Friday, June 12, 2015

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: FOUR NONCOM STATION ORGANIZATIONS



This week we reported on NFCB’s new CEO, Sally Kane. To put things into perspective we did a comparative analysis of NFCB and three other nonprofit organizations that serve public radio stations.

Information in the chart below comes from each organization’s most recent IRS 990 for a full year, the organization's website and other sources. (NFCB also filed a 990 for a partial year as part of the process to change their fiscal year. The partial year info is not included.)

Scroll down to read my brief comments and a question about a puzzling item I saw in a 990. Please let me know if any of the information is dated and/or incorrect.  You can reach me directly at publicradio@hotmail.com.

COMPARASON CHART


CBI
College Broadcasters, Inc.
NFCB
National Federation of Community Broadcasters

PRNDI
Pubic Radio News Directors
PRPD
Public Radio Program Directors
MOST RECENT ANNUAL REVENUE

$80,000
$390,400
$75,000
$824,000
REVENUE FROM MEMBRTDHIP

$53,300
$262,100
$31,000
$280,300
REVENUE FROM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

$27,300
$113,200
$32,000
$426,500
HIGHEST PAID PERSON

Will Robedee
$30,000
Sally Kane
NA*
Christine Diers
$20,000
Arthur Cohen
$168,200
(retired)

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF MEMBERS

160
225
120
425
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP COST

$125
1.1% of Total Revenue
$200 MIN - $4,000 MAX
$75-
$400
Depends on number of news employees
% of
Non-Federal Funding
$425 MIN - $4,200 MAX

INTERNAL DECISION MAKING

By Committee
By Committee
By
Committee
By
Committee
GROUP DISCOUNTS FOR MEMBERS

Equipment, engineering
Insurance, automation systems
NONE
NONE
MEMBER APPROVAL PROCEDURE
By Committee & Vote of Members

By Committee & Vote of Members

By Committee & Vote of Members

By Committee & Vote of Members

MEMBER RESTRICTIONS
School licensee &
Student Staff
Diversity Mandates & Governance Criteria

Anyone working in public radio journalism
Anyone working in public radio
ONLINE STORE

NO
NO
NO
NO
PLEDGE DRIVE ASSISTANCE

NO
NO
Does not apply
NO
SOUNDEXCHANGE ACCESS

YES
YES
Does not apply
NO

UNDERWRITING ASSISTANCE

NO
NO
Does not apply
NO
WEBINARS FOR MEMBERS
YES
YES
YES
YES

* Compensation information is not available for Sally Kane or her immediate predecessor Janis Lane-Ewart. Maxie Jackson, Lane-Ewart’s predecessor was paid approximately $160,000 per year.

KEN’S PERSPECTIVE

By United Way standards, these are very small organizations.  Each depends on the generous efforts of members and other volunteers.  All of the organizations benefit the public good and provide valuable service to their members.

There are some opportunities for additional revenue at the each organization. None of them have an online store and have few options for group buy discounts. 

Pledge drive support and underwriting guidance shouldn’t be left to DIY plans and Greater Public. New revenue is possible by providing fundraising assistance.

PUZZLING ITEM

I have been reviewing IRS 990 reports for over two decades.  I found an item in one of the 990s that I have never seen before and I am not sure what it means.  Can you help? 

I saw this entry on NFCB’s 990 for the 2013 fiscal year:


This appears to say [paraphrasing]: We aren’t responsible for anything that happened prior to Fiscal Year 2013.

But, I could be wrong. There must be a specific reason why this unusual explanation was added to the tax return.

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