|
|
|
|
|
Volume 24, Issue 125, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
|
Wednesday Morning June 27th, 2007
|
|
|
Radio News ®
|
 Coen lowers expectations
for 2007 ad spending
Advertising guru Bob Coen is less optimistic now than he was back in December when he issued his ad spending forecast for 2007. The Universal McCann forecaster now expects US ad spending to grow only 3.1% this year, down from his previous prediction of 4.8% growth. "The recent dismal state of advertising demand among local marketers worsened in the opening months of 2007," Coen noted in his mid-year update, saying that consolidation of many retailers has hurt local ad spending. But he'd been so negative about local radio going into this year, that it is one of only two local media categories (yellow pages is the other) where he has boosted his forecast. He now expects local radio revenues to be up 2% this year, rather than 1%, while local ad spending across all media rises only 1.1%, down from his previous forecast of 2.7%. Coen is not so upbeat about national radio ad sales (network and national spot combined), which he sees gaining 2.5%, down from his initial forecast of 4%. Overall national ad spending is expected to rise 4.2%, rather than 5.7%. But Internet advertising by national advertisers is expected to jump 17%, even more than his initial call of 15%.
| See Bob Coen's updated forecast |
Clear Channel deal for PPM finally confirmed
At long last, Arbitron late yesterday confirmed what we reported Monday (6/25/07 RBR #123), that Clear Channel has signed a long-term contract for PPM ratings in all of the top 50 markets where it has stations. That's 46 markets in all, which should have PPM up and running by the end of 2010. Clear Channel had previously signed up only for Philadelphia, the first market where PPM has become ratings currency. According to Arbitron, the agreement with Clear Channel expires December 31, 2011. In addition to adding PPM service, it also extends until that date the current contract for diary-based radio ratings in each of the markets covered by the agreement that have not been converted to PPM radio ratings before the end of 2008, the expiration date of the current diary agreement between Clear Channel and Arbitron. Clear Channel is Arbitron's largest radio ratings subscriber and represented approximately 19% of Arbitron's revenue in 2006. As previously reported, The Media Audit/Ipsos insists that having Clear Channel, and Cox Radio before it, sign up for PPM service does not lessen their commitment to helping to fund tests of the TMA/Ipsos challenger. Now that the deal with Arbitron is official, RBR asked Clear Channel for comment, but had not received any by deadline.
|
|
|
 Rockefeller declares
war on violence
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) briefly paid tribute to retired Sen. Fritz Hollings (D-SC) as he carried forward the baton in the crusade against media violence. That was the topic at yesterday's hearing at the Senate Commerce Committee, with Rockefeller presiding over a packed house in the absence of Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-ID). Rockefeller was not in the mood to take prisoners. "For too long," he said, "we have heard promises to do better, to put better tools in the hands of parents, to provide more options for families. But none has yielded results. Instead, we have the industry blaming parents for their lack of oversight of children's viewing. This is cowardly, We have a responsibility to do better, a responsibility the government must take seriously." However, although nobody in the room, on either the senatorial or panelist areas, disagreed that there is much to object to in the media, there was no agreement on how best to deal with it. The second speaker at the session was Ranking Member Ted Stevens (R-AK), who poked the first needle into Rockefeller's bubble. "I think we have to tread a lot softer than you think we can," said Stevens, noting the difficulty of putting anything into a law book that the courts would sign off on. As senators filtered in and out of the meeting, only one, Byron Dorgan (D-ND) seemed to offer a ringing endorsement of Rockefeller's position. All others, from both parties, seemed resigned to a cautious approach. Rockefeller has delayed offering a concrete bill to address the issue. However, Rockefeller's Press Secretary Steven D. Broderick noted that this was just the second inning of a nine inning game, so stay tuned for more.
RBR observation: Hollings always seemed fond of reminiscing about just how far back his battle against media violence went. He could quote committee votes, both wins and losses, going back a long time. But he could never get anything passed into law. Unless Rockefeller is able to drum up some more solid support from his colleagues, we suspect he will suffer a similar fate.
Violent testimony
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin was unable to make the Commerce Committee hearing on media violence due to a family emergency. That left a gaping hole in the testimony which may yet be filled. Nonetheless, there was much to learn from those who were present. Timothy Winter of the Parents Television Council put forth his organization's usual stats and graphic descriptions of programming, and even showed a brief DVD on the topic which was cut off early at the request of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). He quoted former FCC Chairman Newt Minow, who said, "forty years ago I said television was a vast wasteland; now it is a toxic dump." Communications professor Dale Kunkel of the University of Arizona and American Psychological Association exec Jeff McIntyre both mentioned the cigarette analogy, that each bit of violence experienced by a child makes them that much more prone to three effects: learning aggressive behaviors, desensitization, and exaggerated fear of becoming a victim. Fox's Peter Ligouri noted the steps his network takes to warn parents away from objectionable material, noting that it does the network no good to defeat a parent's expectations and chase them away from Fox programming. He noted that the late Jack Valenti's TVBoss campaign has achieved a 77% awareness level among its target audience, and that the educational aspects are showing early signs of taking hold. Ligouri also made the point that will there are links established between violent media and behavior, there are no clear causal links, which greatly diminishes the justification for drastic actions.
|
|
|
 Defense of free speech
At the Commerce Committee hearing on media violence, Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe submitted his written testimony for the record and then ignored the practice of reading excepts as his opening statement, saying he'd rather speak from his heart than as a representative of media organizations who have him on retainer. In the sometimes clashing goals of protecting children and protecting free speech, he said "We don't have to choose. In the long run, in is not in their interest to sacrifice free speech on the altar of protecting children." He said emphasis on parental controls was entirely the way to go. He said that the Supreme Court has backed the notion that although such controls are not perfect, they are far less intrusive than trying to determine a way to legislate content in this area. He said it's a much more difficult area than obscenity because one form of violence or another is pervasive in artistic content of all kinds going back thousands of years. He also argued that economic band aids such as a la carte are not an option because of unwanted and unintended side effects (such as destroying the business model that makes carriage of some sparsely viewed quality content channels possible). Under questioning, he noted three ways free speech lawyers would shoot down regulations in court. He said every attempt to define violence would be susceptible to attack in the courts on any number of arguments. Exceptions (such as "Saving Private Ryan" getting an f-word exception), exemptions, overbroad interpretations, internal inconsistencies would soon produce a body of regulation like a Swiss cheese. He said it would be particularly difficult for a collective body such as Congress to come up with one, and if the FCC thinks it can be done, then it should do it.
RBR observation: And it's on that last point that we really missed the testimony of Kevin Martin. Perhaps the FCC will go back to this task, or the maybe the Committee will so task it. Stay tuned.
What does the Supreme Court ruling
on issue ads mean to you?
The US Supreme Court removed barriers on ads financed by corporations and labor groups that mention a federal candidate and are run in the days before an election. In sweeping aside the rules of the road that it approved just three-and-a-half years ago, the decision is expected to unleash millions of dollars in corporate- and labor- sponsored advertisements in the run-up to federal elections. In this special report for RBR, attorneys Larry Norton and Jim Kahl of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC, explain the impact on broadcasters.
| Read More... |
|
|
|
|
|
No Detention For Making Wisecracks!
|
Advertisement
|
|
 |
HD Radio for Managers
FREE webinars June 26 & 28. A non-technical presentation for management, programming, promotions, sales and operations. Your competition will be there. Seating is limited. Learn more.
|
|
|
|
|
| Day of Silence |
RBR has solicited industry feedback on yesterday's national Day of Silence, with thousands of web radio streams going silent to protest the crippling fees approved by CRB.
Sounds of silence
 We were sent this article from KHUM, regarding their streams shutdown yesterday. We've selected some excerpts from The Eureka, CA Reporter story: "KHUM.com and KSLG.com are part of a national day of silence today as they shut down regular programming on their webstreams to protest an increase in royalty fees they claim will end Internet radio. "It looks like about a 300 percent increase to us," said Larry Trask, assistant program director and afternoon disc jockey for KHUM-FM 104.3 and 104.7. "If you create a rate structure where you can't be in business anymore, I don't see how that serves artists." Last night, Trask hosted an hour-long program explaining the impact of the rates on webcasters who stream music. Rather than remaining silent for the nationwide protest that started at 12:01 a.m. today, KHUM.com and KSLG.com are webcasting Trask's one-hour program all day. "Dedicated Web listeners know something about it, but generally, (the issue) is not well-known," Trask said.
On March 2, the Corporate Royalty Board substantially increased the sound recording music royalty fees for 2006-10. Patrick Cleary, president of Lost Coast Communications, estimated the retroactive fee would cost him 20,000 to 30,000 and might prompt discontinuation of streaming. KHUM and KLSG are commercial stations owned by Lost Coast Communications. "Lots of people listen on webstreams because it comes in clearer," Trask said. "People who work in metal-frame office buildings can have a hard time getting our signal. I have trouble getting it in Ferndale with the contour of the land." The controversy has its roots in the difference between land-based and Web-based radio stations. Land-based radio stations such as KHUM pay composer royalties, but not performance royalties. The rationale is the recording industry benefited by having songs promoted over the public airwaves licensed by the FCC. Each benefited from the other. But when land-based radio stations such as KHUM began digitally webcasting music over KHUM.com, its Internet radio branch fell under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, which said it had to pay both performance and composer royalties. That fee used to be 12% of revenues. Now, webcasters claim it will take up all of the revenues and then some. Cleary said he's never had any significant revenues through Internet radio."
|
|
|
|
|
Ad Business Report TM
|
CBS Radio sites launch video ads for movie debut
A new revenue stream for CBS Radio websites: Earth has become the battleground pitting good versus evil in the highly anticipated Michael Bay film, "Transformers" (see related story), debuting in theaters this July. CBS Radio stations will serve as the online destination for complete coverage of the movie's LA premiere today 6:30PM, PT as part of the company's latest series of web specials, "Live From the Web Carpet." The half-four program will be streamed live on more than 100 station websites spanning all CBS Radio markets and formats, and available on-demand following the broadcast. Hosted by Leo Quinones, host of the popular Film Freak radio show broadcast in SoCal, the debut episode will capture the premiere of "Transformers" and feature interviews with cast members, celebrities attending the premiere at the Mann National Theater, highlights from the movie, commentary from Executive Producers Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg, behind the scenes footage and more. Additional dates and movie titles to be showcased will be announced at a later date.
 GM announces Buick-Pontiac-GMC agency consolidation
General Motors announced it will realign national creative on its Buick, Pontiac and GMC brands under one agency, the Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett company, in the U.S. effective 10/1. "This move will help us further unleash the power of the Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel and also support our efforts to create three strong, fully differentiated brands within this channel," said Jim Bunnell, GM/Buick-Pontiac-GMC. After the transition of the Buick-Pontiac-GMC creative work, the Publicis Groupe will continue to have responsibility for creative for GM Service and Parts Operations, GM's media planning and buying operation, Web site design, development and operations, and Local Marketing Group retail creative.
GM to offer no-interest financing, rebates
Summer is here and so is incentive season. GM announced it is offering qualified buyers 0% financing for three years with an additional 1,000 cash back on select cars. The program is available on select Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac and GMC vehicles and runs 6/26-7/9. Vehicles include 2006 and 2007 models of the Chevrolet HHR, Tahoe and Silverado, the Buick Lacrosse and Lucerne, the Pontiac G5 and G6, and the GMC Envoy, Yukon and Denali. GM is riding the attention wave expected to be generated by the Michael Bay-directed live-action movie, "Transformers" (see related story). Four vehicles appear in the movie. Called the "Transform Your Ride Sale," the effort will run on TV, radio, print and online. TV spots will incorporate scenes from the new movie.
|
|
|
|
| Media Business Report TM |
MAGNA Global unveils expenditure forecasts
At yesterday's Advertising and Media Outlook Update hosted by Universal McCann, MAGNA Global presented their current estimates and forecasts of expenditures on emerging media in the US.
| Summary of figures |
|
|
|
|
| Media Markets & Money TM |
Close encounter in Chattanooga
WUUS-AM and WNGA-FM are now in the possession of Gary Burns and his 3 Daughters Media, according to Mark Jorgenson of Jorgenson Broadcast Brokerage. The seller was Clear Channel. The deal, as filed at the FCC, also included WGMN-AM/WVGM-AM in the Roanoke-Lynchburg VA market, for a total cost of 2.6M.
|
|
|
|
| Washington Media Business Report TM |
FCC sheds light on Portland session
The entire agenda at the public forum in Portland ME is what the FCC is calling "Perspectives on Localism." Two panels will take up that topic, and as has been customary at these events, the public will be given ample opportunity to weigh in. Broadcasters and representatives from other media are well represented on the two panels. The event is scheduled for Thursday 6/28/07 and is pegged to run from 4PM-11PM
| Panelists here |
|
|
|
|
| Entertainment Media Business Report TM |
 Congressman enlisted
to remember Elvis
Sirius Satellite Radio will celebrate the 3rd Anniversary of its "Elvis Radio" channel with a special broadcast event hosted by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), pictured. Congressman Cohen will guest host a special hour of his favorite Elvis records and share his thoughts on the impact of Elvis Presley on popular culture. As you've probably guessed, his district includes Graceland, so the congressman will also take a look at the influence the icon's music has had on Memphis, Shelby County, and the Tennessee-Mississippi-Arkansas tri-state communities. "Elvis was the most visible Memphian in the world. His musical contribution cannot be overstated," said Congressman Cohen. The "Sirius Satellite Elvis Radio Third Anniversary Celebration Live From Graceland" airs July 1st beginning at 2:00 pm ET. At the end of the broadcast Cohen, joined by Elvis Presley Enterprises CEO Jack Soden, will present a United States Congressional Proclamation declaring July 1st 'Elvis Radio Day' to life-long Elvis friend and Sirius host George Klein.
RBR observation: Sirius is obviously looking for all the help it can get on Capitol Hill to try to revive its attempt to merge with XM. What better way to grease the legislative wheels than to give a congressman some free air time to play DJ?
|
|
|
|
| Internet Media Business Report TM |
WW1, AccuWeather beef up content deal
Westwood One and AccuWeather announced an extension of their content and distribution partnership by which Metro Networks traffic content will be added to the free AccuWeather.com sites on both the wired and mobile web. Beginning in August, visitors to AccuWeather.com will have access to Metro Networks' RealTraffic interactive traffic service, complete with continuously updated interactive maps, incident data, personal driving routes, and traffic alerts. The same timely information will be delivered to users accessing AccuWeather.com from their mobile devices. WW1 and AccuWeather first partnered in 2003 to bring AccuWeather content to radio. AccuWeather now offers local customized weather forecasts and content to over 200 stations nationwide.
|
|
|
|
| Ratings & Research |
BDSradio.com signs group deal with Journal Broadcast
BDSradio.com announced a new group deal with Journal Broadcast Group as the exclusive provider of music monitoring services for all stations. Nielsen BDS captures in excess of 100 million song detections annually on more than 1,800 radio stations, satellite, and video channels in 176 markets across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. BDSradio.com's services includes BDSrealtime and "Now Playing" a live, dynamically updated webpage that shows the music playing on any monitored station as it's broadcast.
|
|
|
|
| RBR Stats |
Consumer confidence falls to 10-month low in June
 Consumers are "subdued" about the economy and the job market, the Conference Board said Tuesday. The consumer confidence index fell to 103.9 in June from 108.5 in May. It's the lowest since August. Economists were expecting a pullback to 105. The present situation index fell to 127.9 from 136.1; it's the lowest since November. The expectations index fell to 87.9 from 90.1, matching March's low. "Looking ahead, consumers remain rather subdued about short-term economic prospects," said Lynn Franco, director of the research group's consumer research center. The number of Americans who say jobs are plentiful fell to 27% from 29.1%, while the number who said jobs are hard to get rose to 21.1% from 19.7%.
|
|
|
|
| Transactions |
1.6M WCMP AM & FM Pine City MN from Quarnstrom Media Group LLC (Alan R. Quarnstrom) to Red Rock Radio Corporation (85%-owned by Curtis Squire Inc., Myron Kunin, William E. Kunin, David B. Kunin, Andrew P. Kunin, James T. Kunin; 15%-owned by Ro D. Grignon). Buyer will pay off unspecified liabilities and pay remainder via note calling for 40 consecutive and equal quarterly payments. Includes non-compete, consulting agreement. [File date 6/1/07.]
N/A WIRO-AM/WBKS-FM & WZZW-AM Huntington WV-Ashland KY (Ironton OH, Milton WV); WDKZ-FM & WLBW-FM Salisbury-Ocean City MD (Salisbury MD, Fenwick Island DE); WBOK-FM Lima OH (Ottawa OH); KRRZ-AM Minot ND; KBMR-AM Bismarck ND; WFZX-FM & WGUY-FM Bangor ME (Searsport, Dexter ME); WQRB-FM & WISM-AM Eau Claire WI (Bloomer, Altoona WI); and WUSW-FM Laurel-Hattiesburg MS (Hattiesburg MS) from GoodRadio.TV LLC (Dean Goodman) to Leibowitz Station Trust LLC (Matthew L. Leibowitz). Trust for purposes of selling stations to third parties. [File date 5/31/07.]
|
|
|
|
| Stock Talk |
Roller-coaster ride
Stock prices were up, then they were down, as investors turned nervous about a drop in the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index and worried about this week's Fed meeting. The Dow Industrials closed down 14 points, or 0.1%, at 13,338.
Radio stocks were slightly lower as well. The Radio Index declined 0.108, or 0.1%, to 156.382. Fisher had a good day, up 2.4%. Westwood One gained 1.7%. The worst performer was Saga, down 3.8%.
|
|
|
|
| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Tuesday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
|
Arbitron
|
ARB
|
|
52.53
|
+0.53
|
Google
|
GOOG
|
|
530.26
|
+2.84
|
|
Beasley
|
BBGI
|
|
8.51
|
+0.08
|
Hearst-Argyle
|
HTV
|
|
23.76
|
+0.07
|
| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
 |
32.75
|
+0.13
|
Journal Comm.
|
JRN
|
|
13.01
|
+0.15
|
| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
|
32.76
|
+0.13
|
Lincoln Natl.
|
LNC
|
|
70.65
|
+0.10
|
| Citadel |
CDL |
|
6.00 |
unch |
Radio One, Cl. A
|
ROIA
|
|
7.09
|
-0.03
|
|
Clear Channel
|
CCU
|
|
37.42
|
+0.22
|
Radio One, Cl. D
|
ROIAK
|
|
7.08
|
-0.03
|
|
Cox Radio
|
CXR
|
|
14.25
|
+0.04
|
Regent
|
RGCI
|
|
3.32
|
-0.02
|
|
Cumulus
|
CMLS
|
|
9.30
|
+0.04
|
Saga Commun.
|
SGA
|
|
9.62
|
-0.38
|
|
Debut Bcg.
|
DBTB
|
|
1.60
|
+0.04
|
Salem Comm.
|
SALM
|
|
11.40
|
+0.16
|
|
Disney
|
DIS
|
|
34.06
|
unch
|
Sirius Sat. Radio
|
SIRI
|
|
2.93
|
-0.15
|
|
Emmis
|
EMMS
|
|
9.38
|
-0.16
|
Spanish Bcg.
|
SBSA
|
|
4.41
|
-0.04
|
|
Entercom
|
ETM
|
|
23.97
|
-0.34
|
SWMX
|
SMWX
|
|
0.14
|
unch
|
|
Entravision
|
EVC
|
|
10.16
|
unch
|
Westwood One
|
WON
|
|
7.16
|
+0.12
|
|
Fisher
|
FSCI
|
|
51.34
|
+1.21
|
XM Sat. Radio
|
XMSR
|
|
11.24
|
-0.19
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bounceback
|
 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to [email protected]
|
|
|
Below the Fold
|
|
Day Of Silence
Sounds of silence
From KHUM, regarding their streams shutdown...
Ad Business Report
CBS Radio sites
Launch video ads for movie debut a new revenue stream...
Media Business Report
MAGNA Global
Unveils expenditure forecasts complete details, awesome...
Media Markets & Money
Close encounter in Chattanooga
WUUS-AM and WNGA-FM new owners...
|
|
|
Stations for Sale
|
Radio Print Combo NEast
3 revenue streams AM/FM
print package. Asking 1.75M
Inquiries 781-848-4201 or
e-mail: [email protected]
WEB radiostationsforsale.net
New Denver, CO Metro FM
Interested Parties Please Contact:
Todd W. Fowler,
President American Media
Services - Brokerage, LLC
843-972-2200,
[email protected]
 Market your Stations For Sale
in our daily epapers.
Contact
June Barnes
[email protected]
|
|
|
Radio Media Moves
|
 Halvorson returns
Eric Halvorson is back to day-to-day management in broadcasting after a few years in academia and running The Thomas Kinkade Co., during which he had continued as a director of Salem Communications. Now he is back at Salem fulltime as President and COO. Ed Atsinger drops the Prez title, but remains CEO, while Joe Davis becomes President of the Radio Division and David Evans President of the New Business Development, Interactive and Publishing Division. Succeeding Evans as CFO is Evan Masyr, who also moves up from VP to Sr. VP.
Fealty upped
Tribune Broadcasting, a division of Tribune Company, appointed Rick Felty to the newly created position of vice president/digital media. Felty was previously vice president/creative services for Tribune Broadcasting. In his new role he will direct the central operations for the broadcasting group's 27 websites while coordinating online efforts in each local market.
|
|
|
More News Headlines
|
EAS oops in Illinois
It appears that someone in the Illinois Emergency Management agency was attempting to test some new EAS equipment yesterday and instead sent out a real alert. That activated the emergency alert takeover of numerous broadcast stations about 7:45 am (CT), with lead station WGN-AM Chicago feeding the system. But there was no emergency news to feed. "This is Spike at WGN," morning man Spike O'Dell said on the air after the station had gone silent for more than two minutes. "I have no idea how many other radio stations are listening to us right now. We are trying to figure out what's going on," he told listeners. Stations returned to regular programming and officials are still trying to figure out how the mistake occurred.
|
|
|
TVBR - TV News
|
Murdoch deal for Dow Jones moves forward
The Wall Street Journal reports that its parent company, Dow Jones & Co., has come to terms with News Corporation on measures to protect the editorial independence of the WSJ and Dow Jones Newswires. Now it's down to getting final agreement from the Bancroft family - and then on to the financial terms. Even so, there are still lots of details to be worked out, so no deal is assured. But no one else has stepped forward to match the five billion bucks offer from News Corporation, so it appears the Bancrofts, who control Dow Jones despite owning a minority of shares, will have to deal with Rupert Murdoch or no one. They had insisted on special terms to ensure than Murdoch could not interfere with the editorial independence of the WSJ and Dow Jones Newswires, but Murdoch had balked at the extreme measures proposed last week, before some tough negotiations found some common ground. Much work remains to be done before any deal is cut which would make Dow Jones & Co. part of the Murdoch empire, and then we will see how it all fits together with the launch later this year of Fox Business Channel.
TVBR observation: Why, we wonder, should the Bancrofts be the judges of what is good journalism and what is bad? Not a single member of the Bancroft family living today is, or ever has been, a working journalist. Rupert Murdoch would be a fool to spend five billion bucks to buy a company and then gut the quality of its products to advance some purported political agenda. But he would likewise be a fool to spend five billion bucks for a company where he, the owner, would be prohibited from fixing problems that may develop.
|
|
|
International
|
Overseas PPM deal
Arbitron announced that the radio industry in Denmark will use the Portable People Meter (PPM) for electronic audience measurement, via a five-year contract with TNS Gallup, which holds an international license for PPM.
|
|
|
RBR Radar 2007
|
|
Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
|
But wait, there's more CC parked
It turns out that the Clear Channel station parking garage revealed last week wasn't complete. Two more floors (or documents filed with the FCC) add 71 and 52 radio stations to the four TVs and 71 radio stations already noted, bringing the total to four television and 194 radio stations. Listed the second set of 71 radio stations. The third drop will come tomorrow or the day after depending on scheduling matters, and by week's end we'll put together a merged list of all properties, along with any further filings which hit the FCC database.
06/26/07 RBR #124
Radio One caught up
on reports; Q1 up a bit
Radio One filed its Q1 financial report with the SEC Monday morning, getting the company caught back up on its filings since restating previous results due to problems with how it accounted for stock options. Q1 revenues were up 1.1% to 82.5 million, or up 0.6% excluding revenues from the company's new magazine, Giant. Details on the reworked books in this issue of RBR.
06/26/07 RBR #124
Ion sued again
Already facing a lawsuit from some holders of its 14.25% preferred shares (6/15/07 TVBR #117), Ion Media Networks has now been sued as well by some holders of its 9.75% preferred shares. If you've guessed that the lawsuit claims they are being shortchanged in the restructuring of Ion by NBC Universal and Citadel Investment Group, then you have likely been following this saga right along.
TVBR observation: What may be most important is what has not happened in this case. The Delaware Chancery Court, where both lawsuits have been filed, has thus far refused to issue any temporary restraining order sought by the plaintiffs who are suing Ion. Thus, the exchange offer they are protesting is still on track to close one minute after midnight on July 10th. (more in TVBR)
06/26/07 TVBR #124
The Winner IS: Arbitron's PPM
Clear Channel on board
You read correctly: Clear Channel is on board with PPM in their top 50 markets.
RBR observation: With Clear Channel working on closing their deal to take the company private, it was just a matter of time before this deal was struck. Why? Business dictates and the fact that Technology Waits For No One, including Clear Channel (a company that just does not carry the clout it once did). Ad clients and, more importantly, ad agencies have demanded radio move into the 21st century to electronic measurement. PPM is proving to show a different and new wave of radio audience listening habits which was recently demonstrated with the May Philadelphia PPM data.
06/25/07 RBR #123
The interesting part of this saga
The Media Audit/Ipsos February 12th, (02/12/07 RBR #29), RBR's headline read: Radio groups to back TMA/Ipsos test. In a nutshell, Media Audit announced at RAB2007 that five radio companies - Clear Channel, Cox, Cumulus, Entercom and Radio One - had agreed to put up millions in cash for a test in Houston of the TMA/Ipsos in competition with Arbitron's PPM...The Media Audit Exec. VP Phillip Beswick told RBR late Sunday that he had confirmed that Clear Channel has signed a contract for PPM, but he remains confident.
RBR observation: Time to stop and move forward. It is now an Arbitron electronic measurement game and we are skeptical of whether radio groups will continue putting any more cash into a project that may never see the light of day.
06/25/07 RBR #123
|
|
|
|
 |
Local Sales Manager
KFAN, Twin Cities, home of the Vikings and the leader in Sports radio has opening for a Sports Leader LSM. Minneapolis-St. Paul is a Top 20 Metro market (#16) and year after year, in quality of life studies, we are listed as one of the nation’s best. Have what it takes to win when in the Red Zone then join our Sports Team and KFAN-AM 1130 as we go helmet to helmet. Qualifications and where to send resume, cover letter see Radio Careers
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Help Desk
|
__EMAIL__ :
Having problems with our epapers?
Please send Questions/Concerns to:
[email protected]
If you wish to remove your name completely from our database use this link __UNSUB__
RBR Epaper -- 108 annual
or just 9 a month
|
|
|
|
©2007 Radio Business Report, Inc. All rights reserved.
Radio Business Report -- 2050 Old Bridge Road, Suite B-01, Lake Ridge, VA 22192 -- Phone: 703-492-8191
|
|
