Broadcaster FAQs

How much does it cost to air the program?

Music & the Spoken Word programs are available FREE OF CHARGE to all media platforms. We even cover the shipping!

Are these both TV and radio programs?

Yes, all M&S programs are available for both TV/Cable and radio.

What’s the exact show length?

27:56, allowing for adjacent advertising or station IDs.

Are these programs religious in nature?

M&SW programs are not worship services, and contain no sermons or religious doctrine. Some of the songs performed are hymns and spirituals.

What about music licensing?

Stations airing M&SW programs must hold blanket music licensing, or pay the music licensing organizations for each song played. A couple of Christmas programs and one Easter program are exempt from this requirement.

How can I get information and a password for downloading?

Contact either Terry or John in the Contact Us section

Are there commercial breaks in the program? Can it be sponsored?

There are no commercial breaks in M&SW programs. M&SW is a community service program, and as such must air without any advertising or sponsorship revenue.

What about barter arrangements?

Music & the Spoken Word is a community service program, and as such must air without any advertising or sponsorship revenue. There are no commercial breaks in M&SW programs.

What about exclusivity in my market?

Weekly program: There is no market exclusivity.

Holiday programs: Unless otherwise specified, there is no exclusivity for holiday special programming.

Can I air both the weekly broadcast AND the seasonal specials? And can I air each program more than once?

Yes and yes. Many broadcasters air both weekly and seasonal broadcasts. And each program can be aired multiple times.

Can M&SW be made available for listening/viewing on demand?

Not yet. We’re exploring what it would take to secure on-demand music licensing.

Which weekly show should air in a given week?

Each show is numbered, and airing guides list which show airs each week. An airing guide for broadcasters who download M&SW is available on the download site. Broadcasters receiving shows on tape or disc use a different airing guide, and can contact Bonneville at 801-237-2600 or msw@bonneville.com for a copy.