Underwriting

What is Underwriting?
As a non-profit radio station, WMUA cannot air paid advertisements. We are allowed, however, to to thank businesses for donations made to the station with short on-air acknowledgements (30 seconds or less).

Guidelines to Underwriting:
The FCC guidelines permit underwriting acknowledgements to include (1) logograms or slogans which identify but do not promote, (2) information about the location of the underwriter, (3) value neutral description of a product line or service, and (4) brand/trade names, and product or service listings. No comparative/qualitative descriptions, price information, calls to action, or inducements to buy can be included in an announcement. Also, underwriting announcements must be kept fairly short, within the realm of 15-30 seconds.

Sample Underwriting Announcement:
"This program is made possible in part by listeners like you and the Valley Advocate. Each week, the Advocate provides in-depth coverage of regional news and issues, arts and entertainment listings, previews, reviews, and classified ads. The Valley Advocate--on newsstands every Thursday. WMUA thanks the Valley Advocate for their kind support."

Why Underwriting is a Good Choice for your Business:
WMUA has been voted BEST College Radio Station by the Valley Advocate Reader's Poll for 17 years in a row. WMUA provides an alternative form of programming that can't be heard anywhere else. We play just about everything on the musical scale, from jazz, rock, and blues, world, urban, and electronic, to polka, bluegrass and folk. We also have a variety of news and public affairs programs, as well as our continued Associated Press award-winning coverage of UMass sporting events. With our loyal listening audience as wide and diverse as our programming, your business will reach thousands of interested listeners.

Underwriting is an inexpensive way to be heard on the radio, as well as convenient and tax-deductible

Underwriting Prices:
Each announcement is considered to sponsor 30 minutes worth of programming. WMUA does not air more than 1 underwriting announcement every half hour. Your business's message will not be ignored by listeners as is the case on many other stations.

1-20 Announcements........$10.00 per
21-40 Announcements......$9.50 per
41-60 Announcements......$9.00 per
61-80 Announcements......$8.50 per
81-100 Announcements......$8.00 per
100+ Announcements......$7.50 per
150+ Announcements.....$7.00 per
200+ Announcements........$6.70 per

Sports Underwriting Prices:
You can become an underwrting sponsor of WMUA Sports and help support alternative radio, as well as supporting UMass Athletics. Sponsorships can be for a specific sport for the entire season (including postseason), or for our special weekly sports show broadcast.

Your announcement will be placed in our billboards at the opening & closing of each broadcast, played throughout the broadcast itself, and could also include the sponsorship of the Pregame, Halftime, or Postgame reports. For more information and prices, please contact our Sports Department via e-mail or by calling (413) 545-2876.

Advertise in WMUA's Program Guide!
Thousands of WMUA's Fall and Spring program guides are distributed, free of charge, to the Pioneer Valley community. Ad sizes and prices vary.

If your business is considering or would like to know more about underwriting, please contact our underwriting director at 413-545-2876 or email underwriting@wmua.org for more info