Well put, Ron.

But from the comments made it does seem that the shows that were cancelled pulled their own weight in fund raising. We both know that at WFDU listeners to our program pledge to us as well as to some of the other programs. They want to show their loyalty to those programs (as said WFDU has for want of a better word a multi-formatted approach) that they appreciate or listen to.

The comments re: WFUV are well said. I don't personally know if the Polka show's replacement got them all the underwriting grants mentioned but it did seem to me a rather crass venture in getting all the ex-WQXR and WNEW people there and my guess is that there is some hope of getting more dollars from the audience because of the "names". "Names", which, frankly, do no more (perhaps even less) in presenting the newer wave of artists and also having less to do with topical material.

I add here, uncertainly, that they may well be paid. So much for FUV as "college radio".

I do not mean this to sound as sour grapes. AT WFDU we are all volunteers---Ron, I, and all the rest of the staff merely try to bring the best of what we hope is of interest and will also introduce artists to a wider audience in the various genres we offer.

Having said all of the above, I will add in summary that people pledge to the station when the pitches are on---at least on the local Public Stations in this area (WNYC comes to mind).   Given that it means that it is the programming they are supporting-----all of it. Some stations---like ours(WFDU)---the pledges are for the individual programs. That is the reason for the earlier comment about support. For the larger NPR stations I do believe that people want their feeds but also want the local programming that those stations provided----hence the support of the cancelled programs we spoke of.


Bill Hahn