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Why don't they just refund the contributions

M

mwebster

Guest
RadioDailyNews.com
<blockquote>A group of listeners to WDET-FM in Detroit filed a class-action lawsuit against the station on Dec. 19, claiming fraud and breach of contract. The Detroit Free Press reported that seven plaintiffs filed for damages after contributing to the station's last on-air fund-raising pledge drive, which ended in October. Station managers announced the new schedule on Dec. 13. The listeners claim that they were tricked into contributing money for programs that the station already planned to cancel</blockquote>
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/09/business/media/09radio.html?pagewanted=print

How much does it cost in legal fees to get back a $40 pledge?
Sounds like a lawyer looking for publicity and people with too much time on their hands.

I volunteered at a local public radio station right after they flipped from classical middays and evenings to all news and information. Instead of calling to pledge, a lot of classical music lovers called to b*tch. Had they called to pledge before, the flip might not have happened. In any case, the station expected this and told us to tell people to write and they could get their "membership fee" back (and then get off the phone quickly). The classical music lovers I talked to seemed to feel a sense of entitlement to classical music - like welfare queens having their benefits cut.
 
> RadioDailyNews.com
> A group of listeners to WDET-FM in Detroit filed a
> class-action lawsuit against the station on Dec. 19,
> claiming fraud and breach of contract. The Detroit Free
> Press reported that seven plaintiffs filed for damages after
> contributing to the station's last on-air fund-raising
> pledge drive, which ended in October. Station managers
> announced the new schedule on Dec. 13. The listeners claim
> that they were tricked into contributing money for programs
> that the station already planned to cancel
http://www.nytimes> .com/2006/01/09/business/media/09radio.html?pagewanted=print
>
>
> How much does it cost in legal fees to get back a $40
> pledge?
> Sounds like a lawyer looking for publicity and people with
> too much time on their hands.
>
> I volunteered at a local public radio station right after
> they flipped from classical middays and evenings to all news
> and information. Instead of calling to pledge, a lot of
> classical music lovers called to b*tch. Had they called to
> pledge before, the flip might not have happened. In any
> case, the station expected this and told us to tell people
> to write and they could get their "membership fee" back (and
> then get off the phone quickly). The classical music lovers
> I talked to seemed to feel a sense of entitlement to
> classical music - like welfare queens having their benefits
> cut.

The twist in this instance is that WDET was AAA. The group that's protesting seems to be a bunch of lefties who are in this for more than just their money--it's the principal of the thing, and they're throwing around words like "community" and "free-form" (although I bet that WDET was as tightly-formatted as any commercial playlist), as if the station was Pacifica.

The funny thing is that several of the weekday programs on 'DET are *not* on Michigan Radio, most notably "Democracy Now!", a show you'd think these people would be tickled to death to have on ('DET has to be the biggest market with a mainstream pubcaster carrying that show). The lineup is not as "cookie-cutter" as they claim it is, but I guess as long as "ME" runs in morning drive and "ATC" in afternoon drive, these people will think so.
 
That's a whacked-out response, bucko!

>
> I volunteered at a local public radio station right after
> they flipped from classical middays and evenings to all news
> and information. Instead of calling to pledge, a lot of
> classical music lovers called to b*tch. Had they called to
> pledge before, the flip might not have happened. In any
> case, the station expected this and told us to tell people
> to write and they could get their "membership fee" back (and
> then get off the phone quickly).

The classical music lovers
> I talked to seemed to feel a sense of entitlement to
> classical music - like welfare queens having their benefits
> cut.
>

That's a bit over the top, sonny!

These listeners have every right to complain about the dumbing-down of public radio.

When a station fails to program for its listeners, do you not expect the listeners to be upset?

News-talk is found in every market. Classical isn't.
Radio hates older listeners and wants to do everything it can to run them away.
Looks like the brains at such stations are acting more like their commercial counterparts every day.
 
Re: That's a whacked-out response, bucko!

> These listeners have every right to complain about the
> dumbing-down of public radio.

Since when is intelligent, informed, in-depth news analysis and discussion "dumbing down?"

> When a station fails to program for its listeners, do you
> not expect the listeners to be upset?

How many people listen to--and pledge during--the drive time news shows compared to midday and evening classical music programming? A lot more.

> News-talk is found in every market. Classical isn't.

And can't you tell the difference between NPR and Rush Limbaugh?

> Radio hates older listeners and wants to do everything it
> can to run them away.

Where does it say that radio has to program to the nursing home crowd--particularly in a non-commercial radio system that, thanks a political system that has kept it from long-term support, has to go to people who have money to stay on the air? Since when do nursing home inhabitants have ready access to funds?

And there are many people in their 30s and 40s--the audience that public radio wants to nurture, *not* the Beavis and Butt-Head crowd--who consider themselves well-educated and intelligent, but find that classical music does not speak to them in the way that jazz, blues or--perish the thought--rock and roll does. Are they morons, in your elitist view?

> Looks like the brains at such stations are acting more like
> their commercial counterparts every day.
>

Once again, tell me what on commercial radio sounds like "Morning Edition" or "All Things Considered"--two programs which, without media hype or saturation promotion, are the second and third most listened-to national radio programs.

The classical music audience is dying off and will not be replaced. The few who still listen only consider it high-class background music and nothing else. It is not going to increase. There will always be an audience for intelligent news and talk. That is the future of public radio and why more people listen to it than ever before. Deal with it.
 
Re: That's a whacked-out response, bucko!

> The classical music audience is dying off and will not be
> replaced. The few who still listen only consider it
> high-class background music and nothing else. It is not
> going to increase.

I either replaced one dead listener or increased our number(s).
I pay attention when I listen.
I believe that when I left pop/rock, I left them forever.
Mine is just one voice.<P ID="signature">______________
Proud 2 B a pioneering satellite radio subs¢riber
Ai4i is always on the trailing edge of technology
______________</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ai4i on 03/14/06 09:25 PM.</FONT></P>
 
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