My Case for Public Radio

The last two weeks I have lived and breathed public radio. We just finished our Spring Fund Drive - an event that lasts for 9 days.

Now, I have done events. I have done weekend long events. I have done events which led me to work late nights before. But nothing like this. This lovely Sunday I feel as if I am finally getting a bit of my life back. My laundry is done, the house is fairly clean, I went to yoga and even painted my toenails which were sadly neglected. I also feel rested which is lovely.

Most days began before 7:00 am. In fact on day one my alarm reluctantly woke me up at 4:30 am. I made my way to work that morning excited for my first day in a fund drive. My coworkers must have thought I was crazy as I shuffled around, made coffee and set out snacks for volunteers, made sure all the phones were set up and working, rechecked the pledge page and basically was smiling ear to ear. So what if it was 5:30 am - it was go time.

We started "pitching" at 6:00 am and I started clapping when the first phones began to ring. I got several curious looks and heard first "Oh the new girl. Just wait, after a few days you won't be clapping anymore!"

But I loved it. I loved the excitement and the people.

I loved that I was asked to take my turn and be on-air to pitch. I wasn't too nervous and I found I was a natural at it.

I loved the loads of emails, phone calls and comments that I heard from the listeners. I loved that no matter how much I worked, there was always more to do.

Don't get me wrong, by about day 4 I was tired. I found that when I got home (usually around 7pm) I couldn't function. I couldn't cook, clean, etc. I just wanted to sit. Oh and I wanted it quiet. Even TV was a bit too much for me some nights. It was simply exhausting but I pretty much loved every minute of it.

Our drive ended on Friday at 7:00 pm. While we had set a goal to raise $475,000 over those 9 days (a goal we feared was too lofty) - when the clock hit 7 and we finally ended we had made nearly $540,000. The biggest by a landslide for KUER. We were ecstatic.

You see, congress may be cutting all of the federal funding for public broadcasting. No matter which side of the issue our listeners were on they wanted to give. They wanted to give because they were afraid we would lose funding and they gave because they don't want us to get any federal funds. It turned out to be a win-win situation. And while we have 170,000 weekly listeners, and only about 8,000 give each year (you do the math) - we are thriving.

So here's my case for public radio.

I started listening to public radio in 2004. I remember when I was married to Jason I always felt less intelligent than him. I remember going to dinner with Sally & Blake and the three of them would talk about issues (taxes, war, abortion, etc) and I never really piped in. I never really had an opinion that was my own. At the time I was active in the church and always felt like being Republican was the right thing. I didn't know why, I just knew that is what I should be. I remember being shocked when Sally said, "I don't agree with abortion but I also don't agree that the government should tell me what I can or can't do with my own body."

Really?

I mean, that thought hadn't really crossed my mind.

I also remember spouting off nonsense to Mark Gurney when we were talking about taxes. "Taxes suck! They shouldn't raise our taxes! We already pay enough."

To which he replied, "Well don't you like these nice roads we are driving on? Can't have those without taxes."

Hum.

Keep in mind I was a college graduate at the time.

Anyways I have a lot of stories like these. I always felt uninformed. I watched the news too - every day. Oh and I was a regular visitor to KSL.com but I still never felt that informed.

Fast forward to Seth. When I started hanging out with Seth in late 2004 he used to say to me, "Oh I heard on NPR today...." and I started to notice that a lot of people I considered really smart would say, "Did you hear that story on NPR today?"

What was this NPR? I honestly had no idea.

Seth filled me in. National Public Radio. Oh interesting. KUER broadcasts NPR, well I'll tune to 90.1 and I'll give it a shot while I drive to work tomorrow.

And so I did. And since then I have felt my understanding of the world shift. I know that sounds cheesy but it's true. At first I was fascinated that I could listen to the radio on my commute and it was quiet. There were not screaming DJs and no obnoxious commercials. I loved that. Then I realized I started learning, a lot. I learned so much about politics, history and countries I have never even given much thought to. I heard voices of people in Iraq and New Orleans that were so real. Soon I realized I could hold my own in conversations. Not only did I know WHAT people were discussing but I started forming my own opinions on them. Opinions that I could back up solidly. I never had that experience before.

Since then I have never turned back. I love that people often come to me with questions about what is going on in the world. It's not that I am smarter, I'm just more informed. With all that is going on in the world right now; 2 wars, budget cuts, hurricanes, slow economies and revolutions, how can I not listen to public radio? I laugh when I got to KSL now and see that their top stories are all petty crimes that honestly I don't care one bit about. I don't care that someone's house was broken into, well I don't care to hear all about it. It isn't important to me. Not like Libya, Egypt, the potential shut-down of our government, etc.

Since then I have fallen in love with the programming. This American Life is a constant companion at the gym. Do you know how embarrassing it is to burst out laughing at a story, or start crying unexpectedly? Listen.

I love that on Sunday afternoon I can listen to a fantastic cooking show. I love that when getting dressed on Saturday morning I can listen to a fantastic news quiz game show. I love that after 8:00pm I can turn and listen told some great jazz. I love that I can hear in depth interviews about some of the most highly reviewed books, movies and albums.

That's why I love public radio. That's why I listen every day. That's why I tell people to give it a shot. If you think it's liberal - just listen to the morning or afternoon news programs for 1 week while driving home. That's all I ask. Just listen. If after one week you don't like it, don't listen. But I guarantee you'll learn more in those 4-5 hours than you ever would watching KSL or CNN or Fox. I'm pretty sure I could give Jason a run for his money now. Oh and Blake, he asks my opinion now on current events. Awesome.

I have worked for many worthwhile organizations with amazing missions. Public radio, however, it's in my blood. And I love it.