During a 2004 pledge drive on KDHX, a DJ referred to a commercial station that was proud of airing 50 songs a week. Presumably, it had a top 40 format. The gist of the DJ's argument was that the commercial station hardly provides any variety and needs to be supported by commercials. KDHX, in contrast, offers scores of different songs in a wide variety of genres every week, many of which aren't immediately familiar to listeners. When you pledge your support, you get so much more in return than you get from a commercial station that's confined to playing only current hits. If your appetite for music goes beyond the most popular hits, it's hard to refute the DJ's reasoning. Non-chain media, when it's done well, offers the listener so much more.
I wonder how many minds his spiel changed that day and how many listeners pledged to KDHX in response to his prodding.
