i'm zach buckner -- >> reporter: wcte in cookville, tennessee, gets $6,000. >> that is our foundationer: becky heads wcte, one of around 80 similar rural pbs stations, it serves the upper cumberland. 14 counties between nashville and knoxville. beautiful country, but isolated and impoverished. >> when friends visit from washington, d.c. or los angeles, they'll drive in and say, where are the other tv stations? and i'll say, there are no other tv stations. w're it for 80 miles. >> reporter: she grew up in cookeville, and she started at wcte as that station's first student intern and never left. she has run cameras and sound, hosted shows -- >> you're 81? >> i'm 73. >> i would not have known that. >> reporter: and once, when sisters frankie and patricia murphy couldn't get their tv to work -- >> this is remarkable. >> the last time i was here, it was up in a tree. >> reporter: she even drove out and fixed their antenna for them. >> we're out here and nobody cares. >> reporter: they're grateful for whatever wcte puts on, living in a region trapped in the digital divide with spotty cell s