About KPLU.org and its NPR and Jazz24 On-line Streaming...

Many of us here in the northwest of the U.S.A. and southwest of Canada were shocked and amazed recently upon being informed that our favorite listener-supported Jazz, Blues, and NPR News outlets, Kplu.org and Jazz24.com from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, [ here for more on PLU ], was about to be sold for about $8-million to a group at the University of Washington, which has its own Internet radio outlets.

The reason, so the story goes, was that PLU's bond rating or credit had been recently downgraded, and in an effort to regain its former standing, the board of regents had opted to entertain an offer from UW to assume control and operation of PLU's "World Class Jazz" and its sister station carrying NPR News and Blues and Jazz music.

We, its subscribing sustaining members, have not felt that all of this is entirely necessary nor justified, and we'd like a chance to find out if the community at large and its listener base might be able to raise the funds to save our beloved KPLU and Jazz24 from being swallowed up by what many of us consider to be an "also-ran" which doesn't get the same ratings nor the same listener support nor the same world-wide audience.

Latest developments, as I'm just being informed, are that discussions are now ongoing to examine this community funding proposal, and its viability, and we are breathlessly awaiting a positive outcome to that. We want to save KPLU, both for ourselves, and for the world of music. It's a treasure worth keeping. I would gladly double my monthly contribution to keep it going just as it is. Now all we need is about 50,000 others who feel the same....

Help save KPLU and Jazz24 by becoming a sustaining member, for as little as $10.00 U.S. per month, and enjoy the best Jazz, Blues, and NPR News world-wide via your Internet 24/7 wherever you are. Your ears will thank you. And so will our friends at KPLU.org and Jazz24.com.