Ms. Madeline Cantwell
Individual Giving Officer
WFCR
Hampshire House
Amherst, MA 01003

Dear Ms. Cantwell:

You might wonder why I am corresponding with you in this manner rather than my usual donor form. You have asked for my continuing support, but you have failed to continue the only reason I have been a loyal donor. Yes, that's right, this is another listener you have lost because of your ill-formed decision to drop Valley Folk from your programming. Year after year in the space for “favorite program” on the back of the pledge form I wrote in Valley Folk. Obviously no one was paying attention.

I will not be renewing my support for “another year of outstanding radio programs” because you have cut out the most outstanding and pleasurable one of all. Valley Folk was not just about folk music, but about the people and life of the Pioneer Valley. Where is the room for this type of regional reporting in your lineup?

I am especially disappointed that you thought it appropriate to reinstate the Tertullia program following complaints from its supporters, and to ignore similar protests from the fans of Valley Folk and Thistle and Shamrock. It seems that the interests of one segment of your community were disproportionately persuasive, while the interests of other segments were summarily dismissed. Not the type of response I would look for from a radio station seeking local support.

You may take my name off of every solicitation list you maintain as I will not send any more money to WFCR.

Sincerely,

[name withheld]

CC: Martin Miller, General Manager (miller@wfcr.org )
Helen Barrington, Programming Director (hbarrington@wfcr.org )
Sharon Fross, Vice-Provost for University Outreach (sfross@outreach.umass.edu )