[BC] NPR branded radio

[Chuck Lakaytis]

My years at KBRW-AM-FM in Barrow, Alaska were very happy ones.  The 
manager, Don Rinker had years and years of commercial and noncommercial 
radio and television experience, in every facet of the business.  The 
station and every station where he had influence did well.

He would practically threaten you with bodily harm if you called a 
pledge drive "begging" or a "begathon".

"You are providing a VALUABLE service to the listeners.  I expect every 
break and contact with the public to reflect that"  Valuable service 
deserves valuable support.  That philosophy works!  And don't be boring....

At KBRW-FM in Ketchikan we once climbed 3000 foot Deer Mountain with a 
Marti RPU.  Climbing a dollar/foot.  Raised 3K and everyone had a 
wonderful time.  Had a telescope set up at the studio so that folks 
could come in, pay their pledge, and take a look at where we were on the 
trail.

Best part of the crew on the mountain was when we met a stoner on the 
trail and he asked what was going on.  "We are CIA on a radio test 
mission so got out of the way", said Josh Albright.  "Wow, you guys are 
everywhere", said the stoner.  All the conversation over the air via the 
Marti!  What fun.

Jeff Johnson wrote:
> There are ways to do pledge drives - begathons - that are not excruciating. 
> My station just successfully completed our twice-yearly week+ drive. Our 
> cousins downtown - WGUC and WVXU - also completed theirs successfully. The 
> three of us have clearly differentiated programming - classical music, 
> talk/information, and AAA music. Each has a strong following.
>
> Speaking for my station, WNKU, we retain regular programming with more 
> extended breaks for 'pitching'. The great bulk of our programming is music 
> with morning and late afternoon magazine shows - morning shaped around 
> elements of Morning Edition, and the late afternoon show 'Consider This' an 
> amalgam of AAA music, news items and short features. It can be seen how 
> these formats can be quite seamlessly morphed temporarily to emphasize the 
> urgency of contributing.
>
> I sense generally that our listeners prefer a 50 to 2 ratio of 100% of 
> their desired programming to 60-80% of their desired programming. That with 
> the added benefit of subtle processing, no screaming and no hate.
>
> Jeff Johnson, CSRE
> WNKU
>
> At 09:52 AM 10/22/2009, Rich Wood wrote:
>
>   
>> I spent many years in Talk Radio. It no longer interests me. I can't
>> trust its information. The local Talk station is FOX News. I trust
>> that even less.
>>
>> I've come to find blessed silence very appealing.
>>
>> Rich
>>     
>
>
>   

Director of Engineering, Alaska Public Broadcasting
135 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501
office   907-277-6300