I flipped on the radio as I do every morning to catch the news as I make my first cup of coffee. I heard blathering about sending money and thought, "Oh, that's right, NPR is doing their fundraiser this week." I kept making my coffee, only halfway listening to the unfamiliar woman's voice.
"...and what we'd really like you to do, is pray over the check before you send it in."
You see, I live in Nebraska. It may not seem like the bible-belt, but it is an awfully conservative place. While it seemed a bit strange to hear a request to pray over the donation before sending it in, it didn't sound impossible. Then, the unfamiliar voice gave the station ID and I realised I was listening to KLOV, not KIOS. Well that was a relief. The stations are right next to each other on the dial, and the radio must have been accidentally nudged. It just happens both stations are fundraising this week. Of course, if you want to resort to contagious magic and chant incantations over your pledge, I think they'd still take it, particularly if you could do something really new-age-y.
Maybe they could capitalise on this, and threaten to get rid of their jazz library, and play nothing but praise music unless they raise five grand in the next half hour.
As you know I work at the local NPR affiliate station here. Yes, we're in our Fund Drive week, too. (There was a recent national adjustment of membership drives on all stations to the same weeks every year.)
ReplyDeleteBut there in NE (and here in this city, too, it feels like) would it even be considered a threat to toss the jazz library in favor of praise music?
In Omaha, I think there would be a revolt, but the listening audience for the Lincoln station? I doubt anyone would notice.
ReplyDeleteWe DO have a pretty terrific community radio station here, KZUM. Any station that can support shows devoted to Frank Zappa recordings (really, an hour of nothing but Frank Zappa) and Tango music, is something to cherish. can check them out on the web-might be stuff you'd like.