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Originally Posted by Bazz4CQJ
As for the American NPR subscriber model, I listen to quite a few NPR stations, most of the large cities have at least a couple, and towns and sometimes universities will have one. They are a little bit like Radio4, but giving up some time to local stuff. They seem to be holding their own in terms of survival; I don't recall of any of them collapsing. Of course, subscription is voluntary, but not necessary to be a listener.
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I listen to one for jazz and have a membership which is up for renewal during the fund-drive that has just started. I don't know about the news stations but I know some of the music stations have closed over the years. During fund-drive it is regularly mentioned that "we don't want to disappear like W*** did" or whatever. I contribute on the basis that I would hate to lose the station. One year I sent in a comment urging that listeners who value the station should support it explaining how few hours we got on the BBC across its five national music stations and it got read out on air. (We've lost two more hours since on a quantity already in single figures.) Listening to the fund-drives they have quite a few members from over this side. Erudite presenters without the prattle and no ads - well worth the membership.