10 Comments:

I agree! Jambo is a tool!

But I'm still not sending any bling to Kling.

By  Hammer, at 3:10 PM  

I find there is nothing more effective for making a point than an ad hominem attack.

All right, Jambo isn't really a tool, but I really don't have a problem with the salary. It's not like I'm going to avoid giving money to the Red Cross next time there's a big disaster because their president makes $400,000 or whatever it is these days. And anyway, I think of MPR as more of a media organization than a charity. I've been sitting here all afternoon trying to come up with something MPR could spend my donation on that would tick me off, and I can't come up with anything (assuming they do not use it to fund their Mexican cat juggling operation). Salaries, post-its, whatever. For what I get from them, it really doesn't bug me.

By  ben. for reals., at 3:56 PM  

At least the Red Cross does not take money from the public under false pretenses. And, I have no objection to it being a media organization (hell, I listen to them too). But as a tax exempt organization, it shouldn't be competing unfairly with tax paying businesses.

By  Anonymous, at 4:16 PM  

LMB is a fool. I love MPR's product as well but check out this from a few years back in the City Pages:


Money Public Radio

"From a financial standpoint, there would seem to be no reason for the fund drives, which are pitched to listeners by on-air personalities as a civic duty. After all, the network has primary access to endowments and investments totaling more than $130 million that, in 2000 alone, generated $8.5 million in revenue. Throw in another $4.3 million in state and federal aid and MPR ends up with a whopping $12.8 million in annual income, just standing still. To top it all off, in fiscal year 2000 MPR took in $7.4 million more than it spent, which, coincidentally, is almost the exact amount it received from listeners."

They put out a pretty good product so financially, more power to 'em, go nuts MPR. I just don't think listeners should be duped into donating to a cause that doesn't really need their money.

So Libby, you're getting a, what, $30 item for a $180 contribution? How 'bout you wait a year and find it on eBay and you can send $50 straight to Mary Lucia, $50 to Thorn and still have $50 to give the Red Cross. Sure, Bill Kling will have one less deck chair for his yacht but the world will be a better place. And btw you can give directly to This American Life and pass up MPR completely.

(And I don't really think lmb's a fool, just a little starry eyed.)

By  Jambo, at 4:24 PM  

The Red Cross gets a good rating from this service. The CEO was paid $460,000 in 2004. This article puts compensation slightly higher, at $652,000.

Of course, Kling is running a $20 million organization. The Red Cross is a $2 billion organization. Is that fair compensation? I dunno.

By  Hammer, at 4:51 PM  

Well, not that it makes any difference, I suppose, but I do donate to WBEZ too, and KEXP.

I don't feel like I've been lied to. If there are sixteen people in that organization making more than $100,000, I guess I just don't really find that idea repulsive.

Now what I do find repulsive is whatever the heck that song is they play constantly during the pledge drive with the repetitive cowbell and the horns. I believe it sucks like few other songs suck.

By  ben. for reals., at 4:58 PM  

that song is they play constantly during the pledge drive with the repetitive cowbell

I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.

By  Anonymous, at 8:34 AM  

If MPR switched their pledge drive filler music over to Don't Fear the Reaper, I would give them even more money.

By  ben. for reals., at 2:22 PM  

I would give them even more money.

Who wouldn't? BÖC has got what appears to be a dynamite sound.

If MPR made that one change, before the next pledge drive was through, they'd be wearing gold-plated diapers.

By  Joey de Vivre, at 9:25 AM  

I don’t think anyone should be intimidated by Joey, he puts his pants on one leg at a time like everybody else. But after he does he makes very funny blog comments.

By  Jambo, at 11:50 PM  

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