KHNS News

In 2022, the network received most of its funding from the partially federally-funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting and from state and local governments. ¹

Background

KHNS News began operating in 1980 under the banner of the nonprofit group Lynn Canal Broadcasting, Inc. The station serves Alaska’s northern panhandle, focusing on the towns of Haines and Skagway. ²

The station features a broad array of locally and nationally produced radio programs. The station is an affiliate of National Public Radio, part of the Alaska Public Radio network, and a founding member of Community Radio of Alaska. ²

Reporting

The website Media Bias/Fact Check rated KHNS News with a left-center bias based on story selection and editorial perspectives that slightly favor the political left. The website is rated high for factual reporting due to proper sourcing of information and a clean fact-checking record with Media Bias/Fact Check. ³

KHNS News’s national reporting comes from National Public Radio and sometimes features moderately loaded language that leans to the left on its headlines. However, the articles themselves are mostly fact-based and cite reliable sources. The network also receives national content from American Public Media. ³

Media Bias/Fact Check rated the network’s local reporting has been rated as leaning slightly left both in editorial selection and the actual reporting itself. The reporting is generally fact-based. ³

In April 2021, the network ran an article claiming that the Alsek River was going to change course within a few decades due to climate change. U.S. National Park Service geologists claim that climate change-caused glacial retreat will move the mouth of the river 20 miles away from its current location which would pose challenges for raft trips and fishing in Glacier Bay National Park. ⁴

In April 2024, the network featured a report on Skagway high schoolers who staged a walkout of classes to protest a veto by Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) of a bill to increase education funding. The students congregated by a flagpole, listened to speeches, and discussed the veto. ⁵

Commentaries Controversy

In August 2017, KHNS News restricted listener commentaries from three minutes to two minutes. It also reduced the number of commentaries offered by listeners from six per year to four. In addition, the station may refuse a commentary “that has received extensive news coverage or multiple commentaries.” ⁶

Haines resident and future mayor Tom Morphet alleged the station would not allow his commentary about complaints he received about the Haines Borough Police Department to be aired because the station claimed it covered the issue. ⁶

Support From Government

According to KHNS News’s 2022 Financial Statement, the network received the majority of its funding from government and quasi-governmental sources. The station received $637,537 in funding and of that, $363,593 came from the partially federal government-funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The station also received $30,612 in grants from local and state governments. ¹

The station is based out of and receives free rent from the Haines local government-owned Chilkat Center for The Arts. As of 2017, the station estimated the free rent’s value at $40,000 annually. ⁶

Leadership

KHNS News’s general manager is Kyle Clayton. Clayton is a reporter who worked in both print and radio. ⁷

Russ Lyman is the president of the board. ⁸

Finances

According to KHNS News’s 2022 tax returns, the network had $602,265 in revenue, $484,397 in expenses, and $482,547 in assets. ⁹