Plan to Grow Public Radio Audiences Consulting Services
Frequently Asked Questions
What brought about this project? What is the background on the project?
Since its earliest days, public radio programming has seen a steady increase in audience. This audience increase ramped up dramatically in the decade from 1993 to 2003. However, over the last four years, audiences for public radio programming have been flat to slightly declining. Listeners are beginning to tune away from the public radio programs and formats that have served them so well for so long. CPB is initiating this public radio system-wide effort in FY 08 to identify ways stations and national producers can reinvigorate existing program services and increase listening through service to new audiences.
What is the total amount of the funds or grant pool available for this project?
The total pool of funds available for the project is $250,000.
What is the timeframe of the decisions of which proposal will be selected? What is the anticipated start date of the project?
The deadline for proposals is October 31, 2007. We anticipate announcing the award of the project approximately six weeks after the proposal deadline.
What is the timeframe to carry out the project? What is influencing or driving the 9-month time frame?
CPB expects this project to be completed within the FY 08 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008).
Are there any additional date constraints that we should consider?
No.
The RFP outlines a number of project objectives. Is there any priority order to these objectives?
No. The project objectives are in no particular order.
Will CPB look favorably upon projects that include partnerships with other organizations?
CPB will give projects that include partnerships with other organizations full consideration. It is at the applicant's discretion to decide with which organizations it might partner.
Will CPB consider combining parties who submit separate applications if it deems that individuals with a combination of experiences and skill sets would provide the best results for this project?
Possibly. We'll evaluate this after we have had the opportunity to review the proposals.
The proposal requires that system leaders be convened and consulted. Does CPB have a specific meeting format in mind (i.e. an audience building summit, or a series of individual consultations) to accomplish this goal?
We do not have a specific format in mind meeting for convening and consulting with system leaders. Applicants are free to suggest the meeting format they think will achieve the best results.
Does CPB have a specific set of constituencies it feels should be included in this process?
We're seeking system consensus and acceptance of audience goals. To achieve that end it would seem natural to include network and stations representatives and other system leaders in the discussion. We're looking for your best thinking on who should be involved and what process to use.
Are their any other external stakeholders (not including the radio system leaders) that you expect to participate in this project?
We expect the successful applicant to identify internal and external stakeholders in their proposal.
How many radio system leaders do you expect to participate in this project?
And, where are their locations? We expect the successful applicant to outline these aspects of the project in their proposal.
Do any working groups or governance structures exist that the project will draw upon?
Public broadcasting in general and public radio in particular is a decentralized system. Perhaps the group with the most affinity for this project is the Public Radio Program Directors group. But there is currently no established working group or governance structure within the PRPD or elsewhere to address this issue.
Is there an existing audience growth strategy? If so, will it be available for review either prior to proposal submission or after award?
Individual stations and program producers often have specific audience growth strategies. But no system-wide growth strategy currently exists in public radio.
By listening targets, does CPB mean specific numerical or percentages in measurable audience growth?
Yes.
Are there any other relevant documents that are available for review prior to the proposal submission timeframe?
The Radio Research Consortium (RRC) has documents on its website which discuss the state of the public radio system's audience.
Are there any additional decision criteria, not mentioned in the RFP, that CPB has for choosing a consultant?
No.