IT’S …

11 thoughts on “IT’S …”

1. so, you listen, obviously you gave then something, yes?

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2. I should, really. I do listen. NPR is my regular companion driving to and from work.

   But I don’t.

   I did, once. And was inundated by endless pieces of junk mail from them asking for more.

   I also find the current methods of pledge drives so gut-wrenchingly awful that I simply cannot “reward” the behavior by giving them money. I find the pledge spots as irritating as a splash of pepper spray in the face, I find their intrusiveness (to the extent of preempting the very stuff I most want to listen to) to be maddening, and I find their assumption that the minimum donation is $10 per month to be aggravating.

   I also have some objections to the way that Colorado Public Radio has slowly but surely taken over most of the other PR outlets around the state.

   I know I should. But I haven’t figured out how to reconsile all those items.

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3. I have just one thought – How much did you pay for cable TV in the last year?

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4. About $40/mo, I think, so $480.

   *Sigh*

   You guys are making me feel guilty. I already know that, objectively, it’s the right thing to do. And I hate radio commercials (on Fridays noontime when driving home, I usually listen to Tom Martino on local AM, and I’m appalled by the percent of the hour that is blocks of commercial. I think it actually reaches 50% of the air time).

   I just *really* hate pledge time. I hate what they do, and, moreso, how they do it. It’s just that I understand why they do it that irks me.

   I can tell you that if it were like nagware on a computer program that I used frequently, and I could turn off pledge drive by calling them up and giving them my money, I’d do it in a second.

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5. I have always thought that it would be great if you could somehow turn off the pledge drive by paying. You know you pay for your premium chanels and they un-scramble them. You pay CPR and you get NPR without the pledge interuptions.

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6. pledge week? does this apply to t.v., too? i may actually have to put up the rabbit ears for this…

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7. The “advantage” of PBS pledge drives on TV is that there’s usually a lot of other channels you can turn to. In this locale, at least, there are no other all-news stations on the radio.

   On the other hand, PBS then trots out all the great shows you’d really like to watch … but they all start at odd times and are interrupted by pledge break segment.

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8. Aha!
   Do you mean that there is actually a Benefit to living in the Detroit area? WDET, Detroit Public Radio does it the right way…

   They have a set goal – they state the amount clearly, and then they go through all their gabble, just like everyone else – BUT!

   The minute they make their goal, the pledge drive is over, and they return to their usual broadcasts.

   What a good idea, huh?
   I know I like it.

   (No, I don’t support them either – for the same reason(s) as Dave. Out here a minimum pledge is $50.00. Not too bad, but the incessant follow-up and whining truely sucks.

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9. Wouldn’t it be better if the newspaper had no ads, too?!? They always stop when they they reach their goal, they just don’t usually meet it early. The only time I remember was last November, when they were over a day early. Makes you wonder how important Public Radio was post 9/11.

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10. I am considering (considering, mind you) doing some sort of pledge. But not for some weeks — just so I don’t incent Pledge Week any further. And I’ll make it clear I don’t want any of the “incessant follow-up and whining.”

    Maybe.

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11. Each and every time they called, mailed, or otherwise communicated with me, I said, “I would love to send you more money, IF I knew it was going to the station, and not the stationary.”

    White paper recycling, anyone?

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