PMJA Wants Your Feedback on a Fairer Membership Dues System 

PMJA is proposing a new way to calculate membership dues and we're asking for your input before finalizing the changes. 

What's Changing? 

• Currently, dues are based on newsroom size (number of employees). 

• The PMJA board wants to switch to a system based on Non-Federal Financial Support (NFFS), a number reflecting a station's resources calculated by the CPB. Stations without NFFS will use their gross revenue. 

• Dues increase automatically by 2% every year rounded up to the nearest $5 increment.

Why the Change? 

• Fairness and equity - revenue better reflects an organization's financial capacity and fluctuates less than staff size.

• Alignment with other organizations - PMCC, Greater Public, NFCB use revenue-based dues.

• Sustainability - allows PMJA to continue providing valuable services and resources to members who can better plan for renewal.  Automatic increases eliminate surprises for budgeting purposes.

What are the Tiers? 

The new system will have five tiers (instead of the current three). Here's a breakdown (based on FY2022 NFFS): 

What if my station doesn't have NFFS? 

PMJA will use gross revenue to determine your tier. 

What about small stations? 

PMJA hopes the lower dues for budgets under $500,000 will encourage more community and LPFM stations to join and benefit from membership. 

What if my station can't afford the increase?

Stations with financial limitations can simply e-mail us to request a waiver to maintain a lower tier – PMJA is here to support you. 

How can I provide feedback? 

• Review the information and complete the survey below. 

• The comment period is open until April 26. 

What are the next steps? 

• The Board finalizes the structure in May with any recommended changes. 

• PMJA staff will answer questions at a June conference session. 

• The new dues take effect on December 1, 2024