WAMU2018 Annual Report I give to WAMU not just for the unparalleled balanced news, but because it expands my knowledge every day in arts, in music, in literature, in classic radio and in 100 other intangible ways.

Sathya Monrovia, MD Thanks to your unprecedented support, we finished our fiscal year on April 30 stronger than ever.

We celebrated the first anniversary of1A , now aired on over 300 stations across the U.S., which is 100 more than this time last year. We enhanced our regional coverage with series, such as Anacostia Rising about the revitalization of the Anacostia River and stories about attendance problems in D.C. public schools. We acquired the local news site DCist, which is part of a larger effort to expand WAMU’s digital reach.

Listenership remains strong. You have made WAMU the second-highest-rated station in Washington. And you are more diverse than ever, reflecting our goal to make WAMU more inclusive of more of our region.

We also received our two largest gifts ever: $5.3 million from The Kendeda Fund to lead a 32-month, 10-station national collaboration covering Guns & America; and a $1.2 million bequest from a Virginia public school teacher, which we are using to strengthen our signal in Virginia and across the region.

Those gifts, and generous support from listeners and our underwriting partners, will allow us in the coming year to bring you special programming and events showcasing the 20th anniversary of The Kojo Nnamdi Show; provide better coverage of the region from our expanding newsroom and the team at DCist; broadcast 1A from cities around the nation; and launch The Pod Shop, a new initiative offering local residents a chance to produce their own podcasts – and many more things yet to be imagined.

We are grateful to have heard from so many of you. You tell us what you like and what you don’t, which reflects how much you value the programming we work so hard to produce, and that helps make us better.

We are excited about the new fiscal year and invite you to join us – by tuning in, following us online and attending WAMU events. As Joshua Johnson of 1A says, “Stay close.” Thank you again for your support.

Respectfully,

JJ Yore General Manager National Programming

After its launch in January 2017, 1A, with host Joshua Johnson, Banner emerged as one of public radio’s most powerful programs (National AudiGraphics/ARA, Spring 2017). Since then, it has Year grown its audience to 3.3 million listeners nationwide on 310 for 1A NPR stations and continues to expand. 1A is now generating a larger national audience for WAMU programming than the station has seen at any other time in its history. OPB

Boise State WNPR Public Radio

ideastream WAMU KUNC KCUR WUNC

WABE

KERA

WAMU – Washington, DC WNPR – Hartford, CT WUNC – Chapel Hill, NC WABE – Atlanta, GA ideastream – Cleveland, OH KCUR – Kansas City, MO KERA – Dallas, TX KUNC – Greeley, CO Boise State Public Radio – Boise, ID OPB – Portland, OR

WAMU was the recipient of a $5.3 million grant from Guns & The Kendeda Fund to underwrite a 32-month, 10-city national reporting collaboration and first-of-its-kind America Audion Fellowship to examine the many ways firearms are intertwined in American life. The exploration of this polarizing issue will be led by a dedicated five-person production team at WAMU and 10 fellows placed at public media partner organizations across the country. Local Programming

Opioid Crisis WAMU reporters reveal the harsh reality and devastating impact of opioid abuse. Brooke’s House, a video on the heartbreaking personal loss of a veteran police officer, received a regional Edward R. Murrow Award.

Ballou High School Investigation An investigation of chronic absenteeism at a D.C. school by WAMU and NPR spurred meaningful discussions about the pressures teachers and administrators face to meet graduation goals, despite a lack of student readiness.

Kojo in Your Community The Kojo Nnamdi Show traveled around the region to host live events about some of the most relevant topics touching our youth today, from local gun violence to racism on college campuses.

Anacostia Rising WAMU began a series of reports on the efforts to make the Anacostia River clean and swimmable, including a massive tunnel system and improved development planning. What’s Next

Kojo 20th Anniversary On My Mind WAMU will celebrate the 20th Diane Rehm’s podcast anniversary of The Kojo Nnamdi reaches over 94,000 Show with a year of special listeners per month with programming and events to her unique conversations showcase Kojo’s historical and impressive lineup perspective, as well as what’s of guests. ahead for the region.

DCist The February acquisition of DCist, a beloved local news site, underscores WAMU’s commitment to local journalism and expanding its digital presence.

The Pod Shop The Big Broadcast WAMU will train and support a WAMU’s longest- select group of aspiring podcast running show featuring producers from the region, helping host Murray Horowitz them hone their talent through provides vintage radio hands-on audio storytelling and programming sprinkled production training. with modern flare.

WAMU was recognized by Six Regional the Radio Television Digital Edward R. Murrow News Association for Awards outstanding achievements in journalism. By the Numbers Financials

Revenue Membership/Development/Events 45.8% $ 14,625,304 Corporate Underwriting 45.8% 14,624,368 NPR 4.3% 1,377,204 Federal Funding (CPB) 3.6% 1,151,707 Other Income 0.5% 143,669 Total Revenue $31,922,252

Expense Content/Programming 32.7% $ 8,969,712 Membership/Development/ 31.0% 8,507,672 Underwriting Occupancy & Support Costs* 18.5% 5,083,933 Technology 8.0% 2,196,322 Management & General Expenses 5.5% 1,514,504 Marketing & Communications 4.3% 1,183,656 Total Expense $27,455,798 Reserve Fund & Contingency† $4,466,454

* Paid to American University.

† These funds are reinvested into the station to enhance programming, restore WAMU’s reserve fund and make much needed repairs to the station’s antenna in FY19.

Our Leadership Circle, 1961 Society members, A BIG sustaining members, volunteers, corporate Thank sponsors and community partners are the You! lifeblood of the station, providing 92% of our revenue. Thank you! 81K members

total weekly ≈900K reach*

of revenue comes from 92% supporters

most-listened-to news/talk station in the country among #2 Adults 25-54†

growth in African-American 75% listeners‡

* Washington, D.C., Baltimore & Salisbury Metros, Metro AQH Share P6+, Mon-Sun 6a-Mid, May 2017-April 2018 Nielsen Audio PPM.

† Produced by The Hobbs Report from Copyright 2018 Nielsen Audio; Top 48 PPM Markets; Metro AQH Share, A25-54, Mon-Sun 6a-Mid, Jan-Dec 2017 Nielsen Audio PPM.

‡ Washington, D.C. Metro, Metro AQH Share Black 6+, Mon-Sun 6a-Mid, May 2017-April 2018 Nielsen Audio PPM. At the Helm WAMU Leadership

JJ Yore Andi McDaniel General Senior Director of Manager Content & News

Audrey M. Carey Johnson Needham Senior Director Associate of Development General Manager

Rob Diane Bertrand Hockenberry Senior Director Senior Director of Technology of Marketing & Engagement

Amy Powers Senior Director of Corporate Sponsorship*

*Corporate sponsorship represented by Market Enginuity. This annual report covers the fiscal period from May 1, 2017 to Community Council April 30, 2018.

Complete audited financial statements can be viewed at wamu.org/reports. Eugene Sofer, Chair Avis Thomas Lester Washington, DC Mitchellville, MD A list of Leadership Circle members can be viewed at Shay Stevens, Vice Chair David Nemazie wamu.org/donors. Deale, MD Salisbury, MD A list of corporate sponsors are available at wamu.org/ Audrey Alvarado Manuel Ochoa corporate-sponsors. Washington, DC Washington, DC Space limitations Huda Asfour David Smith prevented us from listing Washington, DC Washington, DC the over 81,000 members who contributed to WAMU during the fiscal year. We Christine Berg Stan Soloway are deeply appreciative for Bethesda, MD Washington, DC your generosity. Thank you!

Don Britton Armele Vilceus While we strive for Reston, VA Takoma Park, MD accuracy and transparency, we apologize for any names omitted from Maura Brophy Susan Weiss lists or names that were Washington, DC Chevy Chase, MD inadvertently included that should not have been. Rudy Burwell Donna Wilson Reston, VA Bowie, MD

Lucinda Crabtree PHOTOGRAPHY Cover: Anacostia Rising by Falls Church, VA Tyrone Turner. Ex-Officio Navroz Gandhi Programs: Joshua Johnson Annapolis, MD Peter Tannenwald by Hector Emanuel; Fletcher, Heald & Anacostia Rising, Opioid Kumera Genet Hildreth, PLC Crisis and Ballou High School Investigation by Washington, DC Arlington, VA Tyrone Turner; Kojo in Your Community by Paula Jimenez Matt McCormick Richie Downs. Alexandria, VA Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, PLC Leadership: Portraits by Nakeisha Neal Jones Arlington, VA Jeff Watts. Washington, DC

*Members listed served in 2017. Contact Us

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