Denise - just to clarify, I was not saying that listeners to specialty shows do not donate. Listeners to specialty shows are very loyal. They do donate. Without them, I would not be doing my show after nearly 30 years with WFDU, almost 25 with TRADITIONS.

My point is that a listener who tunes in on a daily basis, or more frequently than once a week, tends to have more opportunities to make a donation. Even more importantly, the pressure for donations becomes less when you have an underwriter that covers a chunk of the budget. Donations will always be important, but if you have an underwriter that is paying $1K per show, that could represent over 50 donor pledges. For example, WFUV had a very popular polka show that did well in the ratings. When they replaced it with former WNEW-FM DJ's, they received underwriting grants as well as gave their "regular" listeners increased opportunities.

This is why some stations like WDET come across they way they do. They have a different business plan. If they upset a few hundred listeners, they feel that it is a loss they can take if they gain several hundred new listeners.

Again, I disgree with the premise. This is not why public radio was created.

Holding back donations and writing angry letters will help the listener gain a sense of acting on the issue, but it really won't put a dent into the stations plans. The only way listeners can make a difference is a challenge to the license renewal. IF it can be shown that a station is not acting in the public interest, they CAN and HAVE lost their license. This takes a real organized effort and it is not easy to accomplish.   However, radio stations with limited budgets can't afford the court costs and they will respond to any threat.