WEMU 89.1 FM, Eastern Michigan University's public radio station, surpassed its spring pledge drive goal of $125,000. In all, WEMU raised $126,846 drom April 4-12.
WEMU's recent programming changes led to more positive fundraising numbers. The weekday noon hour, formerly the home of NPR's Fresh Air Monday thru Friday, and The Lynn Rivers Show that now features jazz, raised nearly $1,000 more than the former programs did. The new time slot for the Lynn Rivers Show — 8 a.m. Mondays — raised more than the two fundraising programs combined last fall.
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FUNDRAISING FUN: (above, center) David Fair, host
of "Morning Edition," talks with Deborah Pollack,
executive director of Artrain, Inc., and Russ Collins,
director of the Michigan Theater, during the "Cinema
Chat" portion of his segment. Pollack and Collins
were on-air guests of 89.1, WEMU during its annual
spring, on-air fund drive. WEMU raised $126,846,
surpassing its $125,000 goal. |
"Our focus this spring was on community radio and building community, and the listeners really responded to that," said Mary Motherwell, WEMU's marketing and development director. "Our broadcast area is really limited to Washtenaw County and the immediate surrounding area. So, we emphasized our commitment to the local community and to local programming, stressing that 20 of our 23 on-air local hosts are paid directly from fundraising dollars. Clearly, that was important to our audience and we are very grateful for their strong support of what we do."
NPR's Morning Edition, with local host, David Fair (weekdays 5-8 a.m.) led all programs with $27,439. pledged. The Sunday Best, WEMU's classic jazz program, hosted by Dr. Arwulf Arwulf, had the strongest showing of all single music programs, raising more than $7,800 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. April 6. 89.1 Jazz, with Michael Jewett (weekdays 1-3 p.m.), led all music programs with more than $15,000 pledged.
WEMU's overall spring fundraising goal is $200,000 and includes a mail campaign. The mailing, sent in March, brought in just over $46,000 thus far. A second mailing will be sent this week. WEMU's annual fundraising goal is $550,000 for the fiscal year that ends June 30. Currently, the overall fundraising revenue is at 81% of the goal.
WEMU is a listener-supported, National Public Radio affiliate with a format of jazz, local news, and blues in addition to NPR, PRI, and APM news, talk, and cultural programming. The station broadcasts to an eight-county area that includes all or part of Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Livingston, Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, and Lucas (OH). WEMU-2, the station's secondary HD channel, has a format of Americana and roots music. Both services Web cast live 24 hours a day at wemu.org.
