II. BUILDING A STRONG INFRASTRUCTURE
Program Cost and Sustainability
Local shows are expensive with a higher cost-per-listener hour than most mid-day acquired programs. They take time to build an audience. They place demands on staff in virtually every station department. So when you build a budget, don’t stop with the direct show staff costs. Successful shows are whole station efforts so make sure to consider the impact and demands on other station departments including;
- Engineering - studio layout, studio/control room communication, equipment for call screening and handling, ISDN, streaming, delay system (profanity protection) etc.
- Web support – daily content updates, tools and strategies for listener outreach and engagement, podcasts, streaming, social media tools.
- Promotion - advertising, community events and partnership. Some examples from Oregon Public Broadcasting:
The Think Out Loud Brand
Think Out Loud Online Outreach Overview - Administration/Front Office – guest arrivals, call routing, show info requests
- Management – development and support of program sustainability strategy, setting listener service goals/metrics and timeframe
Example:
Think Out Loud Audience Research on Metrics/Effectiveness - Development – setting realistic goals for underwriting and membership support.
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