Fy 95 Wdet-Fm Annual Report
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Submitted by: Jack Barthwell, Vice President • University Relations • FY 95 WDET-FM ANNUAL REPORT • BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE AGENDA June 5, 1996 -------- - ---------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION In fiscal year 1995 public broadcasting faced elimination of federal funding. • System wide, tax-based subsidies made up anywhere from 10 percent-43 percent of public radio stations' annual operating budgets 1• While stations were required to affirm in writing to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) that no federal funds were being used for "lobbying" purposes, a concerted effort ensued to make public broadcasting listeners and viewers aware of the debate on Capitol Hill concerning federal funding. Congressional representatives received substantial constituent contact supporting public broadcasting, surpassing even that of health care reform, Medicare cuts and other volatile issues. Stations, WDET-FM included, faced a dilemma--how to maintain appealing, high quality programming which would (in time) attract increased private sector support while dealing with diminished resources in the short term? Rapid down-sizing which reduced programming quality would serve as a disincentive to audience growth and increased donations; responding too slowly to the funding losses would bankrupt stations. WDET addressed the dilemma using the QUEST model for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). The station's spending plan was reduced and budget authority reallocated to commission a scientific study to research the "Key • Expectations" of WDET's customers and stakeholders. Wayne State University's Center for Urban Studies offered the best proposal (over three other market research firms) to conduct the study. WDET also contracted for the services of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) marketing expert Paula Sulinski (Third Street Marketing, Inc.). The actual listener survey was launched in May 1995 and concluded 12,000 phone calls later with final reports delivered in September 1995. The survey revealed that WDET's dual news and music service was well-received by listeners; a 95 percent satisfaction rating was noted. Donors showed a preference for news and information programming but none of the listeners surveyed expressed a desire for either an "all news" or "all music" format. Quality, diversity of programming and non-commercialism were key expectations of listeners and were listed as key reasons for making contributions among the survey respondents who did contribute. Impediments to contributing or contributing more to WDET cited by listeners was their perceived lack of disposable income, desire for certain programs not currently in WDET's schedule, not being asked at the "right" time and not listening "enough" to warrant a contribution. Thirty percent (30 percent) of non- donors reported listening to WDET5-7 days per week, however. 1 Federal funding makes up 16 percent of WDET-FM's annual operating budget. • 2 INTRODUCTION[continued) • The survey results affirmed WDET's chosen strategic positioning as the forum for the growth of ideas and understanding in pursuit of solutions. The best opportunity for the radio station to survive and thrive during the transition from a partially subsidized financial structure to full marketplace competition, was seen as offering opportunities for citizens to examine critical issues in the context of social history, current events, cultural influences, entertainment, humor and the political process. PROGRAMMING Hearings and Special National Coverage Mid-term Election Preview - 11/ 6/94 Mid-term Election Night Special (field reports, expert analysis and listener call-in) - 11/8/94 "Talk of the Nation" Special/The world without public radio - 1/10/9 5 House Appropriations Committee hearing on CPB funding- 1/19/95 Welfare at the Crossroads/NPR Special - 3/8/95 House hearings on Affirmative Action legislative changes - 3/24/95 Oklahoma Bombing Coverage - April 20-21, May 2, 1995 Congressional Hearings on Terrorism - 4/28/95 Confirmation Hearings for Dr. Henry Foster Surgeon General nominee - May 2-3, 1995 Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Hearings on Militia Groups - 6/8/95, 6/15/95 Senate Special Committee Hearings on Whitewater - 7/18/95 House Judiciary & Government Reform Committee Hearings on Waco - July 19, 20, 26 1995 • Other National Programming Specials National Issues President Clinton's Speech on Iraq & Haiti - 10/10/94 President Clinton's Oval Office Address - 12/15/94 President Clinton's State of the Union Address - 1/24/95 President Clinton's Michigan State University Commencement Address - 5/5/95 President Clinton's Oval Office Address/10-yr. Plan to Balance the Budget - 6/14/95 President Clinton PressConference on Bosnia - 6/16/95 Democracy in America/NPR's month-long series on whether Americans are nurturing democratic values in their everyday lives - July 1995. Topic highlights: • Too Much Democracy? Should members of Congress vote their own conscience or only what constituents want? - 7/3/95 • Hearts & Minds: Patriotism in Textbooks - 7/8/9 5 • The Federalist Debate - July 10 & l 7, 1995 • Public Journalism - 7/10/95 • Shadow Governments - 7/17 /95 • Immigration - 7/24/95 • Relating Prosperity to Civic Pride - 7/24/95 International Affairs Iran at the Crossroads/NPR's 6-part comprehensive look at Iran Today - 3/20/95 Pavement Dwellers of lndia/NPR's 6-part look at street dwellers taking control of their lives - 3/26/95 • Namibia/NPR multi-part series - 5/27 /95 China: Social Consequences of Economic Growth/NPR 3-part series - June 12-14, 1995 3 Other National Programming Specials (continued) Environmental Affairs "How Will We Eat?"/5-part series on Soundprint looking at endangered food supplies - 6/5/95 • Arts, Culture, Entertainment Telluride Bluegrass Festival - 12/24/94 Capitol Steps Year in Review: "Politics Takes a Holiday"/Musical political satire - 1/1 /95 Jazz Smithsonian: 8-part series hosted by Lena Horne featuring greatest jazz composers performed by Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra - 1/8/95 "Manufacturing Consent": Documentary about Noam Chomsky, linguistics professor at MIT - 1/29/95 Capitol Steps "April Fools" - 3/30/95 12th Annual Chicago Blues Festival - June 2-4, 1995 Capitol Steps July 4th Special - 7/2/95 Local and Regional Programming Specials Gubernatorial candidate Howard Wolpe, Statewide live call-in 2/ Michigan Public Radio Network - 10/27 /94 ACT Against Youth Violence Special3/Harvey 0. On the Metro- 1/8/95 State of the State Address/Gov. Engler's address, analysis and commentary plus opposition response - 1/17 /95 "Symphony Bowl VII"/ A fantasy "battle of the bands" between the home orchestras of Super Bowl contenders San Diego and San Francisco - 1/29/95 State of the City Address/Detroit's Mayor Archer (tape delayed) - 1/31/95 • Mardi Gras on WDET: Mardi Gras music from around the world - 2/28/96 Queen of Spades Mutual Fund Features/Comparison between the average amount gambled at the Casinos anxious to enter Detroit and return on stock investment in those casinos - 2/95 Montreux Detroit Jazz Festival Great Hits - April through September 1995 Salute to Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians/30th Anniversary celebration on WDET's "Destination Out" - May 21 & 28, 1995 75th Anniversary Celebration of Charles "Yardbird" Parker - August 24-27, 1995 John Coltrane Week - September 18-23, 1995 "How Are Detroit Media Covering the Newspaper Strike?": Panel discussion/Call-in produced by WDET-FMand moderated by WSU Journalism Director Ben Burns- 9/19/95 Guests: S. Raphael/Crain's Detroit Business C. Hill/ AP Detroit Bureau Chief P. Manzella/Assist. News Director, WDIV Ch. 4 R. Giles/Editor & Publisher, The Detroit News B. McGraw/striking Detroit Free Pressreporter R. Adams/News Director, WDET-FM WDET News Special Series: Federal Funding of Detroit WDET News Special Series: Metro Transit Issues WDET News Team coverage: Detroit's Empowerment Zone Designation 2 Governor Engler declined to appear. 3 Part of a joint programming initiative with WTVSChannel 56. • 4 Educational Outreach Programming and Services "The Subject is Sex" National Public Radio Outreach Special - Jan. 15-23, 1995 A partnership project between NPR and WDET scrutinizing the way changing relationships among men and women affect society. • National Topics: • "Sex Talk" - Why Americans have so much trouble talking about sex. • "Men, Women and Monogamy" - Gender gap is narrowing in sexual behavior. • "Learning the Dance" - Coming of age in the '90s. • "Retreat from Marriage" - Reconfigurations of marriage over the last 3 decades. • "Postponing Pregnancy" - National debate over how to combat teen pregnancy. • "Sexual Semantics" - The politics of courtship in the modern age. • "Sex and the Law" - Should the State become involved in the intimate realm of personal relationships? • "Race and Sex" - How these twin obsessions play out in our culture. • "What Do Men Want?" - What does it mean to "be a man" today? • "Sex and the Workplace" - Uncertainty and anxiety over changing sexual mores and gender roles. • "The Girls of Texas Tech" - Profile of 5 former college roommates at a reunion on their 50th birthdays. • "Sex, Religion and Society" - Ethical norms articulated by mainstream religions--and what happens when these are challenged. Local Topics: • "The Subject is Sex" Call-in on "Harvey 0. On the Metro" w/guest Dr. Sylvia Hacker • Effectiveness of Sex Education in Michigan Schools - News Dir. Roger Adams • HIV/AIDS Counseling - Special report by WDETNews' Mike Callahan on new peer counseling approach at Detroit Children's Hospital • "Sex, Women and the Blues" - WDETMusic hosts Ann Delisi and Robert Jones explore how • sex and women are portrayed in Blues music. • "Sex and Rap Music" - WDETMusic Host Ann Delisi looks at Rap's relationship to sex. • Christine Lavin - WDET music host Ann Delisi interview with singer-songwriter Christine Lavin, known for exploring the humorous side of relationships and sexuality. • "AIDS and the Music Industry" - WDET Music Host Martin Bandyke explores the music industry's response to the AIDS crisis and music that deals with AIDS. Also, the degree of sexual permissiveness society has accepted through its portrayal in music.