A winning pledge drive. on-air people funny, informative...I listened a lot. - Paula
Listener Donna wrote: “As a long time member, I am very glad that the goal for the pledge drive was met yesterday, but I a very disappointed that the pledge drive did NOT end when the goal was met. Early in the pledge drive, you told listeners that the pledge drive would end when the goal was met. We as listeners should have received 2 more hours without pledge banter.
Please in the next pledge drive live up to your assurance when the drive will end.” I take this comment very seriously, and I'd like to address the important issues wrote about. I wrote to here that first of all, we are profoundly grateful for her support of the station for many, many years, both for our annual campaigns and for emPowering Our Future. We couldn’t do it without loyal and generous listeners like her. Second, I know that Donna speaks for many others who dislike the on-air campaigns and want them ended sooner. Although we strive to keep them upbeat, and we get lots of affirmations from people who do call, we are aware that that sentiment is not universally shared. That’s why we have worked hard for the past six years to decrease our annual pledging days from 26 down to 15.
In our training of staff prior to the drive we stress NEVER to say that we will end the moment the goal is met. In the early days of the drive I heard people (correctly) say general comments like “we want to keep the drive as short as possible” or even “we’d like to end the drive a day early”. It didn’t happen — it never seems to do that — and as we got closer to day 6 we started saying “we will end the drive on the day we reach the goal”. I never heard anyone say that we would end the moment we hit the goal, though I can’t swear it never happened. Listeners, help me out if I'm wrong on this.
To me, the fact that calls continued to pour in for two hours after we made the announcement is testament that many in the audience actively want us to go over, because they know it will make the station stronger.
The situation is different when we don’t make the goal at the end of Day 7. Then, we go into Day 8 mode, and we do indeed stop when the goal is met. Fortunately, that didn’t happen this time. So thanks to Donna for writing. We’ll continue to try to do everything we can to make the drives palatable and effective — and if possible, shorter.
Listener Paula wrote:
A winning pledge drive. on-air people funny, informative...I listened a lot. Congratulations.
And she made a nice personal comment about my stint on the air. Thanks, Paula. I really missed being on the air last spring, when I was laid low by bronchitis -- the first time in 35 years of working in public radio that I've been sick during a pledge drive. I was glad to be back.
Listener Ronnie wrote:
My favorite station even with the liberal drivel
Listener Jim wrote:
Since you guys play the same hour of ATC during the day, I strongly suggest you create a new show (like Coastline) and call it "Cleve and Friends". This show MUST be on the 5-6pm time slot and regular guest MUST include Rachel and Bob Workman. I will help finance such a show and would even consider being the "executive producer.”. . . When [Cleve], Rachel and Bob are on the 5-6pm hour, after all day of fundraising, your level of hilarity reaches Cartalk and beyond.
You’re too kind, Jim. Either that, or possibly deranged.
We’d love to hear from you on Friday Feedback. You can always leave a message via email to feedback@WHQR.org. Our Feedback Phone is 910-292-9477. And thanks for your feedback.