Date Approved

6-23-1997

Embargo Period

8-30-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Public Relations

Department

Public Relations & Advertising

College

College of Education

Advisor

Shapiro, Steve

Subject(s)

Cooper Foundation (Camden, N.J.); WXTU (Radio station : Philadelphia, Pa.); Fund raising; Public service radio programs

Disciplines

Public Relations and Advertising

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the strategies and techniques used by The Cooper Foundation and radio station WXTU, 92.5 FM, to coordinate and conduct the first annual WXTU Cooper Kids Radiothon broadcast, January 24 and 25, 1997.

To start the evaluation process, a telephone survey was carried out by the author. To produce a +/- 8% margin of error, at the 95% confidence level, the author conducted 150 telephone surveys of donors who called-in pledges during the 1997 Radiothon. The systematic random sample method was used to draw names from the master list of 1100 Radiothon donors.

The following results from the telephone survey are included in this study:

  • 91% of the donors were WXTU listeners.
  • 98% of the donors said the main reason why they gave was to support The Children's Regional Hospital at Cooper.
  • And, only 49% of the donors were familiar with The Children's Regional Hospital at Cooper before the Radiothon.

Next, the author conducted a telephone interview with WXTU's General Manager, John Mangini and a face-to-face interview with Foundation Directors Barbara Geller and Michaela Ahearn.

The interviews revealed that both organizations felt the Radiothon lacked a strong emotional appeal. Mangini, Geller and Ahearn agree that the lack of emotional appeal was due to the insufficient number of vignettes created and the lack of grateful patients available to tell their story on-air during the broadcast.

The author also created a direct mail survey. It was sent our to the 125 volunteers that attended the 1997 Radiothon to evaluate if the information and materials the Foundation provided were informative and helpful. Fifty-five volunteers returned the survey to the Foundation.

The overall response to the survey was that the volunteer program was perceived to be informative and helpful. Also, 95% of the volunteers who responded to the survey indicated they would volunteer for the 1998 WXTU Cooper Kids Radiothon.

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