Transcript Comparing Commercial and Noncommercial Radio

Comparing Commercial
and Noncommercial
Radio
Kara Anderson
Description

Who I listened to:

KCPW (105.1 FM)- noncommercial NPR radio
serving Northern Utah with local, national and
international news.

KSL (1160 AM)- commercial newsradio station
based in Salt Lake City.
Description

Process

KCPW- Monday, March 10th, 2008 from 5 PM to 6
PM

KSL- Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 from 5 PM to 6
PM
Analysis

Topics reported:

KCPW



19 topics
4 topics repeated
KSL


24 topics
10 topics repeated
Analysis

News topics covered:

KCPW- mainly national/international news (13/19 stories)













Governor Spitzer prostitution scandal
Myers and Bolton contempt of congress
Mississippi Primary
United Auto Workers possible strike
Stock Market
War in Gauza Strip
Sumara rescue council in Iraq
Soldiers killed in Iraq
India workers sue oil rig in Texas
Casinos in Mississippi
Dubai expanding
New suspect in North Carolina shooting
Idaho State House Representatives documentary
Analysis

News topics covered:

KSL- mainly Utah stories (15 of 24 stories)














Gas Prices
Hate Groups
Violence in Jail
Wanda Barzee (Elizabeth Smart kidnapper)
Traffic and Weather
Ogden Economy
Sports
Immigrant harboring minors
Purgery Case
Infomercial Scandal
Man killing puppies
Riverdale road expansion
Draper high school
Utah business
Analysis

Same topics covered:





Governor Spitzer prostitution scandal
Mississippi Primary
Stocks
Weather
Gas Prices
Analysis

Length of stories

KCPW- 7 long stories (4+ minutes on same
subject vs. 30 or 45 seconds)

KSL- 1 long story

“Long” stories used clips, guests, interviews
Analysis

Reporting vs. Opinion

KCPW- mostly factual reporting



KSL- mostly factual reporting



Opinion with Obama and Amish in Pennsylvania
Opinion with Fredrick Wiseman and his documentary
Opinion with book review
Some opinion/ “chatter” between traffic, weather and sports
reporters.
Problem with opinion: could offend and bore
some listeners, causing them to change stations
Analysis

Use of field reporters:

KCPW



KSL


No Utah stories done by KCPW used field reporters.
National/International (NPR News) specified 4 field reporters.
 Governor Spitzer (New York)
 Sumara Rescue Council (Iraq)
 Mississippi casinos
 Dubai expansion
Specified 3 field reporters
 Governor Spitzer (New York)
 Space Center (Dallas)
 Mississippi Primary (Jackson)
Both used bigger stations (NPR and ABC) for field
reporting.
Analysis

Amount of Advertising/Funding

KCPW



22 sources of funding mentioned
1 source repeated (Putnam Foundation)
KSL


21 advertisers
3 advertisements repeated (Clean Water, Hoopes Vision,
and Seagull Books)
Analysis

Time used for advertising/funding

KCPW




Total time used to mention funding sources was
approximately 3 minutes and 40 seconds
Longest time for one funding source was 20 seconds
8 or 22 funding sources just mentioned the name of the
company
KSL


Total time used for advertising was approximately 18
minutes and 52 seconds
Commercials were usually about 1 minute in length
Analysis

Types of advertising/funding

KCPW



6 sources of funding were foundations/associations that
provided money through grants
Other business organizations generally did not mention the
product they were trying to sell
KSL


All companies were trying to sell a product
Exception: Teacher Feature Program
Interpretation

What does it mean?

Balance between reporting and opinion?

Biases?

Effect from advertising/funding?

Difference between commercial and noncommercial
radio?
Evaluation

Which station does a better job serving their
local audience?

KSL



Focuses on Utah stories
Stories are told quickly and the important ones are
repeated. Especially important since it was “drive time.”
Updates on traffic and weather every 10 minutes (“drive
time”)
Evaluation

1930s argument: noncommercial radio
stations serve narrow, special interests while
commercial stations serve capitalism and the
public interest.
Evaluation

Which station did you learn the most?

Which station was the most entertaining?
Engagement

Suggestions on how to make the
programming at each station better:

KCPW


Shorter stories to maintain attention from audience
KSL

Shorter advertising time (average commercial 30 seconds
instead of 60 seconds)