Susan Whitall / The Detroit News
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060330/ENT02/603300421/1032/ENT

Friday begins spring fundraising for public radio stations WDET-FM ( 101.9), WUOM-FM (91.7) and WRCJ-FM (90.9), and it's going to be anything but a routine few weeks, for any of them.

WRCJ is entering its first fundraiser ever, and classical music fans who've been clamoring for their favorite format since the demise of classical radio in Detroit back in the late '90s will need to pony up some cash if they like WRCJ's daytime classical, nighttime and weekend jazz mix.

According to station manager Bob Scott , WRCJ hopes to raise approximately 15 percent of its budget through fundraising. A grant from the Kresge Foundation provided much of the station's funding.

Since August, some 2,800 listeners have donated more than $160,000 through a direct-mail campaign and a minipledge drive, but they need more listeners to step up to the plate, says Scott. "That donor base needs to quadruple itself for this to be a viable enterprise. But we're optimistic that we'll be able to achieve that in the next year and a half."

For information on donating to the station, go online to wrcj909fm.org.

Ann Arbor's WUOM, part of Michigan Public Radio , has had to contend with the charges brought several weeks ago against three of its former employees for embezzlement. On its Web site, michiganradio.org/publicQandA.asp, Michigan Radio has posted an explanation of the charges and questions and answers relating to the scandal, including whether any listener donations were involved (no, they say).

In its favor, WUOM has a strong position in the market -- it ranks No. 1 in Ann Arbor -- and U-M provides more funding for the station than Wayne State does for WDET. Listener donations make up some 47 percent of the budget for WUOM, WFUM-FM (91.1 Flint) and WVGR-FM (104.1 Grand Rapids). For information on donating go to michiganradio.org.

Detroit's WDET already had issues with the uproar early last winter over all the programming changes instituted by new station manager Michael Coleman . Coleman dumped most of the daytime "adult alternative" music in favor of NPR news and talk shows. But then he was charged in the WUOM scandal from his days as deputy director of Michigan Public Media.

The headlines overshadowed some fine work by WDET's news department, as it won seven Associated Press awards recently, including best newscast (Morning Edition), best spot news (WDIV shooting) and best hard news (Rosa Parks funeral), with staffers Quinn Klinefelter , Jerome Vaughn and Celeste Headlee recognized. The station also received a "general excellence" award.

Coleman says he's taking part in on-the-air fundraising for the next two weeks. Pledges are all-important to the station, making up some 65 percent of its budget. The last three WDET pledge drives fell short of the station's goals. To donate, you can go to wdetfm.org.