From: "James Ross" <jross252 at yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 06 Jun 2005 02:09:28 -0000 Subject: [HelpFixWBAI] WBAI spring drive limps home
WBAI's spring drive raised $700,000 in pledges in 25 days (5/11/05-6/4/05). The initial goal was $1.1 million in 18 days.
That shortfall comes out to $250,000 or more in real money. One wonders where funds to cover the shortfall will come from.
Over the last 12 days of the drive, about $231,000 was pledged -- an average of $19,300 a day. This dropoff demonstrates the diminishing returns that come with continually extending drives. At that rate, the station would need to fundraise every other day to meet its budget.
This drive's performance was predictable. Since spring 2003 (and maybe earlier), every major WBAI drive has either not achieved its goal, or has had to extend to reach the goal. In FY 2004 91 days of fundraising were needed to meet the budget. These are clear signs of exhaustion in the listener-sponsor funding base and a disconnect between fundraising capability and spending.
(For details on previous drives, please see <http://jamesrossforlsb.org/fundraising_days.html>http://jamesrossforlsb.org/fundraising_days.html )
The PNB (Pacifica National Board) bears some responsibility for this situation. Last year the PNB overrode the WBAI LSB's (Local Station Board's) request for a smaller FY 2005 budget, one that would be easier for the station to make. WBAI's FY 2005 budget was not approved by the LSB as called for under Pacifica's bylaws.
The other four stations' budgets were approved by their LSBs.
Jamie