Underwriting

What’s Underwriting? Underwriting is a non-commercial announcement of support about your business or organization! You can underwrite KCSU by sponsoring specific programming or through pre-recorded announcements.

All underwriting spots help support students learning broadcast techniques, as well as our rotation of DJs throughout the semesters. 

To purchase underwriting, email christa.reed@colostate.edu or call (970) 538-7187. Thank you for supporting KCSU through underwriting acknowledgement.

Underwriting Content

KCSU’s broadcast is FCC compliant, which means we have very specific rules about can advertise on our broadcast. All KCSU underwriting is required to meet the rules enforced by the FCC. We reserve the right refuse underwriting requests that violate the FCC’s rulings and regulations. Political advertisement is strictly prohibited.

Underwritings can include business names, slogans, brands, trade names and service listings. 

• Requirements: Underwritings must be 30 seconds or less and cannot include the following;
  • Calls to Action (buy, sell, lease),
  • Qualitative Language (implying favorable comparisons to other businesses),
  • Non-Identifying Verbosity (excessive repetition of otherwise permissible identifying information; i.e. using terms like “handcrafted,” “smart,” “witty,”etc.)
  • Monetary Information/Value Statements. This includes, but is not limited to; Price, Figures, Discounts, or Saving (“Free” is also considered a Price). 
• Don’t stress, our KCSU production director is very educated on these rules and will create a script for you. If you have questions on the process of creating a script or underwriting, contact production@kcsufm.com

Rates, Specifics, and Definitions

Mentions: A 10-second or less announcement of an organization’s services or purpose.

Show Sponsorships: Shows typically follow music, public affairs, news, or sport themes. We recommend contacting us to help pair your organization with the right show. See the bottom for more information about show sponsorships. 

Public Service Announcement: PSAs are not underwritings. Check our Services page to see if your organization is eligible for a PSA. 

Air Times: KCSU’s broadcast is always running, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We will try to honor requests for specific airing times, but reserve the right to select air time due to technical or schedule limitations.

 

Live Read Show Sponsorship 

$75 per show: Approximately 10 seconds each. A DJ of your choice will incorporate your announcement into their show, including the name and brief description of your organization. This occurs 6 times during their 2-hour live show.

 

KCSU Newscast Sponsorship

$50 per day: 10 second message. Message airs during each of seven, 3-minute local newscasts. Our newscast broadcasts on every odd hour from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m..

KCSU airs an up to date newscast about happenings in our Northern Colorado listening area. We will announce your support at the beginning of the newscast and read a brief description of your services at the end. That’s 7 total mentions.

Broadcast Sponsorship

CSU Women’s Volleyball and Men’s Baseball Sponsorship

$500 per sponsorship: Support the exclusive radio broadcast of the CSU Women’s Volleyball home games (fall semester) and Men’s Baseball home games (spring semester). KCSU mentions your business throughout the game. The mentions average 4 per hour for up to 5 sponsors with roughly 20 games in a season. Games are about 2 to 4 hours in duration.

• Forecasted broadcasts include: 15 home & 3 away games and MWC & NCAA tournament games.
• Your logo is featured on print, digital, and social media ads promoting live game-day broadcasts.
• CSU volleyball broadcasts are live on 90.5 FM, streamed online at kcsufm.com or on the KCSU app. 

 

DJ-Athon

During week 12 of the semester, KCSU hosts a live, one-week, on-air fundraiser each semester to keep us on air. This helps pay for the programs you love and the students who produce them. To help us meet this goal, we have an exclusive broadcast sponsorship called a…

Matching Challenge Grant!

$100 or more: We ask businesses, organizations, and regular people to donate Matching Challenge Grants; a certain amount of money pledged to KCSU for DJ-Athon. The DJs then asks listeners on-air to donate up to “match” the same amount of the grant. If we meet the grant, your organization donates the full amount.

We love Matching Challenge Grant donors, so we thank them for their support on radio and on social media! For every $100 that you donate, we will mention your business and services a minimum of 10x on air, plus, we’ll post about your business on Facebook. We will adjust your radio mentions and Facebook posts according to any amount you can contribute! Check out the examples below.

                           

                       

 

Podcast Season Sponsorship (Coming Soon)