Jocelyn Wang said:

>Radio stations don't need a budget to buy CDs.  They get them free from
>recording companies, who, of course, want them played over the airwaves,
>thereby geting lots of free advertising for their recordings.

Where are these stations with their free CDs? The six of us who are CM
programmers at KZYX buy our own CDs.  The station buys CDs as premiums for
the pledge drive but not for the music library.  (Most of the LPs and CDs
in it are gifts from listeners, I think.) Record companies provide pop
music, and some R&R, but no CM.

KZYX is affiliated with NPR, BBC, Pacifica, and a couple of
other suppliers.  But all of the CM is done "in house".  We don't have
Performance Today or St.  Paul Sunday Morning or the other feeds.  The
oft-told tale of CM being cut back on local stations is one we tell, too.
We're down to two hours, from 10 AM to noon, from 3 hours a few years ago.

Not many people complained.  They seem to like the endless talk shows and
news feeds.  Still, when it comes to pledge time, CM brings in the bucks.

Susan