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Get the Word Out

About Your Non-Profit or Community Organization and Events

Here are a few ideas for no-cost ways that WORT can help you get out the word about your organization and events.

(Note: Please remember that the content of all on-air offerings is determined by the volunteers who produce those programs. Staff members pass on information, but do not determine program content.)

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The Insurgent Radio Kiosk

Weekdays at 5am, 6:30am, 9am and 2pm

The Insurgent Radio Kiosk is a five minute segment that includes a two-minute commentary, the day-in-history, and a calendar of free and low-cost community events. Event announcements are generally run on the day of the event or on Friday for the Weekend Action Calendar. For on-going announcements or events requiring pre-registration, send in the announcement well in advance of your deadline and ask the Kiosk producers to include this item as often as time allows.

Kiosk Announcements

Prepare a two or three sentence description with all of the essential details - name of sponsoring organization, time, place, contact person, phone number, and ticket cost, if any. (Prices will not be mentioned, but to be included, the cost must be under $20.) Since the Kiosk has only one minute for announcements each day, it is not always possible to include every announcement that is submitted. Announcements are included in the Kiosk at the discretion of the volunteer producer. Send announcements at least one week in advance to: WORT, Attn: The Kiosk, 118 S. Bedford St., Madison, WI 53703. Or email announcements to kioskevent(at)wort-fm.org

Kiosk Commentaries

Prepare a commentary to highlight an issue and inform listeners how to get involved. Since WORT is licensed as a non-commercial station, we cannot air commentaries that promote for-profit businesses or commentaries that sound commercial. Practice reading the commentary so that it can be read in an unhurried manner in less than two minutes. To arrange for recording your commentary, leave a message for the Kiosk by phone (608.256.2001) or email kioskevent(at)wort-fm.org. We'll schedule your recording session for one of two weekly production times - Sunday at noon or Wednesday at 7pm.

Public Service Announcements

As an expression of WORT's commitment to public service, the station airs live-read public service announcements (PSAs). We do NOT air pre-recorded PSAs.

To be considered a PSA, the events must be sponsored by a nonprofit, tax exempt organization or a community group. Announcements should be submitted to the PSA mailbox at least ten days in advance of the event. WORT policy does not permit volunteers to accept PSAs over the phone. Please do NOT submit PSAs via email.

Mail or Drop off Fliers

A lot of people pass through our station, and we have a free literature area. Mail or bring as many copies as you would like us to distribute. (Note: Station resources do not allow us to copy your announcements!) Be sure to include a contact name and phone number on all materials. If you mail your flyers, in the upper right hand corner of each sheet mark the specific mailbox or bulletin board that you want the flier to be distributed to. Mail to: WORT, 118 S. Bedford St., Madison, WI 53703. (For information about having announcements read on specific WORT shows, see below: "Where Does Your Announcement Belong?")

Pitch a guest or story idea

If you have a story idea or would like to come on to one of our shows, please send a BRIEF pitch via email to the News Facilitator at newsfac(at)wort-fm.org
If you need information about which show(s) would be most appropriate for your guest or story idea, see "Where Does Your Announcement Belong?" below

Promotional Exchanges

(requires 4-8 weeks advance planning!)

Music, news, and public affairs events in the community that are in line with WORT's mission may be eligible for promotional exchanges. In a typical promotional exchange, WORT airs a pre-recorded announcement of the event about 20 times in the week or two leading up to the event. In exchange, WORT's logo is included on all posters and tickets for the event; a WORT banner is displayed at the event; WORT is provided a table or space to distribute station materials; and WORT's promotion of the event is announced and thanked at the event. In some cases, WORT may also be offered space for an ad in a program booklet. WORT also receives several free pairs of tickets to the event, typically five pairs for on-air giveaway and three pairs for station staff and volunteers.

Please remember that you must plan ahead to include the WORT logo on promotional materials. Logos are available in a variety of formats: .gif, .jpg, .pdf.

Promotional Exchanges are undertaken at the discretion of the staff. WORT cannot do more than a few of these at any given time.

If you are interested in a promotional exchange for a music event, email musicdir(at)wort-fm.org or ask for Sybil at 256-2001. For promotional exchanges for news and public affairs events, email newsfac(at)wort-fm.org or ask for K.P. at 256-2001.

Host an Access Hour

Each Monday from 7-8pm, a different community group or individual hosts a show. Assistance is provided with recording a promotional announcement to be aired the week prior to the show and with sound board engineering the night of the show. In order to keep the show accessible, any individual or group is limited to one show per year. The Access Hour is often booked several months in advance. To sign up to host an Access Hour show, call Ken Rineer at 256-2001 on Monday evenings or email accesshour(at)wort-fm.org.

Underwriting at WORT

The above are the no-cost avenues for getting your announcement out. Again, they are included based upon volunteer programmers' discretion and time availability. If you'd like to guarantee promotion of your event and financially support WORT Community Radio at the same time, you may want to consider our paid underwriting options. WORT has underwriting packages for all budgets that will meet your needs and target the specific communities you want to reach.

Interested? Find out more at our Business Support page.

Where does your announcement belong?

General Announcements

Eight O'clock Buzz (Monday-Friday), A Public Affair (Monday-Friday), In Our Back Yard, PSA Notebook, Community Events bulletin board. (Note: for the Buzz and APA, you must supply a separate copy of the announcement for each day's show if submitting hard copies.)

For Music announcements and events

Please send hard copies for music announcements and events. Include one copy for each genre of music included in the event (e.g. classical, folk/international, jazz, blues, rock, experimental). Additional copies may be included for the Music Director, individual programmers and the Music Events bulletin board.

For announcements relating to...
  • The African-American community:
    Best of Gospel, Tuesday 8 O'clock Buzz, Dusties Storm, PanAfrica, Cipher Zone, Universal Soul Explosion, After Hours
  • The Spanish-speaking/Latino community:
    En Nuestro Patio, Rock en espaņol, Los Madrugadores, Thursday 8 O'clock Buzz, La Junta
  • The Hmong community:
    Hmong Radio
  • Women:
    Her Turn, Her Infinite Variety, Other Voices
  • LGBTQ communities:
    Queery
  • Literature/Spoken Word:
    Radio Literature
  • Labor:
    Labor Radio
  • Global South & Development issues:
    Third World View, A Public Affair
  • Science:
    Perpetual Notion Machine
  • Health policy:
    Health Wrtiers on the Air
  • Local news & issues:
    In Our Backyard, 8 O'clock Buzz, A Public Affair