Support KSER; Protect the Cute Bear!

Please Help Protect the Bear

Alright, we really wouldn't hurt the bear. It's just a cheap, warm and fuzzy gimmick to get your attention. Speaking of warm and fuzzy, have you been watching the well-coiffed, finely-clothed, made-up cable TV news stars 'reporting' from the political conventions?

And do you know who is hardly ever described as warm and fuzzy?  Amy Goodman.

We've heard an awful lot of feedback the last two weeks about Amy Goodman. It's not that she's not special the other 50 weeks of the year, but last week and this week, Democracy Now is an hour longer and even more special than usual as Amy covers the political conventions.  Last week she was in Tampa for the Republican convention; this week Charlotte and the Democrats.

Sure, the big cable TV networks have been covering the conventions...their way. And they've got their major anchors strategically positioned at professionally designed and magnificently lit sets 'analyzing' the speeches.  But, if you've been listening to Amy in Tampa and Charlotte, you know she is asking tough questions of all sides and offering insight you don't get too many other places.

Last week when the TV cameras conveniently missed Mitt Romney's handshake with one of the Koch brothers on the convention floor, Amy talked about it.  She did an extensive interview on the Romney campaign war-chest and where the money came from. She had extensive coverage of the convention floor chaos between the RNC and Ron Paul delegates. This week she's spent considerable time covering protestors at the DNC in Tampa who have basically been penned up away from the convention center.

But if you've been listening to her two-hour special every morning at 7 a.m. on KSER or the one-hour replay at 5 p.m. there's one thing you haven't heard: commercials. That's because like most of the radio stations around the country that carry Democracy Now, KSER is an independent public radio station. We're a non-profit, community resource that is able to operate and provide independent programming thanks to your support.

And it's not just Amy Goodman and Democracy Now. It's the TakeAway every morning at 6 a.m. and the Story with Dick Gordon every afternoon at 3 p.m.  It's the morning information from Sondra Santos and Sound Living with Ed Bremer every afternoon at 4 p.m.  And that's just the news and public affairs shows! If you're a regular listener to KSER you know we have a broad range of great music every evening and weekend featuring many up and coming local artists.

So how are we able to fund a full-time radio station with no commercials?  Well, actually we don't. You do it.  So we just wanted to say thanks if you've supported us in the past or if you continue to support KSER with recurring donations.

If you haven't contributed yet, but you'd like to make sure that at least some of the airwaves include voices like Ed Bremer's and Amy Goodman's...here's how you can help.  KSER begins it's 10-day-long Fall Pledge Drive on September 28th. If you listen then, you'll hear a number of easy ways to contribute. Or, you can beat the rush! Take 4 or 5 minutes now to make an easy tax-deductible online donation here.

Of course if you're one of those people who wants to contribute and brag about it, you can buy shirts, hats, tote-bags, mouse pads, aprons, dog-sweaters, iphone cases and just about anything else...yes, even that cuddly bear...at the KSER store.

Thanks!