NPR : Pledge Week

NPR : National Public Radio.

Imagine if you will, a national public broadcasting system, not unlike the BBC in its aspirations and ambitions, running, not on the billions most other nations devote to their national TV and radio, but a system which almost totally depends on listeners/viewers digging into their own charitable pockets just to keep the programmes on the air.

That is the situation public radio, that is, non-commercial, non-profit-making, community-based radio, finds itself in here in the USA.

And this week is Pledge Week. A week in which NPR is reduced to broadcasting pleas for contributions virtually every five minutes and which, paradoxically, makes the programming unlistenable. All to raise $5million dollars.

So, okay we know the BBC is just a mouthpiece of UK government policy ... well, at least as many say it's the propagator of dissent, so maybe it's got it right after all. But please don't complain about how your country taxes, licences or however else it raises money for its national broadcaster. Just imagine Pledge Week on Radio1, or Radio4 ...

As for television, PBS. It's just the same here. PBS Pledge Week coming soon ...