My Moral Dilemma

[ai4i]

While I find it nice to have "listener supported" Classical South Florida on the air, and I will ocassionally tune them in to hear what they are doing or I am stuck with a terrestrial radio, the truth is that in the car, I have three classical XM channels and a bunch of other XM channels I also listen to, and at home I have Beethoven Radio plus several hundred other sources (after all, this is the World Wide Web!).
I figured that if I were to contribute based on the amount of time I actually listen to WKCP proportional to the time I spend with other stations, streams, and channels and the amount I pay for them, it would be more of an insult than a gift, well under a dollar per month.
So, do I donate to a service I do not take advantage of because it seems like a nice thing to do, or do I accept that this is the third millennium and that I am no longer a consumer of second millennium limitations and just cling on to my hard earned money?

[jamiebk]

Personally, I'd spend the money (about $10 per month) by treating myself to B.Com's excellent 128K bit stream. They play such a nice variety of music that it's almost impossible to get bored with it. I've heard the XM stations and I think B.com is much better.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Perhaps my moral sense is lacking. I don't see the problem. I send money to the ones I'd dislike losing and ignore the rest.

The "public support" meme is based on the notion that a station will cater to the advertisers and that, therefore, a station with no advertisers will be unbiased and truthful. I don't buy it, and I don't see any evidence to support this notion. The PBS TV station gratefully acknowledges corporate grants supporting their programs and I don't see a moral difference between the grants and honest advertising for a specific product.

Of course, Sandy Eggo is heavily cable-served. I have a wide choice of TV and radio stations available on my Cox Cable listing. Things might be different if I were restricted to the 4 channels an antenna can find.

[Serenity]

Maybe B Radio should offer a different price per bandwith or megabytes per second and let listeners choose the package they wish to purchase depending on how heavily you listen and what quality of sound you want. Frankly, we spend more money on coffee, donuts and newspapers than on the music we enjoy 24/7!

[barfle]

I'm with Selma on this one. None of these broadcasters, podcasters, netcasters, and baitcasters made an agreement with you, and you are not in debt to any of them. If you feel like supporting them, do so in whatever way you feel is appropriate. They'll take your money.

I recall when I was in business for myself, although I would have graciously accepted donations, I didn't put out a call for them. And eventually the money ran out.

I have no way of knowing how much beethoven.com has spent entertaining ME personally that it wasn't going to spend anyway, but I've made it a point to support them in ways I felt was appropriate (like showing the bumper sticker, sending them CDs, and telling my friends about them). Since my ability to stream at work is rare and unpredictable (and the speakers are just plain silly), it makes no sense for me to subscribe to a hi-fi service.

[Nicole Marie]

Hello - Of course we would love for you to support us through the Member Club but you should support stations that you like. With rising costs stations are feeling the pressure more and more and advertisers are not spending the way they used to so every dollar is a gift. But it also a gift to you so you need to save or spend your money with the stations that you personaly like and want to support.

[ai4i]

I found an unorthodox way to slither out of my self-imposed predicament.
I lent (sp?) a friend some money, as Mark Twain suggested we never do.
I am not a bank and would never charge interest,
but I felt no compunction with requiring her, him, them, or it,
to make a contribution along with paying me back.
Finished, through, stick the proverbial fork in me, close the thread.

[Serenity]

I have a new moral dilemma.....Am I neglecting my children when I'm plugged into Beethoven Radio or am i just "recharging" with some "me-time"?

[jamiebk]

I have a new moral dilemma.....Am I neglecting my children when I'm plugged into Beethoven Radio or am i just "recharging" with some "me-time"?

That's not neglect...it's a moment of sanity

[Serenity]

I wonder if my children also need "time out" from me and leave me alone to "recharge" too?

[barfle]

I have a new moral dilemma.....Am I neglecting my children when I'm plugged into Beethoven Radio or am i just "recharging" with some "me-time"?

Only if you're using earphones and not sharing your love of great music with them.

[ai4i]

Hi Serenity, I think your screen name says it all!
Keep on listening.

[Serenity]

Thank you ai4i....that's very kind of you.