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Volume 24, Issue 163, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Tuesday Morning August 21st, 2007
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TV News ®
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 Tribune's down arrow
puts deal in question
This is a transaction that is designed to go to Zell. When it was first proposed to take the company private under Sam Zell's leadership, the stock was about four dollars below the share advertised as the privatization price. But in the interim, the arrow on the stock price has been heading in the other direction. Those numbers are 30 dollars at the time of the announcement, an announced price-per-share of 34 dollars for the acquisition, and an actual stock price, as of close of business last week, less than 26 dollars. Articles at key publications with Times in their names on both coasts likened the situation to a betting proposition with few takers. The Los Angeles Times did note that the reduced price has attracted some investors willing to accept the odds, including Stark Offshore Management, Perry Corporation and Renaissance Technologies. But it also notes that the company will have significant debt, over 10B, and the New York Times article says that number could reach 13B. Shareholders will be looking voting on the 8.2B deal today in Chicago. The bottom line is that although Zell and Tribune executives remain confident that the deal will go through as planned, there seems to be no shortage of Wall Street observers who believe otherwise. According to LAT, the board is expected to allow the deal to go forward, putting the ball in the FCC's court, which will have to approve the transfer of 23 television stations and one radio station, as well as determine the fate of five television/newspaper cross-ownership situations that rely on waivers and/or grandfathering for their existence.
TVBR observation: NYT noted that part of the purchase price will come from the sale of MLB's Chicago Cubs, and that further cash could be realized by liquidating the company's television assets. The problem with that scenario is that the company will be left pinning all of its future hopes on the newspaper part of the business, precisely the portion that is under the most stress.
Congress in play, warchest set to open early
The jury is out on Congress right now. It's known that President George W. Bush's approval ratings are hurging, and those of Congress in general are hurting even more. But is it general antipathy toward incumbents, or is it one party or the other generating the ill will toward the legislative branch? The Democrats, in control for a scant seven months, do not have enough votes to overcome the 49 Republicans in the Senate, who need only 40 to bring whatever legislation they wish to a screeching halt. But does the general population understand that? Further questions abound. Are the new Democrats who took over Republican seats last year the first wave of continued encroachment into Republican territory, as Democrats would like to believe, or are they an endangered species which the Republicans can turn into one-term wonders? According to an article in the Washington Post, the Washington-based committees of both parties want to win this perception battle now before the battle for Congress is completely buries under an avalanche of presidential coverage, and both are prepared to open up their warchests early to brand their candidates. Democratic House campaign chair Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) told WaPo, "The window will go into the fall, but by early next year, it will be closed." Look for radio and television buys, as well as other tactics, in selected areas over the next few months.
TVBR observation: As usual, a third or so of the Senate seats are up for grabs this year, meaning there is Senate action to be had in about two-thirds of the country. Selected buys in a given state's key media markets will be a prime opportunity in what figures to be a very hot year, with Democrats looking to increase their vote margin while Republicans have over 20 seats to defend. Make sure campaign officials in both parties know how easy it is to get their message out on your station.
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How much can Rupert get for fish-wrappers?
Now that Rupert Murdoch has confirmed our prediction that News Corporation would sell off the Ottaway Newspapers group after it pays over five billion bucks for Dow Jones & Company, how much will the cash from those small market newspapers return to the News Corp. coffers? Newspaper broker Larry Grimes of W.B. Grimes & Co., pictured, tells RBR/TVBR that while the ad marketplace is generally soft for newspapers, the Ottaway papers are in good markets. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Ottaway newspapers commanded 11 to 12 times cash flow," he said. If analyst estimates are correct that Ottaway has about 50 million in CF, that could mean a price of 550-600 million. Grimes said multiples for daily newspapers peaked at 14 times a few years back, but are now generally in the 9.5-11 range. The Ottaway group is not concentrated in a single geographic region, so "there is not one buyer who would just pop to mind," Grimes said. He thinks the papers might bring more sold off piece by piece, rather than as the whole. Ottaway is strong in New England, has one of its largest newspapers in Stockton, CA, and also has newspapers in Oregon, New York and Pennsylvania. Potential bidders could include Gannett, Gatehouse Media, Media News Group, Community Newspaper Holdings and American Consolidated Media, Grimes suggested.
 RHI debuts premiere movies on VOD
RHI Entertainment, a television production and distribution company, announced an initiative to premiere original, never-before-seen movies in the action, thriller and horror genres to cable TV customers on their VOD service. Early distribution agreements include Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Cablevision, and Cox. RHI expects other agreements later this year. A total of 24 original world premiere movies are being offered in the first year, with two new movies premiering each month. Cable TV customers will be able to choose from six RHI movies available for a fee at any given time. Further, RHI is the first company to produce and offer movies in both High and Standard Definition for premiere on VOD. Black Friday, Maneater, The Sitter, Deadly Suspicion, Something Beneath and Eye of the Beast are among the initial titles. Additionally, as part of the overall package, RHI is offering many of its classics on a free VOD service. The offering, entitled RHI Showcase, features such well known, and beloved titles as, Alice in Wonderland, The Prince and the Pauper and Captains Courageous. Following the exclusive world premiere VOD exhibition, networks such as SCI FI, Spike TV and Lifetime will telecast the original movies in their premiere broadcast/cable window. Genius Entertainment will release the movies on home video.
Campaign, Iraq consume up news hole
The 2008 presidential campaign took the top spot in the Project for Excellence in Journalism's analysis of Q2 news coverage in the United states, eating up 9% of available time and space. Iraq remained a big story, however, with events accounting for 7%, policy debate for another 7% and homefront issues for still 2% more, amounting to 15% all-told (after rounding). Most of the top ten stories were of an ongoing nature. Exceptions were the Virginia Tech shootings, at 5%, and the 2% allocated to the Don Imus firing. Immigration was the #4 topic with 6%, and other top ten tales included Iran (2%), the fired US attorneys controversy (2%) and the strife in Palestine (1%). Four stories disappeared from the Q1 list, including the CIA leak/Plame case (3%); Anna Nicole Smith (2%), the new Democratic Congress (2%) and severe weather stories (2%).
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| Wall Street Media Business Report TM |
Media General, Journal suffer July reversals
The immediate prospects for two broadcasting companies that are also heavily invested in the newspaper business are not good, the way print has been going lately. But while the print side of these businesses was the loss leader for July, the broadcast side of the business also came home in the red. At Media General, it lost 3.3% July 2007 to July 2006, comprised of a 6.8% decline in publishing with a minimal sub-1% loss in broadcasting. It's growing interactive division picked up 37.4%. Over at Journal, July revenues were down 8%, comprised of a 10.6% drop in publishing and a 5.5% drop in broadcasting. It blamed the broadcast losses on the sale of two radio stations and the lack of political advertising.
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Ad Business Report TM
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Univision partners with Red Cross
on Peruvian earthquake disaster relief
 Univision has partnered with the American Red Cross to assist in fundraising efforts aimed at helping those in need after the recent earthquake in Peru. As part of the multi-platform effort, the Univision networks are taking full advantage of their cross-promotion capabilities to promote the fundraising efforts through PSAs and special reports. The special programming is airing on some of its most popular programs, including: Univision's "Sabado Gigante", "Despierta America" and "Primer Impacto"; TeleFutura's "Escandalo TV" and "El Show de Monica"; and Galavision's "Decorando Contigo". The networks are also mobilizing their sports properties to include "Futbol Liga Mexicana", "Contacto Deportivo" and "Republica Deportiva". In addition, Univision Network's national newscast, "Noticiero Univision," continues to keep the U.S. Hispanic community informed with up-to-the-minute coverage. RadioCadena Univision has also produced on air PSAs featuring Univision Radio talent that encourages listeners to make a donation. In addition, RadioCadena Univision continues its extensive news coverage as well as special segments on public affairs programs. Univision Online has created a special section of its website accessed through Univision.com to house all earthquake-related coverage, essays, testimonials, photos and video. "The devastation in Peru has hit very close to home for many of our viewers and listeners. We feel that it is extremely important for us to provide our audience with an effective vehicle through which to lend both moral and financial support to their family, friends, loved ones and compatriots in Peru during this time of need," said Joe Uva, Univision CEO.
Brunton Vineyards takes title sponsor spot
on "All American Rookie"
Brunton Vineyards, a San Francisco/Napa-based wine company, announced its management has negotiated a sponsorship position with the reality TV show, "All American Rookie", scheduled to be aired on Fox Sports. "All American Rookie" is a reality show created by Geno Brunton and developed by BCC Sports and Joe Nemechek along with his NEMCO racing team and former Fox producers Dwayne Bright and Gregory Vanger. The show awards drivers who have paid their dues-driving weekly in the ARCA, Hooters and other racing circuits-the opportunity of being mentored by Joe Nemechek and other current NASCAR drivers and champions, eventually having the chance to race against the best in the sport. The winner of the "All American Rookie" will be awarded the opportunity to be a part of the NEMCO race team, race in the Busch Series and earn a career as a race car driver in NASCAR. Brunton Vineyards' division, "SWIG" will act as an actual sponsor on the show. As title sponsor, Swig will be afforded all of the benefits of the show's primary sponsor and have a race car during the show with its logo as the competition ensues, including spots and other branding and promotional opportunities. "VinoVenue" will also be awarded a sponsor position on the show, paid for by Brunton. Expected exposure of the show is to be on Fox Sports with a contract already in place for airing the series, negotiations are underway to determine the exact timing of air dates.
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| Media Business Report TM |
 Pitt study finds inequality
in tobacco advertising
Compared with Caucasians, African-Americans are exposed to more pro-tobacco advertising, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study published in this month's Public Health Reports. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, causing more than 440,000 deaths annually and costing more than 150 billion in direct and indirect costs each year; African-Americans currently bear the greatest burden of this morbidity and mortality. Although exposure to pro-tobacco media messages is now known to be a potent risk factor for tobacco use, whether African-Americans are in fact exposed to more pro-tobacco advertising has been unclear until now. In the study, they evaluated data from both predominantly African-American and Caucasian markets using studies from peer-reviewed journals. By extracting the number of total media messages the number of tobacco-related messages, and the number of residents living in each market area, they were able to calculate the concentration and density of tobacco advertising in each market. Concentration of tobacco advertising can be defined as the number of tobacco ads divided by the total number of ads. According to the data, the concentration of pro-smoking signage is approximately 70% higher for African-Americans and there are about 2.6 times as many ads per person in African-American areas as compared to Caucasian areas.
CC Outdoor adds more digital billboards
Clear Channel Outdoor announced it is adding to its growing list of digital billboard networks with new displays in some of the largest markets, including Chicago and Philadelphia. Building upon a successful network launch in Los Angeles this May, the company also is launching a second phase in that market this month. In addition, the company's El Paso Digital Outdoor Network, which debuted in July, added one of the largest Hispanic DMAs to CC's Digital Outdoor Networks. The company has now deployed 76 digital billboards since the first of the year. By the end of this month, Clear Channel Outdoor will be operating 16 digital billboard networks in the following 14 DMAs: Akron, Albuquerque, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, El Paso, Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Wichita, and two networks in both Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Equity Media picks up three Big Apple LPTVs
WMBQ-CA, WMBQ-LD and WBQM-LP are headed from Renard Communications to Equity Media Holdings in an 8M deal that will give the buyer access to the nation's largest television market. "We are excited to be able to announce this important acquisition. New York represents a significant opportunity for Equity's growth plan, and adding these three stations will increase our nationwide footprint to 32% of the U.S. population," said Thomas M. Arnost, President/CEO of Equity. One programming possibility is the group's own programming serivice which it is currently marketing for use on HDTV multicast side-channel, Retro Television Network. It's also looking at opportunities that will kick in when the stations go digital. "In addition, these assets will give Equity a platform with multiple digital channels to attract services and networks that need to access the nation's largest market."
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| Washington Media Business Report TM |
 Analyst fail to see Whole Food-XM/Sirius parallel
When the Federal Trade Commission moved to prevent a merger between top organic food retailers Whole Foods and Wild Oats, many saw it as bad news for the XM/Sirius merger. Now that FTC's block has been countered in court, some think it's a good sign for XM/Sirius. Not so, says BloggingStocks. It thinks the FTC may have been on thin ice in blocking the food merger since organic items are available at many other food outlets. But Douglas A. McIntyre, a partner at 24/7 Wall St. writing for the blog, said a comparison to XM/Sirius is "...full of holes." He noted that they are already a de facto duopoly, "and merged, would be a monopoly. Their ability to send satellite signals with radio content to receivers is not a business that any other company can enter. That is not really a bit like the Whole Foods situation." He further noted that unlike Whole Foods, XM/Sirius faces serious opposition on Capitol Hill from legislators who wonder why they should condone the merger when it may simply lead to raised rates over time. He concluded that while Whole Foods/Wild Oats may take heart for the court ruling (which the FTC has already appealed), XM/Sirius probably should not.
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| Hollywood Media Business Report TM |
"Skunk Fu!" coming to The CW's Kids' WB! this fall
Kids' WB! on The CW has added some overseas muscle to its fall lineup with the animated martial arts comedy "Skunk Fu!". Acquired from UK-based Cake Distribution, "Skunk Fu!" is the sixth new series coming to Kids' WB! for the 2007-2008 season. Already scoring big in the UK and Australia, "Skunk Fu!" is the tale of Skunk, a rambunctious martial arts student under the tutelage of wise old Panda. The goal of Skunk's training is to become the hero The Valley ultimately needs to fend off perennial attacks by evil Dragon, and end a centuries-old battle. "Skunk Fu!" is a co-production between Cartoon Saloon, Telegael and Hoek, Line and Thinker. Audiovisual rights for "Skunk Fu!" are being handled worldwide by Cake Distribution and all Licensing & Merchandising rights are being managed by Galleon Plc. The series currently airs on ABC Rollercoaster in Australia and CBBC in the UK. Cartoon Network Asia, Super RTL in Germany and France 5 and Canal J in France are also set to broadcast the series. The 2007 Kids' WB! fall lineup will be announced in the near future.
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| Internet Media Business Report TM |
 Offline channels drive
majority of users to search
Search engine marketing firm iProspect released a study from JupiterResearch that reveals 67% of the online search population is driven to search by offline channels. It also revealed that 39% of online searchers who are influenced by offline channels ultimately make a purchase. Partnering with some of the most successful brands in the world, search engine marketing firm iProspect commissioned the study to gain a better understanding of online search users and how exposure to offline channels influences their search and purchase behavior. The survey was comprised of 25 questions about their behaviors, attitudes, and preferences as they relate to games, digital imaging, portable devices, and service bundles. Among key findings, the survey shows that offline channels clearly influence a significant percentage of online search users to subsequently perform queries on search engines based on the company name, product/service name, or slogan that appears in the messaging of that offline channel. Specifically, the study revealed that two-thirds of the online search population is driven to search by offline channels. The implication of this finding should be clear. Smart marketers have a huge opportunity to leverage offline channels to drive their audience to search for them or their products. Doing so could greatly enhance the effectiveness of their efforts. The study also took a look at purchase behavior. Specifically, offline-influenced online searchers were asked whether they ultimately had made a purchase from the company whose website had been the object of their search. The data revealed that more than one-third do so. This translates into a 39% conversion rate, and suggests a synergistic relationship exists between search and offline channels.
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| Ratings & Research |
Mothers to spend 450 bucks for Back to School 2007
Back to school creates new family priorities, plans and resolutions. It's also not cheap, according to a new study released today by the Marketing to Moms Coalition. According to Marketing to Moms Coalition Report, Back to School 2007, "School Age Moms" (mothers with children aged 7-12) will spend nearly 450.00 on average on Back to School 2007. School Age Moms with two children between 7 and 12 will spend nearly 600.00. The top two spending categories were 33% for clothes and 17% for sports and exercise gear, including uniforms, shoes, and equipment. Other top categories were 14% for school supplies and 14% for school activity fees. In making the announcement on behalf of the Coalition, Teri Lucie Thompson, Marketing to Moms Coalition Board member and Vice President of Marketing for Safeco Insurance explained, "Back to school time is the real New Year's Day for many moms. It symbolizes a fresh start and is the time to change family routines. While the beginning of the calendar year is an opportune time for resolution making and priority setting, for back to school moms, the beginning of the school year is a new beginning for important family decisions. For example, fully 63% of the school age moms surveyed plan to pack more healthy lunches for their children this year. In addition, with the large and disproportionate expenditures for back to school, moms are re-evaluating all of their family spending for the balance of the year, including the Holiday Season."
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| Stock Talk |
Stocks emerge from behind cloud
At about midday, reports from Wall Street looked gloomy indeed, owing to uncertainty, as near as we could tell. As near as we can tell, things are still pretty darn uncertain, but potential bad news items did not present themselves and afforded the markets a chance to pull off somewhat of a recovery before the closing bell sounded. How did your stock fare?
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| Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Monday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Acme
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ACME
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4.02
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+0.07
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Lincoln Natl.
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LNC
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59.26
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-1.02
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Belo
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BLC
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16.98
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-0.02
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LIN TV
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TVL
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13.07
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+0.20
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
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30.45
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+0.20
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McGraw-Hill
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MHP
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47.73
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-1.41
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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30.45
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+0.16
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Media General
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MEG
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27.98
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-1.43
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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35.77
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+0.70
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Meredith
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MDP
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54.50
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+0.18
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Disney
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DIS
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32.91
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+0.23
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News Corp.
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NWS
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21.77
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+0.02
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Emmis
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EMMS
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6.36
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+0.09
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Nexstar
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NXST
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8.29
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+0.12
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Entravision
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EVC
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8.74
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-0.02
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Ion Media
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ION
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1.30
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+0.02
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| Equity Media |
EMDA |
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3.10 |
-0.13 |
Saga Commun.
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SGA
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7.62
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-0.53
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Fisher
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FSCI
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49.44
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-1.09
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SBS
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SBSA
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2.88
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-0.07
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Gannett
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GCI
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46.84
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-0.63
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Scripps
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SSP
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38.32
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-0.20
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Gen. Electric
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GE
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38.22
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-0.23
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Sinclair
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SBGI
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11.55
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+0.11
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| Google |
GOOG |
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497.92
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-2.12
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SWMX
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SWMX
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0.09
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+0.01
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Gray
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GTN
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8.54
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-0.56
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Time Warner
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TWX
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18.42
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+0.13
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Gray, C1. A
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GTNa
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8.41
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-0.40
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Tribune
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TRB
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27.02
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+1.35
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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20.37
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-0.09
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Wash. Post
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WPO
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790.90
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+4.10
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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10.82
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-0.86
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Young
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YBTVA
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2.10
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unch
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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 tvnews@rbr.com
Two comments lead the pack on the royalties issue
 As a local broadcaster, I can only look to the future and wonder what industry I'll be part of in 5 years. Too young to retire, and unable to afford the excessive fees the placed on us by the CRB decision of this year. With the growing audio landscape, and the smaller piece allotted to local radio, why would the record industry allow a group of disconnected corporate goons to decide to pillage and plunder their number one village? We spend an incredible amount of time sorting through the stacks of music the record guys send our way. We select and program the "best of the best" in a way that surely benefits the recording industry from the artists to every level of development and management. Now the record guys are telling me that since I volunteer my resources to take their artists' songs to another medium and expose them in another neighborhood that I must significantly increase the already substantial payments I render each month? Come on guys - we're not the enemy! We've provided a service and paid you for the opportunity for decades. The CRB decision is only hurting your cause, and even the fan base will suffer in the end.
Dan DeBruler, General Manager
Christian Listening Network, Fayetteville, NC
 How's about the reverse fees that record companies, artists, composers should pay to radio stations, collected by and distributed by NAB.
1. P.A.C.S.A, aka Payment After Calculation of Songs Played. ASCAP would pay a calculated fee to each music station based on yearly estimates of % of each record companies' records played on each station.
2. IMB, aka Individual Music Broadcast. Each station would send its rate cards to each record company, indicating the average cost per 2 1/2 minutes for each record played. .
Run Of Schedule. Each record companies' ad agency would place an annual bulk order for average plays per month-for clients of each record company. Stations would generate quarterly recaps for credits or increased fees. C.A.S.E.S., aka negotiated variations of the above. Record Companies, ASCAP, BMI, SESAC can't have it both ways for the historic free air plays aka Ads--Music Stations have given them. Those same stations have to pay 2 to 4% of their Revenue Gross to ASCAP,etc. To successfully execute these wild 'n crazy reverse fees, the Industry would have to lock arms, to not play music they didn't get paid for. The current fee parasites have always bet the Industry has neither the guts nor programming creativity to put their feet to the fire. Same kind of pattern when the UAW-CIO Unions threatened one of the then big three auto companies with a strike, unless they agreed to unrealistically high employee benefits. Car companies always caved-- now same big three have been in virtual bankruptcy for years. What's a mother to do??
Frank Boyle
Station Broker, dedicated to
stations not going broke.
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Below the Fold
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Ad Business Report
Univision partners with
Red Cross on Peruvian disaster relief...
Media Business Report
Pitt study finds
Inequality in tobacco advertising...
Media Markets & Money
Equity Media picks up three
Big Apple LPTVsm WMBQ-CA, WMBQ-LD and WBQM-LP headed from...
Ratings & Research
Back to School 2007
Mom's expected to spend 450 bucks...
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Stations for Sale
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The Exline Company
LPTVs - Central and Coastal CA
Call Andy McClure or Erick Steinberg
(415) 479-3484
Exline@pacbell.net
 Market your Stations For Sale
in our daily epapers.
Contact
June Barnes
jbarnes@rbr.com
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TV Media Moves
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Journal names
David Harwood
VP/Online Sales
Journal Communications announced David Harwood is joining its interactive group as vice president of online sales. For the past three years, Harwood has served as director of online sales for the Denver Newspaper Agency, which represents the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post. During that time he grew online sales to record levels, consistently out-performed goals and increased online revenues by double-digit percentages year-over-year.
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RBR Radio News
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The case for performance fees fairness
We admit it. The MusicFirst Coalition is right: "Radio should be held to the same standards and should play by the same rules as its competitors." Agreed. AM and FM stations should pay the same performance royalties as Internet streamers and satellite radio - and that royalty rate should be zero. The radio industry should be aligning itself more closely with the Internet streamers to not only fight the outrageous CRB increases in Internet streaming fees, but to have Congress eliminate them altogether. Just as AM and FM radio airplay sells records, Internet radio airplay sells records. In fact, the Internet guys have added a great bonus to the record companies and artists that over the air broadcasters could never provide - a way to click through and immediately buy the music the listener is hearing. And with the broad variety of music that can be offered through unlimited Internet streams, new markets are being cr! eated for obscure music genres and markets are being rejuvenated for the sale of oldies from artists such as Sam Moore and Judy Collins. Similarly, new HD Radio channels will be a boon to record sales once enough receivers are in the market. Radio sells records. We know it. Record company executives know it. Artists know it. One cockeyed economics professor at the University of Texas at Dallas has devised a formula to "prove" that radio airplay hurts record sales - a formula that no doubt could also "prove" that the sky is green and the grass blue - but that doesn't change the fact that the record industry would see billions of bucks in diminished record sales if, somehow, radio airplay were to disappear. The satellite radio guys, whose brilliant business strategies are well known, were stupid enough to willingly sign contracts right up front to pay out performance royalty fees for the privilege of promoting record sales, so we don't know if it would be possible to include them in such a coalition to seek fairness on Capit ol Hill. But for AM radio, FM radio, HD Radio and Internet radio, the common cause should be congressional action to level the playing field and make no one pay for helping the record companies sell their wares. Local radio operators time now to get in touch with your congressional reps as they are home for recess. Time for local radio to unite and kick ass!
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TVBR Radar 2007
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Television News you won't read any where else. TVBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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Is GM benefiting from
underground promotion?
An article in Automotive News published earlier this month noted how General Motors has been providing motor vehicles to various radio/television personalities, and schedules tours of GM facilities and sit-downs with GM execs. One-air mentions have followed, and watchdog icon Ralph Nader thinks this is something the FCC should be investigating. The Detroit Free Press list of personalities in on the arrangement included Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Laura Schessinger, Whoopi Goldberg, Sean Hannity, Ryan Seacrest, Glenn Beck, Delilah, Laura Ingraham, John Tesh and others.
TVBR observation: Pay-for-say, the quiet little brother of full-blown payola, has reared its ugly head in a number of different ways recently. There have been columnists and commentators hired by the Bush administration to surreptitiously promote policy; there have been flaps when so-called product experts have favorably reviewed items over the air, items they were paid to positively review. If somebody gives you a candy bar to try for free, and you praise it over the air, we think you're OK as long as you acknowledge the prior transaction. But if you suddenly launch into a prose poem about the virtues of the candy bar without mentioning that you received it as a gift, you have found the thin ice. This is one of Adelstein's pet peeves, and whether or not the GM flap has any legs in its own right, it will probably at the very least allow him to continue further inquiry into the whole payola/pay-for-say issue.
08/20/07 TVBR #162
NAB takes its case straight to Microsoft; WaPo weighs in
The failure of a Microsoft device intended to operate in the cracks between broadcast stations to pass muster at the FCC has only led to renewed requests for more tests. The NAB is asking for a common sense approach which means tabling this concept until the DTV conversion has been pulled off successfully. Details see TVBR
08/17/07 TVBR #161
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New Listing
Sales Associate
A fast growing network radio company seeks a Sales Assistant for its Chicago office. The ability to multi-task and prioritize are paramount in this position, as is the willingness and desire to learn in a fast paced environment. Please send resumes with cover letter to: tfleming233@gmail.com
See Radio Careers
Hard finding that key person
to fill the important position at your organization? Media HeadHunters is the place that key media firms use to get results. See Media HeadHunters and get results with service.
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Help Desk
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__EMAIL__ :
Having problems with our epapers?
Please send Questions/Concerns to:
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If you wish to remove your name completely from our database use this link __UNSUB__
TVBR Epaper -- 108 annual
or just 9 a month
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©2007 Radio Business Report, Inc. All rights reserved.
Television Business Report -- 2050 Old Bridge Road, Suite B-01, Lake Ridge, VA 22192 -- Phone: 703-492-8191
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