Stations Get Another Shot at 2021 Public Service Survey

posted on 12.06.2021

- Deadline Extended to Jan. 5

Texas Radio and TV stations have an extra four weeks to complete TAB’s 2021 Public Service Survey now that the deadline has been extended to Jan. 5. The extension allows for a more complete representation of the community-building efforts conducted by stations throughout the state during a year marked by the raging COVID pandemic and a devastating winter storm that crashed the electrical grid.

Stations that already have completed the fully electronic survey have lauded its ease, including the ability to save data already entered while taking breaks to collect more data or address other assignments.

Advocacy Tool
The research project documents the amazing service local Radio and TV stations provide their communities year-round. TAB employs the findings gleaned from the annual survey advocacy before policymakers in Austin and Washington, DC, as we remind them of the unique service local broadcasters provide in the information ecosystem.

With a near record number of retirements among Texas legislators, the data gleaned from the 2021 survey will be especially important in educating returning lawmakers and newcomers alike.

The more participation from stations, the better, as the final report does not extrapolate for stations that do not respond.

Helping policymakers understand the full value of the service local Radio and TV stations provide is as important as ever, especially as Big Tech increasingly commandeers local ad dollars without reinvesting any of their gains in Texas communities.

Introduced in 1998, the annual survey has since documented nearly $6 Billion in public service contributions by Texas broadcasters. In 2020, only 13 percent of Radio stations and 38 percent of TV stations responded, yielding a documented $57 million in public service contributions.

Stories and the Numbers
While the survey requests specific data, it also provides stations an opportunity to go beyond the numbers and share stories of their 2021 public service efforts that proved most meaningful to their communities.

Stations are invited to submit audio or video content no longer than 90 seconds highlighting what stations consider to be their best community service project of the year.

Anything related to the deadly electrical grid failure in February, the COVID-19 vaccine push or ongoing pandemic, summer hurricanes, as well as more routine activities involving local schools, hospitals and other local charitable efforts are just some examples of the work that stations may choose to reflect upon.

Questions? Contact TAB’s Barbara Rodgers or call (512) 322-9944.

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