WBFO Completes Most Successful Drive in Its History

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- WBFO 88.7 FM, the National Public Radio affiliate operated by the University at Buffalo, recently completed a record-breaking membership drive, raising $227,000.

The fall drive, which ended on Oct. 24, generated 1,500 telephone and Web site-generated pledges from listeners in Western New York and Southern Ontario.

More than 500 new donors joined the station, and more than 360 existing members donated $48,000 in challenge grants to encourage new and lapsed members to make a pledge.

"It was another wonderful team effort -- our programming and development staff worked side-by-side with local volunteers to raise essential operating funds for WBFO," said Joan Wilson, the station's director of development.

"The community, by way of its overwhelming financial support, has sent the message that it believes wholeheartedly in the mission of NPR and WBFO," she added.

The NPR news-and-jazz format station has experienced an increase in listenership of seven percent in the past year.

WBFO 88.7 FM reaches nearly 100,000 listeners weekly in Western New York and southern Ontario with its 50,000-watt signal. It has two repeater stations, WUBJ 88.1 FM in Jamestown and WOLN 91.3 FM in Olean.