By Renée St. Martin Wizeman

The Catholic radio affiliate in Helena, KNEH-FM at 97.3, began its on-the-air evangelization in mid-2004 but just recently gained a part-time general manager, a decision made by the board of directors.

“I heard it advertised on KNEH 97.3, and responded,” said Rose Casey, who got the job in October. Casey is a Cathedral of St. Helena parishioner.

After initially thinking she was too busy for the position, she “just finally had to call,” she said in a phone interview. “I felt like I could not ignore it. Perhaps it was the Lord directing me to this.” Some of her skills are a good match, she said.

The board wanted someone to help build relationships, bring awareness and movement to the station and increase listenership.

KNEH broadcasts the Relevant Radio signal, which originates in Green Bay, Wis., and costs the station nothing. Expenses associated with running KNEH, such as equipment purchases, maintenance and licensing, total about $1,700 a month. Funding comes from donations, through both the station’s annual fundraiser and Relevant Radio pledge drives. In those drives, half of the money Relevant Radio receives from the local broadcast area goes to KNEH.

Among her initial efforts, Casey is trying to find space in parish bulletins to increase awareness of the station and to fill sponsorships. “We are looking to build relationships with parishes and the Catholic business community,” she said.

Relevant Radio programming is most of what KNEH broadcasts, but Casey said the station is available to parishes wishing to record and air public service announcements. There is no charge.

Current local programming offers Brother Bob Fishman’s “The Catholic Hour” Monday through Thursday at 5 p.m., and Father Marc Lenneman’s show, “Life to the Full,” on Fridays at 5 p.m. Casey said the station hopes to expand local programming in a way that ensures quality in content and recording.
In this Year for Priests, KNEH has recorded short messages of thanks from parishioners to the priests of Helena, and Casey said she expects the messages eventually will go to all priests in the diocese. “It’s nice for both the priests and the parishioners,” she said.

She acknowledged the efforts of volunteers such as Justin Lutgen, a parishioner at Our Lady of the Valley, who has “done a wonderful job of developing relationships with the other Catholic radio stations. He’s devoted countless hours to making the PSAs (public service announcements) happen.” He is the “volunteer technician” and has been involved with KNEH since its inception.

St. Mary Parish member Jim Tucker Jr. helped set up some of the computer programming for the station, Casey said.

Last August, KNEH moved to its quarters next to Allen’s Superstore in Helena. Board member Marty Heller, a Cathedral parishioner, facilitated communication with Tom Allen, who had the space available. Another radio station occupied it previously.

Lutgen said the hiring of Casey is “a real positive move for KNEH. In the past it was all volunteer-based, and Rose is able to do the footwork that we couldn’t do. She’s a real go-getter and very positive about getting the word out about KNEH. The equipment upgrades make everything easier, and it’s a better product that we’re sharing with the Helena Valley.”

The self-described “techno-geek” said his involvement with KNEH widens his knowledge about the technical side of broadcasting, plus “there’s a vast amount of information I learn from the station when I’m listening, and that’s an important thing to share with the people in our community.”

Casey said she is eager to increase awareness of the station.

“I am humbled by the dedication of the people on the board, to keep the station running these years without a manager, all for the purpose of allowing this evangelizing tool to be here for all of us,” she said.

KNEH will hold its annual fundraiser and silent auction, with a free-will-offering dinner, on April 22 beginning at 6 p.m. in the Brondel Center of the Cathedral. To RSVP, donate or obtain more information, call Casey at 406-410-0968.


Published in The Montana Catholic Online, Volume 26, No. 4, April 16, 2010.