Marketing the college radio station

College radio has struggled with funding since its inception in the early part of the century. Most college stations are too small to meet National Public Radio funding requirements and must rely on budget allowances from the institution to which they are licensed and the generosity of listeners to remain on the air. Funding through local businesses interested in reaching the college radio audience as potential customers could be a financial lifesaver. These businesses receive on-air mention for their contributions through a system known as underwriting.

Unfortunately, little research on college radio listenership, its spending patterns or demographics has existed to prove the value of supporting college radio to prospective underwriters. This study has developed and implemented a survey tool for collecting pertinent information about college radio listeners. The telephone survey was administered to a random sample of the student body of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to gather data about the listeners of WUTK-FM.

Of 396 call attempts, 124 calls were completed. Of the 124 completions, 55 respondents were identified as WUTK listeners. Significant findings concerning WUTK listeners included the fact that male and female listeners were more evenly split than expected, nearly 70 percent of WUTK listeners spent two or more hours per day listening to the radio, and the WUTK audience listens evenly though all radio dayparts. In addition, WUTK listeners were found to spend more money monthly than expected, with nearly 60 percent spending over $30 per week in discretionary funds beyond normal bills. Greatest expenditures were food and clothing.

Judging from some of the surprising results of the data gathered in the survey, college radio listeners are a viable and desirable market for local businesses in communities where universities and colleges are located. College radio stations could benefit from developing research statistics such as those presented for WUTK and informing area business people about the college radio listener. Through developing such research, efforts at marketing college radio and improving its funding should be enhanced considerably.