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Research: Mapping Public Radio’s Independent Landscape – Project Summary & Goals

Excerpt from application to CPB: September 9, 2002
Written by Sue Schardt,SchardtMEDIA

Working with the independents that have called me over the years has fostered my belief that creative radio really matters. – Alyne Ellis, former Editor of News/Culture Desk @ NPR

SchardtMEDIA is proposing a unique collaboration that is designed to a) ascertain contributions and the value – qualitatively and quantitatively – of the independent producer community to the public radio system and b) to turn key findings into action-recommendations for the system at large. This groundbreaking study, which will seek financial support from a broad range of station, network, national productions, and professional organizations, aims to provide the public radio system with a clear view of how the independent producer fits into programming landscape and serves public radio listeners.

In order to best ascertain the value of the contributions independent producers may make in serving the growing public radio audience, and their relationship to the overall health and well-being of the industry, SchardtMEDIA, working with George Bailey of Walrus Research and researcher Craig Oliver, seeks CPB’s support for the first comprehensive study to “chart public radio’s creative landscape.”

The goals of the project are to:

a) develop a "profile" of the public radio independent producer

b) chart the economics of independent content in public radio

c) identify perceptual differences, if any, between the producer community and the acquiring community

Activities will include determining, among other things, what contributions independents make to the system in terms of hours of content, program length that independents prefer or gravitate towards, and establish a ranking of which programs and formats utilize independent content.

Overall, the findings of this study will provide producers, networks, and stations with a strong and objective basis for understanding what relative value independent programming brings to the system. The study will also form the basis for developing new and innovative strategies to better serve radio’s growing audience by identifying strengths and weakness of this particular constituency so as to rectify or strengthen, as the case may be.

Another critical component of the study concerns the economics of the public radio system relative to independents. Currently, indications are that producers are primarily locked into the NPR economy. This is perhaps due to a number of factors, including longevity of the relationship between NPR and independents (call it habit, if you will), the fact that NPR economic infrastructure accommodates independent work more than any other in public radio, and also the fact that NPR’s programming vehicles and staffing may be best suited to accommodate independent work. The fact is, however, that NPR’s total operating budget is $75 million, while the industry as a whole is a half-billion dollar economy. Are there ways in which independents can better access that larger economy? This study will reveal a broader picture and provide glimpses of how this may already be accomplished : through producer-station partnerships, or

through the diversifying radio content that is suitable for alternative channels such as Internet, satellite radio, or video. The hope and aim is that "Mapping Public Radio’s Independent Landscape" will provide actionable findings to benefit emerging projects such as the Radio Exchange, Living on Earth’s Internet development project, the Public Radio Collaboration, and the Weekend Project by informing project leaders and innovators what role independents can play, and how the economics of such relationships might work to the advantage of producers, acquirers, and ultimately, the listener in establishing new pipelines into the economy of the public radio as a whole.

Finally, the expectation is that, through the process of systematic gathering, convening and dialoguing, the "Mapping Public Radio’s Independent Landscape" will unify and strengthen a broad coalition of independents, station managers, content acquirers, network executives, etc… who may value the contributions of independent producers, and help to provide a comprehensive system-wide context which will, ultimately help to build public radio’s programming service to its listeners.

All details and ideas outlined in this document are proprietary and confidential and intended only for the recipient. No portion of it may be reproduced or disseminated without the any expressed permission of SchardtMEDIA.