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Be Sure It’s A Non-Profit ...
March 1, 2022
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Be careful when it comes to working with lesser known charitable organizations. At a station that I was programming, I'd inherited a situation with a non-profit that the station had been working with for years. Because of several listener complaints about the organization, I made some phone calls to check on some things.
I Found Out …
The organization's founder had turned the reins over to his son several years prior to me coming aboard at the station. Unfortunately, his son neglected paperwork to retain non-profit status and even worse, he'd turned the organization into his personal bank. It came out later in legal proceedings that the gentleman had pocketed a lot of money designated for administrative costs.Fool Me Once ...
Because of that incident, for the rest of my programming career, I would recheck the status of every non-profit prior to doing business with them. I would also check with the state to make sure an organization was on file and had its 501(c)(3) non-profit tax exemption. It is a good idea to keep such paperwork on file for all non-profit organizations that you're currently working with.Make Sure...
If the non-profit charity is legitimate, the best way to handle event tickets is to have promotions give them away in the streets as part of a prize package. Make sure that the live mentions given are included in the street-hit call-backs. Once all the tickets have been given away, provide the organization with documentation for the number of times their event was mentioned. Also get with the sales manager and place a dollar value per mention for the non-profit's records and station’s.How To Calculate ...
Though not sales related, I would assume the sales manager would apply whatever the station rate is for live mentions. All documentation given to the 501(c)(3) should be placed in the station's public file. It will look good when the station license is up for renewal.It's Always A Good Look ...
Whenever a 501(c)(3) organization is involved, you'll get promotional mileage. It becomes a high-visibility event and there's a chance for sales to involve clients in a feel-good opportunity. Be sure to include the event and the sponsors on all the station's platforms and social media.Best Buds...
I mentioned sales and sponsors. Let me go deeper. In manager meetings encourage the sales manager to let the non-profit event be reflected in a sponsor’s regularly aired commercials too. I can't think of any advertiser that wouldn't love to be tied into a community event as part of their annual agreement. On the national side, agencies are always looking for image branding opportunities for clients.Remember ...
All recorded and live liners need to appear on the log for documentation purposes. Coordinate with sales and traffic to separate sales related from promotional air inventory. Make sure your logo is on all the organization's promotional materials, including television spots and tickets. This is a win-win for all concerns.Better Safe Than Sorry ...
Another important issue is insurance, make sure to get a copy of the insurance coverage the non-profit has taken out for the live event. Remember, if your station's name is attached and something goes wrong, all bases should be covered. It costs pennies to take out extra insurance for a one-time event.Details Win Out ...
I can't say this enough, everything aired for any charitable event should be documented and given a dollar amount. That includes interviews and all visibility given on all station platforms. If your station doesn't log recorded promos/liners and live liners, keep track of the number of airings and have the final totals notarized for everyone's files. -
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