Listener John wrote after our Partnership Challenge drive: “I know you are pleased to have the recent pledge drive completed and so am I. While I usually only listen to the station while driving around town I find the unrelenting clownish theatrics employed by your staff and volunteers during pledge week to be quite annoying and offensive. I would double my annual contribution if you would cease these annoying tactics. I realize that funding is essential for your operations but isn't there a better way?”
I wrote to John that I certainly understand his concern, and we do try to balance straightforward appeals with lighter elements. In most cases, the lighter elements seem to generate more pledges. But this is not always true, and obviously some people don’t find it appealing at all (to say the least). Sometimes the lighter elements are deliberate, but sometimes they arise spontaneously out of the heat of the moment and the need to make a goal. And John sent me a nice note in reply. Thanks, John.
Here are some other comments sent in during the drive. George Schell wrote:
WHQR is a great asset to Wilmington.
Bill and Brenda wrote:
Someone needs to fix the spelling of Asheville on your webpage!
Roger had a good question:
Why is there no longer any mention of classical on HD-2?
Yes, our Classical HQR is going strong on HD2. The problem is that so few listeners have an HD radio, which is a pity. For everyone who has had trouble getting Classical HQR on 92.7 (and we want to remind everyone that 92 is the new 96), an HD radio is an excellent investment of about $50 at a site like BestBuy or Amazon. Thanks, Roger.
Andrea and Aaron King wrote:
We moved here from the Midwest in December and we are so happy that Wilmington has such a wonderful NPR station!
And speaking of one Aaron, here’s another for today:
[AUDIO CLIP]
Hello. This is E. Aron Presley calling. Me and the boys stopped to get some fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches here at the bait shop at …. well, I’d rather not say where I am, know what I mean? I hear that some people have been complaining about all that Baroque guitar music, but I just wanted to tell you how pretty it all is. I mean, real pretty. Plus, we wanted to tell you how much we enjoy all the programs you put out there on your fine station. We listen every time I come through. And I know my Mama would have enjoyed it very much. Yes, sir. And even the Colonel; the Colonel would have liked it too; he loved that Baroque guitar music too. So before we head on out, I just wanted to call and say thank you, thank you very much.
Thank you, caller, and a big ol’ jelly doughnut for you on this April 1st.
We'd love to hear from you on Friday Feedback. You can send an email message to feedback@whqr.org, or you can leave a call at 910-292-9477. And thanks for your Feedback.