To borrow from the James McNew/Dump album, a plea for tenderness, folks: WPRB is quickly approaching on its inaugural membership drive, and please, I hope you’ll consider making a pledge.

Read on for details!

I’ve spent almost seven great years as a DJ at WPRB, but I’ve been a listener since I was thirteen. I think I’ve repeated this story a million times, but it’s worth re-telling again: I broke my leg at a teenager (cause of accident: figure skating) and not long after I was in the car with my mother, fumbling around with the stereo when I fell upon WPRB and heard Sonic Youth. My life was changed in that moment!

Everyday people have revelatory moments like these with their radio, and I hope they keep happening. For me, I’m thankful that not only a station like WPRB exists, but moreso for what it is — a group of volunteers, both student and non-student, young and old, some with broadcasting experience and some with none — get to operate a 14,000-watt station (which is really strong!), free to choose music (from one of the best music libraries on the east coast, I’d wager) and the format of their program.

There used to be a lot more stations like these on the air, but they’re drying up. And sure, there’s a lot of places trying to replicate the feeling — but they all fall flat for one reason or another. In short, WPRB is really special, which is why I hope you’ll consider making a donation.

Just to clarify a couple things: WPRB is changing its business model, and finding a new way to cover the costs of operating our station (equipment repairs, transmitter fees, music, etc). This membership drive will not affect our aesthetic approach — why change the very thing that gets everyone to listen? Last but not least, we’re not going off the air.

Please help support us! Make a pledge and let us know that you believe in WPRB’s long-standing vision of independent radio.

THE 2007 WPRB MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

Starting on Sunday, October 7th at 7:00 PM ET and ending on Sunday October 14th at 7:00 PM ET, WPRB (103.3 FM – Princeton, NJ – wprb.com) will hold its very first on-air membership drive. Early in 2007, the station’s Board of Trustees decided to change the business model of the station, and a membership drive was created to strengthen the station’s future.

Founded in 1940, WPRB is the oldest college FM radio station in the U.S.; it is a non-profit, independent organization operated by a staff of nearly 100 volunteer students and community members. Programming on WPRB includes classical music weekday mornings from 6AM-11AM and 7AM-10AM on weekends, jazz in the afternoon, and rock for the remainder of the broadcasting day. WPRB can be heard on the airwaves throughout New Jersey and most of the Philadelphia metropolitan area by tuning into 103.3 FM or anywhere in the world via streaming audio at wprb.com or on iTunes radio.

While WPRB is located on Princeton University’s campus, the station does not receive funding from the school. Donations pledged during this drive will support station operations – equipment maintenance, transmitter fees, merchandise, music purchases and more.

John Weingart’s show “Music You Can’t Hear on the Radio” kicks off the membership drive at 7PM on Sunday evening, and listeners will enjoy a week full of programming exclusive to the drive:

- RADIO RANGER: a serialized “space opera” every day at 2pm and 8pm. Written, produced and directed by Production Manager Adam Flynn, sources say the radio drama details the struggles of the WPRB Radio Rangers against the dastardly music-stealing Dr. Cosmo.

- An exclusive interview CHARLIE GIBSON (of ABC News): tune in on Monday 10/8 at 5:30 PM with Development Director Michael E. van Landingham, as he sits down to chat with the WPRB alumnus and newsanchor.

- Five hours with JON SOLOMON: Wednesday 10/10 at 7PM, Jon hosts a special edition of his show featuring musical guests The A-Sides (Vagrant Records), Jennifer O’Connor (Matador Records), Adam Arcuragi (High Two Records) and more. In addition to the special guests, Jon has a special challenge, “If I can raise $25,000 during this show, I vow to add a 25th hour to the 25th edition of the 24-Hour Holiday Radio Show on Christmas Eve.”

WPRB operators will be standing by at (609) 258-1033 to take your pledges at all hours of the broadcasting day (usually 6AM-2AM ET). Pledges can be made online with all major credit cards by logging onto:

http://pledge.wprb.com/

The drive will run during all broadcast hours save for on the FM signal on Saturday at 3:30pm because of the Princeton football game, but it will continue on WPRB’s webstream.

Thank-You gifts will be available to pledging listeners can be seen at http://pledge.wprb.com/. They were designed exclusively for our membership drive by Tim Gough, Ed Moorman, and Greg Pizzoli. Special premium gifts – CD’s and LP’s to signed records, box sets, DVD’s, limited edition artwork and more – will be available to listeners who pledge with a credit card at specified hours; these gifts range in value from $5 to $200 in retail value.

WPRB is one of the few places on the dial (and in the commercial band, too!) to allow a volunteer staff of students and community members to participate in the increasingly professionalized (and, we think, homogeneous) world of radio. If we’ve ever turned you on to something new, old, or weird, here’s your opportunity to show your support for the unique organization that is WPRB!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 am and is filed under general, local, management, music, self promotion, wprb 2007.