Public radio station KMST’s second online membership drive will be held Sept. 8-14 on its website, kmst.org, followed by the station’s fall membership drive, which will broadcast live on KMST Sept. 15-23.

Station Manager Wayne Bledsoe says the Cyber Week membership drive will give members and listeners a chance to pledge early so they can enjoy KMST’s normal program schedule during the drive week. “All visitors to our website during our cyber drive will have the opportunity to register for a Bose Wave Radio,” he says. “Those investing with KMST will also receive a code that will allow them to listen to normal live-stream programming, bypassing the on-air portion of the fall membership drive’s announcements, interviews and pledge cases.”

Depending on membership level, those pledging during Cyber Week will be entered into one or more drawings to be held during the on-air fall membership drive. Prizes include a new Apple iPad 3 ($365 level and up), a membership to The Centre ($120 level and up) and an Amazon Kindle Fire ($25 level and up). Premium gifts are available to all members pledging at the $60 level and up, including a CD gift (classical, bluegrass or “Harmonic Vibrations”), a KMST T-shirt or an embroidered KMST cap. Those investing at the $120 level or above are also eligible for an on-air “Day Sponsor” announcement.

The money raised from the drive goal of $70,000 will go toward the general operating costs of the station and will help KMST continue to offer local and NPR programming, including nationally acclaimed, award-winning “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered,” “Marketplace” and “The Diane Rehm Show.” Along with these flagship programs, KMST offers a variety of formats that include local and national news, talk, classical, jazz, acoustic folk, blues, big band, bluegrass, African, Caribbean, Celtic and others.

The on-air portion of the KMST fall membership drive will kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, with Bledsoe’s popular program, “Bluegrass for a Saturday Night.” Special guests from around the area will be featured during the drive.

“KMST relies on its connection to members as much as our members rely on KMST,” says Bledsoe, “Our programs, music, hosts and everything behind the scenes that makes them possible wouldn’t be broadcast without our members’ financial support. Public radio funding is in the balance.

“I sincerely hope members will consider increasing their investment with KMST this year,” Bledsoe says. “If you’re not a member, but enjoy listening to KMST, I hope you’ll join now and help the station as our federal funding continues to decline.”

While many levels of membership are available, listeners can join KMST for less than $3 per month and enjoy public radio programming along with the benefits of the KMST membership card. The membership card offers various discounts from businesses throughout the area.

Members and listeners may pledge online at kmst.org or call during the on-air membership drive at 573-341-4386 in the Rolla area, or toll-free at 888-776-5678.

In its 39th year of service, KMST is a 100,000-watt non-commercial public radio station licensed to the Curators of the University of Missouri System, with listeners from 47 states and 41 countries through its website. KMST is located at 88.5 FM in the Rolla area and 96.3 FM in Lebanon and online at kmst.org.