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Radio News ®
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 Pay cut for Suleman at Citadel
Citadel Broadcasting CEO Farid Suleman saw his compensation go down last year as the company acquired ABC Radio and then watched its stock price plunge as both the new big market stations and the existing Citadel portfolio underperformed. The CEO did not receive a bonus in 2007, although the compensation committee of the board of directors had set a target of 1-2 million bucks for the year.
RBR observation: It was an unprecedented shareholder uprising against Michael Eisner at the Disney annual shareholders meeting in 2004 that led to his early departure...
| Read more here |
Texas court battle delayed
Six big banks have gotten a judge in San Antonio to delay until Friday a hearing that had been set for yesterday. Clear Channel, which had sued the banks, agreed to the delay. So it will be a few more days before we know whether or not the judge will issue a permanent injunction that effectively orders the banks to fulfill their 22 billion-plus in loan commitments for the private equity buyout of Clear Channel Communications. Another important hearing will be next Tuesday, April 15th. That's when a judge in New York will rule on Clear Channel's motion to dismiss an effort by the banks to add Clear Channel itself as a defendant to their counterclaims against the two buyout firms, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital.
RBR observation: As we noted before, Clear Channel is 2-for-2 so far in the rulings that count in this legal battling - first getting a temporary restraining order against the banks from a Texas judge and secondly for getting a federal judge to turn the banks down and send the case back to the Texas courts. Should the banks fail in their effort to get Clear Channel made a party to the New York lawsuit next week that would really put the pressure on the banks to come to a settlement and avoid trial in the Texas state courts.
 Boehner hopes to ROMP
back into the majority
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) would much prefer the title Speaker of the House, but at the moment a sizable deficit in sitting Republicans is standing between him and that goal. To help achieve his ambition, he has established the Regain Our Majority Program (ROMP), which is sending cash to targeted candidates in ten districts. There are a few unfortunate truths about the program, however. First, CQPolitics points out that ROMP used to stand for Retain Our Majority Program. Second, seven of the ten candidates are sitting incumbents trying to hold back serious Democratic challengers; and two more are trying to hold Republican seats vacated by incumbents. Only one is trying to wrest a seat already held by a Democrat. That is Anne Northrop (R-KY-3), who is trying to regain the seat she lost to John Yarmuth (D-KY). The incumbent recipients of cash from the Boehner fund include Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6), Vito Fossella (R-NY-13), Sam Graves (R-MO-6), Ric Keller (R-FL-8), Bill Sali (R-ID-1), Jean Schmidt (R-OH-2) and Tim Walberg (R-MI-7). The final two are Erik Paulson (R-MN-3), attempting to hold the seat vacated by Jim Ramstad, and Darren White (R-NM-1), attempting to hold the seat vacated by Heather Wilson.
RBR observation: The one sure thing is that where Boehner's money is flowing, Democratic cash will also flow. Add these districts to the list of 2008 battlegrounds.
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Illinois inches USA away from College
 That would be the Electoral College. Gov. Rod Blagojovich (D) signed a bill into law committing Illinois to a one-citizen, one-vote regimen, rather than the current winner-take-all regimen under the Electoral College system. According to watchdog National Popular Vote, it may be possible to replace the College with a popular vote when states representing over half of the Electoral College votes ratify the change. To date, 46 out of 538 have done so, with 21 from Illinois joining 15 from New Jersey and 10 from Maryland. The meaning for broadcasters is clear, as noted by NPV: "Under the winner-take-all rule, candidates have no reason to poll, visit, advertise, organize, campaign or worry about the concerns of voters of states where they are safely ahead or hopelessly behind." A total of 16 states are said to have passed popular vote legislation.
RBR observation: You saw the word buried in the list: "advertise." Whatever your opinion of the Electoral College, its elimination will certainly bring every last state into play. Even the reddest red states and the bluest blue states generally have pockets where the loyal opposition holds sway. We'd like to see this change because we feel the College is anachronistic and anti-democratic. So much the better that it would be good for business.
No radio revenue growth seen until 2010
BIAfn is out with its annual tally that radio station revenues were down 2.3% in 2007 to 17.9 billion bucks. That's slightly better than the drop reported by RAB (excluding network revenues), which BIAfn Vice President Mark Fratrik attributes to his company having estimates for all 302 Arbitron markets, while the monthly Miller Kaplan numbers used by RAB are geared mostly toward large markets, which have been faring more poorly than their smaller market brethren. More importantly, RBR asked Fratrik about the future. He expects 2008 to be worse than '07, with radio revenues projected to fall 3.1%. "The expectation is that while the economy is going to do better in the second half of the year, it's still going to take a while to really reinvigorate and get advertisers to spend a considerable amount of money," he said. He sees the economy being better in '09, with radio revenues still down, but only by 0.2% -- then, at long last, an up year in 2010. His forecast is for radio revenues to grow 0.9% in 2010, 1.8% in 2011 and 2.5% in 2012. So, RBR wondered, will radio ever get back to growth in the mid-single digits? "There is always that possibility, especially if radio really capitalizes on its digital assets. I think there is always a possibility of getting back into mid-single digits. I think that will be challenging and radio faces incredible competition both for listeners and for advertisers," Fratrik said.
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| RBR/TVBR Blog Log |
 A cautious welcome to Las Vegas
Fred Weinberg is a radio station owner, but also publisher of the Penny Press free weekly distributed in Las Vegas, where his media empire is based. Never one to be politically correct or keep his opinions to himself, Fred has shared with RBR/TVBR readers what his readers will see in the next issue as he "welcomes" the NAB to town.
| Read more here |
Got something on your mind? If you have 300 words or so of commentary on a topic of interest to broadcasters, send it to [email protected]. If possible, also send a photo of yourself.
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Ad Business Report TM
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Westwood, Metro Traffic to merge sales teams?
We could get no confirmation from Westwood by deadline, but an RBR industry source tells us Westwood One's sales force and Metro Traffic's sales force will merge into one entity. "I think under the Westwood banner. The new organization will be selling both WWO and Metro Traffic inventory. Next week both sales forces will be together in Phoenix for a meeting where the details will be presented." We will follow up with any details Westwood can provide, along with any confirmation or denial. If this turns out to be true, it could be beneficial for the sales staff in that each individual will now be able to represent more inventory and make more money. As well, less folks would need to make calls upon each of the already overburdened media buyers!
Tribune Media Net signs Sears
Tribune Media Net, the national ad sales organization for Tribune Company, unveiled a multiplatform campaign on behalf of Sears. The "Reinvent Your Kitchen" promotion will tie-in with Sears' major presence at the 2008 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Chicago, April 11-13, and extend the company's "Reimagine You" spring marketing campaign. Tribune's multi-channel promotion will reach audiences in key markets throughout the U.S. via radio, television and newspaper elements:
| Read more here |
 Coors reveals 2008 advertising
Coors Brewing unveiled its 2008 campaigns for Coors Light, Keystone Light, Coors Banquet, and Molson Canadian. All ads include a logo for the company's new "You Hold the Key. Never Drive Drunk" campaign. In addition, Coors Light introduced a series of online efforts that shows beer drinkers enjoying its latest innovations. Creative work from Draft fcb-Chicago, Taxi New York, Avenue A Razorfish and the Integer Group was featured. Coors Light continues its focus on delivering "The World's Most Refreshing Beer," with a series of ads that highlight innovations, including the new Vented Wide Mouth can and the popular Cold Activated Bottle.
| Read more here |
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| NAB Daytime Planner |
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The following will be attending the NAB. Call or email to make your appointment in advance.
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BROKERS
John Pierce & Company LLC;
John L. Pierce, Jamie Rasnick;
office 859-647-0101, John cell 859-512-3015; Jamie cell 513-252-1186, Bellagio Hotel; [email protected]; [email protected]
Serafin Bros., Inc.; Glenn Serafin;
office 813-885-6060; cell 813-494-6875;
Planet Hollywood (formerly the Aladdin) Hotel; [email protected]
Kozacko Media Services;
Dick Kozacko, George Kimble;
office 607-733-7138; Dick cell - 607-738-1219; George cell - 520-465-4302; Bellagio Hotel; [email protected], [email protected]
Patrick Communications;
Larry Patrick, Managing Partner;
Susan Patrick, Managing Partner;
Greg Guy, Managing Partner;
Todd Wirth, Director;
office: 410-799-1740;
Larry cell 410-707-4602 Bellagio Hotel; [email protected], [email protected]; [email protected]
Frank Boyle & Co; Frank Boyle,
office 203-377-3030;
Frank cell 203-249-07818;
Rio Suites Hotel;
[email protected]
Media Venture Partners; Elliot Evers, Brian Pryor, John Cunney, Bill Fanning,
415-391-4877, Bellagio Hotel;
pcarberryharris@mediaventurepartners.com
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BROKERS
Schutz & Company;
Bill Schutz; Bellagio Hotel;
office 757-258-8740,
Bill cell 757-880-9251;
[email protected]
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc.;
Gary Cavell, Richard Mertz, Dan Ryson; Main Office 703-392-9090;
[email protected]
BANKERS
Dover Capital Partners, LLC
Kirk Warshaw, General Partner
Peter Ottmar, General Partner
Office: 401/723-1063, x109
Peter's Cell: 401/639-4958
Bellagio Hotel; [email protected];
[email protected]
LEGAL
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC; Gregg P. Skall office 202-857-4441, Gregg cell; 703-623-0600; John Garziglia; office 202-857-4532; John cell 202-270-8967; Bellagio Hotel; [email protected]; [email protected]
NET. RADIO/ SYN. PROG.
Talk Radio Network;
Mark Masters; office: 541-474-2297, Mark's cell: 541-521-8604; Bellagio Hotel; email: [email protected]
Exec. Asst.: Erin Terry, [email protected]
Contact [email protected] to get your company listed today.
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| HD Radio 2008 |
NDS to demo targeted advertising capabilities
NDS, provider of conditional access technology solutions, will display its RadioGuard technology at the 2008 NAB Show, including a first-time demo of targeted advertising. The innovative targeted ads are based on secure ad substitution technology from NDS. RadioGuard, the industry standard for HD Radio conditional access, will also be demonstrated live on KKJJ-FM Las Vegas with receivers at NDS booth #N6812 tuned to the live station broadcast. RadioGuard provides broadcasters with addressability, the key component for introducing new applications and entertainment delivery innovations to digital terrestrial radio. With RadioGuard, HD Radio stations can deliver specific content to individual receivers, based on what those subscribers want to receive. Using addressability, HD Radio stations can also offer targeted ads, a.k.a ad substitution.
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| Localism |
Kekeluv still on the mike, aiming at 7PM ET
 Peak Broadcasting's KSAS "103.3 Kiss FM" Radio in Boise, ID is close to breaking a radio record with PD and Afternoon host Kekeluv (Steve Kicklighter) broadcasting for 175 consecutive hours (7 days) without sleep. Today at 7PM ET/5PM MT will make that a done deal. He's marking April as child abuse prevention month while raising money and awareness for this significant local cause (4/1/08 RBR #64). He's been taking calls from folks all over calling in to tell their abuse stories to Kekeluv, as confessionals, and to give advice to others. Check it out live at www.1033kissfm.com. For broadcasters to send encouragement to Kekeluv, make it email: [email protected]
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Noncom gets Riverside AM
El Sembrador Minitsties, headed by Noel Diaz, is spending 3M to get its very own AM station in the Riverside-San Bernardino market, east of Los Angeles. KHPY-AM, licensed to Moreno Valley CA, is the station, and its coming from the Delbert Leroy Van Voorhis Revocable Trust. The 3M cash payment settles all outstanding issues from an LMA/option agreement between the parties that has been in force since 5/1/04.
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| Washington Business Report TM |
NAB takes its white space
 case to the Hill
Would be wireless innovators have run into a little problem: Their headlong assault on television spectrum keeps tripping over its own testing. The NAB and MSTV are dipping into their advertising budgets to show legislators just what unlicensed, interference-causing devices would do to their television screens. The two broadcast associations are putting their message in the full array of Capitol Hill press outlets, including Congress Daily, Roll Call, Politico, Congressional Quarterly, Communications Daily and The Hill. "It's one, two three strikes you're out," reads the banner headline, which appears above a depiction of what may happen when unlicensed devices infiltrate the signal of a digital televised baseball broadcast. Noting that testing by the companies behind the Wireless Innovation Alliance and that done by the FCC itself have thus far failed, NAB/MSTV ask, "If the devices fail in pristine lab conditions, can you really trust them in the real world."
| Legislators opposing unlicensed white space devices |
RBR observation: 70 legislators have thus far recognized the danger of allowing the unlicensed device experiment to move forward, particularly during the high-stakes move to digital television. That means 460 or so may need convincing. NAB's list of the 70 is available below the click. If yours isn't there, this may be a good time to contact them and express your concerns.
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| Media Business Report TM |
Election coverage plateaus
The primaries remain in the midst of a lull, with a big one in Pennsylvania still a few weeks off, and while the lull was not nearly enough to flush election coverage off the top of the Project for Excellence in Journalism media coverage chart for the week of 3/31/08-4/6/08, it did subdue it to the point where it didn't quite eat up a third of the overall newshole, at 32%, down from 34% the week prior. The biggest news about news would seem to be that the economy regained its #2 ranking despite the imminent appearance of Gen. David Petraeus on Capitol Hill. The last time the General was in Washington that was all anybody seemed to be able to talk about, but the Iraq category most relevant to the General's visit, the Iraq policy debate, didn't even make any of the media subterranean lists, much less crack the overall top ten. The supremacy of the campaign story was not universal, either. Newspapers ranked the economy higher than the campaign, and online journalists gave each at 14% share, but the campaign focus of cable and, to a lesser extent, radio, fueled its continued dominance of the top spot on the overall chart.
| View the chart |
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| Entertainment Business Report TM |
 TRN syndicates The
Monica Crowley Show
Talk Radio Network Entertainment announced it will syndicate The Monica Crowley Show nationwide under an arrangement between TRN Entertainment and Dial-Global. Crowley made the transition to TRN Entertainment from Westwood One last week and has added to her current lineup of over 75 affiliates. The show now airs on major market stations across the country including: WABC, New York; WTKK, Boston; KFTK, St. Louis and WVIE, Baltimore. It airs live Saturdays from Noon to 3 p.m. ET.
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| Transactions |
4M WYNA-FM Myrtle Beach SC (Calabash NC) from Coastline Communications of Carolina Inc. (Jerome Bresson) to Qantum of Myrtle Beach License Company LLC, a subsidiary of Qantum Communications Corporation (Frank D. Osborn, Michael F. Mangan et al). 250K deposit, balance in cash at closing. Seller will receive an addition 1M if station hits a 6.0 Arbitron share 25-54 in the Spring 2008 book. In Myrtle Beach, superduopoly with WWXM-FM Garden City SC, WGTR-FM Bucksport SC & WQSD-FM Briarcliff Acres SC; In Wilmington NC, duopoly with WLQB-FM Ocean Isle Beach NC; in Florence SC, duopoly with WEGX-FM Dillon SC. [File date 3/7/08.]
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| Stock Talk |
The Fed is worried
Bad earnings from Alcoa and worries about the economic future in minutes released by the Fed put Wall Street in a selling mood. The Dow Industrials fell 36 points, or 0.3%, to 12,576.
Radio stocks, however, managed gains. The RBR Radio Index rose 0.234, or 0.3%, to 90.403. Much of that was due to a 7.5% rebound by Regent. Tiny Debut Broadcasting, which is not an index component, shot up 14.3%.
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| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Tuesday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Arbitron*
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ARB
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44.72
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+0.25
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Google
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GOOG
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467.81
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-9.01
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Beasley*
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BBGI
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5.16
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-0.27
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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20.42
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-0.13
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
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22.32
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-0.19
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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7.19
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-0.14
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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22.32
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-0.09
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Lincoln Natl.
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LNC
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54.11
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-0.33
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| Citadel* |
CDL |
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1.81 |
+0.03 |
Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
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1.49
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-0.05
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Clear Channel*
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CCU
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28.75
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+0.21
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Radio One, Cl. D*
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ROIAK
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1.53
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-0.03
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Cox Radio*
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CXR
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12.27
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+0.17
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Regent*
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RGCI
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1.15
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+0.08
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Cumulus*
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CMLS
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6.20
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-0.13
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Saga Commun.*
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SGA
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5.94
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-0.05
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Debut Bcg.
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DBTB
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|
0.80
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+0.10
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Salem Comm.*
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SALM
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4.13
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-0.04
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Disney
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DIS
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31.07
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-0.45
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Sirius Sat. Radio
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SIRI
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2.69
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-0.05
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Emmis*
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EMMS
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3.46
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+0.04
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Spanish Bcg.*
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SBSA
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1.88
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+0.02
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Entercom*
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ETM
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9.91
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-0.12
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Westwood One*
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WON
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2.28
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+0.02
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Entravision
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EVC
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7.02
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+0.37
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XM Sat. Radio
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XMSR
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11.67
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-0.24
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Fisher
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FSCI
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32.00
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+0.22
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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*Component of the RBR Radio Index
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Bounceback
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 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to [email protected]
Keep the pressure on
I like the pressure some industry leaders are putting on Arbitron. They continue to drag their feet and their products in relation to the amount of money they charge are inferior and have been for a long time. Anyone who has used Tapscan knows exactly what I mean. However, having said that I believe, as do many, that PPM will be the ratings measurement. And knowing that we all need to do whatever we can to make it the best measurement possible for Radio's future. If we were to go back to the diary method in PPM markets Radio audience levels would lose what little credibility they have now.
Mike Cavanaugh,
Account Executive
KUPL, Portland
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Below the Fold
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Localism
Kekeluv still on the mike,
Aiming at 7PM ET, radio urged to send him email to make it to the finish line.
Ad Business Report
Westwood, Metro Traffic
To merge sales teams? We could get no confirmation from WW1 by deadline, but...
Media Business Report
Election coverage plateaus
Primaries remain in the midst of a lull, w/ a big one in PA still off...
Media Markets & Money
Noncom gets Riverside AM
Noel Diaz, is spending 3M...
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Stations for Sale
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 Market your Stations For Sale
in our daily epapers.
Contact
Jim Carnegie
[email protected]
Northern California
FM Group
* Highly Desirable Market
* Excellent Signals
* Seller Financing Available
 The Exline Company
Andy McClure
Erick Steinberg
415-479-3484
[email protected]
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More News Headlines
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Online sales to climb despite struggling economy
In a year where retail industry sales are expected to experience sluggish growth, Americans will continue to flock to the Internet for clothing, computers, and even cars. According to The State of Retailing Online 2008, the 11th annual Shop.org study conducted by Forrester Research of 125 retailers, online retail will continue to be a bright spot in the industry with retail sales rising 17% this year to 204 billion. Apparel (26.6 billion), computers (23.9 billion), and autos (19.3 billion) will be the largest three sales categories.
| Read more here |
Reassigning direct reports at CCU
With the departure of Jerry Kersting for Tribune Company, Clear Channel has reworked the chain of command for some of the people who used to report to him. For many RBR readers, the most important is the person now designated to handle radio acquisitions and divestitures at Clear Channel. That is Dirk Eller, VP of Corporate Development. Sharon Blankenship, President of LAN International, the Clear Channel-owned sales management software company, will now report to Premiere Radio Networks President Charlie Rahilly. Likewise, RCS President Phillipe Generali now reports to Rahilly.
Newspaper group for sale, but who's buying?
Journal Register Company has put itself up for sale and retained Lazard Freres & Co. to seek a buyer or buyers for its 22 daily and 310 non-daily newspapers. But investors are doubtful about buyer interest in the current economy and the company's stock has been trading for less than two bits. "Lazard Freres will help us evaluate our strategic options. While we are concerned about the state of the overall economy and the environment for print advertising, we generated $90.3 million of EBITDA in 2007, well in excess of our $38.5 million interest expense, reduced debt by $105 million during 2007 and have no scheduled principal payments due until the second quarter of 2009," said CEO James Hall.
RBR observation: While there may be billionaires with big egos and more money than sense interested in owning premiere newspaper names like the Los Angeles Times and Philadelphia Inquirer, such deep pockets are unlikely to be bidding for the holdings of Journal Register, whose biggest name is the New Haven Register. Its papers operate in six clusters in Connecticut, New York (2 clusters), Ohio, Michigan and the Philadelphia area.
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TVBR - TV News
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No real surprises at DTV hearing
Senators routinely urged FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and outgoing NTIA head Meredith Atwell Baker to table all other concerns for the duration of the run-up to the DTV transition and give the transition their full attention. Commerce Committee Chair Daniel Inouye (D-HI) asked that monthly progress reports be made available to committee members, and Ranking Member Ted Stevens (R-AK) particularly asked that consideration of net neutrality issues be tabled. Martin noted that consumer awareness is getting much better, hitting 76% according to a recent poll, but admitted that much still needs to be done. He then outlined some of the things the FCC is doing, including aggressively going after retailers persisting in the sale of analog-only equipment and in publicity partnerships with a wide variety of entities such as professional sports leagues and ethnic groups. Baker noted that over 10M coupons for digital-to-analog converter boxes have been applied for. Under questioning, she said NTIA is working with low power facilities to make sure their particular viewers are aware of their need for a special box which includes an analog passthrough -- she said the reason they weren't made a universal requirement was that they would produce a poorer digital signal, would cost more and are not needed in all markets.
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RBR Radar 2008
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Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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RBR/TVBR Blog Log: A critical view of Arbitron's 25-34 initiative
After reading Arbitron's explanation of its second straight week of in-tab declines in Philadelphia, consultant Randy Kabrich questions whether the trade-off makes sense as Arbitron tries to boost 25-34 PPM performance, while seeing other demos decline. The RBR/TVBR Blog Log lets you read his analysis and judge for yourself and review the stats, charts and the commentary Read more here
04/08/08 RBR #69
Arbitron tells Philly
clients all is well
For the second straight week, with March Week 2 now reported, in-tab numbers for PPM in Philadelphia were down. This time, though, Arbitron was quick to tell clients not to panic and that this was the expected result of its intentional effort to improve PPM panel representation of the 25-34 demo.
04/08/08 RBR #69
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RBR.com Classifieds
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New Listing
Sales Manager
Live, Lead, and Love What You Do in Paradise! Clear Channel Hawaii is in search of its next great sales manager to lead one of Honolulu's Top Performing Radio Stations. Join Hawaii's most dynamic media management team & line-up of tier one stations. To learn more see Radio Careers below.
Hard finding that key person
to fill the important position at your organization? Try RBR Classifieds.
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