Underwriting Facts

We have established a set of guidelines to ensure that our underwriting sponsorship announcements are in compliance with FCC rules, and with the standards of the non-commercial broadcasting industry.

The concept of crafting your business image by supporting local, grassroots, community oriented and independent media such as WSAX-LP can be an important way of supporting your community.

Available statistics and studies from communities that have similar stations as WSAX-LP show that listeners appreciate doing business with those that support and help stations like WSAX-LP provide non-commercial, community-based radio to their communities.

Underwriting our programming directly associates a business with a desire to improve the quality of life in their community and gives a voice to those who live and work in the community.

An underwriter’s affiliation with WSAX-LP’s emerging and increasingly important position in the local media landscape will help to further create and maintain our mission as a significant player in supporting our listeners, students, musicians, venues and the community as a whole.

By definition, program underwriting is a financial contribution made in support of specific programming. When providing on-air funding acknowledgments, FCC regulations require that stations like WSAX-LP limit such announcements to identification purposes only. They cannot be “promotional,” but they are still effective.

Our underwriting and sponsorship announcements are very effective and an excellent cost effective way for a customer to show their support for the local community, as well as getting their message out. Below are some key points:

1. An underwriter will be identified by mention of its legal or recognized name.

2. Underwriting announcements must be factual, value-neutral, and consistent with the tone and content of non-commercial programming.

3. The standard length of time allotted to an underwriting announcement is 15 to 30 seconds. 60 seconds is also available.

4. Underwriting announcements may include:

• A description of products and services including brand names, but cannot contain adjectives such as “best”, for example.

• Location of underwriter, products and services.

• A description of key or target markets.

• Longstanding slogans that identify the underwriter's business.

• Holiday greetings or the celebration of a special occasion.

• A telephone number, location or web site address.

5. Underwriting announcements may not include:

• A call to action.

• Qualitative or comparative statements.

• Adjacencies or references to the location of one business to another business.

• Advocacy, ambiguous or misleading statements.

• Pricing information, discounts or incentives.

6. WSAX-LP will not accept underwriting which supports or opposes any candidate for political office.

7. Each underwriting contract including proposed underwriting announcement language must be submitted to the Underwriting Director for review and approval in advance of airing. Underwriting contracts must be resubmitted for review at the time of renewal. Payment for all underwriting announcements are payable in advance of airing.

8. WSAX-LP reserves the right to refuse underwriting that may present a conflict of interest or the perception of a conflict of interest with program content.

Regards,

Underwriting

Jazz 98.5 WSAX-LP