DETROIT - December 2, 2003 - After completing the fall fundraising campaign, WDET 101.9FM -Detroit Public Radio remains $300,000 short of its fundraising goal. In order to maintain its award-winning programming service to listeners, WDET must raise the remaining revenue by December 31. Without these additional funds, WDET will have to consider suspending some of its more expensive national programming as well as some local service.

Beginning at 6:00am on Wednesday, December 3, WDET will be having an on-air "S.O.S. - Save Our Station/Save Our Shows" pledge drive scheduled to go through Saturday, December 6 at 5:00pm.

"We're going to do everything in our power not to cut programming," said Caryn Mathes, WDET General Manager. "The reality is that only about six percent of our listening audience contributes financially to support the station and fewer than 50 percent of donors give every year. This is not enough to sustain the service that we provide to the listeners. If the hundreds of thousands of people who listen and enjoy the programming want it to continue, then it is critical that we hear from them now with their financial support."

WDET changed the format of its fall campaign in direct response to listener unhappiness with lengthy, disruptive on-air pledge drives. More than 30 hours of on-air fundraising was eliminated up front and listeners were urged to concentrate their giving in the remaining time. However, the 37% reduction in pledges from all sources including non-on-air sources compared to fall one year ago could indicate larger economic climate factors at work rather than just listener confusion with the modified fundraising format.

"The outcome of the S.O.S. pledge drive will indicate whether potential donors are closing their pocketbooks due to fiscal uncertainty," said Mathes. "Beyond just making up the fall campaign's shortfall, the S.O.S. drive will be a bellwether for additional downsizing of station operations," she said. At its current level of operation another $900,000 would have to be raised from listeners in the spring campaign.

Listeners can show their support of WDET by calling 1-800-959-WDET or by making a donation on the station's secure Web site at WDET.