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Membership: Frequently Asked Questions
Why pay for TV when I can watch it for free?
Someone definitely foots the bill for the programs you watch, and who pays can make a very large difference in the quality and nature of the shows. It is not inexpensive to acquire and broadcast high quality programs such as BBC News, Tavis Smiley, Charlie Rose, Ballykissangel and others.
In commercial television the advertisers pay the bills. This often means that programs are scheduled based on their ability to generate advertising revenue. Public television channels like WYCC-TV20, on the other hand, are primarily supported by viewers like you. This makes us more accountable to you. We choose to air programs based on their quality and value to our viewers. And, unlike cable television, which can only be enjoyed by those who can afford to contribute, public television is available for the entire community.
Your financial support enables us to inspire, enlighten, and entertain our diverse community with a wide array of thought-provoking programming.
What does it mean to be a WYCC-TV20 Member?
A member is simply a viewer who values the programming enough to make a pledge of financial support to help sustain the programming for the benefit of the community. Membership dollars help to pay for programming that satisfies your intellectual curiosity. There is no minimum or maximum membership contribution and we’ll accept your donation via phone, postal mail or through our secure online donation form.
What are the Benefits of Membership?
The most important benefit of membership is the good feeling you’ll get knowing that you are supporting high quality television for the benefit of the entire community. We also say thank you to our members for their generous contributions with exciting and often exclusive gifts. All members who contribute $40 or more receive the full color WYCC Magazine and Program Guide mailed to their home every month. Members who contribute $75 or above receive the WYCC Membercard — your ticket to 2-for-1 savings at leading area restaurants, travel discounts and much, much more!
Click here to see the other thank-you gifts on offer now.
When will my MemberCard/thank you gifts arrive?
It normally takes us about four weeks for us to process your contribution and mail out your MemberCard and other thank you gifts. If you have been waiting longer than that and you still haven’t received what you expected, please contact us.
Is my contribution tax deductible?
Contributions to WYCC-TV20 are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. If you receive a thank you gift for your contribution, WYCC will let you know the fair market value of the gift as, depending on the value of the item, you may be required to deduct the value from your contribution.
I’ve never used my credit card on the Internet before, is it safe?
WYCC-TV20 uses the tightest 128-bit security and encryption technology available for your protection. Encrypted files are scrambled and can only be reassembled by someone who has the correct encryption key.
I was watching a program on your channel and they mentioned a book I'd like to get. Can I get it through your site?
Most probably. Many books, videos, and other items are offered as thank you gifts for viewers who pledge their support. In addition, we will have an array of items for sale through our upcoming store. When you purchase an item here, WYCC receives a portion of the proceeds. Many of our programs also have companion websites where their books, videos, and other items are for sale. Feel free to contact us if you need assistance finding an item.
How do Matching Contributions from Companies work?
Many organizations in Chicago region will match employee contributions to WYCC-TV 20. This enables your donation to be doubled or even tripled which will go a long way to help us produce and acquire great programming.
A partial list of participating companies is available here. If your company is not on the list, please consult your Human Resources department. If you work for a participating company, simply pick up a matching gift form from your human resources department, fill it out, and mail it to us at:
WYCC Membership Dept.
6258 S Union Avenue, Chicago, IL 60621 My program guide didn’t arrive!
If you miss a month of the WYCC-TV20 Magazine and program guide, it may mean that it has been lost in the mail, that we don’t have your correct address, or that your membership has expired. Please let us know right away if you miss an edition of the program guide. We’ll send you another copy right away and correct any address errors we may have.
I have a membership question. How can I contact you?
We'd love to hear from you! You can call our Membership department at 773-905-1519, or use our online contact form.
These companies and their employees have generously contributed to WYCC-TV20 through matching gift programs. Through these charitable programs, your donations can be matched, doubled or tripled.
Abbott Laboratories
Babcock BSH BP Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Foundation Computer Associates CNA Foundation Exxonmobil Foundation Fidelity Investments Harris Bank Honeywell Houghton Mifflin IBM Foundation ITW Leo Burnett Lucent Technologies May Foundation Mobil Foundation, Inc. Motorola Northern Trust Ondeo Nalco Pepsico Foundation Peoples Energy/Peoples Gas Pfizer Foundation The Prudential Foundation Quaker Oats Foundation Quest Diagnostics R R Donnelley and Sons SBC Foundation Square D Foundation ...and the list keeps growing! Please check with your employer to see if a matching gift program is available to you.
Of course, you can also:
Questions? Have a look at the Membership
FAQ first. If you do not find the answer please call us at 773-838-7878
, or click here to contact us.
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