KRWG Underwriting and Policies
Did you know that KRWG Public Media has the widest reach of users in southern New Mexico and West Texas?
Combined with TV, FM, social media and online, the KRWG Public Media audience is loyal, affluent and diverse which provides a perfect audience delivery system for any business looking for an alternative to the commercial media clutter.
While most commercial stations air 12 – 14 minutes of commercials an hour, our messaging is limited to less than 9 15 second messages per hour. This gives your business an opportunity to reach your target audience in a smart and cost-effective manner.
KRWG Underwriting language guidelines
The goal of underwriting language is to convey the most effective connection between the client’s product, service or event and our listeners. According the FCC guidelines for non-commercial stations, underwriting messages are a “value-neutral description of the underwriter’s goods and services.”
Each announcement, including its introduction (“Support for KRWG comes from...”), may be up to 15 seconds in length. This is approximately 75 syllables.
Permissible Language
• Primary information: name, location, years in business
• Informational descriptions of product line, service or event
• Brand and trade names
• Slogan which is trademarked and identifies, but does not promote, a product or business
• Website URL. Phone number is acceptable, but web addresses are easier for the listener
Prohibited Language
• Comparative, qualitative or overtly promotional language: “high-quality products,” “best pizza in town”
• Calls to action: “stop by our showroom to see our new models”
• Inducement to buy: “discounts for the first 10 callers”
• Price or value information: “free delivery,” “6.9% financing”
• Third-party endorsements: “Grammy Award-winning” “Board-certified”
• Use of the words you or your
Guidelines on use third-party endorsements
FCC language restrictions mean that we cannot use third-party endorsements in underwriting announcements, such as “Grammy winning”, “board certified” and “voted best in town”. While the statements are certainly true, it doesn’t mean that are allowable under FCC language guidelines. These statements are, by their very nature, qualitative and promotional.
What constitutes an acceptable use of a third-party designation? When a bank says that it’s “FDIC insured,” that is acceptable because all banks are FDIC insured. It doesn’t promote that Bank A is “a member of the FDIC” implying that others in the market may not be.
Some cardiologists may be board certified and others aren’t. Saying that Dr. A is board certified places him/her in a better light that Dr. B, who is a cardiologist but not board certified. Again, all true statements but they don’t pass FCC muster.
Audience research* shows that NPR audiences are much less likely than the average American to be motivated to purchase goods and services solely because of brand name, image, or the approval of friends and neighbors. Listeners are independent and highly discriminating shoppers who research their purchases carefully and three-fourths value quality over price.
A better scripting option would be to list the services provided that the listener would be interested in. KRWG allows several scripts in rotation, all of which could focus on a different aspect of the business, but all reinforcing the client’s main marketing message.
Special Interest Underwriting
KRWG Public Media does not accept paid political announcements. KRWG Public Media reserves the right to refuse underwriting from PACs (Political Action Committees), political organizations, individuals and other organizations on topics dealing with legislation, legislative issues, government actions, political platforms, etc. Moreover, KRWG Public Media reserves the right to refuse any underwriting it deems as not in the best interest of the station and/or its licensee or to terminate an underwriting contract at any time.
* NPR Profile 2016, GfK Mediamark Research & Intelligence, survey of 50,000 Americans in person each year.
For information about program underwriting at KRWG, please contact: Edmundo Resendez 575.646.4918 or mrmundo@nmsu.edu.