Advertising on Local NPR  Stations

Congregations like Rockford, Geneva, DeKalb, and the "snowbelt" congregations of northern Indiana are buying time on NPR stations to advertise their programs. Here's how: "Bundling":

The congregation registers with NPR as a "Corporate Sponsor."

Members of the congregation who normally support NPR can express their support through the church. The congregation collects the contributions in checks to the church with "NPR" in the memo line. The congregation consolidates all the contributions and sends a single donation to NPR in the name of "corporate sponsor (your church name here)."

The congregation can then use the total amount to buy on-air spots at times and stations of their choosing.

Spots vary in size depending on the station. Ten seconds is standard, although fifteen words after name identification is also done. There are strict FCC rules regarding content, but congregations can identify services, community activities, special events, forums, film showings, etc.

For those who change from individual donations to contributing through the church, you still get your tax deduction, but from the church, not NPR. You are not, however, a member of NPR unless you also donate in your own name. Some folks who cherish their NPR membership, choose to make a contribution to renew their membership at NPR, then make further donations through the church.

Websites for the various local NPR carriers have information and contact people for establishing an account (Google the call letters). Congregations around the nation have gotten spots into Saturday morning on a regular basis. They have also advertised special programs and speakers to good effect. Anyone who remembers the appearance of Scott Ritter at Evanston this year (2008) should know that a spot at noon on WBEZ that day got a lot of folks there (so they said), among the 400 folks who came!