Underwriting spot

An underwriting spot, known as sponsor credit (Japanese: 提供クレジット, romanized: Teikyō kurejitto) in Japan, is an announcement made on public broadcasting outlets, especially in the United States, in exchange for funding.

These spots usually mention the name of the sponsor, and can resemble traditional television advertisements in commercial broadcasting to a limited extent; however, under the terms of a public broadcaster's license from the Federal Communications Commission, such spots are prohibited from being promotional (such as making product claims, using superlatives, or being more than 30 seconds long) or making any sort of "call to action" (a phrase that refers to "any device designed to prompt an immediate response or encourage an immediate sale" such as announcing prices or providing an incentive to buy).

Donors who contribute funding can include corporations, small businesses, philanthropic organizations, charitable trusts, and individuals.

Individual spots, more apparent on public radio, often are used to express personal appreciation for the station's programming, and often also offer family members or friend best wishes on a major life event such as a wedding, anniversary or birthday.

As of 2022[update] its provisions include the following:[2] Sponsorship underwriting and advertising are essentially the same thing when linked by the exchange of something of value such as cash, goods or services.

Example of an underwriting spot, the text identifying the sponsor