Good news for WRFG-FM: in six days, the station raised its modest goal of $20,000 in pledges. Board president Heather Gray said as of Sunday night, the station had reached $32,000, including $25,000 in guaranteed credit card payments. You can still pledge through Wednesday at the Web site www.wrfg.org.
The station is continuing its emergency pledge drive through Wednesday. On Tuesday, Gray said on top of that, the station received an additional $8,000 from a donor who didn’t want to be named.
WRFG-FM (89.3) has lived on a shoe-string budget since the early 1970s, airing an unusual mix of “progressive” political talk and music mostly unheard on any commercial station in town (bluegrass, world, reggae.) Gray said the station survives on just $300,000 a year and two paid employees. The station already holds three regular pledge drives.
WRFG-FM (89.3) is in financial trouble and is seeking $20,000 from its listeners. Should the station:
- get the money and keep soldiering on as is.
- reformat the station so it's more appealing to a broader audience
- sell out to, say, Kennesaw State or Emory University.
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WRFG had to go under full power for five years because of problems with its old transmitter. A year ago, it was able to go back to full 100,000 watt power at a new transmitter after raising $300,000.
But budgets have been tight. The station has had trouble paying the bills, necessitating the current pledge drive, which has provided enough cash to keep the lights on for a few more weeks without problem, Gray said.
“Community radio all over the country is struggling,” she said. She was heartened to hear a lot of new listeners pledging. She thinks the stronger signal and a marketing campaign last year “is bearing fruit.”
She said comparing WRFG to WABE is like comparing apples to oranges. “We are supported by low income folks by and large,” she said. (The implication is WABE is much more the Mercedes-driving liberal types in the Buckhead area.)
As for the station selling out to, say, Emory University or Kennessaw State? “No way!” is Gray’s answer.
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