Taking a cue from the big boys of public television, the stewards of York's city-owned station will host a telethon Saturday to raise some cash.

With three months left in the year, White Rose Community Television is about $30,000 short of its fundraising goal.

Steve Busch, WRCT's director of regional partnerships, said he's hoping loyal viewers will help to close the gap.

"We're going to have an event, which is kind of fun, and then we're going to continue our efforts to raise funds throughout the year," he said.

The telethon is planned for noon to 9 p.m. Saturday on Comcast cable channels 16 and 18, which together broadcast WRCT programming to about 100,000 homes in York County.

Credit-card pledges can be made by calling 717-843-7722. Checks should be made payable to the City of York and with WRCT written in the memo line and mailed to 101 S. George St., P.O. Box 509, York.

Memberships: Busch said he's hoping viewers take advantage of a few perks that will come with membership, which costs $75 a year. Donors can also choose to put their money toward specific programming, Busch said.

Viewers can also make pledges toward WRCT's 2013 bottom line.

The station is nearly four decades old but transitioned from a volunteer-run organization to a two-person department in York City's budget about six years ago. The station has faced tough financial scrutiny since.

The station's budget, a little more than $150,000 a year, includes two full-time workers and ongoing equipment updates. Volunteers continue to offset what costs could be.

The bulk of the budget is funded by two sources, about $60,000 in franchise fees and a county contribution of the same amount. The balance - about $30,000 - needs to come from somewhere else.

The station films and broadcasts all York City Council, York City School Board and York County Board of Commissioners meetings. Those meetings are then available to watch on WRCT's website, www.wrct.tv.

Viewers can watch weekly shows hosted by backyard wrestlers, atheists and preachers, to name a few.

- Erin James may also be reached at ejames@yorkdispatch.com.