Pledge drive

Pledge drives are especially common among U.S. stations. Public broadcasting organizations like National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) are largely dependent on program fees paid by their member stations.[1] The federal government of the United States provides some money for them, primarily through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and corporate underwriting. American public broadcasting services hold pledge drives about two to three times each year, each one usually lasting one to two weeks. Some religious broadcasting organizations, including Educational Media Foundation (which operates the K-Love and Air1 radio networks), also rely heavily on such program fees. These stations require funding in turn from listeners and viewers (as well as, if necessary, local corporate sponsors) for not only these fees, but also other daily operating costs, and stage regular pledge drives in an attempt to persuade their audiences to contribute donations.

Originally, such programming consisted of arts presentations such as classical music, drama, and documentaries. However, the audience for supposedly "high-brow" fare began declining steadily during the 1980s and 1990s, due to the attrition of the generations to whom such programming mainly appealed. Younger people were less interested in the higher arts, for a variety of reasons having to do with the eclipse of "high culture" in American society. In order to appeal to such a largely Euro-American, middle-aged and affluent demographic (the so-called "Baby Boomers" and "Generation X"), PBS has resorted to specials such as self-help programs with speakers such as Suze Orman, nostalgic popular music concerts (including T. J. Lubinsky's My Music concert series, produced specifically for pledge drive airings), and special versions of PBS' traditionally popular "how-to" programs.[2][3] This approach was largely pioneered by the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA), which introduced a number of popular music specials as part of its 1987 pledge drive.[4] A retrospective on The Lawrence Welk Show was originally introduced as pledge drive material in 1987; its popularity prompted the OETA to acquire rerun rights to the series and distribute it through PBS.[5]

A hallmark of pledge breaks is the "pledge room", where the speakers deliver their message as volunteering individuals answer ringing telephones in the background. Frequent updates are provided as to the amount of money that the pledge drive has raised so far, which is also (on television stations) shown on a numeric display. Small prizes such as mugs, tote bags, various DVD sets, and books (known as "thank-you" gifts or, euphemistically, as "premiums"), as well as entries into drawings for larger awards, are also offered by many stations in return for pledging certain amounts of money. The pledges can be done by either paying per month or a one-time contribution, e.g. $15 a month or $180.[6]

Pledge drives have been controversial for most of their existence. While pledge drives are an effective method of raising money for stations, they usually annoy viewers and listeners, who find the regular interruption of what is ordinarily commercial-free content and the station's regular programming being suspended for lifestyle and music specials to be a nuisance.[7][8][2][9] Audience numbers often decline during pledge drives; to compensate, most television stations air special television shows during these fundraising periods. This practice began in earnest in the mid-1970s due to CPB funding cutbacks that were the result of political pressures and the recessions of the time, as well as increasing inflation. As the proportions of government funding in stations' budgets continued to decline over time, such programs became more elaborate in order to sway people who would otherwise watch public television only sporadically (or not at all) to tune in, and possibly donate money in response to appeals during program breaks.

Generally speaking, the phenomenon is less pronounced on American public radio stations, primarily because of the high popularity of the news and talk programs on that medium and the routine-based patterns of radio listeners that are much more easily disrupted than those of television. Much of the focus is placed upon the "drive time" NPR news programs Morning Edition and All Things Considered, which have the highest ratings of all public broadcasting in the U.S. This is in contrast to PBS member stations sometimes holding their drives during prime time daily and on weekend afternoons, and not during the daytime on weekdays or weekend mornings, when children's programming is typically scheduled.[7]

However, in light of intense competition public broadcasting faces from a greatly expanded media environment, other stations, especially radio, have aimed to eliminate pledge drives altogether, or significantly reduce their length, by asking for contributions throughout the year during regular station identification breaks. On radio, such programs as ATC may have one of their planned stories deleted simply to extend the length of the fund-raising "pitches".

In a more recent trend, some stations also advertise that pledge drives will be shortened by one day for every day's worth of contributions donated in the weeks leading up to a drive. Additionally, some radio stations have started using prospect screening during their pledge drive to identify potential major donors for later fundraising activities.

• Telethon
• Underwriting spot
• "The Pledge Drive", Seinfeld episode about a pledge drive from WNET

• "The Secret of Yanni's Surprise Success: Viewers Like You". Studio 360. Evan Chung (producer). Public Radio International. 13 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020. On the use of music in and the explosion growth of pledge drives on American public television.CS1 maint: others (link)