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Volume 24, Issue 174, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Thursday Morning September 6th, 2007
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TV News ®
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 SBS takes Mega TV national
Spanish Broadcasting System has signed with DirecTV to make its Miami-based Mega TV available nationally via the satellite service's DirecTV Más package. SBS CEO Raul Alarcón had previously hinted to analysts that negotiations were underway to expand the fledgling Spanish TV channel without having SBS make a large investment. "This is the first step in our strategy for expansion and growth for Mega TV in the United States. We are reaching the Hispanic consumer with greater strength each and every day, and we will continue to integrate radio, TV, and the Internet as part of our overall strategy of disseminating original content through different media outlets," said SBS CEO Raul Alarcón. Beginning October 17th, Mega TV will be available nationwide on the DirecTV Más platform on channel 405. Cynthia Hudson-Fernandez, Executive Vice-President and Chief Creative Officer of Mega TV, says several original productions will be incorporated into the new channel concept of "Radio en Television" with hit SBS radio shows such as "El Cucuy" from Los Angeles' La Raza 97.9 and "El Vacilón de la Mañana" from New York's Mega 97.9 serving to expand the radio brands onto television. DirecTV Más customers will have access to exclusive programming from Mega TV, including "María Elvira Live," "Bayly," "Paparazzi TV," "MEGA News" ,The Brazilian MegaSeries: "Chocolate con Pimienta," "Xpediente," "El Círculo," "Lamusica.com," "Código Astral," "Handyman," "Raíces & Recuerdos," "Mis 15," "Agenda del Inmigrante" and "MEGA Cine."
FCC set to tee up TV/cable issues
At next week's 9/11/07 open meeting of the FCC, the commissioners will consider items on mandatory carriage of digital broadcast television signals after the DTV transition, as well as items on cable programming issues and local franchising authority treatment of potential cable competitors. The key broadcast component of the meeting is described as "...a Third Report and Order and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning issues related to mandatory cable carriage of digital broadcast television signals after the conclusion of the digital television transition." On the cable programming front, the FCC will examine program access issues and program tying arrangements. The competition plank will examine the FCC's "directive that local franchising authorities not unreasonably refuse to award competitive franchises."
TVBR observation: The cable industry is fighting dual carriage after the DTV transition, but the failure of a cable system to carry a station's digital stream (or downgrading it to analog) is seen by many as contrary to the whole point of switching to digital in the first place. Chairman Kevin Martin has been the driving force thus far behind mandatory digital carriage, and we wish him great success when this matter comes up for a vote next Tuesday.
 Moody's assesses potential
recession impact on media
Moody's Investors Service says many major US media companies, such as Viacom, Time Warner, Comcast and Cox Communications, should hold up pretty well if the US economy slips into recession in the next couple of years. Who looks more risky? Moody's names New York Times Co., Clear Channel Communications, Gannett and Belo. "We want to highlight varying degrees of rating vulnerability should recent disruptions in the US housing, subprime mortgage, and credit markets begin to more broadly affect job creation, consumer confidence, and overall economic activity," said Moody's Senior Vice President Neil Begley, a co-author of the report. "Such a contagion could negatively affect revenue at rated firms because of exposure to economically sensitive consumer and business spending, particularly print and broadcast advertising," he said. But, will there be a recession? Begley said the rating agency was not predicting a recession or even stating that one is likely, which is why current conditions have not prompted changes in rating outlooks. Though with the rise in risk-aversion among creditors, the current likelihood of a recession may be the highest it has been since 2003, according to Moody's chief economist John Lonski. However, it's important to note that the probability the current economic recovery will continue through mid-2008 may be close to 75%, making a recession less likely, Moody's said. The full report is "Investment-Grade U.S. Media and Entertainment: Sustainability of Current Credit Ratings in a Recession." It identifies Cox Enterprises and Clear Channel as the most vulnerable to refinancing risks, "as maturities through 2009 exceed the sum of existing cash, stressed cash flow and external committed facilities."
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Former commish pusher of DARS merger
Former FCC Chairman Mark Fowler took to the pages of the New York Sun to suggest that the FCC and DOJ should step back and let satellite audio services XM and Sirius combine if they want to. "If the two satellite radio companies, each only several years old, need to combine to be more effective competitors in an audio entertainment marketplace teeming with technological change and innovation, the government should not stand in the way." Fowler cited the vast changes in media since his tenure at the FCC during the Reagan years. After crediting XM/Sirius in fueling radio's drive to HD technology, he wrote, "In the mean time, satellite and terrestrial radio also have been besieged by a host of additional competitors: iPods and other MP3 players, Internet radio services, and now mobile phones. All offer exciting new means of providing audio entertainment to consumers." He concluded, "In the end, satellite radio may or may not survive, but let that be decided by the people through their electronic choices in the marketplace."
TVBR observation: Fowler fails to answer his own "if," but both XM and Sirius have answered it repeatedly. Both say they are solvent and their business model is sound, and that they are and will be able to stand on their own if the merger does not go through. Allowing them to merge would be permitting a conditional and government-sanctioned monopoly of convenience. Most rational observers don't see this two-into-one scenario as a way to increase competition, including those who drew up the dual charters in the first place to guarantee that competition would exist. Do iPods impact XM and Sirius? Sure. They impact AM and FM radio as well. That doesn't mean AM and FM get to monopolize, and it certainly doesn't it confer that right on XM/Sirius either.
 NBC strikes Amazon TV deal
after iTunes deal folds
Amazon.com and NBC Universal announced NBC Universal content is now available on Amazon Unbox (unbox.amazon.com), Amazon.com's digital video download service. The deal was struck only days after the contract with iTunes was not renewed (9/4/07 TVBR #172). Unbox and NBC Universal are offering customers a variety of content packages, including up to 30% off when purchasing full seasons of their favorite TV series. Shows now available include The Office, Heroes and 30 Rock. Beginning 9/10, Amazon Unbox customers can download for free - in advance of their network premieres - the pilot episodes of NBC's new shows Bionic Woman, Chuck, Journeyman and Life. New episodes will be available on Amazon Unbox the day after they air on TV. Individual episodes will cost 1.99 on Amazon, the same as they had on iTunes. NBC is also nearing the introduction of Hulu.com, a joint-venture with News Corp. that will stream ad-supported versions of shows to viewers through portals including AOL, MSN and Yahoo.
Beth Comstock moving back to GE?
Beth Comstock's tumultuous two years at NBC Universal are nearing an end, The NY Post reported. General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt plans on bringing Comstock - whom he parachuted into NBC in 2005 - back into the GE fold in her former position as chief marketing officer, according to the paper. The decision to move Comstock, a longtime GE loyalist who is a favored executive of Immelt, back into the GE executive suite is in keeping with GE's long history of deploying key executives from corporate into its various business units for a stint before returning them to the parent company. Comstock's expected move comes as sources told the paper NBC is closing in on a deal to acquire female-focused cable network Oxygen in a bid to bolster its iVillage Web site. The iVillage 600 million purchase in March 2006 was championed by Comstock and - despite recent momentum - is largely viewed as an overpriced bust, the story said. NBCU did not return requests for comment by deadline.
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Ad Business Report TM
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Cowdell on Ford's "Swap My Ride" campaign
Ford's "Swap My Ride" secret stunt in which folks who had recently bought new cars from competitors traded them temporarily for Fords began running on television and online this week (9/5/07 TVBR #173). The commercials feature people who were asked to drive Fords for a week instead of the cars they had just purchased; Ford concealed its identity by creating a make-believe market research firm to conduct the effort.
We asked Phil Cowdell, CEO of Ford Media Services, a bit about the thinking behind the effort: "This is just another example of trying to put the power back in to the hands of the consumers...i.e. don't take our word for it; try it for yourselves; and 'for real'. Interestingly, I just heard [yesterday] that we are doing similar 'real life' comparisons in markets in Asia (i.e. China, Philippines) to similar success. It is also in tune with 1) the growing skepticism of consumers re: extravagant ad claims that are made by the advertiser without apparent third party validation; 2) better informed consumers (especially with so much online info and reviews from 3rd parties) and 3) the overwhelming rise of reality TV-type content in which Joe Public gets to be the star (or at least a significant support actor!). What is clear from the research data is that many people have a view of what Ford used to be. And if they haven't experienced it lately, the most effective way to jump-start a shift in perceptions is real, live, first-hand, unadulterated experience. These cars and trucks are great to drive.....but we're saying, "don't just take our word for it..."
Jennie-O Turkey partners
with "The Biggest Loser"
 Jennie-O Turkey Store is partnering with NBC's "The Biggest Loser" for the second year as the show's exclusive protein brand, offering healthy meal options for the 18 competitors in the popular weight loss series. Jennie-O Turkey Store Extra Lean Ground Turkey will be among the products featured throughout the season. Additional support for the show's partnership will include an on-pack ad of Jennie-O Turkey Store's participation in this season's "The Biggest Loser" on 6 million packages of Lean and Extra Lean Ground Turkey. Links to the "The Biggest Loser" website will stem from a new microsite housed on the Jennie-O Turkey Store brand website, www.jennie-o.com.
CBS creates "tasty" ad for "Cane"
CBS announced it has created a first of its kind print ad for a television series that tastes like a non-alcoholic lime mojito. The ad, which promotes the fictional Duque Rum brand featured in the new series "Cane," will appear in the fall entertainment preview edition of Rolling Stone. The concept for the print ad was developed by the CBS Marketing Group and Initiative Media. They created a promo showcasing the Duque Rum brand alongside a tamper-proof taste packet. The insert includes a thin, tamper evident pouch with a non alcoholic lime mojito-flavored dissolving taste strip which will enable them to enjoy the full-flavor taste experience of a rum mojito, without any of the sugar, calories or alcohol. The two page ad promotes the season premiere of Cane while driving consumers to a website www.luciaduquerum.com, created exclusively to promote the series. The site will also offer visitors a unique opportunity to enter a search for "The Duque Rum Girl," who will be cast in an upcoming episode of "Cane."
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| Media Business Report TM |
Time runs out for Business 2.0
Rather than sell its tech-focused biz mag, Business 2.0, Time Inc. has decided to shut it down. The struggling title didn't even get to report its own demise, with the New York Times getting the scoop yesterday as executives from Time Warner headed to San Francisco to formally informer staffers of the shutdown and their options. Editor Joshua Quittner and some of his editorial staffers are reportedly being offered jobs helping to beef up tech coverage for Fortune, also owned by Time Inc. Business 2.0 was, as the name indicated, a child of the Internet boom. It first appeared in 1998 and Time Warner bought it from UK-based Future Network in 2001 for a reported 68 million bucks. The Times says it almost broke even in 2005, but then suffered a sharp drop in advertising.
TVBR observation: We liked Business 2.0. The writing was good and the stories interesting, but it never became a must-read for us. With technology news moving so fast, you have to wonder how any monthly can be much of a must-read in the sector.
 Yahoo buys behavioral
ad firm BlueLithium
Yahoo! has entered a deal to buy BlueLithium, an online global ad network that offers an array DR products and capabilities, for 300 million in cash. "BlueLithium's products, technology and team will be an integral part of our drive to build the industry's leading advertising and publishing network," said Jerry Yang, Yahoo! CEO. "This acquisition will extend our ability to deliver powerful data analytics, advanced targeting and innovative media buying strategies to our customers, who are increasingly looking for these insights. By leveraging BlueLithium's complementary expertise and tools, we will be able to better address the needs of our performance-based display advertisers and enhance the value of our publishers' inventory." BlueLithium's product capabilities include audience targeting based on consumer interests; remarketing ads to consumers across the Web who have interacted with an ad or web page; custom segmentation; spot buying capabilities to extend reach and frequency against a marketer's target audience. BlueLithium will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yahoo!. CEO Gurbaksh Chahal will remain for an interim period through the integration.
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| Washington Media Business Report TM |
Objections overruled
Citizens objecting to the airing of allegedly indecent material have filed to deny license renewals for stations owned by Clear Channel and Emmis. In Clear Channel's case, the station in question is WKQI-FM in Detroit, with the complaint coming from Word of Faith International Christian Center. In Emmis's case, objections to renewals for a number of stations in Indianapolis and Terre Haute IN were brought by serial objector David Edward Smith. In both cases, the petitions have been gathering some dust. The Word of Faith informal objection to Clear Channel's renewal dates back to 10/5/04, and Smith's action, also an informal objection, was filed 7/23/04. Since then, both Clear Channel and Emmis have entered into consent decrees with the FCC dealing with indecency issues. The broadcasts in question occurred before the consent decree, and according to the FCC, each "complaint...is barred from consideration..." A somewhat stranger situation exists in an objection to the sale of WVEI-FM Easthampton MA from Great Northern Radio to Entercom. An objection to the transaction was filed on 3/29/06 by Irene M. Stolz on 3/29/06 on both indecency and payola grounds. The oddity is that Ms. Stolz passed away 3/24/06. Entercom argued that this put her standing to file to an end, but the FCC allowed the complainants to press the objection as the Estate of Irene M. Stolz, Edward R. Stolz II, Executor. However, it too was brushed aside. The objection did not cite any specific instances of indecency programming, and the payola issue was settled via a consent decree.
 Bloggers get election exemption
Blogs such as The DailyKos, just like a broadcast station, newspaper, network or cable channel, are allowed to sell advertising AND promote various candidates for public office, according to a Federal Election Commission ruling. Opponents of such websites had argued that they should be treated as political committees. FEC disagreed, saying such sites clearly fall within the media exemption. In a March 2006 clarification, it said, "...that 'costs incurred in covering or carrying a news story, commentary, or editorial by any broadcasting station...web site, newspaper, magazine, or other periodical publication, including any Internet or electronic publication,' are not a contribution or expenditure unless the facility is owned by a political party, committee, or candidate."
TVBR observation: This is a key exemption, which extended to Howard Stern back when he was on radio, and it extends to Jay Leno, which is why he was able to play host to Fred Thompson last night.
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| Cable Business Report TM |
Comcast rebuffed again on set-top box waiver
The full FCC has backed up the Media Bureau in denying Comcast a waiver of the rule requiring cable companies to incorporate CableCARD functionality, separating channel surfing and security features, so that consumers will have the option to buy their own low-cost boxes for accessing digital programming. While some small operators have been granted waivers, the FCC has stood firm on making the big MSOs comply. The new rule went into effect last month, after the Commission refused to grant a blanket waiver to the MSOs (7/2/07 TVBR #128).
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| Internet Media Business Report TM |
One in four adults now visit local TV websites
27% of adults have visited a local TV website in the past 30 days. These findings come from a recently released study from The Media Audit. The study conducted between January 2006 and April 2007 is based on a telephone survey of 118,211 randomly selected adults across 88 markets. Only two of the top 15 markets, make it into the top 15 for adults who visit a local TV website. Houston ranked 8th in adult population and Philadelphia ranked 7th came in 10th and 13th respectively in a ranking of top markets for percent of adults visiting a TV website. Across the nation 73% of adults are going online. With 27% going to local TV websites, this means that nearly 40% of internet users are visiting their local TV websites. "This is a strong testament to the appeal of the local TV websites. Raleigh, Tulsa, Denver, Columbia, Little Rock and Madison where over half the adult online population is going to a local TV website" said the report. "We'd expect to see that more than double over the next year." Of the top 15 markets, two Texas markets, Houston and Dallas, make it into the top 5 for converting online visitors to local TV website visitors" continued Higginbotham. Philadelphia, Detroit and Seattle make up the rest of the top 5.
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| Ratings & Research |
 CBS claims a win on all fronts
Complete charts from Nielsen were delayed by the Monday holiday, but CBS is claiming an across-the-board win in the rating race for the past week. According to the Eye net: For the week in viewers, CBS (6.80m) topped FOX (4.38m), ABC (4.25m) and NBC (4.17m). For the week in demographics, CBS was first in adults 25-54 (2.3/07) and adults 18-49 (1.8/06).
Viral marketing missteps reach "epidemic" proportions
JupiterResearch reports viral marketing efforts have failed to effectively reach the mass audiences advertisers had anticipated. Despite the growing popularity of such social media sites as MySpace and You Tube, viral marketing campaigns are consistently proving ineffective in delivering and sustaining a brand over time, due mainly to misdirected tactics. The new report says only 15% achieved the goal of prompting consumers to promote their messages for them in the past year. Although targeting influentials was the most popular technique to stimulate viral behavior, viral marketers plan to decrease use of this tactic by 55% within the next year. While social media sites eliciting user generated content would seem to provide a perfect vehicle for viral marketing campaigns, those initiating the campaigns must dig deeper to understand the tendencies of the appropriate audiences. "Viral marketers often send one campaign to all influentials," explained Emily Riley, Analyst at JupiterResearch. "Different influential groups not only respond very differently to advertising campaigns, but also influence others in very different ways."
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| RBR Radio News |
 Arbitron to guarantee
PPM sample sizes
Exact details are yet to be worked out, but Arbitron has told clients it will reduce their bills if it fails to hit targets for Portable People Meter (PPM) sample sizes. Arbitron is also working on a new campaign to explain the math of PPM to media buyers, many of whom haven't been buying into the claim that 70 GRPs under PPM are equal to 100 GRPs under diary measurement. In his letter, Arbitron CEO Steve Morris conceded that the company is not hitting its sample targets in Houston and Philadelphia, the first two PPM markets, although he still insisted that the audience data are statistically reliable. But he agreed to establish guarantees and reduce bills to broadcasters if they are not met. "We understand that you want us to have some 'skin in the game' when it comes to our sample targets. Therefore, as of October 1, 2007, we will implement a PPM sample guarantee in which we will provide a deduction from your monthly bill if we fall below a minimum threshold of our 6+ Metro sample size target for the panel," Morris wrote, saying Arbitron will be working with the Arbitron Radio Advisory Council (RAC) on specifics of the guarantee plan.
 RAC chairman Steve Sinicropi, pictured, of Cox Radio told RBR the letter is a step in the right direction and that the guarantee will make in-tab performance as important to Arbitron as it is to broadcasters. "All of us want more confidence in the currency. Hitting targets lets us all have more confidence in the currency - both buyers and sellers," Sinicropi said. As for those buyers, Arbitron is pledging to step up efforts to educate ad buyers on the changes necessary to buy radio under PPM, rather than diary measurement. "Remember this formula: 70 PPM ('meter') GRPs can equal 100 diary GRPs," reads a headline in a draft of an ad that Arbitron is preparing to run in advertising industry trade publications. Sinicropi said there is still a lot of confusion among buyers, which is something we have heard from other broadcasters as well. "What has changed is the measurement, not the underlying value," Sinicropi said, noting that a lot of work remains to be done to get that message out as PPM rolls out to eight more markets through the end of 2008.
| Read the Steve Morris letter. The draft ad is the last page. |
RBR observation: Broadcasters would rather have Arbitron hit the sample targets than rebate their ratings bills, but this guarantee at least gives Arbitron an additional incentive to hit those targets. "With Arbitron, the devil is always in the details," said Cox Radio CEO Bob Neil in an email we received about the Arbitron letter. Neil, who has been a long-time skeptic about various aspects of PPM, called the 6+ sample guarantee "a joke," since radio really needs every major demo to come in on target. "That is what we are paying for," he said. As for the problem with buyers not adjusting GRP targets for PPM, we doubt that a few magazine ads are going to suddenly get everyone to change their numbers. This is going to be a tough education process and it has to go up the chain to planners and ad agency executives who are now planning budgets for 2008. We doubt that many buyers have the authority on their own to revise the GRP target numbers for a planned buy because the market has switched from diaries to PPM.
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| Transactions |
18M WPXL-TV New Orleans LA from Flinn Broadcasting Corporation (George S. Flinn Jr.) to Ion Media of New Orleans License Inc., a subsidiary of Ion Media Networks (R. Brandon Burgess, Lowell W. Paxson et al). Cash. 100K allocated to non-compete. LMA 1/2/98. Ion Media was sold to CIG Media in transaction filed 5/16/07. This station will also merge into CIG. [File date 8/16/07.]
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| Stock Talk |
Home sales figures hurt stocks
The National Association of Realtors said pending sales of existing homes in July were at the lowest level in nearly six years. That worried Wall Street traders and sent stocks lower. The Dow Industrials were down 143 points, or 1.1%, to 13,305.
TV stocks were lower as well. Sinclair had a rough day, down 4.1%. CBS Class B was off 2.4% and Class A 2.3%.
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| Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Wednesday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Acme
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ACME
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4.07
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-0.15
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Lincoln Natl.
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LNC
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60.54
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-1.08
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Belo
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BLC
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17.34
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+0.07
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LIN TV
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TVL
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12.36
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-0.19
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
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30.81
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-0.77
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McGraw-Hill
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MHP
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50.15
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-0.76
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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30.83
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-0.74
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Media General
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MEG
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27.75
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-0.20
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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37.42
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+0.07
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Meredith
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MDP
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55.91
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+0.32
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Disney
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DIS
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34.04
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-0.09
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News Corp.
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NWS
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21.77
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-0.48
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Emmis
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EMMS
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6.43
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-0.02
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Nexstar
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NXST
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9.50
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-0.10
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Entravision
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EVC
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9.32
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+0.12
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Ion Media
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ION
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1.30
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-0.01
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| Equity Media |
EMDA |
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3.15 |
unch |
Saga Commun.
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SGA
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7.46
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unch
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Fisher
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FSCI
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48.22
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-1.65
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SBS
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SBSA
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2.68
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-0.15
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Gannett
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GCI
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47.68
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+0.30
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Scripps
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SSP
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41.59
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-0.25
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Gen. Electric
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GE
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38.75
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-0.29
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Sinclair
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SBGI
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11.85
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-0.51
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| Google |
GOOG |
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527.80
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+2.65
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SWMX
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SWMX
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0.06
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unch
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Gray
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GTN
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8.61
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-0.18
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Time Warner
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TWX
|
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19.00
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-0.25
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Gray, C1. A
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GTNa
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8.62
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-0.18
|
Tribune
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TRB
|
|
27.51
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-0.39
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
|
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25.31
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-0.24
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Wash. Post
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WPO
|
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779.87
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+7.76
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
|
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10.09
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-0.09
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Young
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YBTVA
|
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2.00
|
unch
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Bounceback
|
 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to tvnews@rbr.com
 Come on, guys..."there's more 'drama' in the Democratic race"? (8/31/07 TVBR #171) If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and has webbed feet and a yellow bill, you can pretty well figure out it's a duck! The "Big Three" news departments are notoriously biased to the socialist side and it's been obvious and obnoxious for years. Not only do the Dems get more coverage, it's "softball coverage". When they (and CNN, by the way) ask a Republican "when are you gonna stop beating your wife?" and they ask a Democrat "when are those Republicans gonna stop beating their wives?" you just have to walk away and shake your head...oh, and change the channel.
Brett Miller
MCH Enterprises, Inc.
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Below the Fold
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Cable Business Report
Comcast rebuffed again
On set-top box waiver. The full FCC has backed up the Media Bureau...
Ad Business Report
Cowdell on Ford's
"Swap My Ride" campaign commercials feature people who were asked to drive Fords for a week...
Internet Media Business Report
1 in 4 adults now visit
Local TV websites, 27% of have visited website in the past 30 days...
Ratings & Research
Social networking
Application market to grow 120% this year coming in at 46.8 million...
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Stations for Sale
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 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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 Switching
in LA
Carlos Amezcua had been interim anchor of the KTTV-TV (Ch. 5, ind.) Los Angeles 10:00 pm news since the death of long-time anchor Hal Fishman this summer, but he won't be a candidate for the permanent post at Tribune Broadcasting after all. The LA Times reports that Amezcua is jumping to Fox O&O KTTV (Ch. 11) to anchor the competing 10:00 pm cast.
Upped at Fisher
Fisher Communications that Randa Minkarah has been named Director of Market Development and will work in the company's corporate office in Seattle. Minkarah joined Fisher in 2002 as the General Sales Manager of KOMO-TV Seattle, the Company's flagship television station.
Good for laughs
Veteran cable executive Michele Ganeless has been promoted to President of Comedy Central, up from VP and General Manager. She will continue to report to Doug Herzog, President, MTV Networks Entertainment Group. The top job at Comedy Central had been vacant since Herzog was promoted to his current post in December.
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More News Headlines
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Social networking application market
to grow 120% this year
The social networking application market was relatively small in 2006, coming in at 46.8 million, a new study published by IDC reports. By 2009, however, this market will grow to 428.3 million creating a new application segment and establishing social networking as a new communications tool used for many purposes other than consumer socializing. There are three social networking segments emerging, IDC's research indicates. These include: self-service applications used by groups and marketing campaign teams; brand applications that focus on persistent customer engagement; and enterprise applications that provide more effective ways of working with customers, partners, and other external parties. IDC believes the social networking application market will grow rapidly over the next three years and then level off as the majority of large companies likely to deploy social networking eventually do so.
Other key findings from IDC's study include: The social networking applications market will grow quickly over the next three years and continue to grow, but at a slower pace, after 2011. Social networking application vendors will continue to emerge over the next two years, particularly those focused on vertical applications. As the market develops, social networking functionality will be built into core communication platforms like email and instant messaging applications and the market, particularly the enterprise segment, will consolidate.
James Kennedy
dead at 76
Prominent televangelist Dr. D. James Kennedy has died at his home in Florida at age 76. He had been ill since suffering a heart attack in December. His weekly "Coral Ridge Hour" had aired nationally since 1974, most recently on hundreds of TV stations and four cable networks. Kennedy's daily radio show, "Truths That Transform," was carried on radio stations nationwide.
Petry Media, Hubbard Broadcasting re-up
With a working relationship that already spans more than 70 years, Hubbard Broadcasting announced it is extending its long-standing rep agreement for all of its television stations with Petry Media. The announcement was made jointly by Rob Hubbard, President and CEO, Hubbard Television Group and Val Napolitano, President and CEO of Petry Television. "We stand solidly behind all that Petry Television is doing," commented Rob Hubbard. "What better way to show our support for a relationship that goes back over 70 years than to extend our partnership well into the future," Hubbard added.
Thompson haunts Fox GOP debate
Fred Thompson (R-TN) is not participating in the debate being staged on Fox News Channel featuring Republican candidates for President. That's appropriate, because he has not yet announced his intention to run. However, he is going to run ads during the debate that will announce his intention to announce, and will also make an appearance on NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno." The actual announcement is said to be taking place on Thompson's in the wee hours Thursday morning, and the other events are to drive traffic there. By the time you read this, he should be in.
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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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Wall Street not surprised by CBS
Wall Street traders and analysts greeted the increased dividend and stock buyback announcement by CBS with a big yawn. It had little effect on the company's stock price. Bear Stearns quips that the CBS letters stand for Cash Back to Shareholders. Lehman Brothers downgraded the stock from "1-Overweight" to "2-Equal Weight." Bank of America remains neutral on the stock. Note: CBS Corporation has only been an independent public company for a little over 20 months, but it has announced the 5th increase in its dividend. With the latest increase by 14%, three cents per share, shareholders will receive 25 cents per share when the next quarterly payout is made October 1st to shareholders of record on September 14th. More details in RBR
09/05/07 TVBR #173
Radio picks up political purchases
That's the good news. According to the Radio Advertising Bureau and Nielsen Monitor-Plus, 26.3K political spots have been bought on radio stations in the first half of 2007, a 17% gain over 2005's 22.5K total. But here's the ugliness: Local, national and network were down 2% apiece in Q2. But a 16% surge in non-spot was able to reduce the damage to only minus 1% overall for the quarter.
RBR observation: If radio can keep on taking a bigger slice of the political pie, that may help inject a little black ink into 2008. The medium may also benefit from spillover from regular television users who are forced to seek alternative means to get their message out in battleground areas where TV becomes inundated with political ads. See the figures in this report page of RBR
09/05/07 RBR #173
NBC won't renew with iTunes
Unable to come to an agreement with Apple on pricing, has decided not to renew its contract to sell digital downloads of television shows on iTunes. NBCU, the #1 supplier of digital video to Apple's online store, notified Apple of its decision last week. The decision by NBCU highlights the escalating tension between Apple and media companies, which are unhappy that Apple will not give them more control over the pricing of songs and videos that are sold on iTunes, said the New York Times, which first reported the split between NBCU and iTunes. The action by NBCU CEO Jeff Zucker will not have an immediate impact on iTunes. The current two-year deal extends through December, s! o a vast video catalog - some 1,500 hours of NBC Universal's news, sports and entertainment programming - will remain available on iTunes at least until then. Among the most popular NBC Universal shows available for sale on iTunes are "Battlestar Galactica," "The Office" and "Heroes."
TVBR observation: The real reason is these shows will soon be available on NBCU-News Corp.'s upcoming Hulu.com, a video portal set to compete with YouTube. They own the content, why share in the revenues?
09/04/07 TVBR #172
Newspaper advertising
down again in Q2
Total ad expenditures at newspaper companies were 11.3 billion for Q2, an 8.6% decrease from the same period a year earlier, according to preliminary estimates from the Newspaper Association of America (NAA). Spending for print ads in newspapers totaled 10.5 billion, down 10.2%. Ad expenditures for newspaper Web sites, however, increased by 19.3% to 796 million in the second quarter versus the same period a year ago.
TVBR observation: Newspaper ad revenues were down 8.6% in Q2, but the NAA headlined its release with ads for newspaper websites being up 19%. Online is the growth area, but still not able to overcome the sharp decline for the larger traditional business.
09/04/07 TVBR #172
Morning shows
accused of liberal bias
The right-leaning Media Research Center (MRC) is out with a report complaining that the morning news shows on NBC, ABC and CBS devote far more coverage to Democratic candidates for President than to the Republicans. Is it bias, a "liberal agenda" or just following the news? MRC charged. "Our results show pure partisanship on the part of ABC, CBS and NBC. Not only are the network morning shows over whelmingly focused on Democrats, they are actively promoting the Democrats' liberal agenda." declared MRC President L. Brent Bozell III. The networks deny any bias.
08/31/07 TVBR #171
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