President OBAMA's news conference

The President is holding his first press conference in 10 months as I type this. ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and probably many others are carrying the conference live. Why is it that WUNC chooses not to do the same?

WUNC News — North Carolina Public Radio WUNC

One of the quite incomprehensible aspects of WUNC management is their failure to recognize that most people who listen to the station's tiny amount of original news reporting also have computers and access to the internet. This morning, for example, WUNC has broadcast what I would call a "promo news" piece for Greesboro's sustainability efforts. One would think that they could have invested the 5 mins that I did to find a link to the report that will be released today in Greensboro....and put the link on their website. Right now, there is not even a mention of the story, let alone anything more. I just shake my head in non-comprehension of WUNC's organization and management.

"Community Advisory Board — North Carolina Public Radio WUNC"

The next meeting....

More fund drive numbers

At 7 AM today, the announcer said 7,800 had called. At 9 AM, the announcer said they only needed to raise 68,000 more by the end of the day.....

And the announcers now - just before 6 PM - say that they have "heard from" 9,191 people who have contributed the 880,000 that was the goal. I look forward to seeing a breakdown of how much of that money winds up going to pay for all of the trips and other expenses, plus the people at the station who work on fundraising instead of programming. As I recall, that adds up to maybe a quarter or a third of this total and I bet most contributors don't realize this.

On Sunday evening, I heard the announcer say that over 9,000 people had contributed or pledged, and he said that it was the "most successful" fund drive in the station's history. (He might have inserted "spring" before fund drive.)

Even better - I see that the WUNC has added this note to its home page:

"Spring Fund Drive!


Thank you! With your help WUNC made goal ($880,000) in the 5 PM hour Friday and the phones kept ringing. Our previous record for a Spring Drive was $898,000--we are ending the night with $906,000 raised from more than 9,400 donors. You are the best listeners and supporters! Many thanks!"

More numbers....

Late this afternoon, WUNC was saying that it had 128,000 yet to raise on a goal of 880,000. Tomorrow is supposed to be the last day, thank goodness.

"More from WUNC & NPR — North Carolina Public Radio WUNC"

I heard one of their on-air promos today say something about 6,500 people having called. Since no contribution is needed to participate in the continuous serious of travel and eating raffles that are at the core of the event, I wonder how many of them contribute or pledge to contribute v. just call to enter. They also announced that they have 235,000 or so to raise before what I think they said earlier is to be the end of this edition of win-a-trip-or-a-meal. What they do not announce or put on their website is how much has been contributed or committed. (I'd sure like to know what percentage of "pledges" get paid.)

"Distributors Slow To Embrace Local Food Movement" - NPR

What a great opportunity for WUNC to pull together a story or at least a collection of resources to supplement this NPR story that WUNC broadcast this morning. Alas, their "mind" does not seem to work this way.