WESA 90.5FM Essential Public Radio is a non-commercial, independent public radio station.

Underwriting on Essential Public Radio is a smart, effective and affordable use of marketing and public relations dollars, whether for long-term positioning or to build top-of-mind awareness. It is also a great use of co-op dollars and compliment to other forms of advertising including television, billboards, print advertising and direct mail campaigns. Adding Essential Public Radio to your marketing plans will increase listener awareness of your business or organization.

Underwriting spots offer the perfect way to transmit your company’s message to our audience. Every underwriting announcement on Essential Public Radio reaches into the homes, automobiles, and offices of community and business leaders. 

Essential Public Radio offers a variety of long and short-term underwriting packages. You may also focus on a specific day, time or program, and purchase spots from our Rate Card. If you would like to receive information or to set up an appointment to review your marketing needs and goals as well as the benefits of underwriting on Essential Public Radio, please contact Dorothy Frank, Director of Corporate Support at (412) 697-2929 or e-mail [email protected]

Guidelines

Announcements are a maximum of 20 seconds in length. 

Standard Opening Line:

“Essential Public Radio is supported by…”

Closing Line:

“More information is available at [phone number] or online at [web address]”

Underwriting announcements may contain:

• Sponsor’s name (mentioned a maximum of 3 times)
• Location of business
• Phone number and/or Internet address
• Value-neutral description of business, products and services
• 3 Brand, Vendor or Trade names

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandates that announcements may not include:

• Comparative, Qualitative or Promotional language
• Calls to Action
• Pricing Information
• Inducements to Buy, Sell, or Lease

Essential Public Radio does not permit the use of pre-produced announcements or music beds. All spots are read live. Voicing will be done by Essential Public Radio staff announcers. The use of the words “you” and “we” are not permitted. Final approval of copy lies with Essential Public Radio. 

These regulations serve to protect the Non-Commercial content that public radio listeners value. In this way, the special integrity of the relationship between the station and its listeners extends to the underwriter as well. 

Underwriting spots have several advantageous features.

• They’re a maximum of 20 seconds long, and are read live by disc jockeys.
• Essential Public Radio schedules only four underwriting spots per hour, allowing you to break through the “commercial clutter” of other stations.
• Your message won’t be read in quick succession with others, allowing listeners to “tune out” — instead, the focus on your message is maximized.
• For those 20 seconds, your message is our programming, and then, it’s back to the news.
• Listeners appreciate the “non-commercial” language of underwriting announcements, and are well aware that you, too, are supporting their favorite programming.

About our Audience

Essential Public Radio’s audience is intensely loyal. Our listeners will visit your establishment, do business with you, and thank you for your support of the station. Our members, who consider Essential Public Radio so valuable they provide us with the majority of our financial support, will take your message to heart. Underwriting on Essential Public Radio will allow you to generate tremendous goodwill and community awareness, and will positively impact a listener’s opinion of your organization. In fact, according to the Audience ’98 study, nearly 9 out of 10 listeners think more highly of businesses that support their favorite public radio station. 

Essential Public Radio’s audience is

• affluent
• professional
• diverse
• well-educated
• open minded
• active