I am a long-time free-loading listener to WDUQ, the local NPR station. Actually a number of years ago, Mrs Bob and I were members. However, a few years back as we were moving to a new house, money got very tight around our household, and we cut back on a bunch of our charitable giving (along with other more frivolous things like movies, eating out, etc).
WDUQ is in its pledge drive mode again (groan). I know they have to do this to stay afloat. But I can’t stand listening to it, whether I am a member or not. For a long time now, I have listened to Morning Edition on the web, to avoid listening to the pledge drive. If Morning Edition is not available, which it sometimes is not, I listen to WFCR in Amherst MA, WAMC in Albany NY, or KUNI in Cedar Fall IA, all on the web.We aren’t “flush” now. However, money isn’t as tight as it was. I am thinking that I will probably renew our membership in this valuable non-profit resource. I feel a liberal need to be a charitable donor to this and other worthy causes. It’s got me thinking however:
WDUQ does some of its regular programming stuff, even during the pledge drive: Local News, weather and traffic, and occasional cutaways to morning edition. In these days of secure websites that can be logged into, I see the potential for a value added member benefit. They could play their own content in real time when they would normally play it within the NPR programming. They could cutaway to those things from the pledge drive as they do now, just on the NPR schedule. This way they could offer their members an internet stream that is their regular programming with no pledge drive annoyance. They could pick a donation level that might encourage people to up their donation to access this benefit. I’d do it.
So, is this a good benefit to encourage donations to a non-profit that needs the cash? Or is this the first step towards privatizing part of public radio for the people who can afford it? I’m conflicted.
3 comments:
Totally do-able.
When KUNI in Iowa changed formats, I was left without my daily folk music fix. I found a streaming station out of Kent State called Folk Alley which now plays constantly in my office. They do pledge drives to support the station, but when you are a member, you can take your stream from the pledge drive-free choice.
See. There are apparently no new ideas.
WDUQ does indeed have several streams, even some without the pledge drive during pledge drive time. However, these streams are different than their regular programming. There is no normal program without pledge drive stream. I guess I should become a member and send in my suggestion. Now the quandary over whether I should get past their refusal to take money from Planned Parenthood.
So, a friend of mine recently introduced me to Google Reader, which is some pretty amazing software, and I am in the process of adding the blogs that I read so that I can put them all in one place.
Getting more to the point, when I punched up the URL for your blog, I realized that I hadn't perused in quite some time now. Needless to say, my few minutes of browsing paid off and I enjoyed a pleasant chuckle when I stumbled across "...Privatizing of the pubic airways."
...all I can say is I am in full support...'nuff said.
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