My dear readers - 6
Per usual, I awoke to the classical music and NPR news of my favorite local radio channel. Business as usual, except that it wasn’t.
It wasn’t because today was the sound of an unscheduled station membership drive.
As a not-for-profit, the organization supplements its government allocations and grants with income derived from local members.
But the fact is, these membership drives are only held twice each year and for a week at a time – in the spring and in the fall.
So to wake up this morning to the anchor’s almost desperate plea for listeners to pick up the phone and make a donation was a disturbing way to be jolted out of bed.
Antenna tuned, here’s what I learned about this drive.
First, it was a one-day drive.
Second, it was quickly assembled to make up some portion of what the station recently learned is a 50 percent cut in its state funding!
I was astounded.
Evidently, so were station execs. In belt-tightening mode for quite some months, their expectation was for a 20 – 25 percent reduction.
Imagine their concern (panic) when they learned it was indeed going to be 50 percent?
Imagine my concern to think that my precious NPR station might need to cease its local programming and rely strictly on the canned stuff?
Did I pick up the phone this morning?
You bet I did.
What’s next?
Is my church going to close for lack of Sunday contributions and diocesan budget cuts?
Is the state college where I teach going to eliminate my program because it has 10 fewer students enrolled than last year?
Do you think this economic game of dominos will ever cease?
By the way, as a preview to a complete overhaul of the current tax system, I invite you to download my report “Done with Cash” for free.
Tags: Banking Crisis, Corney's Model, Financial Crisis, Geithner, IRS, Stimulus Bill, Taxes
