support comes from listener contributions made during the annual on-air fundraising marathon and revenue generated from the annual record fair. With this year's the record fair cancelled, the tax exemption status is important to the financial health of the station.

WFMU's Clay Pigeon took to Facebook to rally listeners in support of the station and ask that listeners submit letters explaining the stations educational value and how it has impacted them.

"Whether you are an educator, a student or merely a student of life, please help us out with a thoughtful letter or email, and please keep them to 300 words. These can be emailed to helpus@wfmu.org and should be sent no later than May 28," the statement reads.

WFMU is based in Jersey City but broadcasts to New York City and to Rockland County, NY at 91.9 FM, and to the Hudson Valley, NYC and Lower Catskills in New York, Western New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania via its 90.1 signal at WMFU in Mount Hope, NY.

Rolling Stone Magazine, The Village Voice, CMJ and the New York Press have all at one time or another called WFMU “the best radio station in the country” and the station has also been the subject of feature stories in The New York Times and on the BBC.

The station has gained and maintained a loyal following as listeners gravitate to the spontaneity of each DJ's style depending on the day and hour and the historical and educational programming offered on air and online.