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Member Stream FAQ |
| What is the Member Stream? The Member Stream (formerly called the Pledge-Free Stream) is an alternate, online audio stream that allows qualifying WBEZ members to listen to NPR's national broadcast without listening to WBEZ's live pledge breaks! This stream is only on during our live pledge drives. It is turned off each evening after our drive ends for the day, then turned back on as the drive resumes. You may access the regular WBEZ broadcast at any time at wbez.org or through the WBEZ App. Who qualifies for the Member Stream? All High Fidelity members (with monthly or annually-recurring donations of any amount) have access to the member stream. Anyone who makes one-time donations of $250 or more within the same 12-month period may also access the stream. Check your member status online through the WBEZ Member Center. Want to upgrade your membership? Donate now. How long will I be able to access the Member Stream? All High Fidelity members with a recurring giving schedule (monthly or annually) have access to the Member Stream as long as their monthly membership is active. One-time donors making $250 or more in contributions within the same year also receive access to the stream for one year. Where is the Member Stream available? The Member Stream is accessible from a web browser. The stream is only available online, during on-air pledge drives and is turned off at all other times. It is not available through the WBEZ App or smart speaker. How can a qualifying member listen to the Member Stream? Qualifying members receive email notification with the link to access the stream a few days before each on-air pledge drive. It’s important that we have your preferred email address on file. Simply click on the link you’ll receive, and you'll automatically start listening to the Member Stream.
If you do not qualify yet, you may upgrade your membership level at any time. Once your membership is updated, you may request access by contacting our Member Services team. We will send you an email with an access link once your qualifying donation has been verified.
My Member Stream is not working properly or stops when my mobile device falls asleep. Member Stream interruptions sometimes occur when a device is low on resources or is having some trouble buffering the audio.
Note that audio may drop in places where wireless signals falter, such as the subway or in an elevator.
In the past, I saved the link to the Member Stream to my web browser Favorites. This link is no longer working. To restore access to the Member Stream:
If you still have trouble accessing the stream, please send an email to membership@wbez.org for assistance. You will hear station ID and sponsorship announcements throughout the pledge-free stream broadcast. These are normal and not part of the pledge drive. If you’re sure you’re hearing the pledge drive, you may need to delete your browser cookies or use a different web browser to enable the stream. How is the Member Stream possible? We're running a second broadcast in addition to our regular broadcast. This broadcast requires additional staff time, studios and programming. Why don't all WBEZ donors qualify for Member Stream access?
As Chicago's main source for independent, non-commercial news and stories, WBEZ is a non-profit organization relying on financial support from those who use our services to help pay for them. On-air pledge drives are where WBEZ finds much of our individual support, with WBEZ's operating budget coming directly from these donors. Because of this, we want to help off-set the cost of the Member Stream without taking money away from other areas. We are requesting that non-qualifying members or new members join our monthly membership program (High Fidelity) at any monthly giving rate or make a one-time gift of $250 or more to access the Member Stream. |
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