Action Auction Moves to Online-Only Format for 2023
Change is inevitable and, starting in 2023, a big change is coming to how we do our Action Auction.
For the last three years, we’ve been testing the waters with having online bidding alongside our on-air showcase of items because we couldn’t have enough volunteers in the studio to answer the phones. That gave us the opportunity to find the right system, get the experience we needed and work out the kinks.
“People asked for online bidding for years and, when we couldn’t have dozens of volunteers in the studio each night during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to integrate and test an online bidding system into the annual fundraising event. That system has been so successful and efficient that we’ve determined we no longer need the live broadcast part of the event for the fundraiser to be successful,” CET and ThinkTV President and CEO Kitty Lensman said.
For those who do bid on (and win) auction items, very little will change from the last three years. The systems for bidding, payment and picking up that have been in place since 2020 will not change. All that is changing is that there will not be a live on-air showcase of items next September.
“We understand this may be disappointing for many of our long-time viewers, bidders, buyers, sponsors and donors who enjoy the live event, but this transition will allow us to continue to raise money for the stations and utilize technology to become even more successful,” Lensman added.
The Summer Auction kicks off on May 3 and the Fall Auction will be held in September. To support your PBS station with an Auction donation and receive valuable marketing support in return, visit www.CETconnect.org/auction or www.thinktv.org/auction, or call 513-345-6552.
