Beyond “Now More Than Ever”: 3 Rs for Compelling Audience Messages
Proposed changes to federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting have left local stations on shakier ground. Given the dramatically shifting public media landscape, already busy days are now focused on developing the rapid and significant fundraising, marketing, and communications responses needed to address growing uncertainty.
The good news? Research indicates that public media has broad support and is well-positioned to deliver on unmet needs and specific community services.
While current circumstances may necessitate your station goes into emergency fundraising mode, incorporating a data-driven, audience-first approach to your communications can reassure them that — with their support — the public service you provide will continue to help them make sense of the headlines, create community connections, and weather the storms that impact your region.
Consider these three Rs for clear, compelling audience messages:
Raise
Prospective audiences might know you’re their local PBS or NPR member station, but they may enjoy popular national programs and podcasts directly from the content producers or on other platforms.
Raise awareness with potential new audiences by focusing on your unique value proposition — what you offer that’s distinctly different from other broadcast or digital sources, such as PBS Wisconsin’s stories of food culture, WBUR’s guide for new Bostonians, and Cascade PBS’ weekly explorations of Washington’s landscapes.
Your local program promotion can boost awareness for your community connections and perspectives — and as new audiences continue their journeys with you, why they’re worth supporting.
Remind
Your audiences’ habits change over time. While they may always appreciate what you do, don’t assume they’re paying close attention to how you do it — or why you continue to rely on their support.
Given the increased competition for already-limited attention spans, there’s never a bad time to remind current audiences of the trustworthiness of your local reporting or the lasting value of your local programs and community engagement.
A station anniversary presents a unique opportunity to celebrate your organization’s longtime contributions and share your vision for the future. For example, PBS North Carolina has used its 70th anniversary to boost nostalgia and highlight special programming, The Current has celebrated its 20th anniversary by curating content and special events that connect Twin Cities music fans, and Louisville Public Media is marking 75 years by encouraging local businesses to invest in its future.
Program anniversaries offer additional ways to remind audiences of your steadfast commitment to public service journalism — and how it has become woven into the fabric of your community. Twin Cities PBS (TPT) is marking the anniversary of “Almanac” by celebrating “40 years of listening…of thoughtfulness and…of resisting temptation” and LAist is honoring 40 years of “Air Talk” by spotlighting the “quintessential L.A. voice” of its host, Larry Mantle.
Reinforce
Rather than wait for your next program launch, fund drive, or annual report, stay top of mind with all audiences — current, lapsed, and prospective — by regularly reinforcing your value proposition.
In today’s landscape, public media stands out for remaining truly free and accessible for all. Your audiences will appreciate knowing that they will only see and hear messages from local businesses during your programming and that your website is free of paywalls, promotional popups, and programmatic ads that lead to distracting and overcrowded interfaces. Reinforce that you value their privacy, protect their data, and offer superior listening, viewing, and user experiences.
Key findings from the Researching Unmet Needs (RUN) study indicate that audiences want to feel uplifted and connected to their communities. You can use these insights to reinforce the many ways you meet these needs and offer audience experiences that foster connection and loyalty — on-air, online, and in person.
For instance, MPR News can reinforce how its Reverb initiative is reaching younger audiences in new, accessible ways; Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) can tout how it helps audiences make sense of local politics; WPLN can spotlight how its NashVillager podcast and newsletter offer a “human-powered daily guide to Nashville,” from severe weather to local history and upcoming events; WFDD can encourage audiences to share stories of goodwill and community postcards and meet others who share their love of reading at book club events.
This also applies to emergency services. Many stations offer weather radios as a member premium and tout their alert systems, but do your audiences know how you’ll respond in an actual emergency?
Be specific about when, where, and how you’ll be there for them with lifesaving news and information when disaster strikes. That could be breaking news broadcasts and digital updates on flash flooding or power outages, a low-bandwidth website or dedicated newsletter like those BPR created in the wake of Hurricane Helene, or a daily newsletter with regular updates and resources, like the one PBS SoCal, LAist, KCRW, and KQED partnered to create for those impacted by the California wildfires.
RUN results also suggest you may need to reinforce your station name. While new audiences may discover you by seeking out their local public radio or television station, building your station recognition matters. Being known by name strengthens your community service and ensures audiences can offer direct support for it.
Collectively, you can use these three Rs to put public media challenges into perspective and help audiences make more informed decisions — knowing that those who do or might support you are also hearing from myriad organizations seeking assistance.
As you consider how to promote your programs or seek financial support, an audience-first mindset rooted in empathy and supported by research can help you cut through the clutter, develop deeper relationships, and help to safeguard your station’s future.
Contributors to this blog post
Author
