Public media sponsorships on radio and TV are a highly effective component of your overall marketing strategy. However, other platforms go beyond public broadcasting to amplify the effect when combined with your public media sponsorships. The public media audience is vast and extremely diverse, demonstrating that there is something for everyone. The audience is fairly evenly distributed between the age groups that comprise over 11 million weekly listeners of NPR-affiliated radio stations and 63.7 million primetime PBS viewers each month.
The reach is extended exponentially when combined with complementary mediums like digital, podcasts, events, and more. The way consumers access content continues to evolve, and both stations and sponsors are responding with multi-channel approaches. Let's look at some additional ways to expand your public media sponsorship.
Public media isn't limited to broadcast. Listeners and viewers of public media can stream their favorite local stations free of charge – a platform that grew in 2020 as consumers traded commuting for working from home.
Live streaming is interactive and engaging for the audience and effective for marketers. Streaming audiences are 40% more likely to purchase from sponsors on streamed shows.
When you combine the listenership on public radio with digital traffic, you not only get extended reach but a more engaged and focused audience. The flexibility of digital offers consumers the ability to engage with content when and where they want to, giving sponsors the opportunity to reach a quality audience that doesn't view sponsor messages as intrusive.
Most public media stations offer newsletter subscriptions, delivering the region’s news of the day or week to readers inboxes free of charge. With email newsletter sponsorship, sponsors can extend their reach to a target audience that has expressed interest in the content. This format is highly effective, earning an average open rate of 22%.
Podcasts are increasingly popular outlets for public media sponsors, experiencing steady growth during a time of unprecedented disruption. Infinite Dial 2021 research reveals that around 80 million Americans are weekly podcast listeners, up 17% from 2020. Furthermore, the podcast listening audience is now more diverse than ever. Today, 43% of the monthly podcast audience is non-white. In this growing landscape, there truly is a podcast for everyone.
Local station events are an excellent way to increase brand awareness by leveraging the local station hosts' popularity. Since they trust their public media, visitors feel good about supporting the sponsors.
For over 40 years, KUT Austin’s Cactus Café, a non-profit live music venue on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, has been the heart of the area’s singer-songwriter scene. Legendary songwriters Lucinda Williams and Lyle Lovett have graced the stage. The station’s live events are supported by public media sponsors, donors, and, of course, ticket sales.
The audience for public media is as strong as ever. Stations recognize that everyone doesn't sit in front of a television at prescribed times, nor are they always by the radio for their favorite shows. Public media goes where the audience is beyond public broadcasting, responding to their need for flexibility and catering content to their interests.
Sponsors of public radio and television get the benefit of the audience's trust and loyalty. It is further enhanced through site visits, podcasts, local events and more, increasing their brand's reach, engagement, and recognition. When you are ready to get started on your campaign, work with a public media partner to maximize the benefits of your public media sponsorship.