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November 18, 2005
Reprinted from Substance Abuse Funding Week
No. 05-43
Recovery Radio Investing
to Help Callers, Attract Sponsor
They operate a nonprofit committed to connecting addicts and
alcoholics with treatment programs, but the Recovery Radio Show producers
adapt an age-old, for-profit business axiom to their needs: you’ve got to
spend money to attract it.
Worldwide Radio Network is paying to broadcast its weekly
two-hour show on stations in 11 markets (SAF, 7/8p4). Access a list
of its broadcast markets and schedules on SAF’s Web site (www.saf.cdpublications.com),
in the Download Files section, under the Resources category.
WRN has attracted sponsors including Hythiam, which
develops technology for treating substance abuse, and healthcare and
marketing businesses in the Los Angeles area. It also has ongoing support
agreements with the Integrated Substance Abuse Program at the U. of
California-Los Angeles and with the Celebrate Recovery program. Supporting
the radio show includes space on WRN’s Web site and in its e-mail
newsletter as well as on-air promotions.
But WRN partners Bob Munck and Steve Groth tell SAF their
operation needs more support to survive. They’re looking for a sponsor for
a 24-hour, nationwide, toll-free hotline for localized treatment referrals
they’re preparing to launch. “We are at a stage where we are aggressively
seeking this,” Munck says. WRN expects sponsors of the hotline would
realize significant benefits from being linked to a service that is
unprecedented.
Toll-free lines offering treatment referrals either are
limited to services offered in a local area or region, or are operated by
for-profit treatment centers that ask for payment agreements before
referring callers. “What we’ve found through a lot of research is there
are very few out there—24 hours, seven days a week help for the addict and
their families on what to do and where to go,” Munck says. And they’ve
learned their two hours on the air each week isn’t enough time to help all
of the people contacting them for help. “The next best thing for our
certified nonprofit is to put out a phone line,” Munck says. “A sponsor in
that area would get a tremendous amount of notoriety and a tremendous
amount of goodwill on a national basis.”
Info: 949/334-0471
bobm@recoveryradioshow.com
drsteve@recoveryradioshow.com
www.recoveryradioshow.com
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