If you have significant interest in forming or being part of a leadership group to take The Avenue forward please contact either Greg Gill or Rob Moore for details on The Avenue’s need.
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To All of Our Loyal Supporters and Listeners of The Avenue:
It is with the deepest regret that I must inform you that The Avenue will likely cease operations on or before May 31, 2019.
The cessation of operations is being brought about by the confluence of two (2) significant events which recently occurred.
First of all, our February pledge drive which ended March 4, did not show sufficient results to align with expectations. Secondly, the benefactor family who have been instrumental in providing the majority of financial support the Avenue has received since its inception has elected to step back from that role.
Unless we have an unforeseen benefactor or benefactor group step forward to financially underwrite The Avenue, the cessation of operations will proceed.
We wish to thank all of you for your support. We believe the mission of The Avenue has been successfully accomplished to date, which was specifically to provide a voice and presence for the non-profit community. Over the past ten years we have provided thousands of on-air support messages for community non-profits. Our messaging played a key role in sustaining the wonderful work these other non-profits do. It is truly ironic that now we have come to the point where we can no longer financially sustain our own equally important role.
The music format which we have operated under in order to promote our mission is wonderful and one of a kind. However, given the above facts, continued sustainability of The Avenue, absent obtaining significant corporate or individual underwriting, is not possible.
Based upon the above, The Avenue will not be collecting pledges which were made in our recent pledge drive and will return any direct donations or pledges from this drive that have been fulfilled. Additionally, all prepaid sponsorship payments will be refunded pro rata for all sponsorship announcements not aired prior to the cessation.
Between now and May 31, an anonymous donor has agreed to fund The Avenue in order to provide us additional time to find the financial and leadership help we need to allow us to sustain The Avenue. But if we are unsuccessful, this same donor has agreed to fund transitional help for our tremendous staff as they seek new employment.
Thank you,
MUSIC THAT MATTERS, INC.
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Robert Moore
President/CEO
President/CEO
FAQ regarding The Avenue’s transition to Community by May 31, 2019 or Cease Operating
What is the History of The Avenue?
FCC license 91.1 FM was a public radio station owned by Lawrence University and served the campus and with limited Appleton signal range. 91.1 The Avenue is licensed as part of the non-commercial FM band and in this special way is appropriate to broadly serve the non-commercial non-profit community. This license has the flexibility of any format, music and talk.
Over ten years ago an anonymous benefactor family stepped forward to acquire the license and provide a unique, one-of-a-kind adult alternative format music format for its non-profit mission.
Without salary or expense, this benefactor family took the entire risk of startup, build out, trial and error, to provide an independent, community, music FM radio station to serve the Fox/Cities, Green Bay and greater communities. The end goal was for The Avenue to serve the community at large. The Avenue 91.1 FM is an independent, broadly supported, radio station with unique music serving a non-profit mission.
The intention and accomplishments were to unite, to heal, to entertain, and to serve in a way greater together than any one with broadcast 24/7/365. The Avenue’s music and mission is available for all supporters and listeners to hear and see in their own backyards at any time.
The Avenue 91.1 FM is the brand name for Music that Matters, a 501(c)3 corporation.
Over ten years ago an anonymous benefactor family stepped forward to acquire the license and provide a unique, one-of-a-kind adult alternative format music format for its non-profit mission.
Without salary or expense, this benefactor family took the entire risk of startup, build out, trial and error, to provide an independent, community, music FM radio station to serve the Fox/Cities, Green Bay and greater communities. The end goal was for The Avenue to serve the community at large. The Avenue 91.1 FM is an independent, broadly supported, radio station with unique music serving a non-profit mission.
The intention and accomplishments were to unite, to heal, to entertain, and to serve in a way greater together than any one with broadcast 24/7/365. The Avenue’s music and mission is available for all supporters and listeners to hear and see in their own backyards at any time.
The Avenue 91.1 FM is the brand name for Music that Matters, a 501(c)3 corporation.
How has The Avenue grown over the past 10 years?
Ten years ago, The Avenue was 4,000 watts, covering part of Appleton. During the decade The Avenue’s management team upgraded and built The Avenue to its current 42,000 watts covering Appleton, Oshkosh, Green Bay and surrounding communities. By any FCC measure this was an extraordinary license accomplishment in a crowded and protected signal radio field.
The Avenue began with 1 donor and now has over 1,500 contributing donors through its pledge drives and other appeals throughout the year.
The Avenue began with 1 sponsor and now has over 30 (and growing) active corporate sponsors who share in the halo of non-profit community works.
Music stations offer an increasingly limited song selection, often rotating 300 to 500 songs. The Avenue’s unique play list continues to grow each month, offering thousands of songs representing incredible variety. This diverse collection of songs, unique to the radio, also includes prominently featured local artists.
Our ratings and research indicate a significant, loyal and community-minded listening audience throughout the Fox Valley.
The Avenue began with a lot of heart, and has grown to include many more hearts who love and listen daily and donate regularly. The Avenue will either continue to grow on with many, many more and bigger hearts or end after 10 years without fulfilling any larger community potential.
The Avenue began with 1 donor and now has over 1,500 contributing donors through its pledge drives and other appeals throughout the year.
The Avenue began with 1 sponsor and now has over 30 (and growing) active corporate sponsors who share in the halo of non-profit community works.
Music stations offer an increasingly limited song selection, often rotating 300 to 500 songs. The Avenue’s unique play list continues to grow each month, offering thousands of songs representing incredible variety. This diverse collection of songs, unique to the radio, also includes prominently featured local artists.
Our ratings and research indicate a significant, loyal and community-minded listening audience throughout the Fox Valley.
The Avenue began with a lot of heart, and has grown to include many more hearts who love and listen daily and donate regularly. The Avenue will either continue to grow on with many, many more and bigger hearts or end after 10 years without fulfilling any larger community potential.
What specifically does the Avenue need to Stay on the Air?
To stay on the air, The Avenue needs a new slate of directors for its non-profit board of directors to lead the organization into the next ten years.
New directors will be elected to The Avenue’s Board by the existing directors after presenting their operational and financial plan for The Avenue’s future. This will allow for the resignation of the current board, if so desired by the new board.
This new board will develop and bring to new leadership for the financial support necessary for success.
New directors will be elected to The Avenue’s Board by the existing directors after presenting their operational and financial plan for The Avenue’s future. This will allow for the resignation of the current board, if so desired by the new board.
This new board will develop and bring to new leadership for the financial support necessary for success.
Who is the Anonymous Benefactor Family who has supported The Avenue to date?
Why are they stopping their support now?
Why are they stopping their support now?
This benefactor family believes in The Avenue and has provided substantial support to date.
The Avenue, since its beginning, has not been at liberty to publicly disclose the name of this anonymous benefactor family.
This family’s goal was to help build The Avenue to a level with a solid base, which has occurred. This family believes that it met its objective and looks forward to others to help continue this mission.
The Avenue, since its beginning, has not been at liberty to publicly disclose the name of this anonymous benefactor family.
This family’s goal was to help build The Avenue to a level with a solid base, which has occurred. This family believes that it met its objective and looks forward to others to help continue this mission.
What makes us think that a broader base of community backers could sustain and grow The Avenue?
A solid, unique, and non-replicable model is already in place. The relative risk of license acquisition, startup, build-out and sustaining has already been borne by this benefactor family. The Avenue has great music, mission and opportunity to expand its support of non-profits.
If you have a significant interest in forming or being part of a leadership group please contact The Avenue’s Chairman of the Board of Directors and Legal Counsel, Greg Gill at gillsr@gillandgillsc.com or The Avenue’s President/CEO Rob Moore at robm@avenueradio.com
