Anti-War Sentiment Fuels Record Pacifica Radio Fund Drives
March 4, 2003 Contact: danc@pacifica.org
Pacifica Radio Release
WASHINGTON, DC (Mar. 4) – Fueled by growing anti-war sentiment nationwide, the five-station Pacifica Radio network surged to its highest ever fund-drive totals, posting more than four million dollars in listener contributions this winter, Pacifica announced today.
Three Pacifica stations registered on-air fund-drives of more than one million dollars each and, overall, the network raised more than $4.1 million in listener pledges.
“Listeners are responding to Pacifica’s alternative war coverage,” said Dan Coughlin, the Executive Director of Pacifica Radio, which was founded 54-years ago by pacifists. “The big media giants have been cheerleaders for war and Pacifica, the only national non-commercial broadcaster in the country, is providing a real diversity of views which includes perspectives on peace.”
WBAI 99.5 FM in New York City led the way with a record $1.2 million pledged. The network’s original, flagship station KPFA 94.1FM in Berkeley, California, raised some $1.12 million. And for the first time in its 44-year history, Pacifica station KPFK 90.7 FM posted more than a million dollars in a single fund-drive, registering $1.02 million in pledges.
Pacifica station WPFW 89.3 FM registered $440,000 in pledges and KPFT 90.1FM in Houston blew by its fund-drive goal of $300,000, posting $354,000 in on-air pledges. This marks the third straight fund-drive that the Houston station has raised more than $300,000.
Listeners responded strongly to Pacifica’s news and public affairs programming, including live coverage of the historic coast-to-coast peace marches this fall and winter. National programs like Democracy Now!, Flashpoints, Free Speech Radio News, and Peacewatch performed particularly well during the winter drive. Democracy Now!, which is known for its hard-hitting political coverage, raised more than $800,000 in listener pledges at the five Pacifica stations.
Pacifica’s mission is to engage in any activity that shall contribute to a lasting understanding between nations and between the individuals of all nations, races, creeds and colors; to gather and disseminate information on the causes of conflict between any and all of such groups; and through any and all means compatible with the purposes of this corporation to promote the study of political and economic problems and of the causes of religious, philosophical and racial antagonisms.
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