Kickstarting Public Radio

Before and after every successful NHPR fund drive, we ask ourselves this question: is this the best model for raising awareness, interest, and excitement in the service we provide?  How do we continue reaching out and relating to new audiences with today’s listening technology?  Regardless of the answers, those questions are one reason we’ve been keeping such a close eye on Roman Mars, creator and host of 99 Percent Invisible: an independent radio podcast about design and architecture that’s been downloaded over 3 million times since launching in late 2010.  In order to fund a third season of the show, Roman is appealing to listeners through the new, online version of a fund drive: a Kickstarter campaign.  Less than two weeks in, he’s raised over one-hundred-thousand dollars… enough money to hire a part-time employee, add video content, and increase the number of episodes per season.