This is WHQR's "Friday Feedback," featuring listener questions and comments — and updates about your public media station.
Here's WHQR Station Manager Kevin Crane:
Kevin Crane: Let me start by thanking everyone who responded to our recent on-air fundraising drive. Your support keeps all of us going. We heard so many nice comments, like this one from Shannon Walker, who writes “I appreciate the staff’s commitment to hosting a successful fundraiser. I have been a supporter of WHQR since moving to Wilmington. During the Spring fundraiser, I joined as a sustainer. My motivations on that particular day were the flytrap mug AND the announcement that it was Pet Day. So, I joined as a sustainer with my two cats. My cats are huge classical music fans.”
Rachel Keith’s coverage of the New Hanover County School Board discussion and decision on allowing the book “Stamped” to be used in the classroom generated a number of comments such as this one: “Thank you for your reporting on the usage of such literature as "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, And You." I can honestly say that I can thank my teachers while I was in grade school, who had literature which taught me to think critically and come up with my own conclusions; books such as "1984" by George Orwell, which has also been banned since my high school days.” All of us at WHQR were especially proud when NPR picked up Rachel’s report for national broadcast.
Our other Rachel, Rachel Lewis Hilburn, got some nice feedback on her Coastline program, like this comment: “Thank you for all of the interviews that you share with us on Coastline. I am especially grateful for your work sharing anti-racism acitivists’ perspectives. Black activists in particular” And from another listener, “Excellent interview on race relations and healing.”
I should add that we heard so many positive comments on our reporters and on-air hosts during the drive, I wish I had time to repeat them all.
And finally, a mea culpa from me. In my last Friday Feedback, I was talking about some of the issues listeners sometimes have getting WHQR on their smart speaker. In so doing, I spoke the command these smart speakers use without realizing the power I was wielding in that moment. One listener wrote “I listened to this morning's Friday feedback with interest, because I have also experienced streaming problems with Tune-in. Unfortunately, when Kevin Crane said "the command phrase," my device heard him. I was already streaming WHQR, but his request caused my device to switch to WHUR. I then spent a while dealing with the exact streaming issue that was being discussed. By the time I was able to get WHQR's stream back, Friday feedback was over.” My apologies to everyone within the sound of my voice for inadvertently activating your smart speaker. I should have realized, they’re ALWAYS listening.
We love to hear from our listeners. We're on Facebook and Twitter, or write an email for Friday Feedback to feedback@whqr.org. Thanks for your feedback, and we look forward to hearing from you.