COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT 2020 MISSION MISSION
We are Central Florida’s STORYTELLERS. We are Orlando’s jazz SOUNDTRACK... We engage curiosity and learning through preserving and advancing this art form compelling content and community through broadcast, performance, and engagement. partnerships.
VISION VISION
We think big. We want to be a leader and We want to be a leading source for jazz by innovator in telling stories that make a providing programming and outreach that positive impact in our community and the make a positive impact in the community and world. the world.
2 FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
WUCF is Central Florida’s Storyteller. In 2020, the stories have looked a little different. As the Coronavirus took hold of the country, our teams fanned out to tell the Central Florida COVID-19 story. Our team worked from home, juggling new demands, the stresses of being separated, home schooling, and yet expanding our service all at the same time. One thing that did not change in 2020: our commitment to the story of Central Florida never wavered. The WUCF Team proved its mettle during the most difficult of times.
Whether the story was about Central Floridians dealing with the economic fallout of COVID-19 or looking deeply into our community and taking a stand against racism with our Race Matters series or working to make our communities better through conversation and understanding, the WUCF team renewed our commitment to the place we serve.
No other media source makes this commitment. WUCF is locally owned, locally controlled, and responsive to what our community needs. We answer your calls and emails, not a far-flung call center. No auto responders. When you call our main WUCF line or WUCF Studio line, you get a live person right here in Central Florida. We’re here to serve you and our community.
In this report, you’ll see references to our new initiative, The WUCF Promise. This is our new compact with viewers, listeners, and our team. With strategies measured by clearly articulated metrics, we seek to be even more community focused and responsive.
We remain guided by our founding mission — to be Central Florida’s Storytellers by engaging curiosity and learning through compelling content and community engagement. Our work has never been more important, and I’m excited about what lies ahead. We thank you for your support and the opportunity to chronicle the past, present, and future of this place we call home. Here’s to a better, happier 2021!
Dr. Phil Hoffman, Executive Director
3 WUCF TV PROFILE
WUCF is one of the nation’s fastest-growing PBS stations, while maintaining the No. 6 position as the most-watched station in the Orlando market in a 500+ channel environment.
WUCF’s television license is held by the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees.
Reaching more than 2.5 million adults annually, WUCF is committed to maintaining the integrity of its brand and aligning with like-minded partners. Its partnership with UCF has helped to achieve this by airing media content that is both enlightening and educational.
WUCF broadcasts on five television channels:WUCF PBS, WUCF Create, WUCF PBS KIDS, NHK World and OCPS Education Channel.
WUCF is a non-commercial broadcaster and adheres to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) standards that regulate how WUCF recognizes its underwriters.
2.5 MILLION ADULTS ANNUALLY
4 WUCF FM PROFILE
WUCF FM 89.9 offers two full-time music broadcasts: 89.9 HD1 Jazz & More & 89.9 HD2 Latin Jazz.
89.9 FM’s music format is unique to Central Florida, serving a diverse listening community. The newly launched 89.9 HD2 Latin Jazz broadcast serves as an outreach to the large and ever-growing Latin American listening population in Central Florida, and around the world via online streaming.
WUCF regularly produces local programming for broadcast on air and via podcasts.
Programs include: • Live from Studio A • Latin Jazz with Alex Diaz • Jazz Most Wanted Countdown • Magazine
Podcasts include: • Pivoted • WUCF Interviews “I SUPPORT WUCF BECAUSE OF THEIR JAZZ MUSIC. WUCF HAS THE BEST JAZZ RADIO STATION IN THE USA!” -LYNETTE S. 135,000 LISTENERS WEEKLY 5 THE WUCF PROMISE
6 The WUCF Promise is comprised of 5 pillars. Each pillar has a set of goals. The goals help us stay focused because with finite resources, we will all make choices every day.
WUCF promises to remain a relevant part of our viewers'/ AUDIENCE listeners' lives in the future.
1. Increase our total Cume audience across all platforms 5% each year through in FY25. 2. Increase our users on Passport 5% each year through FY25. 3. Increase social media engagement on WUCF promises to strengthen Twitter and Facebook 5% each year through our team by attracting & FY25. CULTURE retaining exceptional talent. 4. Increase community engagement across all metrics by 5% each year though FY25. 1. Achieve 20% improvement in employee engagement over initial baseline by 2025. 2. Diversify talent to be within +-4% of popula- tion demographics of Central Florida by 2025. 3. Collaborate with staff members to create and pursue individual professional development plans. 4. Achieve recognition as being among the best places to work in Central Florida by 2025 WUCF promises to generate & administer resources that create & deliver mission- SUSTAINABILITY based services.
1. Increase user personalization services to members and viewers. 2. Refine individual giving program to 70% retention & more than 40% sustaining by WUCF promises to support 2023. technical infrastructure to 3. In alignment with the shift in giving, reduce meet current & emerging pledge premiums by 3% annually through 2025. TECHNOLOGY services. 4. Grow number of donors >$1000 to a total of 500 by FY25. 1. Create digital IP platform that includes video 5. Grow and diversify station revenue streams to (4K/HDR), audio and broadcast Internet data achieve 4% YOY growth through 2025. applications to meet our members' and 6. Improve operational efficiency by identifying viewers' expectations by 2025. 5% cost reduction within organizational 2. Develop & annually update Technical processes and material waste. Infrastructure Plan (TIP). 3. Develop & annually update Physical Infrastructure Plan (PIP) to create an enabling, barrier free physical space for our mission and our team.
WUCF promises to be Central Florida’s Storyteller, encouraging curiosity & learning through compelling content & community engagement in our 9-county area.
CONTENT 1. Develop local content that includes diverse perspectives matching local demographics by 2025. 2. Increase digital first content delivery across platforms annually by 10% year over year through 2025. 3. Distribute WUCF content regionally and nationally branded as Central Florida’s Storyteller.
7 AUDIENCE WUCF PROMISES TO REMAIN A RELEVANT PART OF OUR VIEWERS’ & LISTENERS’ LIVES IN THE FUTURE WUCF reaches more than 4 million adults annually across a nine-county area of Florida.
WUCF Market Area
Flagler
Marion
Volusia
Lake
Sumter Seminole
Orange Reaches More Than Reaches More Than
Osceola 500,000 135,000 Brevard People Each Week People Each Week Source: Nielsen TV Ratings Source: Nielsen Radio Ratings
Over 25,000 Central Florida PBS KIDS digital attracts PBS KIDS delivers 4 billion+ users regularly access WUCF PBS 12 million+ unique visitors streams across digital services LearningMedia each month. on average each month. each year. WUCF leads the state of Florida in usage. 8 CULTURE WUCF PROMISES TO STRENGTHEN OUR TEAM BY ATTRACTING & RETAINING EXCEPTIONAL TALENT
WUCF takes pride in having a diverse group of individuals that comprise our staff.
From Central Florida Roadtrip to Meet The Helpers, and every ‘behind the scenes’ function in between, our staff is the core of everything we do.
We strive to cultivate an organizational culture that is representative of our local community and inspires an atmosphere of creativity and growth. Since our inception, we have managed to expand our talent base and have attracted candidates both locally and nationally, while maintaining strong commitment and retention from our inaugural team members.
9 CONTENT WUCF PROMISES TO BE CENTRAL FLORIDA’S STORYTELLER, ENCOURAGING CURIOSITY & LEARNING THROUGH COMPELLING CONTENT & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN OUR NINE-COUNTY AREA
• WUCF continues to create & distribute content nationwide featuring UCF faculty, staff and students. In FY2020, those programs reached nearly 1 million households.
• WUCF is a distinctive asset for UCF, creating local content extending UCF’s reach and reputation, with more than 100 mentions and articles in the Orlando Sentinel, WMFE, WFTV, ABC News and other media outlets.
• In 2020, WUCF presented more than 60 community engagement events virtually and throughout the nine-county area, reaching nearly 10,000 people.
10 MEET THE HELPERS
Following the Pulse nightclub shooting, WUCF launched “Meet the Helpers” as a way to talk to kids about community crises. This year, Meet The Helpers videos have been used across the country to respond to the pandemic, hurricanes, wildfires, racial injustice and more.
WUCF responded to this scary time for families as normal routines were disrupted due to the COVID-19 outbreak. WUCF’s Meet the Helpers initiative developed a series of short videos to help parents, caregivers, teachers and others talk to children about the pandemic and give them tools to help keep their families healthy. The latest videos were developed in partnership with the University of Central Florida’s College of Community Innovation and Education and Nicholson School of Communication and Media.
In addition, Be a Helper videos were developed to encourage families and caregivers to explore the ways young children can be helpers through kindness, empathy and more. “The Meet the Helpers series really shows kids that helping others is a choice and Financial support for MEET THE HELPERS there are grownups who dedicate their has been made possible in part by: lives as helpers. It’s a powerful feeling for kids to know we can count on our helpers and it’s even more empowering to know what to do.” – Judy from Orlando
11 COVID-19
As Central Florida, and the world, transitioned to a work-from-home and distance learning environment, WUCF not only moved to virtual operations, but also continued to produce relevant content for the community.
• NewsNight Conversations: Coronavirus: Trusted experts shared the latest developments about COVID-19 in Central Florida, including topics on how to talk to children, how the public can maintain its health and the impact on the school system. • NewsNight: The weekly public affairs program focused on the coronavirus impacts on tourism, education and the economy. • In Reach: This program highlighted Central Florida arts programs, and featured community challenges as these groups struggled to remain relevant during the COVID-19 outbreak. • Central Florida Roadtrip: At Home Edition: Due to travel and filming restraints, the new season of Roadtrip was delayed. Instead, WUCF gave viewers a new look at previous episodes of the highly-rated program, complete with behind-the-scenes stories with host, Dr. Phil Hoffman and producer Buddy Pittman.
“THANK YOU for helping me make your quality programming available to my students & their families!” -Libby from Winter Park
“It’s Monday morning and my “I love these schedule changes! kids and I are watching NOVA! Thank you so much for sharing. Great and EDUCATIONAL daytime We have been tuning into PBS programming while we are stuck WUCF TV in the mornings all week. at home. Keep it up.” My children are learning so much.” -Tim from Melbourne – Noraliz from Kissimmee
12 Central Florida schools closed for Spring Break on March 16, but did not return to in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. WUCF stepped in to help parents and educators through this unprecedented time. Beginning March 23, WUCF launched a new television schedule to help preK-12 students learn at home, and increased online remote learning resources. On June 1, WUCF launched a fifth channel, theOCPS Education Channel, dedicated to at-home learning in partnership with Orange County Public Schools.
WUCF also: • Engaged with all of nine of the county school districts, local governments and educational agencies to help spread the information to families. • Hosted one-on-one and group virtual trainings to connect educators to PBS LearningMedia & provided printed materials to support at-home learning. • Produced new videos to introduce children to important helpers. • Shifted in-person events including family events and screenings to virtual events.
13 RACE MATTERS
Following the death of George Floyd in May 2020, WUCF committed to using its airwaves to help the community understand how to have conversations about race, fairness and justice.
Broadcast specials including NewsNight Conversations: A Question of Race: Answers for Kids allowed experts to discuss how to talk with children about racism and current events. PBS NewsHour also aired a Race Matters: America in Crisis special that examined race in America and the ensuing protests across the county.
WUCF FM aired a special edition of its program Magazine that featured music by jazz bassist Christian McBride and his new album, The Movement Revisited. This collection highlights the motivating forces and goals of the Civil Rights Movement in an artist context.
Under the Meet the Helpers umbrella, videos and resources were developed to encourage families and caregivers to explore the ways young children can be helpers through kindness, empathy and more.
“Thanks for the amazing work. This is the stuff we need! The pace was good and the content was so very informative. My entire family sat and watched. Wonderful mix of experts too. I could have listened to them all for hours. Important stuff!” - Mackenzie, Orlando
14 Central Florida Roadtrip explores the history, people and unique stories of Central Florida communities. The program airs every Thurday night at 8 p.m., to strong audiences.
The 2020 season was delayed due to COVID-19. However, WUCF produced an “at-home” season, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to make the program.
NewsNight is a weekly, taped 30-minute roundtable discussion, featuring WFTV’s Nancy Alvarez and WUCF’s Steve Mort as moderators. The program features journalists in radio, tv, newspaper and blogs across Central Florida.
Exploring community, regional and state issues, NewsNight brings viewers the story behind the story.
15 WUCF brings viewers an update from community leaders on the impact of COVID-19. WUCF executive director Dr. Phil Hoffman speaks with representatives of Central Florida arts, history and science communities about how the organizations plan to operate moving forward during this historic period. Some organizations featured on the program included:
• Creative City Project • Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra • United Arts • Orlando Repertory Theatre • Historical Society of Central Florida • UCF Percussion • Orlando Shakes
For over a decade, Global Perspectives has been devoted to having in-depth discussions on international affairs with worldwide impact. Hosts David Dumke and Katie Coronado lead the conversation with renowned authors, diplomats, economists, and activists from all over the world WUCF produces this program in partnership with the University of Central Florida Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives.
Episodes cover topics ranging from presidential history, human rights around the world, national security, and the environment as well as the United States’ relationship with other countries.
16 Working with a long-standing WUCF FM program, WUCF TV airs Live from Studio A every month. These concerts, which feature local and national recording artists, are taped live in Studio A from the WUCF FM studio.
Featured artists: • Ella and the Bossa Beat • Daniela Soledade • Laila Biali • The Conglomerate • La Lucha • Kelly Green Trio
WUCF FM provides around-the-clock music broadcasts via FM radio and online streaming. The FM staff also produces a number of podcasts, distributed via iTunes, Spotify and more.
WUCF FM launched a limited-run podcast due to Coronavirus called, Pivoted. The program fea- tured Central Florida jazz performers, who had to pivot their careers in light of cancelled events due to the pandemic.
17 SUSTAINABILITY WUCF FISCAL YEAR 2020
WUCF ACTUAL OPERATING REVENUES
12% Community Service Grants funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting $1,039,838 4% Community Service Grants funded by the Department of Education, 320,400 State of Florida 26% Appropriation from the 2,168,445 University of Central Florida 7% Other government grants & PECO 612,510 35% Membership 2,947,060 3% Underwriting 239,400 11% Miscellaneous support 954,684
2% Rental Income 195,494 TOTAL OPERATING REVENUES $8,477,831
40% Personnel $3,225,639
1% Dues/Membership 56,444
8% Professional services 615,343
WUCF ACTUAL OPERATING EXPENSES 1% Freelance services 63,914
3% Supplies 242,034
3% Pledge premiums 248,035
20% Syndicated content/PBS program dues 1,589,941
1% Other operating 89,224
1% Repairs and maintenance 52,559
1% Telecommunications 80,488
6% Equipment and software 447,690
4% Rent 297,228
1% Utilities 107,550
1% Travel 43,678
3% Transmission services 247,629
9% Miscellaneous expenses 697,890
TOTAL TOTAL OPERATING OPERATING EXPENSES EXPENSES $8,105,286 18 WUCF PROMISES TO GENERATE & ADMINISTER RESOURCES THAT CREATE & DELIVER MISSION-BASED SERVICES
WUCF FISCAL YEAR 2021
WUCF PROJECTED OPERATING REVENUES 14% Community Service Grants funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting $1,318,275
3% Community Service Grants funded by the Department of Education, State of Florida 320,400
17% Appropriation from the University of Central Florida 1,631,335
36% Membership 3,375,000
5% Underwriting 440,000
2% Rental Income 208,000
22% Miscellaneous support 2,070,773
TOTAL OPERATING REVENUES $9,363,783
38% Personnel $3.562.003
1% Dues/Membership 61.559
6% Professional services 550,078
WUCF PROJECTED OPERATING EXPENSES 1% Freelance services 72,000
3% Supplies 296,119
3% Pledge premiums 296,400
20% Syndicated content/PBS program dues 1,869,010
1% Other operating 104,183
1% Repairs and maintenance 123,700
1% Telecommunications 102,068
1% Equipment and software 88,700
3% Rent 301,131
1% Utilities 128,800
1% Travel 94,000
3% Transmission services 297,156
14% Miscellaneous expenses 1,318,031
TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES $9,264,938 19 VIEWERS LIKE YOU
Charitable contributions from more than 23,000 individuals and families from Central Florida enable WUCF to provide our viewers with quality programming, educational engagement and lifelong learning opportunities.
From PBS classics to jazz that inspires, community support makes it all possible!
WUCF Passport is a benefit that provides WUCF members extended on-demand access to a rich library of quality public television programs.
Total Donors: 23,000+ “It’s times like these that
Increase of New Donors: we should all realize how important it is to care 27% about the things we hold Total Number of Sustaining Donors: dear to us. PBS and WUCF 44% are part of that.” - Edward H. Average WUCF Donor Gift: $150
20 TECHNOLOGY WUCF PROMISES TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO MEET CURRENT AND EMERGING SERVICES WUCF operates seven different broadcast streams on a number of platforms, that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This requires a reliable and redundent technological backbone to the entire operation.
WUCF manages two antenna sites, with the TV antenna and transmitter in East Orange County and the FM antenna in Research Park near UCF.
This year, highlights include: • In January, installation of new antenna equipment as part of the Plan to Rescan project, mandated by the FCC. • Following the installation, an equipment fire in our transmission line at the tower site caused WUCF to go off-air for many viewers for several weeks until a fix was implemented. • In February, WUCF began streaming live on YouTube TV. • In September, WUCF launched free local livestreaming on its website wucf.org, PBS.org, and the PBS Video app on Roku, Android Mobile, Amazon Fire tablets, iOS, tvOS, and Chromecast.
21 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
22 UCF PARTNERSHIP
WUCF IS A SOLID FISCAL INVESTMENT
For every $1 UCF invests in WUCF, the station OUTSIDE REVENUE generates $5 in outside revenue, including GENERATION grant support and capital funding. UCF investment IN TOTAL VALUE, WUCF RETURNS NEARLY $30 MILLION IN VALUE TO UCF BASED ON ORLANDO MARKET RATE ADVERTISING COSTS.
WUCF PUBLIC MEDIA FELLOWSHIP
Since 2017, WUCF has offered the WUCF In its role as part of the larger educational Public Media Fellowship, a school-to-work mission of the university, WUCF seeks to program. UCF undergraduate students leverage our scale of having a full-time are invited to this one credit experiential professional media resource on campus to learning opportunity as a way to provide create a school-to-work pathway for students. a pathway for students to leverage their participation in a strong academic WUCF program by applying what they learn in a Student Producer professional media environment. WUCF Internship
WUCF Class Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 3
23 2020 WUCF Community Partners “Discussions like this help give a voice to 98.5 The Wire AEG Presents something you see in the headlines and it’s Aerospace Center for Excellence important to talk about the issues that impact American Space Museum Amway Center the community. WUCF is important in making Antique Association of Arcadia these discussions happen.” -Mark from Orlando Atlantic Center for the Arts Bach Festival Boardwalk Bowl Bok Tower Gardens Brevard County Libraries Bridge the Gap Coalition Total Social Media Followers: Caravan Tours Central Florida Community Arts Central Florida Foundation Central Florida Jazz Society 17,550 Central Florida Zoo Central Florida Veg Fest Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art Total Programming Hours (all channels): City of Casselberry City of Cocoa Beach City of Orlando Coca Cola Florida 61,152 College Park Main Street Cornell Fine Arts Museum Crawford Entertainment Crealde School of Art Cresent CPAs Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Duke Energy “I wanted to reach out and say thank you for the Early Learning Coalition of Orange Co. information and resources that you have provided Early Learning Coalition of Seminole Co. East Orlando Chamber of Commerce during these hard times to our communities. We Embrace Families included WUCF information in our newsletter.” ” Enzian Theater Eustis Memorial Library -Mayra from Orlando Exploration Tower Florida Department of Health Florida Cancer Specialists Florida Dept. of Transportation Florida Dept. of Veterans Affairs Florida Division of Emergency Management Florida Historical Society Total Hours of Local Programming (2019): Florida KidCare Florida Kids & Family Expo Florida Prepaid College Board Florida Public Utilities Company 123 Florida Southern College FL Thoroughbred & Breeding Owners’ Assoc. Florida Counts Census 2020 Fred Rogers Productions Frog Song Organics Total Hours of Music Across 2 Stations: Frontier Nursing Global Peace Film Festival Growing Bolder Heidi’s Jazz Club 17,520 Hispanic Heritage Committee of Greater Orange County Kissimmee Medical Arts “I just wanted to applaud you and your team for Lake County Library System Lake County Schools this wonderful programming. Your address below Lakeview Terrace is very poignant and, once again, Mr. Rogers Leesburg Public Library teaches us compassion and empathy.” Light Up UCF Love Your Shorts Film Festival -Tiffany from Orlando Mad Cow Theatre Marion County Public Library System 24 2020 WUCF Community Hours of Free Professional Development: Partners
Massey Services 1,203 Matrix2 Swan Lake Mediterranean Blue Mental Health Association of Central Florida Mount Dora Center for the Arts Attendees to WUCF Events: My Gym Orlando National Association of Asian American Professionals – Orlando Chapter Nicholson School of Communication 31,000 O2B KIDS! Ocala/Marion Co. Chamber & Economic Partnership Orange County Asian Committee Orange County Library System Orange County Public Schools “So happy that YouTubeTV has added WUCF TV Orange County Regional History Center to its lineup. PBS NewsHour is the only news Orange Cycle of Orlando Orlando Health program that delivers a variety of news without Orlando Philharmonic political spin. Don’t agree with everything they Orlando Science Center Orlando Shakespeare Theater say, however. Glad they do it with dignity and Osceola Arts integrity..” -Alan from Daytona Beach Osceola Christian Prep Osceola Library System Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida Peer Support Space Piano Distributors Prevent Child Abuse Florida Rollins College Ryder Foundation WUCF Hosted Events: School District of Osceola County Second Harvest Food Bank Seminole County Public Library Seminole County Public Schools 95 Sesame Workshop ShuffieldLowman Sonny’s BBQ Space Florida Straz Center Opera Tampa Strider Events Sumter County Library System Total Membership to WUCF TV & FM: TastyChomps.com Ten Thousand Villages The REP Theatre UCF College of Arts & Humanities 23,730 UCF Foundation UCF Legal Studies UCF Marketing Peace and Justice Institute at Valencia College “We are excited about this opportunity to provide UCF School of Performing Arts United Arts meaningful instruction to students over the Visit Central Florida summer and throughout the year with WUCF. Visit Gainesville Utilizing our talented teachers to present the Volusia County Public Library Volusia County Schools standards-aligned content guarantees the rigor VoLo Foundation required for student mastery and it offers parents Wild Florida Window World of Central Florida a valuable resource to assist with their child’s Winter Park Health Foundation learning” -Dr. Barbara Jenkins, Winter Park History Museum Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Writer’s Block Bookstore
25 Office of the President
Alexander Mike Kilbride Cartwright VP Admin & President Operational Innovation
2020 Board of Trustees
Beverly Seay Alex Martins Ken Bradley Joseph Conte Danny Gaekwad Joseph Sabrina La Rosa Board Chair Board Vice Chair Harrington
Caryl McAlpin Harold Mills Michael Okaty John Sprouls David Walsh William Yeargin
Dr. Phil Hoffman Rachelle Anderson Jennifer Cook Bill Dotson Rita Echeverria Duilio Mariola Kayonne Riley Executive Director of Sr. Dir. of Content Director of Director of Director of Director of Radio Director Development & Engagement Operations Finance & Admin Production & HR
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12461 Research Parkway, Suite 550 Orlando, FL 32826-3203 WUCF.org