Become a KRUU Underwriter

Submitted by Roland Wells on Wed, 2007-03-21 19:51.

Own a Business?

Become an On-Air KRUU Underwriter!

Promote your business while supporting KRUU-LP's unique mission and programming

While KRUU-LP is a non-commercial station, we do look for station sponsors, or "underwriters." Underwriters sponsor the station in exchange for an on-air announcement. Reach out to KRUU-LP’s progressive, diverse, and dedicated audience.

KRUU-LP reaches the whole of Jefferson County on 100.1 FM and listeners throughout the world (via our live internet radio stream) every month, and our listeners are faithful; many listen for several hours each day and make KRUU-LP their first or second choice of radio stations.

Underwriting generally ranges from $16-$20 per acknowledgment; remember, we only do two acknowledgments per hour, so the number of acknowledgments per day is limited.

Number of Acknowledgments	Price / each
1-9	$20
10 - 24	$18
25 or more	$16

For example: When purchased at one time, 5 acknowledgments would be $20 each, 12 would be $18 each, and once a week for a year would be $16 each ($832 annually ~ one of our most common deals).

Your Underwriting Acknowledgment

An underwriting acknowledgment always begins with the same lead-in: “This station is made possible in part by KRUU-LP listeners and the generous support of…” After that, we can go as long as 15 seconds, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but we fit quite a bit in.

What we cannot say is any statement that is qualitative (“the best…”), solicitory (a call to action, as in “call now!”), or includes price information. Nor can we use music beds (that is, theme music behind the acknowledgment). Generally we encourage people to think of the three main things they want to get across, and that works as a good starting point. The acknowledgment must be approved by both the underwriter and the station manager and is likely to look something like the following:

This station/programming is made possible in part by KRUU-LP listeners and the generous support of: [your business name here], specializing in [your product or service]. [your business] is located at [your location]. For more information the number is [your phone number] or [your web address]

Sample Acknowledgments:

This station is made possible in part by KRUU-LP listeners and the generous support of The Walker Group, specializing in residential and commercial insurance adjusting nationwide. The Walker Group is located at 58 south main street in Fairfield For more information the number is 641-469-5900 or www.wgclaims.com.

Support for this program is provided by KRUU-LP’s listener-sponsors and Fairfield Eyewear, bringing you an eyewear selection with styles by L.A. Eyeworks, ProDesign and Saki. Fairfield Eyewear, open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 to 5:30, downtown Fairfield at 440 Green Street.

KRUU-LP thanks its listener-sponsors and Mildred’s Sandwich Shop, specializing in home-made sandwiches with a variety of lunch items, and featuring hot soups and chili to heat the body and warm the soul. Mildred’s Sandwich Shop, in business for over twenty five years at 827 East Iowa Street.

Underwriting announcements are intended to acknowledge businesses and organizations that contribute to KRUU-LP and may be up 20 seconds in length.

In compliance with FCC regulation of the public airwaves and station policy, sponsorship acknowledgments MAY include:

Business/organization name
Address, phone number and/or website
Value neutral description of products and services
Up to 3 product names
Established, non-promotional business slogan

Sponsorship acknowledgments differ from commercial advertisements and MAY NOT include:

comparative or qualitative language (promotional adjectives such as: best, fast, only, dependable, fair, etc.)
calls to action (verbs telling the listener to “do” something: “stop by our showroom”, “call us at”, “come on down”, etc.)
pricing information (such as: sale, special, discount, free, etc.)
inducements or incentives(“bonus available this week”, “gift for first 50 shoppers”, etc.)

Additional Exposure

We also list our underwriters on a special section of our website.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is underwriting the same thing as advertising?

No. Like all public radio and television stations, community radio is governed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which says advertising is not permitted. Thus, KRUU-LP offers local businesses the option of underwriting, the opportunity to have your name associated with Fairfield’s community radio station. As a bonus, non-commercial radio listeners much prefer this cleaner sounding announcement.

Who listens to KRUU-LP?

KRUU-LP has many listeners who live mostly within the city of Fairfield and Jefferson County; however, KRUU-LP also has many listeners worldwide who tune into our live Internet stream daily. As many as 1800 visitors come to the website a day from over 30 countries a month.

How much can I tell my customers, both current and potential, in the twenty seconds of my underwriting message?

A lot. KRUU-LP’s listeners will hear your business name, location, contact information and a description of the services and/or goods you offer. See below for some underwriting sample messages for ideas. Just avoid qualitative (“best”/ “favorite”) or quantitative language (“sale”) or making any calls to action (“come on down”). We’re happy to work with you to write announcement copy that helps promote your business and still fits within FCC guidelines.

Can I choose the shows I underwrite?

No. One of KRUU's underlying missions is to not connect specific programming to specific financial contributions. Our programming committee evaluates continuing and prospective shows based on their value to the community and our listeners, not whether the show is bringing in underwriting or sponsorship. We are excited about this unique direction and ask for your support in upholding this vision. A log of when your underwriting acknowledgments were played is available on request.

Do I have to commit to a certain number of underwriting acknowledgments right off the bat?

No. You NEVER have to commit to multiple acknowledgments. Remember though, the more acknowledgments that you contract for, the less expensive each acknowledgment becomes.

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Please contact James Moore at 641-209-1083 or james.moore@kruufm.com if you are interested in becoming a KRUU-LP Underwriter.