WKSU SURPASSES SPRING FUND DRIVE GOAL BY NEARLY 20 PERCENT

Tuesday April 8, 2008

For immediate release
Contact: Robert J. Burford, WKSU
(330) 672-3114
burford@wksu.org

On March 15, WKSU completed its most successful on-air fund drive, adding up nearly $400,000 in phone and online pledges from 2186 listeners over 10 days. The end total of $393,000 was an 18 1/2 percent increase over the drive's original goal of $320,000. Money raised during the Spring Drive, one of two 10-day drives WKSU conducts annually, will be used for general operating expenses, including programming and network membership fees. The station also produces the two-day Hunger Drive in November that matches pledges to WKSU with donated funds to regional food banks.

Before beginning the Spring Drive, WKSU General Manager Al Bartholet announced the cancellation of the Summer Fun Drive, a fundraising campaign in June. The change was in response to listener requests for less on-air fundraising, non-profit public radio's most cost-effective and efficient method of bringing in operating monies.

"With the troubling economy and rising costs for basic necessities, we were not sure how our audience would respond when we asked them for support," says Bartholet. "The added challenge presented by WKSU shortening its annual on-air fundraising schedule was another layer of uncertainty. But our listeners more than answered the call. They share our commitment to providing Northeast Ohio with quality public radio programming every day of the year."

Fund drive coordinator Joyce Adams says, "This drive offered compelling incentives to become a WKSU member, including VIP tickets to attend the live broadcast of `A Prairie Home Companion' on June 21 at Blossom. But simple messages about the cost of producing WKSU's award-winning programming and new member matching grants also prompted listeners to make that all-important call of support."

WKSU began broadcasting from the Kent State University campus in October 1950. The non-profit pubic radio station is an affiliate of National Public Radio (NPR), American Public Media (APM) and Public Radio International (PRI) and is operated by a fully professional staff. With five towers and two repeater signals, WKSU's programming reaches 22 Northeast and North Central Ohio counties and parts of Western Pennsylvania. Covering more than a quarter of the state, WKSU can be heard by more people than any public radio station in Ohio.

WKSU broadcasts NPR & Classical Music at 89.7 FM, and is a service of Kent State University. WKSU programming is also heard on WKRW 89.3 FM in Wooster, WKRJ 91.5 FM in Dover/New Philadelphia, WKSV 89.1 FM in Thompson, WNRK 90.7 in Norwalk, W298BA 107.5 FM in Boardman, and W239AZ 95.7 FM in Ashland. The WKSU web site is www.wksu.org.

PR08.03           ###      4/02/08
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