Doc Offers A challenge

Doc Searls offers a challenge for Public Broadcasting to get rid of our pledge drives.

Doc offers the idea that by connecting the concept of Vendor Relationship Management that we could be much more effective and efficient in the way we raise money.

Doc writes:

I'll be speaking at IMA's Public Media 2007 late next month in Boston. Details pending.

Meanwhile, I'll be making connections between VRM and public broadcasting. Specifically, I like the challenge of coming up with simpler/faster/better ways for public broadcasting's listeners and viewers to pay for the programming they like.

Waiting for program-suspending fund drives and sending in $50 for thanks and a coffee mug seems kind of lame and retro to me. There has to be a better way, no? Same goes for relating with public stations in general. There's still a distance between public stations and their listeners and viewers. If we reduce the communications friction, two things will happen: 1) more consumers will become customers; and 2) better relations will turn into better programming.

I say let's make it happen. Give me something to talk about at the show. Post your ideas, or otherwise send them along. I'll post mine too.

Guidance: this should be something new and better that comes from the listener/viewer side. Not yet another (or an improved) system that works only on the stations' side. We need to get the listeners and viewers more involved, on their own terms.

Cheers to Doc for bringing some new ideas to the table ... I'm ready to listen, learn, and help lead the movement!