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Volume 22, Issue 198, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Monday Morning October 10th, 2005
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Radio News®
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 Broadcast stocks still in doldrums
Three quarters of the way through 2005, investors remain sour on radio and TV stocks, with very few exceptions. The way to make Wall Street happy, it appears, is to sell assets. Of the 29 terrestrial and satellite radio stocks that RBR follows, a grand total of three were in positive territory for 2005 through the end of September. The big mover was Emmis, which rose 15.2% - - all quite recently - - not because of its operating performance, but because it bought back a huge chunk of its stock and sold off most of its TV group (with the rest of the sell-off coming soon). The other significant gainer was Gaylord, primarily a hotel company, which barely qualifies for our list anymore with its single AM station. Arbitron, which makes its money from radio, but doesn't actually do any broadcasting, gained 1.7%. The story in television is much the same. Besides Emmis, the best performance in our TVBR stock list was by Liberty Corporation, which agreed to sell its entire TV group to Raycom. For yet another quarter, read 'em and weep.
| View the Numbers |
FCC's indecency education site may build posse
The Federal Communications Commission has put together a new user-friendly website designed to educate the public about the "...laws governing the airing of obscene, indecent and profane material." It will also provide a history of the FCC's enforcement activities and include a section addressing frequently asked questions. Finally, it will explain in full how to go about filing a complaint, and will further explain what happens to it once filed, and how to track its progress through the Commission. While at one time citizen complaints tended to get hung up on lack of evidence in tape or transcript form, the FCC makes it clear such evidence is no longer necessary, although still recommended. The site says, "The key is to provide enough information for staff to determine both the specific content of the complained-of material and the context in which it was broadcast."
RBR observation: Complaints in 2005 have been down compared to 2004, and dropped drastically in Q2 of 2005. Let's see if this ratchets them back up again. We don't think it will. The key to getting a huge windfall of complaints is getting a campaign organized by the groups which do that sort of thing. There likely will never be a huge windfall of originally-written and submitted complaints. Still, it only takes one...
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Susquehanna Radio headed to Cumulus?
Even the New York Times is now in on the speculation about bidding for the Pfaltzgraff radio empire, pegging the price at north of 1B (sure better be!). Cumulus is said to be working with Bain Capital and Blackstone Group (the latter of which was just in on the fourth Emmis television station deal). Cable assets are said to be headed to Comcast. Caution: The writing is still in pencil - - there was said to be ample opportunity for either deal to fall apart, or for new 11th hour bids to emerge. Citadel is the only company mentioned to be on the outside looking in at this point. A formal announcement is said to be coming this week.
RBR observation: The Cumulus rumor had already been widely reported here and elsewhere in the trade and financial press. Maybe the deal is at hand now that the "Gray Lady" has even heard about it. Adding impetus to the focus on Cumulus is word received by RBR that UBS asked for additional bids on just Susquehanna's Kansas City stations - - the one market where a Cumulus-Susquehanna combination would run afoul of the FCC's ownership limits. Susquehanna's 30-station portfolio would definitely upgrade Cumulus' presence in the top 50 markets, and would give the group's HQ staff its first opportunity to tune in an O&O from corporate headquarters in Atlanta. We are hearing some concerns from Wall Street though about whether Lew Dickey can devote proper attention to running both a public company, Cumulus, and a private one in which Cumulus would have only a minority stake.
 Bennett: Salem, Conyers
point and counterpoint
Salem Radio Network President Greg R. Anderson defended one of his Talkers, ex-Secretary of Education William Bennett, whose incendiary comments on race, crime and abortion have set the blogosphere and Washington ablaze. He was responding to demands for an apology, and more, from Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). Anderson chose to defend Bennett, causing Conyers to fire back that Anderson apparently failed to grasp what was really bothering the offended parties about the remarks. Read excepts from their exchange below. Meanwhile, members of both houses of Congress have introduced resolutions "...to strongly condemn the reprehensible and racist remarks made by William Bennett," according to African-American women's organization, The Links - - Bobby Rush (D-IL) introduced House Resolution 473 and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) put one forth in the Senate. Links "...respectfully urges Congress to pass resolutions condemning his remarks and the FCC to require the Salem Radio Network to cancel his show, Morning In America."
Anderson wrote, "We desire to encourage a robust exchange of ideas, but we would never condone racial bigotry, or ethnic discrimination. When taken out of context, we understand these comments were controversial for some and offensive to others; that was not our intent, and I am certain it was not Dr. Bennett's intent." Conyers remains unsatisfied, however, responding, "Frankly speaking, I believe your letter completely misses the point of why I and many others...found these remarks so offensive. Mr. Bennett gratuitously injected racial stereotyping into a conversation with a caller about social security and abortion. To date, neither you nor Mr. Bennett have explained why such stereotyping was needed, or even bothered to apologize for linking race with crime in such a discriminatory fashion."
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Terrestrial radio mirrored in cyberspace
News Generation Inc. (NGI), a company which works with associations, corporations, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations to get clients on the radio, has conducted a survey to determine how strong the link is between News-Talkers and the Internet. Over half - - 54% of a randomly-selected 50 station top 50 market sample - - stream 90% or more of their audio. The web is seen more as a tool to keep existing audience members tied to the station, making it easy to access while at work or elsewhere. Less common is use of a website to attract new listeners. NGI notes that originally, websites were often the purview of a station's promotional staff. That has now shifted to programming (46%), followed by public affairs (28%), then promotions (24%). On-air mentions of the website are the primary tool used to drive traffic, with 40% of stations requiring three mentions per hour from air staff.
 Mullen out at Tribune Broadcasting
After several quarters of soft revenues for its TV group, which the company has been blaming on Nielsen's Local People Meters (LPM), Tribune Company announced late Friday that Pat Mullen had resigned at President of Tribune Broadcasting. Mullen had been head of the broadcast group since January 2003 (1/8/03 TVBR #6), having joined the company in 1998 when Tribune acquired WXMI-TV Grand Rapids, where he was VP/GM. Exactly what led to Mullen's departure wasn't disclosed. He told RBR/TVBR: "It's time for a change for me and I'm sincerely happy and looking forward to the next chapter in my life. Lot's of possibilities and I'll take time to consider all options." Coincidentally, Fitch Ratings on Friday downgraded Tribune Company's issue default rating to A- from A and said the company's outlook is negative. Fitch noted Tribune's higher debt level, resulting from payment of an 800 million payment to the IRS for a tax bill that the company is still fighting in court. Tribune Broadcasting owns 26 TV stations, WGN-AM Chicago, WGN Superstation and the Chicago Cubs.
RBR observation: Pat Mullen has been one of the most vociferous opponents of LPMs. He wrote the May letter co-signed by 16 other TV groups (6/1/05 TVBR #107) which succeeded in getting Nielsen to temporarily delay its LPM rollout in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, although not in getting the ratings company to put the entire project on hold until it got all of its LPM markets accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC). Mullen also testified on Capitol Hill against LPMs and in favor of Sen. Conrad Burns' (R-MT) to make MRC accreditation mandatory for any TV rating service (7/28/05 TVBR #147). It will be interesting now to see if Tribune continues to be a leader in the campaign against LPMs, or if Mullen's successor - - yet to be named - - will decide to deal with the new ratings currency as a fact of life.
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| HD Radio 2006 |
RBR Observation: More on numbering HD Radio
We've been gratified at the feedback we're getting from readers on how HD Radio should be numbered - - our proposal (10/4//05 RBR #194), the Cox Radio proposal or some other option. While one reader suggested that no numbering system was needed at all and that HD multicast channels should be promoted by name, much like cable TV networks, that's really not going to be possible anytime soon. That would require HD receivers to have some sort of mini-browser. Maybe a good idea for the distant future, but for the roll-out of HD some sort of channel numbering system will be essential, just as it still is for cable TV. If we want to watch TNT down here in Bradenton, Florida, we have to know to go to channel 33. So, if you name an HD programming service "The Big Whammer-Jammer," you're still going to have to put some sort of channel number on your billboards to tell potential listeners how to find it. How would the Cox proposal work? We've run the numbers.
| Read More... |
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Adbiz©
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More buyers on dealing with Katrina's aftermath
In our November RBR/TVBR Solutions magazine, we ask stations (including Entercom New Orleans Market Manager Phil Hoover and WWL-TV GM Bud Brown), engineers, agencies and rep firms about life during and after Katrina. In our AdBiz section, agencies and reps speak about how Katrina affected marketing, planning and buying for clients. How are media agencies working through this? More excerpts:
 Matt Feinberg,
SVP/National Radio, Zenith Media Services:
"We couldn't even get in touch with anybody. Some of the station group owners were telling us they were sending people down there to find out what was going on. So we've been actively trying to put out public service-type messages to people in the area. It wasn't easy and the issue wasn't completely resolved."
 Pat McNew, PHD EVP/Local Media Network (LMN)
Director of Operations: "At this point we are taking it client by client, particularly on the automotive side of the equation. Chrysler/Jeep and Dodge cut back on schedules and moved start dates further back into October. Much of the situation depends on how many dealerships are operative, how much inventory is available, and how extensive the damage has been to each location."
 Jon Mandel, Chairman/MediaCom US and Chief Global Buying Officer MediaCom Worldwide:
"Everybody tried to do the right thing. I've got to say the broadcast community stepped up big-time for their communities. This is something the broadcast community should be very proud of, and way to show why we need to have a free over-the-air broadcast system in this country.
Their full thoughts in our November issue.
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RDS creates P.R.I.A. new business development system
Emmis Communications' Revenue Development Systems (RDS) announced the release of the P.R.I.A. New Business Development System to increase local, direct revenue for media companies. The system, developed with input from radio and television sales managers, focuses on the customer-focused sales process: Prospecting, Research, Ideas and Appointments. According to Elaine Clark, General Manager for RDS, "The RDS P.R.I.A. system pulls research tools, coaching, promotional ideas, and appointment steps into a single, strategic and customer-focused approach. The outcome is that sellers spend more time in front of clients and less time in the office. Other services offer research services or training. But the RDS P.R.I.A. system is the only product that incorporates all of these elements into a cohesive, structured program." Enhancements are scheduled to be released in the coming months. Among the new features are MarketPro! online research tool and The One Minute Revenue Generator.
 DirecTV launches effort promoting DVR
DIRECTV is introducing a 30 million-dollar effort today to promote its new digital video recorder. The campaign, via BBDO Worldwide NY, explains the benefits of DirecTV's new DVR service in language easily understood by people who are not early adopters of technology. "We've taken everyday real situations, and are balancing people's passion for TV with their passion for their families and other things in their lives," Al Merrin, vice chairman and executive creative director of BBDO NY, told the NY Times. A print ad shows the roof of a house against a starry night sky; one arrow in the sky points up to the DirecTV satellite that "broadcasts the amazing hole in one" of a golf game while another arrow points down to the DirecTV DVR in the house that "lets you watch it over and over without missing the next hole." The ad also describes features including the ability to record a whole season of shows, and to pause and rewind live TV. One TV spot depicts a child asking his father, who is watching a football game on TV, to read to him; the father can do this and record the game simultaneously, thanks to his DVR. In another spot, a teacher asks a student to name her favorite person; the student says it is her "daddy, because he lets me watch cartoons all the time, even during the game." The tag reads, "Somebody up there loves you, DirecTV." The campaign is running on network and cable shows like "Desperate Housewives," "CSI: NY" and "SportsCenter," and in magazines like Entertainment Weekly, Men's Journal and Cargo. Ads will also run on radio and in newspapers in the Top 20 markets. DirecTV plans to spend 30 million on the DVR campaign in Q4, says The Times. According to TNS Media Intelligence, ad spend has increased annually since 2001, growing from 175 million that year to 237 million last year.
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| Media Business Report |
Broadcasters get support from Digital TV Coalition
An organization of organizations calling itself the Smart Digital TV Coalition went to Capitol Hill last week to push for resolution of three critical issues pending in the DTV transition: set-top box compensation, multicast must carry and consumer education and outreach. The group is comprised of labor, rural, religious and minority organizations. Groups like the NAB will be particularly pleased by the coalition's stance on multicast, which it says will bring, "...local news and weather, foreign language and other quality programming to viewers across the country." It argues that a multicast mandate is critical to make this programming a reality. "Inclusion of multicast must carry language in final bills will prevent cable from stripping out valuable multicast programming and will ensure that elderly, rural and minority residents will not be deprived of access to vital information," said Larry Mitchell, spokesperson, for coalition member Alliance for Rural Television. The group further argues that set-top boxes and consumer education must be taken into account. "Rural residents, minorities and elderly Americans will be disenfranchised and disproportionately affected if these issues are not addressed," said Manuel Mirabal, Chair of the Hispanic Technology & Telecommunications Partnership.
| see coalition members listed here |
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| Media Markets & MoneyTM |
Closing encounters all over the place
The brokerage community has been reporting to us the exchanging of keys in various venues. Here then is a list of done deals. * Entercom has closed on sale of WOLI-FM/WOLT-FM/WSPA-AM in Greenville-Spartanburg, according to Kalil & Company. The buyer, for 6.7M, is Davidson Media Group. The deal was struck to clear cap room and enable Entercom's acquisition of Barnstable properties in the same market - - and that's closed too. The stations, coming to Entercom in exchange for 45M, are WROQ-FM, WTPT-FM & WGVC-FM. Entercom keepers in the market include WORD-AM, WYRD-AM, WFBC-FM & WSPA-FM. * Kalil & Company further informs us that Bustos Media has sent 20M to Puget Sound Broadcasting in exchange for KDDS-FM (ex-KAYQ) in Seattle. Bustos has been operating the Elma WA station under a TBA. * From Brett Miller at MCH Enterprises, word that ProActice Communication has closed on KMJY-FM Newport WA, near Spokane, for 2M from KMJY Inc. Principals Jerry Clifton and Greg Mack are on the prowl for more stations. * From Dick Kozacko, we learn that WNAE-AM/WRRN-FM Warren PA & WKNB-FM Clarendon PA are now in the hands of Frank Iorio's Radio Partners LLC. Kunzua Broadcasting Company's LeRoy Schneck accepts 1.25M in return. * From John Pierce, news that Beacon Broadcasting's Harold Glunt has completed his acquisition of WLOA-AM Farrell PA, giving him his second AM in the environs of Youngstown-Warren. Deal value is 295K.
It'll be a Charlottesville stick-up for Saga
Ed Christian's Saga Communications has a buy-to-build deal in the center of Virginia, getting a 1450 kHz CP which will take the group's local cluster to full two-and-two duopoly status. It'll be a standard Class C, firing up 1 kw night and day from a nondirectional tower. The seller, Anderson Communications, will get 150K for the CP. Saga's cluster includes WINA-AM, WWWV-FM & WQMZ-FM.
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| Washington Beat |
 RTNDA reiterates call
for SCOTUS cameras
The Radio-Television News Directors Association has wasted no time bending the ear - - or more technically, the eyes - - of Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts. The association wants radio and television admitted into the court to cover its proceedings. Wrote RTNDA president Barbara Cochran, "Just as the public is given meaningful access to an overwhelming number of state courts through audiovisual coverage, it should be given meaningful access to the arguments made before this Court, many of which involve profound social, political and legal issues. Chief Justice Rehnquist recognized the merits of allowing the citizenry to witness the events taking place inside the Court when, in response to requests from RTNDA and others, he released audiotapes of the oral arguments in Bush vs. Gore." Cochran called for immediate audio releases on courtroom proceedings, while calling for full electronic access to the court. "In the present day, however, meaningful access necessarily means televised proceedings - - only television has the ability to provide the public with a close visual and aural approximation of actually witnessing judicial proceedings without physical attendance. When electronic coverage is banned, the public is forced to depend on secondhand accounts filtered by the perceptions of reporters, which necessarily limits their understanding of the judicial process." A bipartisan bill to get cameras into SCOTUS has been introduced by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), and co-sponsored by Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Charles Grassley (R-IA), Russell Feingold (D-WI), John Cornyn (R-TX) and George Allen (R-VA).
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| Monday Morning Makers & Shakers |
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Transactions: 8/29/05-9/2/05
Another piece of the Emmis televsion sell-off hit the memory banks of the FCC, and another smaller deal was announced for a pair of small-market Nebraska televison stations. One radio deal of note hits the database as well, adding up to a fairly hefty pricetag for what was otherwise an extremely quiet week.
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Total
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Total Deals
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9
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AMs
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4
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FMs
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6
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TVs
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5
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| Value |
272.58M
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| Complete Charts |
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Radio Transactions of the Week
MainQuad segues to Main Line
| More... |
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TV Transactions of the Week
Emmis sell-off continues
| More... |
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| Transactions |
14.5M WIZN-FM & WBTZ-FM Burlington VT-Plattsburgh NY (Vergennes VT, Plattsburgh NY) from Burlington Broadcasters Inc. (Robin B. Martin) to Hall Communications Inc. (Bonnie H. Rowbotham, Arthur J. Rowbotham et al). Seller has been running WBTZ in TBA since 5/15/96. Buyer will put 800K into initial escrow account and another 4.13M pending WBTZ closing; will pay 10.37M at WIZN closing, 2.5M at WTBZ closing. Superduopoly with WJOY-AM/WOKO-FM Burlington VT & WKOL-FM Plattsburgh NY. [File date 9/6/05.]
9.5M KHAS-TV Lincoln-Hastings-Kearney (Hastings NE) & KNOP-TV North Platte NE from Greater Nebraska Television Inc. (Cynthia S. Walker) to Hoak Media of Nebraska LLC (James M. Hoak, Eric D. Van den Branden). 475K escrow, balance in cash at closing. Deal includes six LPTVs, including one carrying Fox in the North Platte DMA. KHAS is an NBC affiliate on Channel 5; KNOP is an NBC affiliate on Channel 2. [File date 9/2/05.]
1.3M KIRT-AM McAlen-Brownsville TX (Mission TX). 1002% of Bravo Broadcasting Company Inc. from Edward L. Gomez & Maria Teresa Gomez to La Iglesia del Pueblo Inc. (Juan de la Garza, Jaime de la Garza, Jose Luis Vasquez, Maria Isabel Vasquez, Rosalind de la Garza). 25K escrow, 975K cash at closing, 300K note. Buyer is noncommercial entity. [File date 9/2/05.]
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| Stock Talk |
Stocks edge up on jobs news
A slightly better than expected jobs report from the Labor Department gave stocks a modest nudge on Friday. The Dow Industrials rose five points to 10,292.
Radio stocks were a bit higher. The Radio Index rose 0.775, or 0.4%, to 196.695. Niche players did best. Entravision rose 3.2% and Radio One 2.2% for its Class A stock and 2.4% for Class D. Also, Fisher rebounded 3.6%.
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| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Friday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Arbitron
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ARB
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38.69
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+0.50
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Jeff-Pilot
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JP
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50.79
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-0.40
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Beasley
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BBGI
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14.08
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+0.19
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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14.51
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-0.10
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| Citadel |
CDL |
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13.79 |
-0.05 |
Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
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12.79
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+0.27
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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31.61
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+0.07
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Radio One, Cl. D
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ROIAK
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12.84
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+0.30
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Cox Radio
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CXR
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14.76
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-0.06
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Regent
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RGCI
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5.21
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unch
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Cumulus
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CMLS
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11.77
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-0.01
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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13.21
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-0.10
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Disney
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DIS
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24.10
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+0.01
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Salem Comm.
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SALM
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18.21
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-0.03
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Emmis
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EMMS
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20.86
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+0.14
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Sirius Sat. Radio
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SIRI
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6.42
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+0.03
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| Entercom |
ETM
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30.47
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-0.45
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Spanish Bcg.
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SBSA
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7.00
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+0.03
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Entravision
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EVC
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8.05
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+0.25
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Univision
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UVN
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25.99
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+0.09
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Fisher
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FSCI
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45.77
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+1.58
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Viacom, Cl. A
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VIA
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31.99
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+0.25
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Gaylord
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GET
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47.85
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+1.08
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Viacom, Cl. B
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VIAb
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31.89
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+0.21
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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25.32
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-0.06
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Westwood One
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WON
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19.16
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-0.04
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Interep
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IREP
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0.52
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-0.03
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XM Sat. Radio
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XMSR
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33.51
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-0.63
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International Bcg.
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IBCS
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0.01
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unch
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-
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-
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- |
-
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-
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Bounceback
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 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments to radionews@rbr.com
More feedback on
numbering HD Radio
Hi Folks,
Your proposal for FM HD Radio multichannel numbering is going to cause significant consumer confusion. There isn't any way we could promote 2070 as a number that any of our listeners could understand. We can use 89.3 HD-2 and 89.3 HD-3 and 89.3 HD-4 as this reinforces our main frequency position (which our analog listeners understand) and those with HD Radios will understand. We are using the 89.3 HD-2 numbering system and will not use any other system.
Mike Pappas
Chief Engineer
KUVO Jazz 89
Denver-Boulder, CO
Interesting concept. However, in consideration of the HD Radio FM band plan, I am surprised that the RBR's *marketing* minds did not first conceive of the importance of retaining the original frequency in modified form to preserve the station *brand* This is why the engineers involved in HD Radio's development elected to formulate the current multicast ID method - - in an effort to think like marketers, not engineers.
Paul Christensen
Law Office of
Paul B. Christensen, P.A.
Jacksonville, FL
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Radio Media Moves
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More responsibilities
for Grothe
NextMedia has promoted Jason Grothe to Director of Sales for its North Chicago radio cluster, which includes WIIL-FM, WLIP-AM, WXLC-FM, WKRS-AM, WZSR-FM and WWYW-FM. He was previously Station Manager for the Waukegan portion of the cluster.
Blake drives 'em home
Infinity's Oldies WODS-FM Boston has added Karen Blake as afternoon drive host, 2-6 pm. She's been in the local radio market for 24 years, most recently on WQSX-FM (now "Mike FM").
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Stations for Sale
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AM Opportunities
Great AM's in, SC Tennessee and SW Virginia! There are wonderful smaller markets with lots of potential. Some terms possible for solid buyer.
Cliff at Clifton Gardiner & Co (303)758-6900
cliff@cliftongardiner.com
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October RBR/TVBR Digital Magazine
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GM Talkback
TV and Radio GM's talk about Local auto dealer ad dollars and what trends they see.
One on One with Julie Roehm,
Chrylser Group's Director of Marketing Communications
Read RBR/TVBR in 2 simple steps:
1.Create a simple account with Zinio and download the Zinio Reader.
2. You can then download the
October Issue of RBR/TVBR
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RBR Radar 2005
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Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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HD Radio Bounce Backs
Readers Input to the Industry
We asked our readers for feedback on how to number HD Radio - AM radio dial position always ends in a zero - - 1560, 570, etc. FM radio dial position always ends in an odd number. I believe in both cases, it is easier for a person to remember the dial position that way. Maybe we should do something similar for the channel numbers for HD radio. Michael B. Levine, Director of Affiliate Relations at Matrix Media Inc. - Thank you for sharing the Cox proposal. If anything has driven home the absolute mistake of out of control deregulation (mega groups) it is the continuing saga of HD Radio. The amazing invention we call Radio once belonged to all the people. Open to creativity, community service, and innovation by all. Now it appears the very fabric of the industry can be shredded and rearranged for the express personal gain of a few mega groups behind closed doors. (Would it be wise to rearrange the English Language, then allow a corporation to patent it?) Tommy Lee from Ohatchee, Alabama
10/07/05 RBR #197
Praises gains in yield per minute
Harris Nesbitt analyst Lee Westerfield, using slightly different parameters, reports that inventory reductions held fast in September. What's different about Westerfield's monthly tracking and that of Wachovia's Marci Ryvicker is that he tabulates all stations, AM & FM, for drive time in the top 10 markets, while Ryvicker tracks FM stations only, also for drive time, in the top 12 markets. RBR observation: Less is More may be a nationwide effort for Clear Channel, but it appears to vary widely in its impact on individual markets. Houston appears to be a hotbed of :30 spots.
10/06/05 RBR #196
RBR Observation: HD Radio is a chance to re-brand radio
Radio is at an important crossroads with the launch of HD Radio multicasting and RBR is calling for some creative thinking to make sure this opportunity to re-brand radio isn't missed or muddled. We presented our channel numbering proposal. We want to hear from you by email via radionews@rbr.com. We want to facilitate an industry-wide discussion of this vital issue. See our first feedback in today's Bounceback section. For full HD details read
10/05/05 RBR #195
Mandel comments on Apollo issues
I think that the Apollo Project is a great idea. It's something that advertisers want. It will be, ideally, multimedia. And ideally, these things are paid for by the advertisers and the media companies and the advertising agencies - - all of the people that would use the information. And everybody has to put in equally. Everybody has the potential to get a benefit out of Apollo, so everybody should have some skin in the game..."
RBR observation: One thing we respect about Mandel puts his money where his mouth is - period - and you always know where you stand when you go toe to toe with him.
10/05/05 RBR #195
VNU is in a Dizzy -
Will Billboard go on the block?
VNU, parent company of Nielsen Media Research, is facing a revolt by major institutional shareholders over its pending seven billion bucks deal to buy IMS Health. One possible outcome is that VNU may look at selling its trade publishing unit, including Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter.
RBR observation: Will Perry Partners step up to bid for Billboard to combine with Radio & Records? Or has Rick Perry had enough of the trade publishing business? We also have to shake our heads at 7 billion as this is a heavy price to pay for a seat at the NYSE. The entire VNU company has a lot a risk going into 2006 and our recommendation to VNU bosses - Do not wear rose colored glasses because with out focus no company can have clear vision.
10/04/05 RBR #194
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Post just Opened
Local Sales Manager
Twin Cities at KFAN-AM 1130, America's premiere Sports Talk station, home of the Minnesota Vikings and Timberwolves. LSM needed at Clear Channel Radio Minneapolis-St. Paul. Have first hand experience developing direct sales with an understanding of Sports marketing and what it can do for your clients? Can you build, lead and motivate a winning Sports sales team? Got Game? Bring your winning attitude and business savvy to KFAN.
See Radio Careers
When you need to find the executive to help you grow in any position within your media organization - Then come to where over 35,000 executives read first their 7:30am morning RBR & TVBR E-paper and then 4:30pm afternoon Media Mix news and information:
Media HeadHunters
Delivering results.
For Confidential Placement Contact: Cathy Carnegie, VP, cjcarnegie@mediaheadhunters.com
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Keep Your PC Clean
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With the ever growing importance of computers in our daily lives and our businesses, it is important to remember that software and hardware often need attention too.
Rules For The Road To 2006:
1. Windows Update
(run it every two weeks)
2. Microsoft is putting out "critical" updates every month. Turn Auto-Update On. When it asks you to install the new updates - say Yes!
3. Virus Protection (make sure your system is up to date) Norton, McAfee - all flavors of the same ice cream. We like ice cream right?
4. Application Updates - Office - Lotus Notes, all software typically has updates, make sure you update your software once per month.
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RBR Epaper --  108 annual
or just 9 a month
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