NPR Board

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2002 Public Radio ConferenceManaging Change



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To Change or Not to Change

• A Tale of Two StationsWKSU and WUNC

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Eric Nuzum

• Director of Programming and Operations, WKSU

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Listening to classical music on WKSU had been on
long term decline

• Local classical music listener hours

Local classical music listener hours (millions)
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WKSU Listener Hour Consumptionby Format
WKSU listener hours (millions)
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Loyalists to classical listen to news programs,
but they are less loyal.
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Disloyalists to classical show mixed loyalty.
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Changing formats would encourage Disloyalists
to listen more, but Loyalists would listen less
or not at all.
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Risk is significant
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(No Transcript)
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What can WKSU do that would persuade Loyalists
to listen the same amount, yet encourage
Disloyalists to listen more?
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Didnt change format, but refined approach

• Attitude towards format.
• Playlist selection broadened.
• Announcer approach and tone of talksets adjusted
  slightly.
• Appreciation of music instead of discovery of
  music.

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What is the WKSU listening experience?

• WKSU is a momentthat time when you have a few
  minutes to yourself at home. Work, the family,
  the household chores can wait for a little while.
  In your jeans and a denim shirt or that sweater
  your spouse won't let you wear in public anymore,
  you collapse into the leather chair in your den,
  library or living room, a warm drink at your
  elbow. You reach for that book or magazine you
  keep having to put down, the one you've been
  reading while everyone else is reading People or
  the latest product by John Grisham. You put your
  feet up, snuggle a little deeper into the depths
  of the chair and breathe a sigh. That moment,
  that feeling is WKSU.

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Growth in classical consumption in Fall 2001 and
Winter 2002
WKSU listener hours (millions)
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Chart looks similar, but shows encouraging shifts
in gains and loses
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Relative riskDo we worry too much about easy
decisions?
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Data and research should enlighten your thinking
and judgmentnot make decisions for you.
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The WUNC Story

• Changing middays using the language of listeners

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WUNC was a strong station before its changes

• Consistently attracted strong listenership
• Known for being the launch pad for respected
  broadcasters
• Consistently performed well in fundraising and
  underwriting support

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SOURCE Arbitron / RRC (Fall 91-95 97-99), ARA
(Fall 96)
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Midday Weakness is not unusual in Public Radio

• Many mixed-format stations see similar tentpoles,
  but not as pronounced as WUNC
• In Fall of 2000, researcher David Giovannoni
  reported that if the tentpole issue in middays
  was addressed system-wide, public radio would see
  a 6 increase in listening
• An assessment of WUNC determined that the station
  could achieve double the increase in listening if
  it addressed its midday problem

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But numbers were only part of the story

• WUNC lacked coherent focus
• WUNC had identified a need to be better at
  producing original programming in order to remain
  strong in the future
• WUNCs primary market was served by a full-time
  non-commercial classical music station with a
  very good signal
• WUNC was not content with resting on its laurels

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WUNC Change Steps

• Conducted focus groups of listeners
• Used focus group information and other data to
  inform strategic planning process
• Made decision to make program changes and began
  extensive stakeholder communication plan
• Reorganized staff to allow for daily program
  production
• Used information gathered in focus groups to
  explain the change process to listeners

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Key Points from Focus Groups

• WUNC was identified by listeners as an
  intelligent source of news and information
• Its classical music was indistinguishable from
  the full-time public classical station in the
  market
• News and Information-sounding language was used
  to describe WUNCs news and entertainment
  programming
• Classical music was not seen as WUNCs strength

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Listeners also helped inform communication
strategy

• Even people who did not like classical music
  expressed concern about it going away
• Listeners demonstrated that their prime benefits
  from WUNC came from its national news programming
• Listeners perceived WUNC as being a strong
  station and expressed an interest in ways the
  station could help other public broadcasters in
  the area
• Listeners were proud of WUNCs history as a
  launching pad for respected broadcasters

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Things we decided not to say

• Were really sorry we took away your classical
  music.
• Thisll help us make more money.
• The classical listeners were cheapskates and way
  too old for our liking.
• Every other public radio station is doing this.
  Were just riding the wave.

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More of what you expect from your NPR station

• More in-depth news from NPR and other respected
  public broadcasters
• More programs from WUNC that help put North
  Carolina in context
• Changes were made to help strengthen the range of
  offerings you get from North Carolina
  non-commercial radio stations
• Builds on WUNCs reputation as a leading NPR
  station

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(No Transcript)
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But numbers are only part of the story

• WUNC has focused on its strengths
• WUNC produces a daily program and has expanded
  its local news efforts
• Reassigned employees have found meaningful work
  at the station and even won awards
• WUNC still recognizes there is much work to do

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Feel Free to Try This at Home