I like Meghna but Tom was the better host. Doing away with call-ins was a bad move, the show lost a lot of appeal to me when they did that and a lot of the informed, intelligent, and fluid conversation that came with the calls. No, I am not going to download the Vox Pop app just to comment, I am not going to use Twitter.
Underwriting announcements can't include any comparative or qualitative language about he underwriter's product or service, nor any "call to action" (e.g. "call now!", "buy one, get one free!").
Pretty much all you can say is "this program is brought to you by General Motors, makers of automobiles and light trucks" or some such.
However... before WGBH bought WCRB, that station was a regular commercial station and sold advertising. They chose to make it non-commercial, but they could change it back to commercial again and run it separately from their non-commercial stations.
They can't change 89.7 or their station on the Cape to commercial, though. Anything below 92 on the FM dial must be non-commercial per FCC rules.
Comments
Magoo sez
Magoo shall commit one Magoo, the currency of Magooville, to WBUR’s coffers. Magoo.
there is always money in
there is always money in federal covid relief funds.
they've declined over the years
programming is exceedingly bland
OnPoint did away from call-ins and now shies from controversy.
WGBH's Boston Public Radio with Braude and Eagan covers Boston 10x better than Radio Boston
On Point
I like Meghna but Tom was the better host. Doing away with call-ins was a bad move, the show lost a lot of appeal to me when they did that and a lot of the informed, intelligent, and fluid conversation that came with the calls. No, I am not going to download the Vox Pop app just to comment, I am not going to use Twitter.
Seems obvious
if only 3% of your funding comes from CPB, then dump them and start selling ads. Lots of upscale businesses would like to sell to the GBH demographic.
They can sell "underwriting" but not "advertising"
Underwriting announcements can't include any comparative or qualitative language about he underwriter's product or service, nor any "call to action" (e.g. "call now!", "buy one, get one free!").
Pretty much all you can say is "this program is brought to you by General Motors, makers of automobiles and light trucks" or some such.
However... before WGBH bought WCRB, that station was a regular commercial station and sold advertising. They chose to make it non-commercial, but they could change it back to commercial again and run it separately from their non-commercial stations.
They can't change 89.7 or their station on the Cape to commercial, though. Anything below 92 on the FM dial must be non-commercial per FCC rules.
WUMB, one of Boston's other public radio stations...
... is primarily supported by listener contributions rather than underwriting (i.e. advertising by any other name).
That was a conscious choice on WUMB management's part, and so far it's been a good one.
Notable differance
WUMB is primarily music and syndicated NPR programming with a much smaller staff.
If WBUR could maintain their operations entirely on listener contributions, they wouldn't be concerned about underwriting drying up.
Things were better when WGBH had music and WBUR was the only news-only NPR in town.
I'm far more concerned about Uhub
If Uhub starts to struggle I'll do my best to help.