Rural Programming Initiative
Summary #1, WTIP

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What did you learn about listening to your station and your Listeners from the first round of research?
One of the most significant things we learned was that our listeners prefer our locally produced programs more than those received from our sister station, KUMD out of Duluth. Our local programs are produced from 9:00 am - 10:00 am and again from 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm weekdays - the survey reflected a decline in listenership after 10:00 am and then recovered around 4:00 pm. We learned that the on average, WTIP listeners are from 35-44 years old, have a household income of $30,000-$50,000 and are college graduates.

Based on the research and other information you have, what are your programming strengths and weaknesses?
WTIP has a partnership with another public station out of Duluth, KUMD. When WTIP is not broadcasting from its' studios, we simulcast KUMD's signal during the weekend and between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm weekdays. One of WTIP's main weaknesses is our lack of control over programming received from our sister station KUMD and making it consistent with our locally produced sound. One of our strengths is our locally produced programs and in particular, our Community Calendar shows which provide a forum for community members and organizations to disseminate information on happenings, issues, and events in the community. Being that our local news paper comes out but once a week we are able to provide information in a more timely fashion. Another one of WTIP's strengths is our locally produced music programs which feature an eclectic variety of genres not found anywhere else in our listening area.

What is the process you are using to decide on programming changes?
Although WTIP does have a Program Director, the bulk of programming changes & additions are decided by the Programming Committee. With the recent presence of Minnesota Public Radio in our listening area, we have been re-analyzing the role and necessity of national and international news on our Community Calendar shows. We are putting a stronger emphasis on local news and events and alternative news sources. In a nutshell, the combination of Minnesota Public Radio and the survey results have shown us that we need to focus on local issues as a priority.

What program changes have you made?
When Minnesota Public Radio came to our listening area we dropped our classical music show since MPR carries classical music 24/7 on their second station. In terms of other schedule changes, we added a nostalgic music program after a very popular call-in trivia show on Friday nights in an effort to increase our TSL. We also added a Saturday afternoon sports talk show featuring local sports, high-school athletics and regional outdoor activities. In addition, we committed to providing more live broadcasts of sports including high-school athletics and regional events such as the local dog sled race. Our intention with added sports programming is to make the occasional listeners become core listeners. As mentioned previously, we have brought in more representatives of civic organizations and community leaders to keep the public updated on local issues.

What have you learned about these changes so far?
We feel that the changes made have been successful due to the feedback from listeners. We also increased our support from local businesses through underwriting dollars by broadcasting live sports.