There will never be another year for public radio like 2025.
It feels safe to say we have not fully digested the profound levels of change inside public media, politics, and the economy. Media ownership and consumption have never been more fluid, and, most importantly, all of this is profoundly impacting the lives of our listeners.
We’re through the Looking Glass, but what do we do with it? We’re wearing the same clothes, but things don’t feel the same.
If we’re experiencing so much turbulence, we can be certain our listeners are, as well. It makes sense that we revisit the parts of our work that directly touches the listeners. In this case, we’re asking “are our on-air fundraising practices evolving to reflect, and embrace, the change?”
Enclosed are a set of questions we’ve been asking around on-air fundraising, and letting the responses guide the our approach to on-air revenue revenue generation in 2026 and beyond.
To be clear – this isn’t a to do list for people who already have 3 jobs. It’s a group of inquiries you can pursue with your colleagues to set the stage for a transformative year.
We hope this is useful.
Mikel & Team Paragon
QUESTIONS FOR 2026
When was the last time you refreshed your case for support by refracting everything through the lens of “how am I telling a story of how our work makes a listeners’ life better?”
Bonus: How do you know it’s listener-centric language? How do you test that?
When was the last time every* aspect of the on-air product was evaluated to see how well it performs in a climate where the listeners’ brains have been broken by
- social media
- the post-COVID world
- a political environment that has jacked up our individual and collective nervous systems
* every = case + close messages, local production, national production, special fundraising episodes, challenge matches, sweepstakes/ contests, and, especially THE LIVE PITCH TALENT (including those “special” guests)
When was the last time you refreshed the way you explain the giving process?
Bonus: have 3 people who are your most visible on-air fundraising talent record “how to make a pledge” in under 20 seconds and see how they align, or diverge.
When was the last time you reviewed your target giving levels and asked “are we getting the most from each transaction?”
How do you articulate and demonstrate (show don’t tell) the impact of your work, and the need for local support that
- uses production that matches the regular on-air product
- scripting that is as tight as a newscast
- does not mention the CPB, or a threat of taking something away from the listener?
Let’s really reach now – what if you brought together people from across the organization to test all of these points?
On-air fundraisers and the relationship you have with your everyday listener is the foundation of your sustainability. Working with these folks is your most reliable, cost-effective revenue-generating opportunity. It is most in your control. The long-term health of your brand is intertwined with your on-air fundraising.
When was he last time you put it up on blocks and gave it a thorough, honest, cross discipline inspection?
If the answer isn’t “sometime in the last 12 months” — maybe it’s time for a fresh look?
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