January 13, 2016 Puget Sound Public Radio Board Dear Chair Endejan and PSPR Board, I hope you will find it helpful that I am reiterating in this letter, KUOW 94.9’s intentions toward managing the 88.5 configuration of frequencies should we be fortunate enough for our bid to prevail. The information contained herein adds more specificity to the outlines and pro forma documents the PSPR Board reviewed as part of its fiduciary due diligence throughout 2015. Delivering “more”, not less! Jazz: KUOW has made a firm commitment toward enhanced services for both jazz/blues & related music, and news. By dedicating 3 of KPLU’s 10 frequencies, including the broad coverage of 88.5 FM’s main channel, http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/kuow/files/styles/x_large/public/201511/mapbig.gif to a single format, the community will benefit from 61 more hours per week of great full spectrum jazz and blues. Sixty percent (60%) of the Top 20 public radio outlets nationally invest in multiple, discrete format stations, moving away from the lesseffective dual format style. We’ve already contracted with highly respected jazz programmer Steve Williams (most recently with WBGO, Newark, NJ) to begin designing the new jazz format. To engage Northwest Washington’s knowledgeable community of jazz performers, educators (particularly UW School of Music), venue owners and event producers in what is being designed, KUOW is conducting listening sessions with these important stakeholders. Next month, KUOW will begin work on a “pilot” jazz and blues service that will air on one of our HD channels as well as being streamed. We’ll produce this pilot primarily to get reaction to music type and selection; the “real” service would be live-hosted and locally focused. We will invite the general jazz listening public to react to and advise KUOW on our music direction, and on jazz education/”future of the music” issues. KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio University of Washington 4518 University Way NE, Suite 310 Seattle, WA 98105-4535 206.543.2710 fax: 206.543.2720 email: letters@kuow.org www.kuow.org Williams and KUOW management are also digesting a recent Edison Research report commissioned by KPLU and shared with KUOW on the growth opportunity for jazz in the Puget Sound region among citizens who like jazz but aren’t currently listening to KPLU. News: Editorial priorities as evidenced by investment in “beats” by the two stations presently show a tremendous amount of overlap. Local Content Priority KPLU Reporter(s) KUOW Reporter(s) Business/Labor, Economy Education Environment Health/Healthcare Politics, City Councils, Courts, Justice Ashley Gross Carolyn Adolph Kyle Stokes1 Bellamy Pailthorp Gabe Spitzer Paula Wissel (parttime) Ann Dornfeld Ashley Ahearn Ruby de Luna John Ryan Amy Radil Paige Browning2 Deb Wang3 Military, Veterans Issues Arts Immigration and Emerging Communities Growth, Community Development TOPICAL NEWS “Sound Effect” – 1 MAGAZINE hour per week CROWD SOURCED COVERAGE “I Wonder Why…”5 Patricia Murphy Marcie Sillman Liz Jones Joshua McNichols + full content team “The Record”4 – 4 hrs. per week “Week In Review” – 1 hr. per week “Local Wonder” We will conduct more community consultation (one “listening meeting” has already been held on Journalism in our region) but below are the additional beats KUOW is contemplating if we redirected the resources currently consumed in duplicative local coverage: 1 Just announced he’s leaving to take a position with KPCC, Southern California Public Radio Paige’s reporting will focus on the impact of local government 3 Moving to freelance status 4 A daily midday news magazine featuring interviews with local/regional thought leaders, artists and innovators 5 Inactive since 2012 2 KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio University of Washington 4518 University Way NE, Suite 310 Seattle, WA 98105-4535 206.543.2710 fax: 206.543.2720 email: letters@kuow.org www.kuow.org Issues of the Middle Class Tech Startup Culture Deeper dive into Social Issues College-to-Workplace; Promise & Policy Urban Environmental Issues all around the Sound Consumer Health “Truth Squading” Disability Issues Medical/Science Innovation Addiction Regional Government Enhanced Election Coverage; Explorations of Hidden Influence 6 I appreciate the Board’s warm initial reception to my outline for newsroom staffing that would allow for a net gain over coverage currently presented individually by KUOW and KPLU. I will follow through on your encouragement to submit an ambitious budget for the review process beginning Feb. 10th – a budget that calls for: (4) new positions in News (5) new positions in Music (3) new administrative positions (chief engineer, underwriting and membership) NOTE: These positions are additive to the three (3) News positions KUOW is in the process of filling now. While some decisions have been made about content currently aired on KPLU that KUOW would definitely add to 94.9’s schedule (Fresh Air/Weekdays 7:00pm – would replace BBC Newsday), we continue to study all of KPLU’s unique spoken word offerings and how they might be incorporated into 94.9’s schedule. [Go to http://www.kplu.org/ and mouse over “Features”.] Of course, what makes these offerings unique are the talented and creative people making the content—and we won’t know for a while whether, and how many of, current KPLU staff might apply to openings KUOW plans to create if our offer for the frequencies is successful. Thank you for your ongoing support of KUOW’s efforts to preserve the broadest possible array of quality and enriching content for the citizens of the entire Puget Sound. Sincerely, Caryn G. Mathes President & General Manager, KUOW/Puget Sound Public Radio 6 Currently planned by KUOW for the 2016 Elections through the GM’s Innovation Fund KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio University of Washington 4518 University Way NE, Suite 310 Seattle, WA 98105-4535 206.543.2710 fax: 206.543.2720 email: letters@kuow.org www.kuow.org