What exactly is Underwriting?

As a non-commercial, educational radio station, one of the ways Radio Boise funds its programming and general operations is through underwriting support from local businesses, foundations and corporations.

KRBX Radio Underwriting Guidelines

These underwriting guidelines are designed to preserve the non-commercial nature of KRBX. Our listeners value this as part of what makes our station unique in sound and safe from forces that lie outside the public interest.

In addition to providing programming that represents its citizens, we maintain a non-commercial, unadulterated and intelligent environment, keeping mic breaks interesting and underwriting announcements consistent with our programming values, as well as with FCC requirements. Your underwriting support represents a partnership between your organization and Radio Boise, and demonstrates your commitment to community service and quality programming.

Any implied endorsement associated with sponsorship flows from the underwriter to Radio Boise, rather than Radio Boise to the underwriter.

Underwriting Announcements May:

• Describe your business
• Identify facilities, services and products (no more than four)
• Describe your mission
• Inform the public of events you sponsor
• Include a pre-existing slogan, as long as it’s not overtly promotional
• Include a website, phone number and street address for your business

Underwriting Announcements May Not Include:

• Qualitative language (“award-winning”, “leading”, etc.)
• Comparative language (“better,” “best”, “oldest”, “friendlieset”, etc.)
• Any call to action (“don’t miss it”, “come on over”, etc.)
• An inducement to buy, sell, rent or lease, including appearances at promotional events
• References to price or value, including discounts (“on sale”, “affordable”, “free”)
  
• Personal pronouns, including first-person references to business (“We serve seafood.” as opposed to “They serve seafood.”)
• Talking directly to the listener (“You’ll find our atmosphere comfortable.”)
• Subjective language, such as “convenient location”
• Jingles or other promotional slogans

Length of Announcement

Neither live reads nor produced spots may exceed 30 seconds.

Underwriting Organizations

In the spirit of respecting the prohibition against accepting payment for the expression of any “views,” KRBX does not accept underwriting from political organizations, nor will it accept a message advocating a position with regards to a contentious issue, a political party or a candidate for office.

Advocacy Groups

Underwriting by organizations that, as their primary business, seek to influence matters of public concern, either through public outreach and/or through the legislative process, is permitted under very specific circumstances.

The conditions by which underwriting is allowed depend on their proximity to the Radio Boise mission, namely those committed to non-politically expanding public awareness, community health, public safety matters and making the community dialogue more robust.

Regardless, underwriting by such groups will be taken on a case-by-case basis, applying a ‘reasonable listener’ standard.

Instrumentalities of Government

Underwriting by governments or instrumentalities of government is permitted under certain circumstances. Underwriting from politically or policy-oriented agencies of governments, including foreign countries, will not be accepted.

We do, however, encourage underwriting by government agencies or government-funded organizations that are engaged in commerce, tourism, cultural outreach or public education.

Editorial Control

Radio Boise exercises outright editorial control over underwriting or sponsorship copy but will work with existing underwriters to craft messaging that fits within station and FCC guidelines. KRBX reserves the right to edit, delete or rewrite copy to conform to these guidelines.

Radio Boise accepts underwriting at its sole discretion and reserves the right to refuse business from an organization for any reason.

Underwriting is partially tax deductible, so you get more than a good feeling, you make the most cost-effective use of your discretionary advertising dollar.

CONTACT
Jared Bostrom
Underwriting / Public Service Announcement Manager
jbostrom@radioboise.org
208-258-2072 x2

Read our full Underwriting packet, including benefits, rules, examples, listening area map and station background: