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Ocean Shores board debates underwriting rates, aims for $25,000 over two years
Summary
Board members reviewed underwriting inventory, proposed a city-facing wholesale rate structure and a memorandum of understanding with North Beach Independent Media to raise roughly $12,500 a year for the station.
Board members discussed plans to grow station revenue through underwriting, an MOU with North Beach Independent Media (NIM) and a target of roughly $25,000 over two years to help sustain operations.
The board reviewed a typical-day worksheet showing the number and timing of underwriting “spots” (short paid mentions) across 24 hours and discussed what the city’s share should be. The spreadsheet used in the meeting counted the available 10–15 second spots on a representative day and produced a headline figure for expected spots; the board then used that to calculate a baseline “per spot” amount that would flow back to the city’s radio resource. Using the board’s arithmetic, the station would need approximately $12,500 a year (half of the $25,000 two‑year goal) to cover the city’s share, which the board translated into roughly $0.28 per spot as an illustrative baseline going back to the city.
Board members stressed this 28-cent-per-spot figure was an initial calculation meant to show the city-side wholesale baseline rather than the retail price a business would pay. Speakers emphasized that reseller fees and an administrative commission to North Beach Independent Media (described in the meeting as 10% of sales) are separate from the city’s baseline. The board discussed whether to move to a flat per-spot payment to the city (a fixed amount paid for each spot that runs) rather than a percentage share, and asked staff to develop a memorandum of understanding between the station and NIM to formalize wholesale rates and auditing procedures.
Members also discussed fundraising and event revenue as additional income sources: event remotes, festival background-music contracts and city-council meeting coverage were cited as recurring revenue streams (the meeting noted the city-council coverage produced roughly $500 a month under the current arrangements). Board members asked station staff for additional examples and brochures of underwriting packages to refine pricing tiers and to bring sample MOU language to a future meeting.
No binding rate or MOU was approved at this meeting; the board agreed to continue the underwriting discussion under old business at the next meeting and requested more data from station staff and NIM.
