More Public Radio Cutbacks

[Kelly A]

I really don't think it's "donor fatigue" as much as TV/radio fatigue.

Assuming media consumers are somehow fatigued by radio or TV isn't accurate. I instead contribute to the losses in traditional media use to increases in consumers spending more time on social media, or getting their 'news' or entertainment online.
Back in the early 2000s, the traditional media company I worked for paid for a fairly extensive study on media consumption trends. Aside from a couple of misses like hyper-local news publishing becoming a thing, they hit the target by predicting increasing use of the Internet would create a 'two-way' form of media consumption that traditional media can't compete with.
That turned out to be true. After all; here we are having a textual conversation via an Internet forum rather than actively listening to the radio or watching TV.

Is there any proof that the average American donates less money to charities in 2024 than in 2020 or 2010? Yes, inflation has made us all reevaluate our spending. But inflation is now close to manageable levels. Unemployment is at a record low. The stock market is at a record high.

There are several out there, but here's a blog from Indiana University intended for charity organizations talking about the donor fatigue theory and potentially how to avoid it:

Donor fatigue; is it real?

Over the last year we’ve heard a lot about fatigue—pandemic fatigue, COVID fatigue, Zoom fatigue. You may be experiencing all of these and more including donor fatigue. The question is, while you may be feeling it, is it real?

blog.philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu

And then there's drilling down more to the discussion of 'donor fatigue' potentially caused by 'compassion fatigue':

https://www.philanthropy.com/article/new-data-eases-worries-that-giving-is-declining-due-to-compassion-fatigue

So, as you can see, charitable giving, whether it is for public media or other causes is concerned about the same things.

In fact, if you look at the ratings for each large market, you see public radio listening is stronger than ten or twenty years ago. WNYC-FM is #10 in NYC. It wasn't that long ago it was around #17 or so. WAMU is #1 in Washington, KQED-FM #2 in San Francisco, KPBS-FM #2 San Diego, WBUR #4 and WGBH #10 in Boston. I'd say if you looked at ratings in 2000, these stations were not this highly rated. But we can also say public radio takes up a larger slice of a shrinking pie. Being #2 in 2024 means you probably have fewer people listening than being #10 in 2000.

Statistically what you say is true, but the emphasis on ratings as being some sort of bellwether for the success or failure of traditional media (radio/TV) is completely overblown in modern times. Media customers are donors or advertisers, not just numbers of listeners or viewers. Advertisers have moved toward the digital/Internet media model of advertising, forcing traditional media to compete with the same. Also, online advertising inherently comes with analytics which provide almost immediate data about what type of consumer is seeing or paying attention to an ad. Using AI, those analytics can provide so much more lifestyle and demographic data than a thousand one-way media consumers wearing a PPM device, or filling out a diary. And that online data is super cheap by comparison.

The same thing that's happening to ad sales on commercial stations is happening to donations on public radio stations. In a world of streaming and podcasts, we just aren't listening as much and donating as much as in past decades.

But that's the thing, podcasting may be the buzz, but many media organizations have needed to cut their budgets which included podcasts, because there are so many online all competing for the same ad dollar. The podcast media market is completely saturated, so except for folks like Joe Rogan, nobody is making money in podcasting either.

 

[bturner1]

I'm looking at one major public broadcaster with many stations. For their stations,

For year ending July 2023:
Listener Support $31,574,000
Underwriting - National $17,395,000
Underwriting - Regional/Local $8,794,000

For year ending July 2022
Listener Support $29,166,000
Underwriting - National $25,381,000
Underwriting - Regional/Local $8,504,000

For this operator, they managed to show over a $2,400,000 increase in listener donations (maybe big donors).

National Underwriting fell about $8,000,000 (that's huge...almost 1/3rd less)
Regional and Local increased by about $290,000

These guys use very professional fundraising tactics for listener donations.

 

[Kemosabe]

Connecticut Public has also reduced its staff.

Connecticut Public lays off 4% of its staff, citing expenses growing faster than revenues

Connecticut Public announced it is laying off four full-time and several temporary employees. The public broadcaster said in a statement that expenses "have grown at rates that have exceeded revenues for the last few years."

www.ctpublic.org

 

[TheBigA]

Is there any proof that the average American donates less money to charities in 2024 than in 2020 or 2010?

Stations know exactly how much people and sponsors are donating, so yes, there's proof.

 

[TheBigA]

NPR did a story on how inflation is causing people to donate less:

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/25/nx-s1-5017877/inflation-charity-giving-personal-finances

 

[Theater of My Mind]

NPR did a story on how inflation is causing people to donate less:

In which a popover ad begging for donations appears a minute after loading the article you're trying to read, covering it.

That sort of constant assault online has to be a contributor to the "fatigue", even though NPR doesn't mention it since they're part of the problem.

 

[Mark Roberts]

“Donor fatigue” isn’t that new as a concept. I recall TV critic Marvin Kitman, writing in the 1980s that the first law of public TV pledge drives was “no matter what you give them, it’s never enough”. (I may be paraphrasing; Kitman was a lot funnier than I could ever be.) What I think is new is the number of entities asking for donations. It’s not just listener-supported media, though in some areas there are more such outlets than there used to be. It’s nonprofits and charities of all types, some of which engage in very aggressive fundraising. For example, I once gave to the International Rescue Committee after the invasion of Ukraine. I did not give them my phone number. Yet somehow they got a hold of it and in came multiple texts - starting out with “Mark” so I know whom they were targeting. In the IRC’s case, this was counterproductive, since they’ve been crossed off my list for future donations as a result of such aggressive tactics.

Public broadcasting doesn’t seem to have gotten that aggressive yet. It does seem true that you never fall off their lists - KALW fundraising letters have followed me to Denver even though I quit giving to KALW six years ago. But I also have choices: Colorado Public Radio, KUNC/KJAC, KGNU, KRMA-TV/KUVO, KBDI-TV are all valid local choices for me, not to mention a few news-oriented nonprofits running websites. Then is the choice to engage in “peanut buttering” by giving a little to each of them, or to concentrate giving on one or two? It probably comes down to a matter of personal preference and perception of the value that each of the outlets is providing to the community.

 

[TheBigA]

That sort of constant assault online has to be a contributor to the "fatigue", even though NPR doesn't mention it since they're part of the problem.

The article doesn't mention it because it's about inflation.

What I think is new is the number of entities asking for donations. It’s not just listener-supported media,

The cashier at Panda Express asked me yesterday if I wanted to make a donation to their children's charity. A grocery store asks about rounding up your bill as a donation to charity. Then there's the built-in request for tips at every vender, from the beer man at the arena to the cashier at the Subway. Then there are all the requests to rate their service. All about engagement.

 

[Mark Roberts]

The cashier at Panda Express

Panda Express?? Sorry, but Good Lord!

A grocery store asks about rounding up your bill as a donation to charity. Then there's the built-in request for tips at every vender, from the beer man at the arena to the cashier at the Subway.

And somehow the suggested tips start at 20%!

Then there are all the requests to rate their service. All about engagement.

Allegedly. I really think it’s about coming up with “metrics” that are reported upwards and make the managers in the organization look good. The intellectual bankruptcy behind all that was clear several years ago at the Walgreens I frequented near my workplace in San Francisco. There was a phone number on every receipt to call to take a survey for a chance to win a small sum. (A tax on time for those who haven’t quite figured out probabilities.) They would put a sticker on every receipt saying, “If you can’t give us a 10, tell us why”. A real-life example of grade inflation that was.

 

[TheBigA]

Panda Express?? Sorry, but Good Lord!

Ha! Love their firecracker shrimp.

I really think it’s about coming up with “metrics” that are reported upwards and make the managers in the organization look good.

I turn in the rental car, and they ask, "How was our service?" Let's see. I rented online, I checked in via text, I got my own car, the keys were in it, and there were no issues with the car. But none of that reflects on their service. I did all the work.

 

[Kelly A]

I turn in the rental car, and they ask, "How was our service?" Let's see. I rented online, I checked in via text, I got my own car, the keys were in it, and there were no issues with the car. But none of that reflects on their service. I did all the work.

I ran into the same thing recently after turning in a rental car. I received several E-mails, once per day, that I haven't filled out their survey yet. Finally, I filled out the survey and pointed out the same thing; By reserving online, going to the car listed on the reader-board at the airport, then returning the car to the lane and walking away, what service was I supposed to rate? Oh, and the survey even asked if I wanted to donate to some charity. It was the trifecta of bullsh*t.

 

[wadio]

They didn't ask about human service. 😉

 

[TheBigA]

They didn't ask about human service. 😉

Because the service sector is eliminating the human part. It's all going AI.

It's getting harder to speak with a human customer service rep. They want to keep you in AI land.

 

[Deus Ex Machiato]

Isn’t that the problem with public broadcasting as a whole.

There. Fixed it for you. As Gregg said above, "I think it's just a case that we don't use radio and television as much as we once did."

Everyone is cutting back. Laying off staff. Paying less to hire new people. Circling the wagons.

 

[Gregg.]

Stations know exactly how much people and sponsors are donating, so yes, there's proof.

I know public radio stations have a running total of how much they receive in donations, I'm sure down to the penny. My question is, are all charities experiencing this? Are Americans making fewer donations? Or is it specifically a listener-supported public radio/TV problem?

And how about religious broadcasters? We assume K-Love (EMF), Family Life, VCY are doing well since they keep buying up underperforming FM stations. They don't release their numbers but do we think they are they bringing in today what they did several years ago?

 

[TheBigA]

Are Americans making fewer donations? Or is it specifically a listener-supported public radio/TV problem?

I posted an article about in in #25. Charitable giving is down everywhere.

 

[b-turner]

Prices are up for everything from housing, gasoline, food and even electricity. Consumers are being hit on all sides for basic necessities. With it costing more to put a roof over your head and eat, there are fewer dollars to put elsewhere. Once things even out, I suspect the dollars will be there for all non-profits. I know this is quite simplified but there lots of us out there that feel those increases and have made adjustments.

 

[boombox4]

I know public radio stations have a running total of how much they receive in donations, I'm sure down to the penny. My question is, are all charities experiencing this? Are Americans making fewer donations? Or is it specifically a listener-supported public radio/TV problem?

And how about religious broadcasters? We assume K-Love (EMF), Family Life, VCY are doing well since they keep buying up underperforming FM stations. They don't release their numbers but do we think they are they bringing in today what they did several years ago?

I have no stats to back my suppositions up, but since the Pandemic, Christian radio shows have been more fluid in their appearances and disappearances, at least on one of the local stations. You used to be able to count on their appearance like clockwork. Now? Not so much.

And even if one is motivated by religious ideology to donate, they still have to deal with the cost of living just like anyone else. So my guess is even the religious broadcasters are feeling the pinch.

 

[Kelly A]

And even if one is motivated by religious ideology to donate, they still have to deal with the cost of living just like anyone else. So my guess is even the religious broadcasters are feeling the pinch.

Lacking empirical data to back it up, I believe that's the case. EMF seems to have slowed its FM buying spree, so I suspect they're hunkering down and conserving cash like everyone else.

 

[davideduardo]

Lacking empirical data to back it up, I believe that's the case. EMF seems to have slowed its FM buying spree, so I suspect they're hunkering down and conserving cash like everyone else.

That may be part of it, but I get the impression that the move to Nashville has brought a greater awareness of new media and the options they have to exercise to keep up with listener preferred sourcing of audio services.

So they may be changing how they allocate funds, with less insistence in being all over the FM dial all over the country.

I have no insider information... just an analysis of the changes that the newer management has been making.