A business partnership opportunity with The Promise FM

What are Business Partnership Announcements?
Why Become a Business Partner with The Promise FM?
What can be included in a Business Partnership Announcement?
Samples of Business Partnership Announcements.
Who do I contact about Business Partnership Announcements?
Standard for Business Partners


What are Business Partnership Announcements?
The Promise FM's four frequencies (90.5 fm Gaylord, 91.1 fm Cadillac, 102.3 fm Sault Ste. Marie and 106.1 fm Tawas City) are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission as “non-commercial educational stations”. As such, we are not permitted to raise funds through conventional advertising. We can, however, acknowledge contributions made by businesses. These acknowledgements are referred to as Business Partnership Announcements. Business Partnership Announcements differ from advertising in some important legal aspects, but beyond that, our Business Partnership Announcements have a distinctly different “feel” and “appeal” to our listeners. The Promise FM'slisteners value the fact that our Business Partnership Announcements DO NOT sound like the commercials that they may hear (and tune out) on other radio stations. We don’t use yelling, gimmicks or hype in producing our announcements. Instead, our announcements are intended to THANK and ACKNOWLEDGE important ministry partners for helping to keep The Promise FM on the air. Our listeners value our Christ-centered programming, and therefore are grateful to know which area businesses are helping to make it possible.

The Promise FM:

• is a growing non-profit radio network that reaches a potential audience of over 900,000 listeners every day.
• targets listeners between the ages of 25 and 54.

The Promise FM listeners:

• are extremely loyal, and often will not listen to other radio stations because of their dedication to spiritual and family values.

• WANT to know which businesses in their area support their values.

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Why Become a Business Partner with The Promise FM?

• Christian radio listeners ascribe an incredible amount of loyalty to their station. 20.9% of Christian radio listeners listen exclusively to Christian radio.* These loyal listeners will most likely not hear advertising on other radio stations. Our listeners want to support businesses that share their strongly held values and beliefs.

• Christian radio is a message-oriented medium. In a day when radio stations are nothing more than background mediums, people tune to Christian radio for the message it conveys. Your business name will become linked to the values and messages that we promote.

• It’s mobile. It reaches people in their homes, vehicles and businesses. No matter where you travel throughout much of northern Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, our programming and your name can be heard.

• 77% of all adults tune in to radio for more than three hours every day**. Radio is a great place for people to hear about you.

• The number one reason to underwrite on The Promise FM is because you believe in the eternal, life-changing impact that this ministry is making in the lives of our listeners every day across Michigan and Ontario. Thank you for your support that makes it possible.

*Simmons Market Research **Radio Advertising Bureau

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What can be included in a Business Partnership Announcement?

Creating a Business Partnership Announcement Business Partnership Announcements can include:

• The name of your business (unless it contains a call to action or qualitative statement)
• Street Address
• Web site (if easily remembered)
• Hours of operation
• General products and services provided

Total length must be 15 seconds or less. The announcements can not include: *A call to action “stop by, call now, visit our showroom” *Qualitative statements about products, prices or promotion of a sales event: “largest selection, newest model, best in town, finest styles, state of the art, liquidation, prices reduced”

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Samples of Business Partnership Announcements

Example #1

Prohibited Announcement:

“A portion of today’s programming is underwritten by Speedy Lube, where you can now get a 10-point lube for the unbelievably low price of just $12.99. So come on down to 115 Main Street for fast, reliable service.”

Permitted Announcement:

“A portion of today’s programming is underwritten by Speedy Lube, located at 115 Main Street, Petoskey. Speedy Lube provides oil changes and other types of car maintenance services. Our thanks to Speedy Lube in Petoskey for supporting Northern Christian Radio.”

Analysis: The first example mentions price and contains two calls to action.

The second identifies the sponsor, provides an address, as well as establishes a relationship with The Promise FM without giving prices, a call to action or using qualitative language.

More Script Samples

This portion of today’s programming is brought to you by Bill and Marsha McKinley at Sports Galore in Oscoda. Sports Galore offers used sporting equipment for kids and adults. Sports Galore is proud to be a partner with The Promise Fm in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ.

The Promise FM says thanks to our business partner: Little Joe’s in Cheboygan. Little Joe’s is open weekdays from 5:30am to 9pm serving breakfast, lunch and supper. Josh and Sandy Cooper, owners of Little Joe’s encourage you to “give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

( *Day Sponsorships: Day Sponsorships are also available to businesses for $720. Day Sponsorships must be used to honor a friend, church, anniversary, etc. Day Sponsorships can not be used to describe a business or to promote an event. Day Sponsorship announcements (30 seconds in length) will run 8 times throughout the selected day. )

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Standards for Business Partnerships
The Promise FM’s ability to raise funds from businesses is dependent on the public service we provide to listeners in our communities and the credibility of our organization, including our Business Partner program. To that end, we strive to adhere to the following principles, which maintain the non-commercial nature of our programming and uphold both the letter and spirit of the underwriting guidelines as set forth by the Federal Communications Commission. Principle #1 All underwriting content will be in keeping with the programming, principles and core values of The Promise FM. On-air promotion of items or businesses whose primary revenue comes from the sale of tobacco products, alcohol or gambling will not be accepted. In addition, sponsorship by individual-to-individual type businesses can not be accepted. (ie: multi-level marketing businesses and individuals desiring to market specific audio or video recordings and publications) Principle #2 No Business Partner will be allowed to monopolize on-air time to the detriment of The Promise FM’s programming. The Platinum Level Partnership will provide the maximum number of on-air announcements given to any single organization, regardless of the amount of their financial contributions to The Promise FM. Principle #3 The Promise FM reserves the right to not accept or to discontinue any Business Partnership announcements from organizations whose reputation has come under public scrutiny or received negative press that could harm the credibility or reputation of The Promise FM by association. Principle #4 NThe Promise FM will carefully guard our commercial-free sound. The Promise FM has a distinctive uncluttered, non-commercial sound that is important to our listeners. We will protect this sound through carefully limiting the total number of Business Partnership announcements that air each hour and throughout the day.

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Who do I contact about Business Partnership Announcements?
For personal service in becoming a Promise FM Business Partner, call John Rakis at 800-545-8857 or email jrakis@ncradio.org.

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