fnokd!

Here in Asheville, our local public radio tends to play a nice mix of bluegrass, jam bands and local music, along with nice syndicated shows such as The World and The World Cafe (yes, not every public radio station is required to air All Things Considered). This week, though, they have started their seemingly bi-monthly fund-raising effort. This apparently entails putting 2 folks on the air just talking about the wonderful tote bag or coffee mug you can receive if only you’d donate some dollars.

I normally prefer listening to this station, but this week, when they are trying to convince me that my enjoyment of the radio and a tote bag is worth $85, they have actually reduced its worth to -$10. They should be paying me to listen to their fund-raising tripe. Yes, the station is valuable to me, but in trying to convince me of its value, they manage to destroy it all. Instead of actually making me remember that I should support them and trade $85 for a tote bag, they have sent me searching for alternatives on the AM dial.

There has got to be a better way for public media to raise the funds they need than to completely make themselves worthless during the fund drive. I listen to the radio in the car, normally while I’m driving. That is not exactly the best time to pick up the phone and make that pledge! On the other hand, I do use their website on a regular basis to browse the playlists. I do that while not driving. In fact, that’d be an excellent time to try to sell me an overpriced tote bag to fund their activities. Of course, their website makes virtually no mention of the fact a fund-drive is underway.

Yes, these obnoxious funding efforts to convince you of the value of their content (while completely screwing up the content) is simply the way it’s always been done. It’s time to find a new way. Listening to volunteer DJs umm and ahh their way through 15 minutes of describing all they great uninterrupted music and programs they have is just painful. Considering that Asheville is small, and it takes a maximum of 10 minutes to drive anywhere, 15 minutes of repetive rambling about the music I won’t get to hear before darting into the store isn’t serving their goal very well at all.

Perhaps use the internets better, and go after your listeners while they’re on your website. Annoying your customers is not necessarily the best way to make them part with their money. Even if you throw in a tote bag.