“Not Boring…”

Tuesday April 4, 2023
From the messy desk of Amanda Eichstaedt…

We Are Never Bored

If you missed the program that featured audio from KWMR’s first day on the FM airwaves (May 2, 1999), you can listen to the archive HERE. Man, that was a fun show!

Here is the actual switch that Richard Dillman and Steve Kinsey pulled.  photo: RD

We have been busy with our Spring Pledge Drive, and the “all hands on deck”  crowd funding approach is crawling along as the dollars add up. No going backwards! One of the big benefits to these drives is that we get to hang out with the programmers when we are here answering the phones. These folks are absolutely awesome, but I probably don’t need to tell you that.

Let’s break it down. So far we have raised around $45,000 with a goal of $60,000. This is a big goal, but it costs money to run a radio station. Fixed costs keep going up – we all are experiencing it. This email goes out to over 3600 people. Generally around 1500 people show that they have opened the newsletter. There is $15,000 yet to raise. We can also assume that at least 30% of the 1500 readers have already donated. That leaves 1050 people. If each of these people gave just a mere $15 each, we would handily make our goal. In the past many people have donated two or three times the $15 to make up for folks who just can’t swing it, or are people that just do not give. 

Raising money is an interesting thing. I worked in retail for many years. That made good sense to me since you buy some widgets, mark them up, put them in a nice display and people buy them. If you have the right widgets, people will buy them, and if you are a fair and good business person, they may come back and buy more, and will tell their friends how great their widget is.

In nonprofit radio, you have an essentially free product. “Listener supported” means that the people who can get your product for free all the time find some value in what you do, and then donate money to your cause. Reasons vary, and if someone is a person who gives, they may do so because they like what they hear, and/or they adore specific programs and programmers, and/or they are grateful for the service of information that is broadcast during emergencies. 

Essentially, it feels good to support something that you care about. Below are some reasons to make yourself feel great! The drive ends on Thursday evening.

Just check out this awesome group – The KWMR Board of Directors. If you would like to contribute in honor of this energized crew, click HERE. They have an epic goal to get us closer to making our Pledge Drive Goal.

The KWMR Staff, featured above. Keep the transmitters transmitting, the automation automating, the funding coming in, the programming broadcasting, and the social media posts flying. Not to mention staying in compliance with the good ol’ FCC. You can donate in support of the staff HERE.

And how about the Youth DJs? They are energetic (an understatement), and bring their enthusiasm, great musical choices, essays, school information, and more to the KWMR Airwaves. Donate in honor of Youth HERE!

More live broadcast shenanigans will ensue TONIGHT at 7 PM with “Poetry Night” live from the Old Western Saloon! I’ll be on hand at KWMR with Alyssa Tanner bringing you the broadcast, so you can sit at home in your jammies, or head on over the “stern” and be there in person. And tonight you can call us at 415-663-9050 until 9 PM at KWMR HQ.

Every penny counts. 

Thank you for your support.

Amanda Eichstaedt 
Station Manager and Executive Director