Rummaging for value

The church rummage sale was last week, and I was once again reminded of how many of the things I purchase have no real value. They occupy closet space for a while, only to wind up going for pennies on the dollar. If I had back all the money I've spent over the years on dubious sundries, I could be writing this from my Caribbean island bungalow. A scary financial time "concentrates the mind wonderfully," to paraphrase the quotable Dr. Johnson. Now everyone is keen on getting good value. The household budget is gone over with an increasingly skeptical eye. And this applies to media as much as gas and groceries.

Fortunately for us, public radio delivers the best value of any broadcast service. Unlike commercial radio and TV, one third of your dollar is not going to purchase ads that encourage you to buy the items to stock next year's rummage sale. Quality radio costs much less per hour to produce and distribute than even the worst TV. Radio doesn't nail you to the sofa; it can be your companion on the road, while you do chores and yard work, while you slurp down that first cup of coffee with your eyes half-shut.

So I am confident that even if you find you need to save some money on media this year, support of public radio will be the last item you will cut. You might even want to consider tacking a little of what you save through dropping the Underwater Basketweaving Channel Bundle on to your annual gift to NCPR. Thanks to everyone who has already supported us during the pre-drive period, and thanks in advance to everyone we hear from during the Fall Membership Drive that begins on Monday.