WNYC®, New York Public Radio® Pledge Drive Exceeds Goal and Breaks Record

Over 16,000 Listeners Pledged Support, Totaling $1.4 million

(New York, March 3, 2004) - WNYC, New York Public Radio, today announced that its Winter 2004 pledge drive exceeded its goal of $1.4 million, totaling $1,470,656, and, barring the station's post-September 11 emergency fundraising efforts, broke the record of all previous pledge drives.

The number of individual listeners making pledges also increased significantly. Over 16,000 listeners donated during this drive, up from 11,530 during the October drive. Total WNYC membership is now just under 86,000. This increase in donors coincides with WNYC's record-setting number of listeners—1.1 million—reported by Arbitron in January.

Listener pledges were particularly strong during the broadcasts of Morning Edition and All Things Considered, NPR's premiere news magazines, and the highly-acclaimed daily talk and call-in program, "The Brian Lehrer Show." This strong show of support during the station's news programming indicates a growing appreciation of WNYC as a critical source for news and information.

"The generous support demonstrated by our loyal, and ever-increasing, listenership tells us that there is a growing appetite for the thoughtful, in-depth news coverage only public radio provides," says WNYC President Laura Walker. "We are gratified to know that our listeners feel we are fulfilling our mission."

WNYC's on-air hosts emphasized how crucial pledge drives are to the vitality of the station, which became independent from the City of New York in 1996 and relies on listener support for over 50% of its budget. On-air hosts also explained the distinctions between public and commercial radio for new listeners, and likened donating to WNYC to paying for a daily newspaper.

Pledge efforts were bolstered by on-air appearances by Meryl Streep and Chuck Close on The Leonard Lopate Show, and by pledge gifts including WNYC host Jonathan Schwartz's new memoir All in Good Time and an Apple iMac and several Apple iPod Minis from Tekserve. Norah Jones' recently-released CD Feels Like Home was the most requested gift, which was offered at the easy-to-pledge level of $75 in an effort to engage both new and younger listeners.

WNYC, New York Public Radio, is New York's premier public radio station, comprising WNYC 93.9 FM and WNYC AM 820. As America's most listened-to public radio stations, reaching more than one million listeners every week, WNYC FM and AM extend New York City's cultural riches to the entire country and air the best national offerings from affiliate networks National Public Radio and Public Radio International. WNYC 93.9 FM broadcasts a wide range of daily news, talk, cultural and classical music programming, while WNYC AM 820 maintains a stronger focus on breaking news and international news reporting.