I am somewhat of a NRP addict. This is because I have the very nerdly personality trait of being an information seeker – and NPR is the information station.
While my NPR listening has waned quite a bit with the advent of podcasts (now I can listen to many of the NPR shows I love at my convenience and even get NPR shows not available through the local NRP station), I still listen to it fairly regularly. While getting ready for and driving to work in the morning, for example.
Yesterday morning (Thurs. Oct. 13, ’16) I turned on NPR and I heard the thing I dread most about listening to NPR. The pledge drive.
I understand that generally NPR is a public supported station, although in the past 5-7 years the amount of “sponsorship” announcements and promotions has increased exponentially, and they need to raise funds. However, NPR is supposed to be run by fairly smart people. Do they really think that interrupting the programs I want to hear for 5-10 minutes at a time to endlessly (and annoyingly) beg for money is the best way to fund raise? I have never been involved in development or fundraising, but common sense tells me – NO. There has to be better ways. Yet for the 30 or so years I have been listening to NPR they have been doing the EXACT same thing.
My instincts tell me that what this method of fundraising does most effectively is get people to change the station. That is what is does for me.
And this is not the only ham-handed way that NPR fund raises. That last time I was a “member” (meaning that I donated) a couple of years ago, I received almost constant letters from the local station asking for more money – after I had just donated. I eventually responded with a letter of my own, telling them directly that their letters were annoying and made me NOT want to contribute in the future, and that their method of hounding current contributors with form letters asking for more money was laziest way of fundraising imaginable.
So while I should give to NPR (and as mentioned I have often in the past), I currently don’t contribute and have no plans to do so in the future. Not until they learn the fundraising should not be about annoying and pestering their loyal listeners. Stop being so lazy and uncreative.
If I choose to contribute I will contribute directly to the shows I listen to, and not reward the lazy, annoying, ham-handed pledge drives smedge drives.