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Volume 72, Issue 116,
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
News KUHF kicks off spring campaign Public radio station will rely on community generosity to reach its goal of $700,000 in eight days of fundraising by KIM THAI
KUHF-FM is putting faith in its listeners as it attempts to raise $700,000 in donations from new and existing members for spring 2007. The campaign, which began Thursday, will run for eight days. In November the station surpassed its fall goal of the same amount by $32,945. "This campaign is where we ask people who have never paid for public radio before to help," Debra Fraser, station manager, said. "It' s great when we get more listeners, but we also have to pay more for the product, and that means we need more people to pay for it. And that' s a pretty difficult endeavor -- we' re asking people to pay for it after they' ve already used it. It' s an altruistic process. You have to really feel something when you donate to public radio." Houston has always been generous in the past because the people are community-minded, Fraser said, and listeners recognize that KUHF is a radio station focused on serving the city' s best interests. Because of that, KUHF campaigns only twice yearly, she said. "In Houston, people really care about being able to get information about their community, and that' s what KUHF is about," she said. "We' re the only station that plays classical music, and you get community information from our local news department. That community information is what people want to pay for. They see that other radio stations are becoming less about community and more about money. I think that' s why people choose to give money to the station." In 2005, KUHF' s total operating revenue was almost $6 million. Out of that funding, nearly $2 million came from member donations, and the rest came from underwriting, University funding and grants, according to an independent auditor' s report. Donations are accepted from any range, but from $35 and up, a donor becomes a KUHF member and is eligible for gifts, including a discount card, a polo T-shirt, a rolling laptop backup and more. Rod Rice, the local host for All Things Considered, said contributors remind him that public radio will always have a stronger bond with its listeners than commercial radio does. "It' s basically a bunch of people who like public radio and how to make the case for it. (The campaign is) pretty much straight from the heart. I don' t know if you could do it well if you don' t really believe it," Rice said. "You feel a connection, and you' re more aware of who is listening and are more appreciative. "In commercial radio, (listeners) were just kind of numbers. In public radio, you realize that they' re real, and you communicate with them. And they respond in a way that they don' t on the commercial side." John Eymann has volunteered for KUHF' s campaigns since 1998 because he feels like the station improves Houston with its programming. "The station gives a great broadcasting experience to the community, and I feel strong enough about (KUHF) that I volunteer time and money," Eymann said. "Giving back to the community takes many forms, and my volunteering at KUHF is one of many ways I do that. With my help, the radio station doesn' t spend as much in hiring temporary help, so there are more funds available for outreach, education or reporting the news." KUHF, founded in 1950, is one of three public radio stations in Houston. For more information, visit www.kuhf.org or tune in to 88.7 FM. Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu |
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