Pogue, who has been on island for 16 years now, turned in his resignation last month and is scheduled to leave Saipan on Friday, Aug. 15.
Prior to his stint with KRNM, he was a program director for the now defunct Hot 98 FM station.
In an interview yesterday, Pogue said serving the only public radio station on island was “the most rewarding and fulfilling job I have ever had in my life.”
He added, “I would say that this station made incredible and great contribution on the quality of life here and it is my hope that the public radio station would be able to remain an option for listeners on Saipan.”
A non-profit corporation, KRNM is licensed to, and located at, Northern Marianas College. Initially funded by a federal grant, the station aims to be self-sustaining, but it has yet to reach this goal.
NMC’s director for institution and advancement, Mark Mendiola, declined to comment when asked about the college’s plans for KRNM.
In January, NMC President Carmen Fernandez said that after more than 10 years of the station’s operations, KRNM was still heavily subsidized by the college.
The station tried to raise $70,000 so it could remain on air.
NMC’s board of regents is expected to discuss the radio station in its next scheduled meeting.
NMC earlier said that without adequate funding, the college may cease KRNM’s operations.
