Coleman Insights and Greater Public are teaming up on a new research study. It focuses on the state of underwriting in public radio.
What We Know: The two organizations will debut The State of Public Radio Underwriting at the Public Media Growth Conference in Chicago, July 8-10. Coleman Insights will recruit participants at Booth 22. After the event, researchers will conduct one-on-one online interviews with underwriting and sponsorship professionals nationwide. Findings will be released exclusively through a fall webinar.
What’s at Stake: Public radio underwriting revenue faces mounting pressure from shifting advertiser expectations and growing competition. Digital sponsorship opportunities are expanding, but stations aren’t always equipped to capitalize. Team structure, training gaps, and measurement challenges compound the problem. Without better data, stations risk leaving significant revenue on the table.
What Remains Unclear: The study hasn’t launched yet, so specific findings aren’t available. It’s also unclear how many stations will participate or how broadly the results will apply. Whether smaller markets will be proportionally represented remains an open question.
What It Means: This research arrives at a critical moment for public media sustainability. Coleman Insights President Warren Kurtzman says the underwriting environment is evolving quickly. Stations need practical, research-backed strategies to strengthen revenue performance. This study could provide exactly that kind of roadmap.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.
