Financial donors are always asking if their association with Erin Radio is making a difference and advertisers constantly want to know how many people are tuning in and who exactly the listeners are.
Thanks to the help of a recent $29,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), the community radio station should soon be able to provide detailed answers.
“Those are the type of numbers we’ll be able to present to them,” said Jay Mowat, chair of Erin Radio’s board of directors.
He told the Advertiser the grant will be used “to produce a five-year marketing plan and Erin Radio’s first ever audience research study.” He explained the station is far too small to be part of larger surveys like the one conducted by Nielsen Media Research, so it has partnered with local firm Erin Research Inc. to produce its own.
“Without Erin Research and without the Trillium grant, we never would have been able to fund it on our own,” Mowat said, adding Erin Research has agreed to do half of the study for free.
The grant announcement, officially made on Dec. 14 by Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott and OTF representative Winston Uytenbogaart, intentionally coincides with the station’s expansion from 50 to 250 watts, which was approved in June by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
“That was the plan all along,” Mowat said of the moves, which will significantly increase the station’s coverage area.
On Tuesday evening during a live on-air presentation, Arnott said, “I want to express my sincere appreciation to Erin Community Radio on their outstanding and informative radio service.
“Our community will benefit from the expanded broadcast area as more listeners will enjoy their high quality programming.”
The marketing plan and audience study will help ensure the station is financially sustainable over the long term, and is well equipped to increase its audience base and commercial sales, Mowat explained.
“This Trillium grant will ensure that Erin Radio is a more essential and effective media voice within the Town of Erin,” said Mowat. “It couldn’t have come at a more important time in the history of the station.”
Erin Community Radio was formed to develop an alternative to commercial radio service that will be of direct interest to listeners in or near the Erin.
The station provides an opportunity for any individual, group or community located in the same market to create local radio programming.
For more information visit www.erinradio.ca.
