Underwriting
Interested in underwriting HQR? It's a unique way to market your business!
Underwriting, by definition, is recognition over the air for a business that provides financial support. It can be described as a marriage of philanthropy and marketing, demonstrating your business's goodwill through support of a respected non-profit community service, while sharing your message with an exceptionally devoted audience who are otherwise hard to reach through traditional media.
Underwriters enjoy a variety of benefits, including:
- Reaching our Audience - The HQR audience is more educated, which leads to affluence. They tend to have above average discretionary income, and they value the community service that HQR offers.
- Uncluttered Environment - The on-air environment on HQR is generally free of clutter, with minimal and non-intrusive underwriting messages airing throughout the day. There is very little audience tune-out, and listeners are more engaged when your message is aired.
- Image Building - Referred to as "The Halo Effect," by virtue of supporting HQR, your business develops a favorable image with our loyal listeners, making them more likely to purchase your products or services, and recommend them to others.
Who are WHQR's underwriting partners? Click here for a complete list of businesses that support us through underwriting, on HQR News 91.3 FM, Classical HQR 92.7 FM, through display advertising on WHQR.org., and at Cinematique (co-presented by WHQR and Thalian Hall.)
Contact Jeff Hunter, to learn more. E-mail underwriting@whqr.org.
Download our Media Kit:
Policies:
Conflicts of Interest
Potential conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest will be taken on a case-by-case basis. Good faith judgment should precede any pursuit or contract for underwriting. We are guided by what a reasonable listener would conclude about the relationship between the subject matter, the WHQR personnel or program, the journalists’ sources and the on air guests. Generally speaking, the broader the subject and the greater the frequency of coverage of the subject, the less risk of real or perceived conflict of interest.
Controversial issues and entities
Controversial issues and entities will be taken on a case-by-case basis, again, applying good faith judgment and “reasonable listener” thinking.
Where a large volume online bookstore may be controversial to retail booksellers, or a meat market may be controversial to vegans, we seek a higher standard of diversity and tolerance. Where issues may be perceived as controversial to the “reasonable listener,” or where the juxtaposition of entities may link them provocatively with controversial issues, our good faith judgment requires avoidance of such funders and situations. Language of any underwriting announcement must not imply advocacy of a position on controversial issues.
Politics
WHQR will not accept sponsorship from candidates for political office, campaign committees, or from organizations whose names by themselves might raise a political, controversial, or divisive issue.
An individual is considered to be a candidate for public office when that individual forms a campaign committee and/or begins campaign fundraising. Candidates for county, local, and school district elections, while not exempt from this policy, may be more difficult to detect. WHQR will discourage the use of day sponsorships for recognition (i.e., congratulations, thanks, etc) of individuals who may be candidates for office. In the 6 months prior to general elections and statewide primaries, we will give particular scrutiny to new message requests to avoid any underwriting and/or day sponsorships which may be perceived as political endorsements.
Preexisting underwriting and day sponsor relationships and messages will be honored unless otherwise not conforming to policies.