The WVBA's PEP Program provides organizations with an opportunity to advertise state-wide for a fraction of the cost. WVBA member stations generously donate airtime to the association and we, in turn, use this time to fund our educational programs and the sponsoring organization gets its message heard consistently across the state. It is a win-win proposition for everyone.

PEP stands for Public Education Partnership, a term for a unique type of announcement which is neither a commercial nor a public service announcement.  PEP's are informational in nature.  Broadcasters donate airtime to the WVBA with the understanding that the WVBA will make the airtime eligible to sponsors.  Since 2000, over 305,000 spots were aired by radio and television stations across the state for an estimated dollar value of 22 million.

The revenues from the PEP program help to fund the West Virginia broadcasters' statewide trade association.  The PEP program enables the WVBA to conduct conventions, seminars, scholarship programs and other communications-related programs.  The PEP program also benefits the sponsoring organization whose advertising resources are not sufficient to ensure the placement or frequency of a normal commercial buy, as well as the people it serves.

In short, WVBA's PEP program adds millions of watts of power to your message, and member stations reach virtually every person in West Virginia.

Who Uses PEP?

Since the program started nineteen years ago, several West Virginia State Agencies and non-profit groups have used the program for numerous promotions, including:

PEP programs run for a minimum of three months at the minimum rate of $6,000 per month. The WVBA currently runs various programs with 3.4, 6, 9 and 12 month contracts. Eligible government agencies and non-profit organizations inquiring about the program can request an application from the WVBA. The completed application is reviewed by a select committee for approval. Once approved the two organizations work together for a completed project. The WVBA has final approval on commercial content.

Announcements are distributed by the PEP client to participating stations.  Stations run the PEP announcements and send affidavits of performance to the WVBA. Stations are requested to value the time provided based on their regular rates charged to advertisers buying the same time periods for cash. The Association uses these figures to demonstrate to the PEP client the cash value of the spots delivered across the entire state by both radio and television participants.

The PEP program provides a win-win result for the PEP client whose message is seen and heard statewide in all time periods and formats, reaching all demographic groups. It also benefits the participating WVBA members whose Association grows stronger.

PEP Program Guidelines

The WVBA PEP pprogram is available to government agencies or non-profit groups with 501 (c)(3) or (6) IRS approval. Announcements must be non-political, informational in nature, and for a campaign that has not used paid advertising in the past 18 months.

Participation in the PEP program prohibits the PEP client from using other forms of advertising of during the contract period such as newspapers, billboards, magazines, etc.

• Thirty second announcements are recommended for both radio and television
  
  
• Announcements must have a tag line which uses the words "sponsored by" or "paid for by" to meet legal ID requirements.  "Sponsored by [sponsor name] and aired in cooperation with the West Virginia Broadcasters Association and this station" is mandatory. Radio spots must be distributed in CD format or via DGS.  Television spot formats are provided to the PEP client by the WVBA and all television spots must use closed captioning.
• Elected Officials cannot appear in an announcement. In the case of government agencies the agency's name may appear in the message but not that of an elected official who heads the agency.
• Industry standard production quality and tape dubbing  are the responsibility of the agency involved.WVBA provides mailing labels and traffic instructions for distribution to participating stations.
  
  
• Stations send in affidavits of performance at the end of each month. WVBA prepares a report from these affidavits for the PEP client.
• The general provisions outlined above notwithstanding the WVBA reserves the right to review and/or reject any proposed WVBA PEP contract or announcementPeps are distributed WVBA participating members who run them on a voluntary basis. While it is not unusual for airtime value versus dollars expended to reach a ratio of three tone or higher, the WVBA makes no guarantees.