WCBU is in their pledge drive this week (you can pledge on-line). Generally speaking, I hate pledge drives. Still, even with all the interruptions, I still think there is less time spent asking for money during a pledge drive than commercial stations spend in ad time every day, so I’m not complaining.
I do have one complaint about the method used to raise money, and that is when they stop simply asking for money and start acting like you’re obligated to give; that you somehow owe them money because they’ve chosen to provide their content for free over the airwaves. To me, this makes them sound like a “squeegee guy” — the guy who approaches cars stopped in traffic and cleans their windows without asking, then demands payment.
I guess I’m not sure what the guilt-trip tactic accomplishes. One could just as easily assuage one’s guilt by not listening to their station anymore, and what good would that do? Their costs of delivery stay the same whether people listen or not. You can draw more flies with honey than vinegar, so why not stay positive?
Nevertheless, I think it’s a good cause because they do provide good content. I’m not a big classical music fan, but I do appreciate their stellar local news coverage. So, I’m pledging this year.
And besides, this gives me an idea: Maybe I’ll conduct my own pledge drive here and try to raise some money to cover my time and expenses. Hey, I think I may be onto something…. No ads, just annual pledge drives and underwriters…. Hmmm, this could work for the Chronicle…. Thanks, WCBU!
CJ: That way you won’t have to take any money from Pioneer or whomever you were implied to have taken money from for supporting the rail issue.
Your blog provides valuable research and insight to local issues — keep up the great work.
Would you also receive some worthless gift as part of the pledge drive? (I hope that it is not in the shape of “the trophy (that) looks deceptively like a fancy beer can holder.) 🙂 lol
Maybe that
I love public radio and am willing to support the cause financially. However, the last time my husband and I pledged money (to a different public radio station), we got an excess amount of junk mail as thanks for our donation. Not a week went by without a letter asking for more money. This is my first pledge drive with WCBU, so I don’t know that it will be the same, but I find myself a little more hesitant to give with the vinegary aftertaste of junk mail on my mind.
Samantha, next time you give ask to be removed from their mailing list so you don’t get the junk mail and make it a proviso of your giving. Tit for Tat, I give you money if you don’t mail me junk.
CJ: your dad is Joel? Christ he has been there a long time. When he retires (if) I’ll finally move into the the top 20 (19)
Yep, that’s him. He says he’s serious about retiring this time — in fact, he’s counting down the days until June, so I think it’s really going to happen. I don’t know what my mom is going to do with him being home all the time. 🙂
As I said elsewhere, I’m looking forward to it because this will give my parents more free time to babysit my kids! Ha ha ha.
aside: don’t forget to vote for Spain! 🙂
I agree about the annoying guilt trips. This drive is the first time I’m donating to WCBU, but it certainly wasn’t because I was guilted into it. WCBU provides an excellent service, and one I’m more than willing to pay for.
I like it much more when they play up the ‘what other product lets YOU choose its price’ angle.
Anyone who has worked in public radio as long as I have (the past 13 years, minus one year at WMBD), has read reams of research on what gets people to go from “listener” to “member.”
The sad truth is that there is no one way to do it. Some people just want to be asked nicely, once. Others need to be guilted into it numerous times. And with each approach, you risk alienating others with that style and/or leaving money out there.
That’s why WCBU is trying to cut our drive in half this year (four days as opposed to eight). All I can say to those who are annoyed by things we do to get others to pledge — please be patient. It will be over soon.
Please consider: during a pledge drive we ask for money about 20 minutes per hour. We do that twice a year for a total of about two weeks. Commerical radio runs 20 minutes of commmercials per hour ALL 52 WEEKS PER YEAR.
Thanks you CJ for becoming a member of WCBU.