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feet! This article says these ratings are the ONLY "solid ground"
under network executives' feet. And ratings, ordinarily fluctuate,
so, executives' jobs fluctuate also!!
Let me explain a little MORE about the "solid ground"
under OUR feet. Suppose it were possible for some pressure group--
say, the main Protestant Council of Churches, or the Catholics,--to
have us suddenly cancelled out and put off the air by all leading
radio stations in America. Do you know what would happen? We'd be
suddenly off every major station in the U.S. Well, we KNOW what
would happen. All of a sudden we'd get to STOP paying out about
$100,000 per month. I estimate that income would go down perhaps
$25,000 per month--at most, $35,000 or $50,000. At first, we'd be
$50,000 or more BETTER OFF financially. And, after one year of
this, our income still would not be much more lowered. Here's how
it works: We receive very little income from the NEW listeners who
are listening to TODAY'S Broadcast, or those who even started
listening six months or a year ago. But most of our 30% INCREASE
in income is received from those who started listening from 6
months to 3 years ago--and the biggest portion from those of more
than a year's listening. Not many write in for literature after
the first listening. The AVERAGE first request for literature
comes from those who have listened several times. But this first
request contributes no money, usually. After reading The Plain
Truth several issues--perhaps 3 or 4--perhaps one to three years
--and, after having written in for one or several booklets--or,
having started on the Correspondence Course, a certain percent of
these listeners--about one out of ten, as 28 years' experience
shows--will send in a first contribution. Then, many, a second
inside of six months. They then go on the Co-Worker list. By this
time, THEIR HEARTS are in this work where they've begun to put
their treasure. As they get interested in the BIBLE and the TRUTH,
they also get interested in the WORK. Even if carnal minded, the
very "party spirit" ingredient in human nature makes them feel they
are on OUR TEAM.
Now WHAT IS THE MOTIVE that keeps the bulk of our
Co-Workers sending in tithes and offerings regularly? Is it a
matter of PAYING for what they get like subscribing to a magazine?
Of course not. Is it a feeling of being under obligation, because
they heard the broadcast? No doubt a percentage--I don't know how
big--DO send in the first time or two out of a sense of obligation
for literature--but once THEIR HEART IS IN GOD'S WORK, they are
part of a CRUSADE. Never once has any of our literature educated
them to contribute out of a sense of obligation for what they
RECEIVED. Our literature DOES educate them. I definitely and
deliberately INTEND to use all the psychology I know to educate
people to get on GOD'S BASIS that it is more blessed to GIVE than
to receive. They are educated to GIVE for the sake of GIVING, not
as a result of GETTING.
So--IF suddenly they could hear the broadcasts no more,
what is their attitude? They don't STOP contributing because they
had to stop GETTING the program. On the contrary, they are ON OUR
TEAM--and our team has been hit a foul blow--the enemy is trying to
KILL the work their hearts are in. Most of them would either
INCREASE their contributions, if possible, or else at least KEEP