Radio News ®

Boyle bullish on clutter cutting
Back when Clear Channel Radio announced its "less is more" initiative to reduce advertising clutter, Wachovia Securities analyst Jim Boyle said he would have to study the plan before deciding whether he concurred with management's claim that it would be able to keep growing revenues while selling fewer minutes. Well, Boyle is now a believer, although he's warning investors that there could be a tough patch in Q1 of next year. RBR observation: Interesting take on the clutter since Boyle's focus was just about the same question of group heads to the conferences RBR monitored. RBR agrees with Boyle, as we first saw the winds blowing in Naples long before Charley that the "cracked" radio model should be fixed by cleaning up clutter, but it won't happen overnight. The spot load or clutter has been a focus but now how about the people that work the job every day. But wait, there's more - The worst job in radio today - the General Manager. (Publishers Perspective of: 'Naples, Florida is Calling' see RBR May Solutions Magazine) | More... |

Life returning to normal in Southwest Florida
Radio and TV stations are slowly returning to near-normal programming in the Ft. Myers-Naples market, where Hurricane Charley's worst devastation hit Sanibel and Captiva Islands and the mainland communities of Charlotte County, including picturesque Punta Gorda. But since the main business areas of Ft. Myers and Naples were largely unscathed, local managers tell us they don't expect any prolonged business impact from the storm. | More... |

2004 debates coming into focus
Three debates are on the schedule between President George W. Bush and challenger John Kerry, with another featuring a face-off between VP Dick Cheney and his challenger John Edwards. If there was a prize for most moderators, PBS would be the clear winner. In fact, the first two encounters will have a PBS news person in the moderator's chair. The first Bush-Kerry encounter will be held at the University of Miami, under the guidance of Jim Lehrer, on 9/30/04. That will be followed 10/5/04 by the sole VP contest, moderated by Gwen Ifill. It'll convene at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. ABC's Charles Gibson will preside over the second presidential debate 10/8/04, at Washington University in St. Louis. Finally, on 10/13/04, CBS's Bob Schieffer will be at the mic for a debate being held at Arizona State University in Tempe. All four debates kick off at 9:00 PM Eastern. If the debates were to be held today, they'd be extremely one-sided. Kerry and Edwards are the only eligible participants who have agreed on the schedule. According to the New York Times, Bush and Cheney intend to participate, but have not yet formally agreed to this slate of debates. Ralph Nader and others may wish to participate, but will be shut out unless they can produce a showing of 15% public support over five national polls determined by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Dueling 527s
The crafters of the McCain Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act can only stand back and watch as organization after organization wriggles through its many loopholes. One result is that even as Bush and Kerry duel each other, rival 527s are also going toe-to-toe without any participation whatsoever from the candidate they are ultimately serving. Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been buying time, predominately in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin, attacking the military service record of Kerry. Now MoveOn.org is countering with a 200K dollar campaign of its own, attacking the attack. The MoveOn campaign provides a snapshot of the precision sniping taking place this year during a campaign where citizens are either being inundated with political advertising or being ignored entirely. To whit, the ads aren't being placed statewide, but are rather walking directly in the Swift Boat footprints, in Toledo and Youngstown OH, Charleston WV and Green Bay WI.

A legal eagle eye view of EAS
The FCC has determined that the emergency alert system, as currently configured, leaves much to be desired. It appears that most people, broadcasters and ordinary citizens alike, would agree with that statement. The question is, does it need to be strengthened, and if so, how? That is the thrust of the FCC's notice of proposed rulemaking on the topic. Peter Guttmann of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice has put together an analysis of the proposal, which he and his law firm have kindly shared with us, and which we will in turn share with you. So without further ado... | More... |

Clear Channel bashed in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone magazine is the latest to publish an article blaming Clear Channel for just about everything that's wrong with the music business. The title of the article gives you an idea of the focus - - "Inside Clear Channel: How the company's domination has made the airwaves blander and tickets pricier." The story, however, doesn't raise any new issues. Rather, it's a re-hash of allegations which have been made numerous times before in other publications and on Capitol Hill. "Critics contend that Clear Channel uses its size to crush the competition while force-feeding audiences the same playlists no matter where they live," the article says of the nation's largest radio group. And it charges that by also becoming the nation's largest concert promoter, Clear Channel Entertainment has driven up ticket prices in an attempt to recoup its 4.4 billion dollar outlay to acquire the former SFX. The only new angle to the story is Rolling Stone's complaint that no one in the top ranks at Clear Channel - - including Lowry, Mark and Randall Mays, Clear Channel Radio CEO John Hogan and Clear Channel Entertainment CEO Brian Becker - - comes from a music industry background. "No other company in recent history has had so much power over what the world hears - - and so few top executives with a background in music," the article says. The implication is that Clear Channel execs don't care about music. "All they care about is moving product," one former Clear Channel executive, who is not identified, is quoted as saying.

Adbiz ©

GM ups LaNeve to head of
marketing & advertising
On Friday, GM named a new head of marketing and advertising for North America and a new marketing chief at its Hummer brand, which has seen a double-digit decline in sales this year. Mark LaNeve, GM of Marketing for Cadillac since 2001, will take over as VP/Marketing and Advertising for North America effective 9/1. LaNeve, who has overseen a recent rebound in Cadillac sales, is replacing John Middlebrook, who becomes VP/Global Sales, Service and Marketing Operations. LaNeve is featured in our RBR print issues for August and September. GM also said Susan Doherty, a former head of marketing for Cadillac's hot-selling Escalade SUVs, had been named Divisional Marketing GM for Hummer. We talk with LaNeve about his promotion in this Friday's RBR and TVBR daily Epapers.

Arbitron and eMediaTRADE sign tech deal
Arbitron has signed an agreement with eMediaTRADE for access to its Media eXchange Desk technology and services. Arbitron will use eMediaTRADE technology to assist in making future versions of Arbitron's media planning and buying software and Arbitron radio sales software compatible with the AAAA standards for the exchange of transaction data between buyers and sellers.

Sears merges multicultural unit
Sears announced it is merging its standalone multicultural marketing unit and merging its staff into the general marketing and merchandising departments. The move follows the retirement of Billye Alexander, VP/Multicultural Management. Joan Chow, VP/Marketing, has been given additional duties overseeing multicultural efforts.

Subway chooses Goodby Silverstein
Subway has named Omnicom Group's Goodby Silverstein & Partners San Francisco to handle its $300M creative account, canceling a formal review. Subway parted with Fallon in May after just eight months. "We looked at all the agencies who approached us in the past, and asked for a number of new submissions," Chris Carroll, SVP/Marketing for the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust, said in a statement. "In the end, we were most impressed with GS&P. There didn't seem to be any reason to drag the process out any further."

Blockbuster Online names Avenue A/Razorfish
digital marketing agency
Blockbuster Online has named Avenue A/Razorfish as its digital marketing agency. On the heels of the recent launch of "Blockbuster Online, The Movie Store At Your Door," Internet movie rental service, Avenue A/Razorfish will later this week launch a comprehensive digital marketing campaign, including media across leading websites such as Excite, iVillage, American Greetings Network and AtomShockwave, to introduce the company's new service offering online. Sponsored search campaigns utilizing the two leading providers have already launched.

1-800CheapSeats launches street team effort
1-800CheapSeats recently launched its new brand with a marketing push that includes 30 new Scion xB's wrapped with the new 1800CheapSeats logo (designed by the Romann Group) driven by street teams in 16 markets throughout August, including: Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Orlando, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Virginia Beach. The company is currently holding a sweepstakes drawing that will give each of three winners one of the new cars. The Company also recently announced an integrated marketing partnership with LidRock that provides consumers with travel deals via CDs embedded on fountain drink lids. Consumers who purchase the LidRock discs will have access to travel specials contextually integrated within the multimedia experience on the disc.

Media, Markets & Money tm

Washington Beat

Programming

"Lazio & Cuomo" test in NYC
With an eye on a possible full-time show, two New York public figures (one Republican and one Democrat) recently hosted a one-time joint radio show on Whitney Radio's WVOX-AM Westchester/New York. The one-hour special, in which Rick Lazio, former Long Island Republican Congressman, and Andrew Cuomo, former Democratic Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton Administration, addressed political issues and strategies of the 2004 election campaign, were heard live last week on WVOX from noon to 1 pm on 8/12. "The chemistry between these two is fantastic," says Bill O'Shaughnessy, owner of Whitney Radio. "I had lunch with them and Ian Rae several weeks ago. Rick and Andrew are so good together that halfway through lunch, one of the nearby restaurant patrons whispered in my ear, "'Are we taping the audition?' He was only half kidding. I knew then that we had a potential hit -- especially if I could put them on the air between the Democratic and Republican National Conventions." Ian Rae is the former Fox News Channel EVP.

"BeBe Winans Radio Show" kicks off
The Superadio syndicated BeBe Winans Radio Show kicked off this past weekend on a list of major market stations including virtually all of the Radio One station Group. Affiliates at launch included KKBT-FM LA, KMJQ-FM Houston, KSOC - Dallas, WDMK-FM Detroit, WILD-FM Boston, WPZE-FM Atlanta, WWRL-AM NY, WHQT-FM Miami, WQQK Nashville, WGRB Chicago and KXJM Portland. The BeBe Winans Radio Show is a two-hour weekly program produced by BeBe and Blue Sky Productions.

Legal Ease

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
By Greg P. Skall and Peter Gutmann, communications attorneys with Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC. They can be reached at 202-857-4441.

With the 2004 campaign season upon us, it has become critically important for broadcasters to have a clear understanding of the impact of the "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA)." It is already clear that new spending limits imposed on the Presidential candidates following the nominating conventions will divert substantial campaign funds to the political parties and other special interests for advertising that supports the candidate's positions but is not bought or paid for by the official candidate committee. Further, many states have a variety of issue initiatives on the November ballot and there is some confusion whether the BCRA applies to advertisements addressing these issues. While the new Act applies to campaigns for Federal office and focuses primarily upon political fundraising and expenditures, several provisions do have a direct impact upon broadcasting and cable: | More... |

Transactions

WJLF-FM Gainesville-Ocala FL (Gainesville FL) from First Assembly of God to Radio Training Network Inc.

WVMH-FM Mars Hill NC from Mars Hill College to Western North Carolina Public Radio Inc.

| More Details |

Stock Talk

Radio Stocks