Rural Programming Initiative
Final Report, KUFM

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1. You set some programming-related goals for your station when we began this project.
Please describe which ones you have accomplished; which ones you are still working on and where you are in that process; which ones you have abandoned and why you abandoned them.

The goal to increase regular listeners to 80% was not achieved. In fact, regular listeners decreased overall during the period of the study. Our fringe listening has increased, as might be expected. Another survey (by Eastlan) shows that KUFM is the number one station in the market M-F 6A-MN, A+25.

We did extend ME to 8:00 a.m. on weekdays, a programming change that was well received by listeners.

The noon hour programming remains unchanged and is performing about the same as always. The BBC news block at noon was popular during the war.

We have begun a more consistent training regimen for on-air staff including air checks, scheduled technique workshops and more consistent goal setting and performance reviews. This has improved our overall on-air sound and professionalism.

Performance Today is less consistently programmed that it was in 2001. It performs poorly during fundraising and has been dropped on Tuesdays. It is part of a classic music block on Thursday evenings as well as MWF afternoons.

We made the Weekend Edition broadcasts consistent - 9-11a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

2. Has there been a financial impact-either directly or indirectly-as a result of your participation in this project? (For example, has membership increased or decreased; have you used the research to get new underwriters or raise your rates; have you used the research in seeking and getting grants). Please tell us the percentage increase or decrease in financial support since the summer of 2001 that can be tied to programming and/or the use of the research.

There has been a slight increase in membership but it would be difficult to say what percentage is due to the project. By making KUFM more user friendly by selective programming changes I assume that we have engendered more loyalty and ownership among our listeners. I would attribute up to a 10% increase in funding as the direct result of program changes.

3. Please summarize what you have learned about programming and listening at your station as a result of your participation in this project.

KUFM radio has a long history of local programming. As more and more national programming became available, the station - under the guidance of program director and station manager, Terry Conrad - maintained a local personality. Many programs, including children's programs, were rare genres even in public radio. As the station matured and NPR news programming became more of mainstay of our listeners, we began to look at ways to balance the listener requests for changes in our schedule. One compromise was to split the early morning between classical music and news, ending Morning Edition on the half hour and switching to music. Ultimately we made the decision to extend our news, cut back somewhat on classical music and reshape the classical block to include fewer interruptions. (A plan that was later supported by the PRPD study that concluded that classical music listeners consider any non-music program element to be an interruption.)

The initial programming change was generally well accepted. Some classical music listeners were perturbed but somewhat mollified when we explained the more consistent block of classical music in the mornings. This early success has encouraged further adjustments to the schedule. KUFM is still dedicated to local programming and still has a distinct character. It is also more predictable with better vertical flow through the day. We have made the weekend broadcast times of Weekend edition consistent, although we moved our Saturday morning children's program up an hour to do it. That change still brings the most negative comments of any program adjustment.

The Rural Programming Initiative supported our consideration of changing a program schedule that had been stable for years. The changes were good ones, the reaction from listeners has been positive. The changes have been difficult for some staff members. The former program director, now retired, is a respected mentor and friend. His close identification with the station has made it difficult for some to accept the changes. The positive reaction of listeners has helped make the case that KUFM can grow, serve our listeners in a different manner and still respect our roots and mission.

4. Can you generalize from anything you have learned about programming and listening at your station that would be useful for other rural public radio stations?

Make sure that you stay "rural." I don't think many big city PDs or consultants understand the unique character of radio in small communities. We have many constituents to serve and many loyal listeners who consider us neighbors and acquaintances. A more corporate sound is a negative - a more professional sound is a positive. Our listeners want us to represent the best of the community. We need to know our stuff, sound prepared and informed and be able to match the professionalism of the national programming.