irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $633KRADIO- CLASSIC FM CONNECTS LISTENERS TO LIVE MUSIC PERFORMERS, GREAT ENTERTAINERS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE THEM, FEATURING LOCAL MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS PLUS THE WORLD'S BEST ORCHESTRAS, CHAMBER GROUPS AND SOLOISTS, AND TO THE MUSIC, COMPOSERS, STORIES, RELATIONS AND INTRIGUES THEREIN OF THE LAST 500 YEARS. THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED AUDIENCES CAN ACCESS "READ-OUT", A RADIO READING SERVICE.
- #2 $863KEDUCATIONAL OUTREACH- THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING COUNCIL CONNECTS EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF ENGAGING MULTIMEDIA CONTENT, RESOURCES AND INTERVIEWS.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Classic FM
Non-commercial public radio station offering classical music programming, special seasonal broadcasts, and the Top 40 Listener Favorites poll; includes accessibility services for visually impaired audiences.
Classic FM Music Educator Awards
Recognizes outstanding music teachers in Central New York through a special broadcast and award ceremony.
Community Screenings & Discussions
Hosts free community screenings of documentaries such as "Caregiving" and "Free for All: The Public Library," followed by panel discussions on relevant social issues.
Educational Outreach
Provides educators and students with multimedia content, resources, and interviews through WCNY’s educational initiatives and partnerships with schools.
TravelAuc Getaways
Annual and biweekly online travel auction offering discounted travel packages to raise funds for WCNY.
Visual Storytelling Summer Camp
Two-week summer program in partnership with SUNY Oswego that teaches storytelling skills to youth through media production.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Community and Public Broadcasting Services 3 activities
- Operate public television and radio broadcasting servicesOperates four digital television channels and three digital radio stations (including Classic FM, Community FM, and HD jazz/oldies streams), serving over 1.8 million people across 19 counties via over-the-air, cable, fiber, satellite, and online platforms.
- Produce local public affairs and educational programmingProduces and records local high-definition programs such as “Ivory Tower,” “On the Money,” “Cycle of Health,” “Behind the Woman,” “Reading Buddies,” “CONNECT NY,” and “Gamechangers,” covering topics including health, education, and community issues, with on-demand streaming availability.
- Provide broadcast and technical services for other PBS and public media stationsHosts Centralcast Master Control, providing centralized broadcast operations and technical support for PBS stations in New York and other states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Hawaii.
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Youth Entrepreneurship & Financial Literacy Education 1 activity
- Deliver experiential education programs for youthOperates Enterprise America, a hands-on learning center where middle and high school students engage in career exploration and entrepreneurship within a simulated city environment located in the Broadcast and Education Center.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Engage volunteers in organizational operations and outreachUtilizes over 1,000 volunteers in on-air auctions, event support, community ambassador roles, office administration, and educational programming at the Broadcast and Education Center.
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Accessible Reading Materials Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Ensure accessibility of broadcast contentProvides closed captioning for all PBS programming in compliance with FCC requirements and operates a radio reading service (“Read-Out”) for visually impaired audiences on Classic FM.
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Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
- Facilitate civic dialogue and public discourseHosts public forums such as the Syracuse Mayoral Debate and co-hosts documentary screenings with community organizations, including a discussion event for “Caregiving” with Upstate Oasis, to promote civic engagement.
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Industry and Community Recognition Awards 1 activity
- Host community engagement and fundraising eventsConducts annual on-air and in-person events including multi-day fundraisers, travel and phone auctions, documentary screenings, and community award recognitions such as the “Mission: Honor Our Heroes” event and the Classic FM Music Educator Awards.
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Transparent Governance Meetings 1 activity
- Maintain community input and advisory mechanismsEstablishes and hosts a Community Advisory Board with biannual public meetings, both in person and virtual, including public comment periods to gather feedback on programming for WCNY TV and radio.
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Annual Impact and Evaluation Reporting 1 activity
- Produce and publish annual local content reportingProduces and makes publicly available an annual report detailing local programming and community services provided by the organization.
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Performing Arts Venue Rental 1 activity
- Provide event and production facilities to the publicOffers rentable spaces including a 2,075-square-foot gallery, 4,400-square-foot studios, 10,000-square-foot Education Center, 5,790-square-foot courtyard, and tech-equipped conference rooms, along with professional production services such as videography, audio recording, and editing with green screen capabilities.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$7.32M
Contributions & grants$6.39M87%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$31K0%
Other revenue$900K
expenses
Total expenses$8.00M
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$3.34M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$15.72M
Cash$837K
Investments$0
Liabilities$3.63M
Net assets$12.08M
Liquid reserves1.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -1.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MITCH GELMAN | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $500K |
board members · 17
- ANTHONY FARELLA — BOARD MEMBER
- COLLEEN VIGGIANO — BOARD MEMBER
- DERYN POMEROY — BOARD MEMBER
- DON MCPHERSON — BOARD MEMBER
- DR DIANE GAYESKI PHD — BOARD MEMBER
- DR SHANELLE R DAWSON — BOARD MEMBER
- FRANCISCO SUAREZ — VICE CHAIR
- GREG FEDELE — TREASURER
- HANKA GRABOVICA — SECRETARY
- JON JENSEN — BOARD MEMBER
- MARIA MURRAY — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHAEL D'EREDITA — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHAEL HUMPHREY — BOARD CHAIR
- PETER G KING AIA — BOARD MEMBER
- TERE PANIAGUA — BOARD MEMBER
- TOM GRIFFITH — BOARD MEMBER
- VIJAY SRINIVAS — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 30
Who they work with
- Centralcast Partner — Partnership with New York State PBS stations and WCNY to provide broadcast services from a master control center hosted at WCNY.
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting Government — Submits financial reports and funding information to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
- Enterprise America Partner — Collaborates with Enterprise America within the WCNY Education Center to engage volunteers and deliver educational programming.
- Facebook Network — Has a social media presence on Facebook under @WCNYCONNECTED
- Federal Communications Commission Government — Files EEO reports and maintains public inspection files in compliance with FCC regulations.
- Federal Communications Commission Government — Regulatory body whose closed captioning requirements the organization complies with.
- Honor Flight Syracuse Partner — Co-founder Rear Admiral John Paddock was honored at the 'Mission: Honor Our Heroes' event.
- Instagram Network — Has a social media presence on Instagram under @wcnyconnected
- Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) Partner — Recognized its founder and executive director at the 'Mission: Honor Our Heroes' event.
- LeMoyne College Partner — Community Advisory Board includes faculty and staff from LeMoyne College who contribute expertise in communications, political science, and education.
- Mohawk Valley EDGE Partner — Includes the Chief Administrative Officer of Mohawk Valley EDGE on the Community Advisory Board to provide regional economic development perspective.
- Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute Partner — Includes the Director of Marketing and Communications from Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute on the Community Advisory Board.
- NPR Network — Classic FM is an NPR affiliate, offering hourly news broadcasts.
- National Grid SOC Partner — Includes a CPA Lead Program Manager from National Grid SOC on the Community Advisory Board to represent utility and customer operations expertise.
- PBS Network — Member of the Public Broadcasting Service network providing programming.
- PBS Network — Member-supported affiliate of the Public Broadcasting Service.
- PBS Partner — Provides programming that complies with FCC closed captioning requirements established by PBS.
- PBS Hawaii Partner — Provides broadcast services for PBS Hawaii through Centralcast Master Control.
- SUNY Oswego Partner — Includes a representative from SUNY Oswego on the Community Advisory Board to provide input on workforce innovation and external relations.
- Symphoria Partner — Includes the Executive Director of Symphoria on the Community Advisory Board to represent the local arts and music community.
- Syracuse City School District Partner — Includes a CTE Work Force & Talent Development Coach from Syracuse City School District on the Community Advisory Board.
- Syracuse University Partner — Includes a faculty member from Syracuse University on the Community Advisory Board to contribute expertise in computer art and digital media.
- Syracuse University Athletics Partner — Partnered to produce and premiere the television series “Gamechangers.”
- Syracuse.com Partner — Co-hosted the Syracuse Mayoral Debate.
- Twitter Network — Has a social media presence on Twitter under @WCNYCONNECTED
- Upstate Medical University Partner — Collaborates with Upstate Medical University, which is featured as a sponsor and source of medical experts for the "Cycle of Health" program.
- Upstate Oasis Partner — Co-presented the “Caregiving” Screening and Discussion Event.
- WCNY Government — Operated by The Public Broadcasting Council of CNY Inc. as a non-commercial broadcasting station.
- WHYY Partner — Provides broadcast services for WHYY in Philadelphia, PA through Centralcast Master Control.
- WTVI Partner — Provides broadcast services for WTVI in Charlotte, NC through Centralcast Master Control.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Engaged Storytelling for Civic Impactmethodology: community-engaged_storytellingBy using storytelling and community engagement through public media, we improve education, create economic opportunities, and enhance quality of life because authentic local narratives foster civic connection and collective agency.
- Experiential Learning in Simulated Civic Environmentsmethodology: experiential_learning_simulationsBy immersing middle and high school students in a simulated city environment, we teach entrepreneurship, civic concepts, and STEM-based career skills because hands-on, real-world simulations deepen understanding and retention of complex systems.
- Indigenous-Centered Media Representationmethodology: Indigenous-centered_storytellingBy creating programming grounded in Haudenosaunee principles, we amplify Indigenous voices and perspectives because centering historically marginalized worldviews promotes cultural equity and strengthens community identity.
- Post-Partisan Public Affairs Programmingmethodology: post-partisan_dialogueBy producing public affairs content that emphasizes post-partisan dialogue and solutions-oriented discourse, we foster informed civic engagement because depolarized, constructive conversation enables broader public participation and problem-solving.
- Public Health Education via Accessible Mediamethodology: public_health_education_through_mediaBy translating medical research and expert knowledge into accessible public media content, we improve public health literacy because presenting complex health information through trusted, engaging formats increases comprehension and behavior change.