KING-FM Underwriting Drops

[TheBigA]

A few weeks ago people were surprised to see a 1 point jump in the ratings at KING-FM. You'd think that would be good news. Unfortunately, at the same time, the station's underwriting money virtually disappeared:

https://current.org/2020/04/seattle...ts-positions-as-underwriting-income-dries-up/

 

[Bongwater]

A few weeks ago people were surprised to see a 1 point jump in the ratings at KING-FM. You'd think that would be good news. Unfortunately, at the same time, the station's underwriting money virtually disappeared:

https://current.org/2020/04/seattle...ts-positions-as-underwriting-income-dries-up/

Public radio has been hit just as hard by this virus as the commercial stations. In most cases, worse. Because the first wave of layoffs and furloughs for everybody listening crested right at exactly spring pledge drive time.

But overall, KING-FM, KNKX, KUOW and even KEXP are probably luckier than most. The ones to worry about are the smaller public stations across America because some stations financial situations were already precariously bad before the virus (and/or already a chopping block option for a school or university.) It could be a grisly summer.

 

[TheBigA]

But overall, KING-FM, KNKX, KUOW and even KEXP are probably luckier than most.

It wouldn't surprise me to see KUOW ask its union workers to take a pay cut, the way the NPR union has done.

https://current.org/2020/05/npr-union-agree-to-cuts-to-employee-pay-benefits/