CPB Grant To WFUV, WQXR

[TheBigA]

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has made a grant to four NYC area music-based non-coms: WQXR, WFUV, WBGO, and WSHU:

Amid DC Threats, NYC Public Radio Stations Form Collaborative - Radio Ink

Four public radio stations in the NYC area have joined forces to create the Tri-State Public Radio Music Collaborative.

radioink.com

New York Public Stations Collaborate On Growing Audiences and Revenue.

At a time when public radio stations are facing budget pressures and the potential loss of public funding, four New York City-area public radio stations are joining forces to form

www.insideradio.com

WBGO, WQXR, WFUV, WSHU Form Alliance

• Four New York City-area public radio music stations are joining forces to form the Tri-State Public Radio Music Collaborative (TSPRMC), a landmark partnership between Newark Public Radio's WBGO, New York Public Radio's WQXR, Fordham University Public Radio's WFUV 90.7 FM, and Sacred Heart...

ramp247.com

The four stations have formed a collective to share resources amid threats from congress and the FCC.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

All three article are unclear about how exactly these stations will "collaborate." In commercial-radio, world this sort of verbiage usually translates to layoffs since the "collaboration" means eliminating staff redundancies, getting jocks to voice-track multiple stations, etc. Hopefully that's not the case here.

 

[TheBigA]

All three article are unclear about how exactly these stations will "collaborate." In commercial-radio, world this sort of verbiage usually translates to layoffs since the "collaboration" means eliminating staff redundancies, getting jocks to voice-track multiple stations, etc. Hopefully that's not the case here.

It sounds like marketing and research strategies:

The Tri-State Public Radio Music Collaborative will work with consultants from Public Media Company for a comprehensive membership data analysis, and to conduct digital audits of each station. The audits will also analyze the current state of each service’s digital marketing presence to provide suggestions for improvement and to identify areas to target to enhance content distribution while expanding digital reach.

Non-com radio has lagged behind other radio in analyzing and using research. Often, the reason is they can't afford to pay for the information. The CPB grant solves that problem. The last three words, "expanding digital reach," will be key for these stations.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

...conduct digital audits of each station. The audits will also analyze the current state of each service’s digital marketing presence to provide suggestions for improvement and to identify areas to target to enhance content distribution while expanding digital reach.

This all seems to be focused on "digital" aka streaming. By the way, did you notice the line about "content distribution," keeping in mind these are all music stations? How does that square with your repeated claim that radio isn't in the music distribution business?

 

[TheBigA]

By the way, did you notice the line about "content distribution," keeping in mind these are all music stations? How does that square with your repeated claim that radio isn't in the music distribution business?

Yes, content distribution is a digital term. So they're looking to grow digital options. The place for music distribution is online. So expanding their online presence is good for what they do. Broadcast radio isn't in the music distribution business because it's a mass medium. Digital radio is more on-demand than format radio. The bad news is the expense of distributing music digitally. Hopefully the CPB grant can assist there too.