The words “pledge drive” conjure images of Jerry Lewis standing in front of a bank of phones, some manned by individuals you’ll give your money to if only for the chance to talk for a few seconds. This isn’t exactly polished quality programming, and that’s exactly why a ripple of confusion swept through the media community when WQED in Pittsburgh announced on September 22 that they would be broadcasting a 24-hour pledge drive channel, called WQED Showcase (13.4).
WQED is a station with a storied history that includes a pile of Emmy Awards and an Academy Award, three other cable stations, two radio stations and various multimedia enterprises, so it seems counterproductive that they would broadcast something so “boring and uninspired.” But the reason they’re so successful at what they do is that they are able to look at things from a perspective others don’t often see.
Pledge drive programming is pledge drive programming because people watch it. While they are watching it, they call the station and give them money. Often, the station will offer gift bags or just bag bags as an incentive, or perhaps a calendar or a pen. These drives help fund all of that original programming that wins awards and acclaim and the respect of the world.
The drives work because people watch them. Like shopping channels, animal documentaries or features on why the Egyptians are aliens, there is a niche for everything. Pledge drives fit many of those niches, because they might have banks of phones with boring hosts, but they use those in place of commercials – not content.
According to the press release, WQED Showcase will broadcast “QED Cooks; Rick Sebak documentaries; multi-documentary specials hosted by Fennimore and Sebak; and national pledge programming that has never been shown on WQED due to space limitations.” National pledge programming could mean anything from Celtic step dancing to mimes, but it’s a good bet that people will find it entertaining.
I predict that there will be a shift in the next few years, and many of the people scoffing at the idea of a 24-hour telethon channel now will be standing in their kitchen watching a ten year old episode of QED Cooks, waiting for their gift bag.
