Audience Volunteers Support

Public radio’s increasing dependence on listener support demands a concomitant rise in public service, and that keeps us true to public radio’s founding vision.

Nearly 30 years ago, industry pioneer Bill Siemering imagined programming that "enriches and gives meaning to the human spirit…[and will] result in a service to listeners which makes them more responsive…responsible citizens of their communities and the world."

When our service achieves these ideals, listeners readily reach for their wallets. Government and institutional support can cloud our vision by mandating service to their interests – which may not always coincide with the best interests of the listening public.

Serving the public is public radio’s reason to be. That our audience will finance us voluntarily is remarkable in many ways. Having to earn that support keeps us focused on Bill Siemering’s early vision, and rivets us to the right goals.

In this next chapter, AUDIENCE 98 reconfirms that programming not only causes audience, it also delivers listener support.

		Audience Volunteers Support
			Givers
			Giving
			The Effect of On-Air Pledge Drives
			Low Anxiety
			Yield Not to Temptation

Audience Research Analysis
Copyright © ARA and CPB.  All rights reserved.
Revised: September 01, 2000 12:38 PM.