The prospect of obtaining paid sponsorships (underwriting) for programming on KCRT came up during the fiscal crisis brainstorming in the spring of 2004. I put the idea on last week’s City Council agenda for discussion and was subsequently pleasantly surprised to learn that sponsorship advertising is already available but little used. According to KCRT Production Coordinator, Cecily McMahan, the station sold only about $1,200 in sponsorships this year.

KCRT is funded through the Richmond General Fund using franchise fees from Comcast. A lot of paid sponsorships could mean more money back in Richmond’s General fund and/or better programming involving local issues.

If you are a Richmond or West Contra Costa business and want to reach local audiences, this is for you! According to the KCRT website, the cable channel now reaches 70,000 homes and an estimated 250,000 viewers throughout West Contra Costa and Northern Alameda counties. KCRT is currently seen in Richmond, El Cerrito, and portions of El Sobrante on Channel 25, in Marina Bay and Brickyard Cove on Channel 25, and in San Pablo, Kensington and Albany on Channel 28. Future expansion is planned in Contra Costa and Solano County counties.

KCRT telecasts programs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cable station has full video capabilities, including automatic playback, electronic messaging, non-linear digital, A-B, and off-line editing, animation, graphics, and digital sound mixing.

I don’t know if anyone has ever done a scientific poll, but I would guess the popular City Council meetings are viewed by 10,000 to 20,000 households.

The KCRT rate card is available at http://www.kcrt.com/aboutus/ratecard.html , and is reproduced below:

* KCRT’s prime time is 5 pm to 11 pm
** DATANET also runs between shows at no extra charge.

PACKAGE A	32 plays with 24 during prime time*	$475 ($14.84 ea)
PACKAGE B	52 plays with 28 during prime time*	$550 ($10.58 ea)
PACKAGE C	68 plays with 32 during prime time*	$600 ($8.82 ea)
PACKAGE D	68 plays 40 during prime time*	$680 ($10.00 ea)
PACKAGE E	88 plays on DATANET bulletin board** (includes 10 prime time plays)	$440 ($5.00 ea)

·         Advertising packages run in 30 day periods beginning each Friday

·         Each advertising spot is approximately 30 seconds long

·         New buyers receive one free produced advertising spot with a package

·         Client produced advertising spots accepted following review

·         Discounts are available for 3 month, 6 month, and 12 month contracts

WANT TO RECEIVE TOM BUTT E-FORUM AND OTHER ACTION ALERTS ON RICHMOND POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY ISSUES DELIVERED TO YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? EMAIL YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS AND/OR THE NAMES AND EMAIL ADDRESSES OF OTHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE PLACED ON THE MAILING LIST AND THE MESSAGE "SUBSCRIBE" TO tom.butt@intres.com. COMMENTS, ARGUMENTS AND CORRECTIONS ARE WELCOME.  TOM BUTT IS A MEMBER OF THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL   WHEN OPINIONS AND VIEWS EXPRESSED, WITHOUT OTHER ATTRIBUTION, IN TOM BUTT E-FORUM, THEY ARE THOSE OF TOM BUTT AND DO NOT REFLECT OFFICIAL VIEWS OR POSITIONS OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND OR THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. VISIT THE TOM BUTT WEBSITE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT TOM BUTT'S ACTIVITIES ON THE RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL: http://www.tombutt.com.  PHONE 510/236-7435 OR 510/237-2084. SUBSCRIPTION TO THIS SERVICE IS AT THE PERSONAL DISCRETION OF THE RECIPIENT AND MAY BE TERMINATED BY RESPONDING WITH “UNSUBSCRIBE.” IT MAY TAKE A FEW DAYS TO REMOVE ADDRESSES FROM THE DISTRIBUTION LIST.

 

Following, as an example, are the underwriting rules for KQED TV:

Credits on KQED are intended as a way of thanking and identifying underwriters. Underwriting credits must meet the test of whether or not they are in keeping with the noncommercial nature of public broadcasting. In general, credits must maintain a noncommerical sound.

What is allowed on KQED:

• Factual information about the underwriter including: location, product name and description of services.
• Credits may contain a phone number or Web site address.
• Event dates and locations.
• Well-established slogan or corporate positioning statement.
• Music identifying the company, people, and other voice-overs. (Rights to music must be cleared first by client or agency).

What is not allowed on KQED:

• No comparative statements (e.g. the best, bigger, faster).
• No qualitative statements which involve subjective evaluation of quality (e.g. fine, great, rich, superb).
• No price information (including "free").
• No call to action statements which direct the audience: to call, to visit, to try, to compare.

No inducement to buy statements which direct the audience to purchase the product (e.g. free trial period, 2 for 1).

Additional information about legal constraints on public broadcasting sponsorships can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/nature.html#ANNOUNCEMENTS. 

 

http://www.kcrt.com/aboutus/ratecard.html

* KCRT’s prime time is 5 pm to 11 pm
** DATANET also runs between shows at no extra charge.

PACKAGE A	32 plays with 24 during prime time*	$475 ($14.84 ea)
PACKAGE B	52 plays with 28 during prime time*	$550 ($10.58 ea)
PACKAGE C	68 plays with 32 during prime time*	$600 ($8.82 ea)
PACKAGE D	68 plays 40 during prime time*	$680 ($10.00 ea)
PACKAGE E	88 plays on DATANET bulletin board** (includes 10 prime time plays)	$440 ($5.00 ea)

* KCRT’s prime time is 5 pm to 11 pm
** DATANET also runs between shows at no extra charge.

• Advertising packages run in 30 day periods beginning each Friday

• Each advertising spot is approximately 30 seconds long

• New buyers receive one free produced advertising spot with a package

• Client produced advertising spots accepted following review

• Discounts are available for 3 month, 6 month, and 12 month contracts