Posted by Bud on November 13, 2009 at 13:12:27:
WFMT chief looks past recession, sees prosperity
November 13, 2009
LEWIS LAZARE | Sun-Times
As far as Steve Robinson can tell, the recession has come and gone. And it has left WFMT-FM (98.7) with a large fan base that apparently is still eager to pledge contributions to the fine-arts radio station.
"We're halfway through our November pledge drive, and we've already raised more than half our goal of $600,000," WFMT General Manager Robinson said Wednesday. Robinson also said most pledge drives rarely pull in half of their stated fund-raising goal by their halfway point.
A year ago, Robinson and the rest of his WFMT staff were struggling mightily to reach their $600,000 mark just as the stock market was plummeting and the recession was kicking into high gear. That 2008 fall pledge drive ultimately turned out to be a sobering experience for Robinson, as he watched contributions come up about $40,000 short of the goal.
But the ills of late 2008 have almost faded from Robinson's memory. The current fund-raising drive got off to a rousing start when a donor who had previously pledged $100,000 anonymously returned with another anonymous $50,000 pledge. Rather than just take her money and leave it at that, Robinson decided to turn the $50,000 gift into a matching-contribution challenge that he used to bring 400 brand-new donors into the WFMT fold -- which Robinson took as a sign that the station is building strong ties with its listener base.
Robinson and his pledge team also have become quite savvy about how they use premiums to woo more money from new and existing contributors. WFMT is offering a CD collection of a popular eight-part WFMT series called "The Art of the Cantor" in return for a $250 pledge, and more than 30 donors already have eagerly anted up the requested contribution. For Veterans Day, Robinson made available a CD of another WFMT show called "War Letters," which featured local actors reading letters from American soldiers writing home from the battlefield. The "War Letters" premium was offered to all donors making a minimum $25 bid, and again, it proved a major stimulus for donors. "The phones went wild," said Robinson.
'20/20' reporter coming
WLS-Channel 7 is flying ABC "20/20" correspondent Deborah Roberts in to co-host its "Magnificent Mile Lights Festival" telecast at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21. The annual illuminating of the million twinkling lights along North Michigan Avenue officially kicks off the holiday season.
In addition to Roberts, WLS talent Janet Davies, Alan Krashesky and Hosea Sanders will co-host the telecast.