APM is developing contingency plans to ensure that we can provide the utmost continuity for you and your audiences. Additionally, we want to provide you with important programming offers to support you during this challenging time.
Emergency Back Up from APM and the BBC for All Affiliates
As you are working on your own station’s contingency plans, we encourage you to include the BBC World Service as an emergency back-up. During this limited time, we invite all APM affiliate stations to turn to the BBC World Service as a back-up feed. See details below. APM and the BBC recognize that you are navigating through uncertainty and we want to make sure that our affiliates have access to content and resources to continue to serve the audience during uncertain times.
COVID-19 Live National Call-in Show
In response to station interest, we are partnering with MPR News to present a two-part live national call-in show — “COVID-19: Hard Questions, Real Answers.” The special will occur over two days at 2 p.m. ET, March 18 and March 19. The special will feature medical and public health professionals and our host will take live listener calls from across the country. More details found here and on ContentDepot.
How to gain access if you do not already carry BBC World Service
1. Email your Station Relations Representative with “BBC” in the subject line
2. Within 24 hours you will be granted access to the 24/7 page on ContentDepot
3. You will need to subscribe to each hour of programming, as ContentDepot program pages are set up as individual hourly live feeds (0000, 0100, 0200, etc.) for weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays. You must subscribe to all hours you wish to receive.
BBC clocks and program schedules can be found here.
All stations
The coronavirus and potential lockdowns may affect the BBC’s output, but the BBC’s 24-hour stream will continue with as much live news as possible and recorded programs close to the current schedule. The BBC’s priority is to maintain the news bulletins and Newshour during this period.
We would also encourage you to consider creating a promo should you need to tap into the 24/7 feed. Here is an example:
This is a special STATION programming note. Due to conditions impacting regular program operations at this time, STATION is providing the BBC World Service until we are able to resume regular programming. We hope to return to our regularly scheduled program as soon as possible. Thank you. This is CALL LETTERS, STATION ID.
As always, please contact your Station Relations Representative or ICC (651-290-1563) with questions about programming or broadcast operations.