Managers at WOI Radio said they would do their best not to cut programming after the university announced it would cut WOI Radio’s budget by almost $2.4 million Monday.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy announced Monday the university would trim $8.3 million from the budget in response to a 2.5 percent across-the-board budget reduction mandated by Gov. Tom Vilsack Oct. 10.

This resulted in a budget cut of $239,285, or 9 percent of WOI Radio’s total budget.

Bill McGinley, general manager of WOI, said they would try to protect local programming from the budget cut.

“We exist almost exclusively to produce programming,” McGinley said.

David Becker, associate general manager of programming for WOI, said he didn’t want to cut programming if he didn’t have to.

“We’re going to fight like heck not to cut a minute,” Becker said.

He said a lot of the syndicated programs that were not drawing a large audience were eliminated in response to earlier cuts. Since 2002, WOI has lost a total of $332,000 in direct university funding.

He said programs such as Morning Edition, Car Talk and All Things Considered may have to be evaluated.

“I hate having to make decisions [on programs] based on the price tag,” Becker said.

McGinley said he understood why WOI was cut, as opposed to core academic programs.

He said the station would take a proactive approach, by raising more funding rather than cutting. In doing so, the station would take a step toward becoming more self-sufficient.

“Frankly, this cut begins to materially move us forward to a certain amount of independence,” McGinley said.

The University of Northern Iowa station KUNI used a similar approach when their budget was cut by a quarter of a million dollars in 2002.

John Hess, director of broadcasting at KUNI, said the station now must raise $150,000 every year to make up for the cut, even after eliminating three positions.

Hess said raising the money the first year was not a problem because their listeners knew they were in a budget crunch, but he questioned whether that support will continue.

McGinley said although the vacant news director position would not be filled, he did not predict having to cut jobs.