Sure, a program like teaching inner-city (outer borough, isn't that where the inner city is in NYC?) kids to make radio stories could be seen as a guilt trip, but aren't there a lot of folks who are doing just fine and living in some fairly hoity toity enclaves in each borough?

That is, could the stories from the outer boroughs at pledge times be less, "We care about poor kids, and so can you!" and more, "Hey, lookie! We did a story in your borough! It's practically local news you can use!"

That said, this year's pledge drive gimmick for my local station was that it was cut in half, but we had to pony up quicker than usual. They *said* it was a success, but there was no running toll or anything.

I could care less about getting radio station clutter, though.

Exactly. Alleviation of guilt of upper middle aspirationists. WNYC has its agenda and its audience is regular readers of the New Yorker, the most read magazine in the US. Many of its core audience only knows of the inner city via WNYC or some food blog. Otherwise, they stay in Manhattan and listen to pledge drives.