Juan Williams Be Damned: WFCR Sets Pledge Drive Record

[DToTheJ]

The Amherst, MA NPR affiliate brought in $30,000 more than its goal of $300,000, and exceeded last year's total by 65,000:
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_16583707

According to the article, roughly one-fifth of those who donated were first-timers.

 

[kc1ih]

The Juan Williams issue probably doesn’t effect WFCR very much, they are primarily a classical music station. They do have their AM station which is also carried on a lower-powered FM and does carry more NPR programs, but I don’t know if that has much effect on this.

 

[uncamark]

The Juan Williams issue probably doesn’t effect WFCR very much, they are primarily a classical music station. They do have their AM station which is also carried on a lower-powered FM and does carry more NPR programs, but I don’t know if that has much effect on this.

I seem to have read that many NPR stations that were in pledge mode got a big spike in pledges after the Williams incdent.

 

[Blackroc]

The funny thing about Williams is that he's kind of irrelevant other than being symbol. He played both ends and made as much money as possible doing it. All his gigs were so soft no wonder he's po'd he's losing one.
If NPR really wanted to do something they'd dump Cokie and Mara (among others) who actually say things.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

The Juan Williams issue probably doesn’t effect WFCR very much, they are primarily a classical music station. They do have their AM station which is also carried on a lower-powered FM and does carry more NPR programs, but I don’t know if that has much effect on this.

I don't know the number of hours of classical music (and opera) WFCR broadcasts vis-a-vis news a talk shows, but news&talk are predominant during the most-listened-to hours (morning and afternoon drive and weekend mornings).

 

[Don Juannn]

I seem to have read that many NPR stations that were in pledge mode got a big spike in pledges after the Williams incdent.

Where did you read this?

 

[raccoonradio]

Good for them if so; let the lefties and Keillor fans contribute to keep public radio on the air. (Just don't ask me to contribute my tax dollars) Though, as I said before, when it comes to _voluntary_ contributions to NPR,
I've given three times as much as before.

3 x $0.00

 

[aaronread]

I seem to have read that many NPR stations that were in pledge mode got a big spike in pledges after the Williams incdent.

Where did you read this?

I've seen quite a few stations post similar stories to the PUBRADIO listserv, which is mostly PD's, GM's and OM's at public radio stations.

OTOH, I also have seen at least a few stations that have had the opposite: their fundraisers feel short. Sometimes by 20 or 30%. (Gulp!) That said, I would guesstimate those that did better outnumbered those that did worse by at least 3:1 or 4:1.

Not all that surprisingly, the stations that fell short tended to be in relatively "red state" areas, and the stations that did best were in "blue state" areas.

I'm not entirely sure why the stations that fell short did so. On the surface it seems like there's a dozen obvious reasons, but on reflection none of them seem to hold up. If people in a conservative region donated before, why would they cease to donate now just because of Williams? That seems too small a trigger for an audience that's already "bucking the trend" by listening to "flamingly liberal" NPR in a conservative region. ???

As for the stations that did better, that's easy: it was when all the conservative politicians and pundits demanded de-funding of NPR. That never fails to get those NPR fans who aren't "anti-government" to donate more. Ditto for PBS fans.