2017 Annual Report

Joshua Johnson, Host of IT HAS BEEN QUITE A YEAR! A presiden- No longer can I take tial campaign, election, and a new president who has, shall we say, strong views about your intelligent and our hometown. I’m happy to report that WAMU 88.5 has had quite a year too, as we finish the first year of a five-year strategic accurate reporting plan designed to transform WAMU into an even more vital service for you. for granted. It is time During the last 12 months the number of you listening each week grew to almost a million, making WAMU the number-one to put my money rated station in Washington—with many new, younger and more diverse listeners. Thousands of you also voted with your hard-earned money to sup- where my ears are. port WAMU, increasing our membership almost 50 percent. Because of your commitment, we ended the fiscal year with a small surplus Now more than ever, that will enable further investment in our operations and future sustainability. Thank you! We also had an ambitious year in programming. We launched the we count on the new national talk show, 1A, hosted by Joshua Johnson, now heard on 215 stations around the country. After 37 years, left her power of journalism tremendously successful daily show and is now hosting a weekly pod- cast, On My Mind. In addition, we launched our Trump Effect coverage, focusing on the new administration’s impact on our region; redesigned and our free press. our website; and debuted the Capital Soundtrack local music initiative. Bluegrass and country music has been part of WAMU since the 1960s. A wonderful, devoted group of listeners came together as the Thank you!” Bluegrass Country Foundation and took over the service in early 2017, giving bluegrass a future for its devoted fans while enabling WAMU LINDA, ROCKVILLE MD to further invest in bringing you accurate, in-depth, trusted news and information. A win for everyone! WAMU’s success depends on support from many people and institutions: , our wonderful volunteers, a ded- icated Community Council, hundreds of underwriters, community partners, and a committed staff. But most of all you, our listeners and members. Thank you for making us a priority in your lives and in your philanthropy. We look forward to doing more with and for you in the years ahead.

JJ YORE General Manager Programs

KOJO IN YOUR COMMUNITY Farewell to The Diane Rehm Show engaged residents After nearly 40 years of engaging and of neighborhoods informing public radio audiences across across the Metro area in lively and the country, WAMU’s award-winning illuminating conver- talk-show host, Diane Rehm, stepped sations about criti- away from the microphone as host of cal and sometimes THE BIG LISTEN her daily talk show, turning to a weekly controversial issues In the fall of 2016 podcast, On My Mind, continuing to facing the region. WAMU launched help fundraise for WAMU and to pursue The Big Listen, a new one-hour pro- other interests. Over the years The Diane The Launch of 1A gram and podcast Rehm Show’s guests included national In January 2017, WAMU launched a daily exploring the run- and international leaders, prominent national program hosted by former San away world of pod- scientists, artists, authors, community Francisco morning newscaster, Joshua casts. Host, Lauren activists, and change-makers. The pro- WAMU BOOKS Johnson, introducing a smart new voice Ober, introduces gram reached nearly 2.6 million on-air is an ongoing series and convening a conversation with guests listeners to podcasts listeners a week through 200 public of conversations and listeners about critical issues of our they’ve never heard between local and radio stations, online, and on demand. time. Inspired by the 1st Amendment of and goes behind visiting authors and the scenes of shows WAMU journalists and the core values that made The Diane they already love. held in independent Rehm Show treasured by millions, 1A is bookstores around heard on 215 stations nationwide. the District.

TRUMP EFFECT In early 2017 WAMU launched The Trump Effect, an interactive reporting initiative to explore the impact of the new administration on the region’s population of federal workers, diplomats, politicians THE BIG HOT JAZZ and powerbrokers, as well as BROADCAST SATURDAY NIGHT welcomed Tony continued to fill ordinary citizens. Listeners have Award-winner the air with vintage reached out to us with questions Murray Horwitz jazz, swing, and big and feedback that have gen- as the new host. band recordings. erated stories on immigration, sanctuary cities, the DC dating scene and more. Newsroom Increasing Expansion Diversity

The regional newsroom continues BEATS to focus on high-impact journalism Arts & Culture that encompasses life in Maryland, Education DC, and Virginia, on both broadcast Power & Influence and digital platforms. To better Race & Identity tell those stories while exposing Transportation 99 22 the important issues affecting the & Development region, we will grow and fully staff PERCENT PERCENT INCREASE IN INCREASE IN our five existing beats and expand ASPIRATIONAL BEATS LATINO/HISPANIC AFRICAN AMERICAN coverage to new beats as resources Environment* LISTENING AUDIENCE LISTENING AUDIENCE become available. Health Business & Economics

*In early stages WAMU continues to focus on strength- ening the diversity represented on the air, behind the scenes, 34 and in the audience. New Additions Efforts in this area are PERCENT already showing results. OF STAFF FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS

KATE MCGEE TYRONE TURNER SASHA-ANN SIMONS education reporter visuals editor development reporter Financials Thank You!

REVENUE Membership/Development/Events 51% 12,960,912 WAMU thrives because of the support of many community Corporate Underwriting 39% 9,789,212 partners and generous individ- # Federal Funding (CPB) 5% 1,218,505 uals who invest in the station 1 NPR 4% 1,077,043 annually. Charitable contribu- RANKED STATION IN THE REGION2 Other Income 1% 311,077 tions from more than 73,000 members comprise nearly 51+39541A In Kind Contributions 0% 64,534 half of our annual budget and Total Revenue 25,421,283 enable much of the program-

EXPENSES ming heard on-air or produced on-line each day. We thank Content/Programming 34% 8,560,787 73 everyone who contributed to THOUSAND Membership/Development/ 25% 6,358,117 WAMU during the 2016–2017 Underwriting MEMBERS fiscal year. Occupancy & Support Costs* 22% 5,362,789 Technology 7% 1,859,725 We also acknowledge and appreciate our Leadership Circle members who 34+2622765A Management & General Expenses 6% 1,449,331 consistently give significant gifts to Marketing & Communications 6% 1,366,536 the station each year, and also our 1961 Total Expenses 24,957,285 Society members who have named 307 WAMU in their estate plans. All are help- THOUSAND Surplus 463,998 ing to ensure that the important news * Paid to American University CONTRIBUTIONS and information service we provide will be here for present and future genera- WAMU 88.5 relies on listeners tions. Thank you for your commitment to public media and to WAMU! who share a personal apprecia- 185 For a listing of Leadership Circle volunteers tion for public broadcasting to and 1961 Society members, please visit serve as volunteers who assist + .org/donors. us in numerous capacities in 4700 hours the station and the community. contributed WAMU is tremendously grate- 1 ful to all those who share their $182,219 time and talents with us. value of volunteer hours wamu.org/volunteer

2 Source: Washington, DC Metro, Weekly Cume, AQH Share and AQH Persons; P6+, 1 In DC, a volunteer hour is currently valued at $38.77 per hour Monday–Sunday 6am–Midnight, May 2016 PPM–April 2017 PPM, copyright Nielsen Audio This annual report covers the fiscal period from Leadership May 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017.

Complete audited financial statements WAMU Leadership Community Council can be viewed at: wamu.org/reports Barbara H. Bares, Chair David A. Nemazie Chevy Chase, MD Salisbury, MD A listing of Leadership Circle donors and 1961 Society members Eugene Sofer, Vice Chair Margaret K. O’Bryon can be viewed at: Washington, DC Bethesda, MD wamu.org/donors A listing of corporate Audrey R. Alvarado Manuel T. Ochoa sponsors can be Washington, DC Washington, DC viewed at: wamu.org/ corporate-sponsors Sharvell Becton Anthony R. “Tony” Space limitations pre- JJ YORE ANDI MCDANIEL CAREY NEEDHAM General Manager Senior Director of Associate General Manager Washington, DC Sarmiento vented us from listing Content & News Silver Spring, MD the over 73,000 mem- Christine Berg, MD bers who contributed to WAMU during the Bethesda, MD Stan Soloway fiscal year. We are Washington, DC deeply appreciative Rudy Burwell to all for their generos- Reston, VA Shay Stevens ity. Thank you! Deale, MD PHOTOGRAPHS Lucinda Crabtree Cover: Joshua Johnson Falls Church, VA Thomas F. Walls by Stephen Voss. Arlington, VA Programs: Joshua Paul DesJardin Johnson, Diane Woodbridge, VA Jon West-Bey Rehm, Lauren Ober, ROB BERTRAND AUDREY M. JOHNSON AMY POWERS by Stephen Voss; Senior Director of Senior Director of Senior Director of Washington, DC Technology Development Corporate Sponsorship* Navroz Gandhi Washington D.C. by Annapolis, MD Donna M.P. Wilson Ted Eytan (flickr); Kojo Nnamdi by Anthony Bowie, MD Washington Patricia “Trisha” Hartge Newsroom Expansion: Kate McGee, Sasha- Chevy Chase, MD EX-OFFICIO: Anne Simons by Peter Tannenwald Anthony Washington; Nakeisha Neal Jones Fletcher, Heald & Tyrone Turner by Jeff Washington, DC Hildreth, PLC Watts. Leadership: Portraits Avis Thomas Lester Matt McCormick by Jeff Watts. Mitchellville, MD Fletcher, Heald & DESIGN Hildreth, PLC Kelley Galbreath Phil Zelnar *Corporate Sponsorship represented by Market Enginuity *Members listed served in 2016. Contact Us

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