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Become an underwriter of WNKU programs today!

Why become an Underwriter?

When you place your message on WNKU, you have a great chance of reaching over 52,000 listeners a week (6 month, TSA Fall/Winter Arbitron) and upwards of 10,000 weekly on-line listeners. Research has shown the majority of WNKU’s listeners believe that when a business underwrites a program, it acts out of an interest in the public good. As a result, underwriters are perceived as fellow supporters of public radio, rather than businesses merely running an ad. According to the FCC, an on-air underwriting announcement is not traditional advertising. We believe it is better!

Why is underwriting on WNKU better than a “traditional” commercial?
WNKU offers limited on-air interruptions during our programming. Underwriting announcements are run in groups of two, sometimes with a weather or promotional announcement. This means your announcement will not be buried in the traditional long sweep of commercials.

How do you create your announcement?

WNKU’s underwriting staff will work closely with you to create an announcement that matches your marketing and public relations needs that complies with FCC regulations applicable to non-commercial stations.* The announcement begins with a standard opening, such as “Support for WNKU comes from…” Your announcement can be as long as 20 seconds in length, not including the opening. The simpler your message, the more effective it will be.

What can you say?

• your name or that of the subsidiary, legal d.b.a., operating division or parent company
• location and hours of business
• business phone number
• a value-neutral description of the business
• trade names, products or services that identify the underwriter
• an established corporate slogan (documented in use 6 months or longer)
• web address
• company philosophy
• vendors for co-op purposes

What do we avoid?

• superlatives (the world’s greatest)
• call-to-action (direct or implied)
• price, value, savings information (“free” is considered a price)
• any inducement to buy, sell, rent or lease
• qualitative, promotional, or comparative language

WNKU’s personalities will produce your announcement. Final approval is at the discretion of WNKU with your agreement.

These regulations serve to protect the non-commercial ambiance that our community and public radio listeners value so highly. The integrity of the relationship between WNKU and its listeners extend to the underwriter. The public radio listener positively identifies the underwriter with the high quality programming they hear on WNKU. Our listeners are clients you would gladly welcome to our business! Many local businesses have seen the value in underwriting programming on WNKU.

Find out how you business can be associated with WNKU’s brand of “Rock ‘n’ Soul”, Blues, News & More,” contact Valerie Abbott at 859.572.6050 or Valerie@wnku.org.

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