Last week, I heard an announcer say that a station had to elicit contributions from five new members before she'd "unlock" a Beethoven piece and play it on the air. Five new members called in during the pledge drive, so she played the piece. I wonder, though. What would she have done if not enough listeners pledged their support? Would she have played a discordant bagpipe concerto instead? If so, wouldn't listeners have thought, "What on Earth is this? Isn't it pledge drive week? Don't stations usually play the most accessible music possible to attract more financial support?"
Also, in this time of easily accessible music and programming, it's a tough sell for an announcer who asks listeners, "Where else can you hear this music or this (national) programming?" Many listeners likely think, "For the music, there's iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, satellite music services, cable music services, YouTube, and my own collection. As for the national programs, I can hear them on one of your many online affiliate stations."
