RBR has already received information that Clear Channel Radio Sales (spot), managed by Alan Korowitz is frantically fishing in the network radio pond. Like we’ve heard before with Citadel (9/11/08 RBR #178), we’ve heard there’s a big move inside of Clear Channel to target specific network radio avails, outside of Premiere Radio Networks. We asked for comment from CC Radio CEO John Hogan, but didn’t hear back by deadline.
We also have documentation that Premiere Radio Networks is specifically targeting Dial-Global’s success in the rankings of the last RADAR Networks (98). In RADAR 98, Dial-Global has the top-ranked positions, with DG Contemporary, DG Adult Power, DG Complete FM placing #1, #2, #3.
Dial-Global Co-President/CEO/Partner David Landau was surprised by RBR’s revelation: “Premiere Radio Networks has been frustrated for many years because they have difficulty growing the affiliations based on the relationship with the parent company—the Clear Channel ownership group. As an independent in the marketplace, we have the ability to affiliate many different ownership groups with our prime content.”
RBR/TVBR observation: Information that we’ve received from the buying community is a little surprising, because we don’t know how Clear Channel is going to successfully compete on a network pricing platform—and isn’t that what Premiere Radio Networks is for? Clearly, the inexperience at the executive level from the new Premiere guard is unusual. We would think they would be challenging the varied issues at ABC Radio Networks and Westwood One.
