Those of us in the biz have studied at length how classical radio can survive, or even thrive, when its main proponents are in serious decline. Alex Ross posts a scary graph in his Feb. 3rd article in the New Yorker.
Every classical organization in America should print out this graph, pin it on the bulletin board, and ponder what is to be done. If the light-gray line doesn’t reverse direction in the next ten years, those organizations may begin to fold.
To give or not to give, that is the question.
Not-for-profit radio stations around the country are entering into the spring fund-raising season, facing the same challenges as last year and the year before that, and the year before that. The perennial challenge is engaging the listener in a conversation about the relevance of the station in peoples’ lives and the need for voluntary contributions to cover the station’s expenses. There’s a cause and effect dynamic at work. Programming causes listening, good programming causes loyalty, loyalty causes giving. In theory. Is that all there is to it, do the best we can with creating content and then ask for money – and we shall automatically receive?
The National Association of Broadcasters is encouraging stations to use the power of their airwaves to help with the Haitian relief efforts, but if you are a public station be warned that you can’t just do on-air fundraising without FCC approval.
For all the grumbling in New York City about the new WQXR, the news is pretty fabulous. The station ranked No. 1 of ALL public radio stations in the December Arbitron listings. And people say that classical music on the radio is dying. hah!