How We Do It

Public radio stations raise, on average, 0.8¢ per listener-hour in underwriting support. We more than double that return here at WBUR in Boston.

How do we do it? By not selling drive time separately.

WBUR’s strategy isn’t tied to our market or audience size. It’s based on pricing incentives. As a result, we give away little and make every daypart pay.

If WBUR offered underwriting packages for Morning Edition and All Things Considered only, they'd sell out quickly. That would leave no prime availabilities to sell – and a lot of unused inventory in other dayparts or programs that are less desirable to underwriters. It would also make for idle or frustrated salespeople.

Instead, we’ve made some calculated trade-offs. For example, we’re willing to take a Morning Edition revenue return that’s 0.3¢ per listener-hour below the national average in exchange for getting 2.3¢ above the national average for Talk of the Nation.

Most underwriters prefer to run their announcements during fixed times or during drive times. But in WBUR's experience, the majority will opt for run-of-daypart or run-of-schedule (ROS) when they're given a good price incentive.

For purposes of underwriting sales, WBUR defines its dayparts as 5:00 to 10:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. to midnight. The station defines ROS as Monday to Sunday, 6:00 a.m. to midnight.

WBUR offers underwriters a number of rotation options, including fixed spots, run-of-program, run-of-daypart, and run-of-schedule. But prices for the fixed spots and run-of-program packages are steep when compared to run-of-daypart and ROS. The price for a fixed spot in Morning Edition on WBUR is three to four times more than the same spot in a run-of-daypart or ROS package.

WBUR's emphasis on selling run-of-daypart and ROS packages spreads our underwriting over virtually all programs and dayparts, including those which underwriters might not otherwise buy.

Underwriters can run announcements during drive times at a lower cost than if they purchased only peak listening times. And WBUR can build value into its otherwise less desirable programs and dayparts for a bigger overall return from underwriting. It’s a classic win-win outcome for both parties.

Mary Fronk and Kirsten Kalhurst, who manage WBUR’s Corporate Support department, devised our underwriting plan. AUDIENCE 98^® has dubbed development efforts that exceed expectations a station’s "D-Factor"; it’s their creativity and drive that puts power into ours.

– Jay Clayton
Marketing Director, WBUR
AUDIENCE 98 Associate

Audience Research Analysis
Copyright © ARA and CPB.  All rights reserved.
Revised: September 01, 2000 12:38 PM.