Your turn to bring the radio

Last fall NCPR listeners and friends helped us write a little history. In effect, you took decades of received wisdom about how to run a fundraiser and just blew it up. The goal originally was to shorten the on-air portion of our fundraiser by a day or two. But you said, “Nah–let’s just deep-six the sucker altogether.” And for all practical purposes, you got us there. We only had to throw open the microphones for a couple hours before you put us over the top.

We were flabbergasted, and you made the whole public radio system sit up and take notice. Stations all over the country have been burning up our phone lines ever since to get the details on how it worked. And many have tried it out with good success–more than a dozen of them in their own spring fundraising drives.

But it seems too good to be true. Was this a one-off? Success through novelty? Can we sustain it? Which brings me to you–the folks who traditionally make their annual gift during our spring drive. Whether or not this will become the new way forward for public radio support depends on you now. One-time success could be a fluke. Second time, it’s a system.

So, to review, here’s the deal: For the next three weeks, you’re going to be hearing short messages from us asking for your support. They will be frequent–hourly at least–but they will not interrupt programs. We will tuck them into existing scheduled program breaks. In return, you will send us support just as you always have, but without us lighting our hair on fire for six or nine minutes at a crack in the middle of your favorite programs. If we get to our goal, $250,000, before 6 am, Monday, April 13–that’s it. No mas. Finito. If not? Well, let’s not go there.

One of the questions raised about this new method was whether it was as effective in getting new members as it was in motivating those who already supported public radio. While I can’t imagine there are that many fans of long-form improvisational mendicancy out there, here’s an analogy for those who listen but do not support:

NCPR is a little like a community potluck supper. A bunch of people bring a little something to the table, and everybody gets to eat. And people are always welcome to the table, even if they didn’t have the time or means to throw together a dish. They’ll bring a little something next time, or the time after. Eventually though, someone is going to suggest to them that they heard somewhere that they made killer brownies and since everybody likes chocolate, maybe they could bring some along next time. Just a suggestion.

Is it your turn to bring a little radio? It’s time to give.

Tags: listeningpost