Supporting the new normal

If you slept through the time change and the spring equinox, you might not have noticed that it’s just about time for NCPR’s spring fundraiser to start. In fact, it starts on Monday. It will have all the usual trimmings–great prize drawings, such as the one for an iPad Pro coming Tuesday at 7 pm. Ooo, shiny! Plus a big new thirsty orange logo mug and other fabulous station swag to thank you for your gifts–all the old normal things that have marked the public radio business model since we all lived in caves.

But it will also feature the new normal. You may have noticed a certain lack of noise in our last few semi-annual go-rounds. Short to-the-point messages on air that don’t interrupt programs, and more of the job shifted over to online vehicles like the Listening Post. Here’s how I explained the deal last spring:

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.

This approach was a big hairy gamble on our part when we began it, but you have made it work; you have turned it into the new normal.

If you still get a certain frisson from the hair-on-fire approach, the ongoing political season can provide plenty of that for you. And we’ll provide measured impartial reporting of each flaming follicle and discuss what it might portend for you and yours. And we’ll continue to provide a wide range of sensible intelligent talk and solid entertainment, a wide variety of interesting voices and perspectives and all the other things that you have come to rely on from NCPR. Without interruption.

Many of you have given already in response to early renewal mailings, setting us up for another successful year. Thank you. We look forward to hearing from the rest of you, too–a multitude of other listeners and visitors over the next few weeks.

It’s time to make a gift to NCPR.

Why wait?

Tags: listeningpost