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Volume 23, Issue 170, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Thursday Morning August 31st, 2006
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Radio News ®
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 FCC wants indecency do-over
Admitting in court that it failed to follow its own processes, the FCC has asked a federal appeals court to send an indecency lawsuit back to the Commission for further review. There were no fines associated with those four particular March 15th indecency orders, although they came out the same day as a raft of heavy fines (3/16/06 RBR #53), but because they could not be further appealed within the FCC processes, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and their affiliate associations jumped on them as the vehicle to get the FCC into court in an attempt to have the Commission's entire indecency enforcement ruled unconstitutional. In court this week, the attorney for the FCC asked for the matter to be remanded to the Commission for two months. He admitted that the FCC had failed to follow its own procedures because it did not seek responses from the broadcasters on whether or not the shows were indecent. There's no indication how soon the three-judge panel will rule on the FCC's remand request.
RBR observation: Letting the Commission have another crack at this will be a total waste of everyone's time. One more case - or perhaps as many as four - of the FCC reversing itself on whether or not something is indecent will just add to the mess it has already created. No one, least of all anyone at the FCC, knows what the Commission's indecency standard is. The only way to fix this completely-broken regulatory machine is to have the courts order the FCC to devise clear guidelines on indecency that comply with the law and then stick to them - or rule that the broadcast indecency law is altogether unconstitutional.
 CBS faces license challenge
Several members of the Utah chapter of the Parents Television Council (PTC) have filed petitions with the FCC opposing license renewal for KUTV-TV, the CBS O&O in Salt Lake City. The petitions claim the station has repeatedly aired indecent programming. Specifically, they cite an episode "Without a Trace," for which the FCC has proposed fines related to a teen orgy scene. The program aired after the 10 pm safe harbor began in some time zones, but 9:00-10:00 pm in the Mountain Time Zone, where Salt Lake City is located. Thus, KUTV is one of the stations facing a fine for the show. And, of course, the petitions cited the Super Bowl flash by Janet Jackson. CBS is appealing that indecency fine in court. "Utah has well-known community standards of decency. In fact, 26 local governments from all over Utah have passed resolutions calling on their citizens and businesses, and all public and private institutions, to adopt family-friendly and child-appropriate standards. I believe in this local movement and believe that these standards were clearly violated during the Super Bowl and continue to be violated on shows like 'Without a Trace'," said Andrea Gritton, one of the petitioners.
Arbitron ramps up PPM in Philly
Arbitron says it has begun installing its Portable People Meter (PPM) system in Philadelphia, which is slated to become the 2nd market for commercial PPM deployment in early 2007, following the switch from test mode to real world in Houston, which is awaiting accreditation by the Media Rating Council. Arbitron is recruiting a panel of 2,040 consumers, age six and older, to carry the PPM devices in Philly. Far more stations have signed contracts for PPM service in Philadelphia, than in Houston, with Beasley, WBEB-FM, CBS Radio and Greater Media all onboard in the City of Brotherly Love. It is, of course, a return of PPM to Philly, which was the site of the first US test.
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Sirius continues to eat at XM's market share
Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne sees sales getting back on track for both satellite radio companies for the holiday buying season now that receiver problems have been resolved at the FCC. He notes that Sirius claimed 58% of July retail sales, continuing its advantage over XM for the 11th straight month. According to data released by the satellite radio companies, July retail sales for Sirius were up 52% year-over-year to 68,732, while XM was down 29% to 50,342. Still ahead is December, where the two combined sold well over a million units through retail outlets in 2005. Those retail numbers do not include OEM auto units, which is a big growth driver for both companies.
 Rupert dials up
It began with newspapers, grew into TV, cable, radio and satellite TV. Recently the ever-expanding empire of Rupert Murdoch has focused on the Internet. And now a new frontier: News Corporation is taking aim at the phone business. News Corporation is conducting its first experiment in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service via a DirecTV venture which has partnered with a VoIP company to target apartment buildings and gated communities for phone service. Vistula Communications announced that its V-Cube platform will be used by DirecPath for a pilot program. DirecPath is a venture recently formed by Hicks Holdings LLC and DirecTV to provide bundled DirecTV programming, broadband voice and data and security services to multiple dwelling unit (MDU) and gated-community owners across the United States.
Major radio disaster preparedness campaign
launching in LA
Norm Pattiz, Founder and Chairman of Westwood One and member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, joined LA County Sheriff Lee Baca, Marc Nathanson, Chair of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, and LA Deputy Mayor Maurice Suh, to celebrate the start of an unprecedented partnership with leading southern California radio stations. The stations have committed to help educate the public on the need for self-sufficiency in the aftermath of a natural disaster or major terrorist event. Over 25 stations in the LA region have volunteered to broadcast over 3,400 PSAs in September focusing on creating a "Family Game Plan" to ensure the public's ability to cope without assistance from public safety agencies for 72 hours following a critical event. This project is part of the Homeland Security Advisory Council's ongoing efforts in Los Angeles and Orange County to utilize the expertise and resources of the private sector to improve the region's overall security and readiness.
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| Wall Street Media Business Report TM |
 WorldSpace to restructure stock
International satellite radio operator WorldSpace announced that it had received a deficiency letter from the Nasdaq staff informing it that WorldSpace was in violation of the minimum 50 million market value for listed securities. As of August 23rd, the value of listed shares of WorldSpace stock, based on a closing price of 2.24, was 47.8 million. WorldSpace says it will resolve the problem by having more than 17.4 million Class B shares converted to the publicly traded Class A. The shares to be converted are held by Yenura Pte. Ltd., a Singapore company whose voting shares are owned by WorldSpace CEO Noah Samara, although he holds only a minority financial interest in the company. WorldSpace, though based in Silver Spring, MD, operates only outside the US and Canada. It is partly owned by XM Satellite Radio.
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Ad Business Report TM
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Net Radio Sales keeps ABC Radio
We had wondered the other day regarding the deal with ABC Radio/ABC Radio Networks with VitalStream for streaming, ad insertion and ad repping: Is ad sales exclusive to VitalStream now, because ABC Radio has a deal with Net Radio Sales in place already (8/29/06 RBR #168). It seems the Net Radio Sales-ABC Radio relationship is unchanged. Says Net Radio Sales President Jennifer Lane: "We are working with ABC Radio - they are a Net Radio Sales affiliate. VitalStream has a non-exclusive agreement allowing them to sell their inventory as well."
RBR observation: It seemed to us strange the other day that ABC Radio could make such a far-reaching deal for its streaming inventory while in the middle of an acquisition (Citadel). We're not sure how allowing two companies to rep the same inventory works either, but assume there is little liability in first-come-first served buys. It could present a problem with proposals and planning though, with clients.
 "BicyTaxi" gaining steam;
to be at Ad Week
New Yorkers have seen them cycling around Manhattan for the past several months and now they're at the US Open. The 50-unit fleet of BicyTaxi mobility vehicles are turning heads and changing the face of outdoor advertising -- being utilized for branding and event marketing. Since BicyTaxi came to New York in June, the company has created mobile ads for a growing number of companies and organizations while adding an environmentally-friendly means of transportation for tourists and businesspersons. Steve Blidner, president and co-owner of BicyTaxi U.S., said the "advertising in motion concept" originated in Europe and has spread to more than 35 international locations. Global brands such as Sony, Nike, MasterCard and T-Mobile were among the first to jump on the advertising bandwagon in Germany, Europe, Asia and Australia. Based on the company's immediate success in New York, Blidner said the current 50-unit fleet will grow to 100 units by September. Additional units are available upon demand. Blidner said that he encourages anyone with an upcoming event -- especially those held at the Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center -- to give BicyTaxi a call at least 60 days prior to their event. Advertising wraps can be completed with an approximate 14-day turn-around.
TrashTalk! Outdoor (www.trashtalkoutdoor.com), a New York-based company that assists in selling unique and nontraditional outdoor marketing on mobile mediums, has been assisting BicyTaxi in securing advertising among its customer base. Recently the company secured six BicyTaxi vehicles for two weeks during the US Open as a free shuttle service with portable DVD players in the partitions, and soon will deploy additional units for a large national bank to kick off a credit-card campaign targeting college students at 20 Universities across the country. Campaigns for Ad Week (September 25 -29 in New York) and other high-profile venues are being executed. Melissa Garofoli, vice president of Cleveland-based Silver Screen Media, partnered with BicyTaxi to wrap vehicles promoting the need for clean air. Silver Screen Media provides a one-stop shop for movie theatre advertising and promotional trailers.
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| NAB Day Time Planner |
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The following will be attending the NAB. Call or email to make your
appointment in advance.
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BROKERS
Todd Fowler/David Reeder/Gene Ferry/Bruce Pollock, American Media Services, Hilton Anatole, 843-972-2200, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Jack Higgins/Dan Graves/Joel Day/Denis LeClair, Cobb Corp, Hilton Anatole, office 239-478-3737, [email protected]
Andrew P. McClure, The Exline Company, Hilton Anatole, office 415-479-3484, cell 415-497-3855, [email protected]
Frank Boyle, Frank Boyle & Co., Sheraton Suites Market Center, 203-969-2020, [email protected]
Cliff Gardiner, Clifton Gardiner & Co., Hilton Anatole, 303-758-6900, [email protected]
Gordon Rice, Gordon Rice Associates,
843-884-3590, Hilton Anatole, [email protected]
Ed Henson, Henson Media, Inc., Louisville, KY, 502-589-0060, Hilton Anatole, [email protected]
John L. Pierce,
John Pierce & Company LLC,
859-647-0101, cell 859-512-3015, Hilton Anatole, [email protected]
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Jamie Rasnick,
John Pierce & Company LLC,
859-647-0101, cell 513-252-1186, Hilton Anatole, [email protected]
Dick Kozacko/George Kimble,
Kozacko Media Services, office 607-733-7138, cell 607-738-1219, Hilton Anatole,
[email protected]
Larry Patrick/Greg Guy/Susan Patrick/Summer Foust,
Patrick Communications, Hilton Anatole
Suite #1034, 410-740-0250, [email protected]
Glenn Serafin, Serafin Bros., Inc.,
office 813-885-6060, cell 813-494-6875, [email protected]
Terry A. Greenwood,
TAG Media Consulting,
Hilton Anatole, office 410-931-3362, [email protected]
LAWYERS
Gregg P. Skall,
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC 202-857-4441, Hilton Anatole, [email protected]
TRAFFIC SOFTWARE
Eric Mathewson, Founder and CEO; Wide Orbit; 415-675-6751; Booth 617 and Hilton Anatole Presidential Suite;
[email protected] |
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| Media Business Report TM |
 Rashid Tobaccowala,
chief innovation officer of Publicis Groupe Media (PGM) and Denuo CEO
Publicis Groupe's Denuo unit is a new strategic initiative designed to anticipate and exploit the rapidly changing digital, interactive and mobile communication environment. Denuo is a standalone business but not based on any pre-existing industry model. Denuo functions as a strategic consultant, an inventor of solutions and as an investor in partnerships. The company is also venturing with a variety of startups including Brightcove, an open Internet TV service, and Shadow TV, a streaming video service that provides access to live and archived television content via the web. Denuom meaning "afresh," "anew" in Latin, is led by Rishad and has offices in Chicago and NYC.
How is Denuo unique?
It's basically a unit of the Publicis Groupe which is dedicated to helping its clients get to the future first by making tomorrow tangible today. We do so by combining skills of strategy with skills of identifying and honing new opportunities and partners, with creating great products and ideas that can be taken to market. The way we brought our company together is we brought in skill sets that I had incubated previously. We had a gaming unit called Play and a word-of-mouth unit which used to be called Reverb. We're working with lots of different companies that span from the world of traditional companies like the Kellogg's and the GM's of the world, to new start up companies like Brightcove. We're talking to about two-dozen companies right now to help them identify and hone their products, and at the same time finding how they can solve some of the needs that our clients have.
What future do you see for ROI measurement?
The science will be increasingly return on objective because that's what we say-ROO rather than ROI. What's your return of objective? Return on investment basically makes it sound like a cost-cutting exercise. Return on objective is what are you trying to achieve? I think the big challenge is how do we measure outcomes vs. inputs? How do we measure holistically and integrate across different contact points?
Tomorrow we ask:
In 2009, analog TV spectrum will be surrendered. How might this change things?
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Test run turns to buy in Pittsburgh
Tony Renda has been LMAing WGSM-FM Pittsburgh (Greensburg, PA) from Ron Davenport's MCL/MCM Inc. since February. Now Renda's The St Pier Group LLC is buying the station for 2.2 million. The acquisition makes permanent a duopoly with WCCS-AM & WLCY-FM Homer City-Blairsville, PA in the eastern regions of the Pittsburgh Arbitron market.
Jacksonville duo sold close to home
Salem Communications is selling two AM stations in Jacksonville, FL - and it didn't have to look far for a buyer. Chesapeake-Portsmouth Broadcasting Corp., the private company of Nancy Epperson, wife of Salem co-founder Stu Epperson, is buying News/Talk WJGR-AM and Sports/Talk WZNZ-AM for 1.8 million. Salem bought the two, along with an FM and another AM, for 9.25 million in 2003. Nancy Epperson is a director of New Covenant Educational Ministries, which owns two non-commercial FMs in the market - WCRJ-FM Jacksonville and WAYL-FM St. Augustine.
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| Washington Media Business Report TM |
Adelstein and Copps in LA today
If you guessed they were on the road to hear public comments on media consolidation, you have obviously been paying attention to the goings on inside the Beltway the past few years. Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein and Michael Copps, the two Democrats on the Republican-dominated FCC, are in LA today for a public hearing not sanctioned by the Commission. You may have also guessed that no one is likely to speak up to defend ownership deregulation and call for more of it. Former Rep. Esteban Torres, Chairman of the National Latino Media Council, will open the session at the University of Southern California. Alex Nogales, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Media Coalition, will be moderating both panels. The first panel, titled "Minority Ownership and the FCC Public Interest Obligations," includes Dean Marty Kaplan of the Annenberg School of Communications; Mona Morgan, Executive Director of the Writers Guild of America, East; and former FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani, now President of the Benton Foundation. The second panel, "Diversity in Entertainment," includes Patti Miller, Vice President of Children Now; independent producer Moctesuma Esparza; Robert Mendez, Sr. VP of Diversity for Disney - ABC Television Group; and John Connolly, President, AFTRA.
 Tomlinson under fire...again
Three Democrats on Capitol Hill are calling for Ken Tomlinson to be fired as Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, after an internal State Department investigation concluded that he put a friend on the government payroll and used government resources - apparently his office telephone line - to run his personal horse racing business. According to the State Department report, the Justice Department reviewed its findings and decided not to implement a criminal investigation. But Democrats smell blood in the water, since Tomlinson is a long-time associate of White House political advisor Karl Rove. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Reps. Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Howard Berman (D-CA) have sent President Bush a letter demanding that he fire Tomlinson as head of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees international government broadcasting services (VOA, Radio and TV Marti, Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty). Tomlinson was previously Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, but stepped down amid allegations of partisanship.
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| Internet Media Business Report TM |
CBS Radio revamps KYOURADIO.COM
CBS Radio has developed the next generation website for KYOURADIO, the world's first radio station to feature podcasts as its primary broadcast content. Available at www.kyouradio.com, the re-designed website will allow listeners to access thousands of hours of on-demand audio content from the station's database of user-generated programming. The new site also features improved search functionality and incorporates the ability to notify listeners in advance of their favorite podcasts being played. First launched in May 2005, KYOURADIO's content is primarily created by its listeners with all programs being uploaded through the station's website. Programs are then broadcast in San Francisco on KYCY-AM and streamed online. The podcasts range in length from 10 to 45 minutes and cover a multitude of topics and musical genres that include gaming, alternative rock, sports, technology, world affairs, country & blues, food/wine and fitness, among hundreds of others.
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| Music Media Business Report |
 NPR expanding digital music service
Adding to the five formats it currently offers affiliates for HD-2 broadcasts, NPR will create a major digital music service to extend the significant role that public radio stations, networks and producers currently hold in music discovery and create a unified place to showcase all genres on present and future media platforms. This project is tentatively scheduled to roll out in the first half of 2007. The centerpiece will be a supersite pooling the public radio system's collective resources, "enabling users to learn and explore, creating communities and offering exposure for emerging and non-mainstream artists." It will encompass all music forms - including classical, jazz, folk, opera, AAA, electronica and alternative - reflecting the breadth of genres and tastes already offered to users of the 815 public radio stations around the country and their partner websites. In Fall 2005, NPR launched five 24/7 music channels for HD radio multicasting, which are already airing on an experimental basis across the country; their formats are classical, folk, jazz, electronica and AAA ("XPoNential Radio" from WXPN Philadlephia).
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| Sales |
Free training in Big D
The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) will present two free sales training workshops on "Breaking The Daily Habit: Winning New Radio Dollars From Print" in Dallas on September 19th, adjacent to the NAB Radio Show. The two sessions, one for sales managers and one for account executives, are absolutely free - part of an ongoing free nationwide RAB sales training series sponsored by Media Monitors LLC. Each session, conducted by RAB Sr. VP of Training Lynn Anderson, is free of charge to the first 50 radio professionals in the Dallas area to register. Applicants may register by phone at 1-800-67-MEDIA ext. 274, or by e-mail at [email protected].
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| TVBR TV News |
 General Motors drops "Survivor"
General Motors, after 14 cycles of CBS's reality hit "Survivor," is pulling advertising for the show's upcoming season, filmed in the Cook Islands. While many assume the decision is based on CBS's controversial decision to divide the next Survivor tribes by race, Dennis Donlin, President/GM Planworks, tells us it was really about new directions in how they want to pursue branded entertainment. "The decision was made before we knew about the format and was based on brand objectives (We are working to have more discreet territories for each division and the commitment level of Survivor required us to run a mix of all the divisions in the same show to cover the commitment) combined with the logistical difficulties/cost of integrating a product the size of a car into a shoot on very remote locations." Ryndee Carnee, top GM spokesperson, tells TVBR the decision was made about three months ago and concurs, it was all about branding: "The way we look at branded entertainment these days is very different than we did when we were present on the first season of Survivor. The goal now is to have our cars and trucks fully integrated into a story line for either a TV program or a film, so that the car or truck almost becomes a character in the [content]. The format of the Survivor show, because these are people who are on an island, basically, it's really hard to do that. So what our needs and goals were around branded entertainment don't fit really as well with the format of the program as they might have in the past when we were just trying to get exposure for any given brand or product. So that's a big part of why we opted not to advertise on Survivor this far."
TVBR observation: Nonetheless, the timing is interesting: NYC City Council members 8/28 held a protest in front of CBS HQ and reportedly were planning to write letters to the show's sponsors. If more sponsors pull out, we will assume those letters may have been sent. No advertiser wants to get on a boycott list. However, in this case, it may just be coincidence. Donlin and Carnee made perfect sense in their explanations for the pullout. In this entire GM and Survivor issue the key word every broadcaster better become familiar with is called Branding. Ryndee Carnee’s statement sums up how the business will take shape in marketing of products and advertising today. Branding is the key.
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| Transactions |
95M KTCY-FM, KBOC-FM, KZMP-FM, KZAA-FM & KZMP-AM Dallas-Fort Worth TX (Azle, Bridgeport, Pilot Point, Muenster, University Park TX) from Entravision Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Entravision Communications Corporation (Walter F. Ulloa) to Liberman Broadcasting of Dallas License Corporation, a subsidiary of LBI Holdings I. Inc. (Lenard D. Liberman). 4.75M escrow, balance in cash at closing. Includes non-compete. Superduopoly with KNOR-FM Krum TX. Crossownership with KMPX-TV Decatur TX. LMA until closign. [File date 8/18/06.]
56M WTAJ-TV Johnstown-Altoona PA (Altoona PA) and WLYH-TV Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York PA (Lancaster PA). 100% of Television Station Group of Pennsylvania License Subsidiary LLC from Television Station Gruop Holdings (Ian Guthrie) to Nexstar Broadcasting Inc. (Perry Sook). 2.8M escrow, balance in cash at closing. WTAJ is CBS affiliate on Channel 10; WLYH is a UPN-headed-for-CW affiliate on Channel 15 and is LMA'd to WHP-TV 21 CBS (Clear Channel Communications). [File date 8/18/06.]
100K WJFC-AM Jefferson City TN from Appalachian Educational Communication Corporation (Kenneth C. Hill) to Lakeway Broadcasting LLC (M. Edward Stiner, Steven JU. Adams, J. Armistead Smith, William P. Clear). 25K escrow, 25K cash at closing, 50K note. Includes non-compete. LMA until closing. Seller is noncommercial. [File date 8/18/06.]
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| Stock Talk |
Easy does it
The government reported that GDP grew at a 2.9% annual rate in Q2, up from the initial estimate last month, but still below the Q1 growth rate. So, while traders don't want to see growth so strong that the Fed will worry about inflation, they also don 't want to see the economy slow too much. This report was just right. The Dow Industrials rose 13 points in light pre-holiday trading to 11,383.
Radio stocks had a good day. The Radio Index rose 1.483, or 1.1%, to 140.587. Saga led the way, up 3.8%. Salem rose 3.6% and Entravision gained 3.2%.
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| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Wednesday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Arbitron
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ARB
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37.25
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+0.78
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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22.86
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+0.09
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Beasley
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BBGI
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6.96
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-0.25
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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11.02
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+0.03
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
 |
28.81
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-0.12
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Lincoln Natl.
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LNC
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60.74
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+0.33
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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28.82
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-0.12
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Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
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6.08
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+0.08
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| Citadel |
CDL |
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8.94 |
+0.05 |
Radio One, Cl. D
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ROIAK
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6.11
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+0.08
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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28.75
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-0.01
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Regent
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RGCI
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4.15
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+0.15
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Cox Radio
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CXR
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15.90
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+0.26
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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8.03
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+0.29
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Cumulus
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CMLS
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10.10
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+0.06
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Salem Comm.
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SALM
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11.53
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+0.40
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Disney
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DIS
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29.57
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+0.46
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Sirius Sat. Radio
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SIRI
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4.10
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+0.01
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Emmis
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EMMS
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12.32
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-0.04
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Spanish Bcg.
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SBSA
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4.31
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+0.02
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| Entercom |
ETM
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25.29
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+0.09
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Univision
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UVN
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34.33
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-0.05
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Entravision
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EVC
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7.40
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+0.23
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Westwood One
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WON
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7.47
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+0.08
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Fisher
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FSCI
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41.89
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+1.19
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XM Sat. Radio
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XMSR
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13.03
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+0.22
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Gaylord
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GET
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43.49
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-0.10
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Bounceback
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 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to [email protected]
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Below the Fold
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Wall Street Media Business Report
WorldSpace to restructure stock
Received a deficiency letter from the Nasdaq staff was in violation of...
Ad Business Report
"BicyTaxi" gaining steam
50-unit fleet mobility vehicles are turning heads & changing outdoor...
Media Markets & Money
Test run turns to buy in Pittsburgh
Renda has been LMAing WGSM-FM now it is buy time...
Washington Media Business Report
Tomlinson under fire...again
3 Democrats on the Hill are calling for Ken Tomlinson to be fired...
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Publisher Perspective
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New formats take new music and material to deliver air play, but where do you find both?
That is what I have been asked by many colleagues when RBR reports on the status of formats and the new HD2. Answer is Local. To prove my point here is a Tampa, FL local artist Buck Finley, a close friend, who has unique talent for air play. Buck and I connected over a decade ago because of RBR and my prior programming background and his music entertainment experience. We all know how we all just hook up with people because of mutual passion for the biz. Buck handed his recent CD that is hot in local clubs entitled 'Gone Too Damn Far' and with the headphones on it sparked that PD in me and I said, "This is a rotation Add Extra". With the politics and world unrest it seems we have 'Gone Too Damn Far' and makes you proud to be an American.
Down load (4:27) and Take a Listen. Excellent for this Labor Day weekend and appropriate as we approach the 5th anniversary of 9/11. In advance, I thank my colleagues for their passion for the biz. If you give a little air play drop me a note at [email protected]
Ps: If you remember 1969 and served you know the feeling in your gut.
 Listen Now!
(Lyrics by Buck Finley (BMI). Music by Buck Finley & Sam Schnieders.)
| View the Lyrics |
For On Air Play
Right click the link and choose
"Save Target As" to save the mp3.
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Stations for Sale
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CA Central Coast FM
Power increased. New site.
1.5M - Possible Terms.
Brett Miller - MCH Enterprises, Inc.
(805) 237-0952
www.mchentinc.com
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RBR Radar 2006
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Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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Record 2 billion political ad spend
The RAB reports the potential for a media-buying spike is on the horizon for 2006, and broadcast media (including Radio) can profit from it. Numerous reports are predicting that political ad spending in total could reach a record 2 billion. Despite the fact that 2006 is considered an "off-year" election - a non-Presidential campaign year - most forecasters are expecting significantly more spending this year than during the Presidential election in 2004. There are many more elections taking place this year nationwide
RBR observation: Politics is a business and it will become an ad category. Get your marketing teams in place because the people in charge of this advertising spending are young and did not grow up with Radio. They were raised on the Internet.
08/30/06 RBR #169
XM receivers rolling off
assembly lines again
Audiovox reports that it has already resumed production of Audiovox Xpress receivers for XM Satellite Radio after the FCC certified that problems with excessive FM band emissions have been resolved. The certification also cleared the way for production of the RoadyXT and XM Sportscaster models by Delphi in time to be on store shelves for the holiday selling season.
RBR observation: Key is the Christmas Holiday spending. It has already Started. More details in
08/30/06 RBR #169
San Antonio deal a half-price sale
Wall Street may have been applauding CBS for the big multiple in its sale of KTSA-AM and KXJK-FM San Antonio to Tom Castro's Border Media Partners (8/24/06 RBR #165), but it turns out that it is a half-price sale as far as the seller is concerned.
RBR observation: How things have changed. The previous sale was done at the peak of the market, just before values began to decline. Not only did Bernard Waterman get 90 million bucks, but he made Mel Karmazin structure the deal to be tax-free for the seller. According to the 4/3/2000 issue of RBR, Waterman got 90 million in Infinity stock for the stock of Waterman Broadcasting Corporation of Texas. We wonder if he had the good luck to sell before Infinity/Viacom/CBS began to slide with other media stocks. Lot more to read on this in
08/29/06 RBR #168
Google and eBay pact for
"click to call" functionality
Internet giants Google and eBay announced a multi-year deal involving text-based advertising and "click-to-call" advertising functionality. Google will become the exclusive text-based ad provider for eBay outside the US. Yahoo struck a parallel deal in May to handle all of eBay's U.S. ads. The click-to-call functionality will leverage both Skype and Google Talk globally in each company's respective shopping and search platforms.
RBR observation: Hard to over come perception being reality and when you say Google it is automatic to think search. eBay similar one thinks selling others people, well, junk. RBR continues to remind executives to research before you commit to a internet service.
08/29/06 RBR #168
Whew, lots of New
Clear Channel Chiefs
When the official announcement finally came out it confirmed much of what RBR reporting for many days. The managers of CC Radio's most important big markets are no longer overseeing smaller markets in their region, they have been given the new title of President & Market Manager.
RBR observation: Clearly Hogan is reconfiguring Clear Channel Radio to focus on the big bucks - trying to drive ratings and revenues in the largest markets. The 10 big market Pres./MMs are being told to focus exclusively on building ratings and revenues in the big bucks markets, while no longer having to worry about overseeing other markets - and, in most cases, fewer layers of management between them and Hogan. Will LESS layers of management produce MORE cash? One wag sent RBR an email questioning whether any layers of management had been eliminated. He or she noted that the old structure was Pres./CEO, SVP, RVP, me, while the new one is Pres./CEO, EVP, SVP, RVP, me. "Must be the new math," that CC manager concluded. Regardless, the real issue is the payoff. Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays has been telling Wall Street that his company is not like other radio companies and will ! continue to outgrow its peers. 2007 will be the test of that. Less is More will have completely lapped itself, the easy comps will be history and investors will be looking for the Mays boys and Hogan to deliver on their claim that Clear Channel can outperform the rest of the industry on a consistent basis. Last note as RBR continues to only hear that Clear Channel has a list of stations ready for sale, but this is unconfirmed. But if Clear Channel takes step as ABC and CBS in selling unwanted stations no matter the size it makes sense as it takes money to run any operation. RBR can not wait to see how Wall Street spins the happenings from last week and if May's words are true that Clear Channel is not like other radio companies.
08/28/06 RBR #167
TVB finds correlation between
spot spend and vehicle sales
This may be TV but the research is something that is vital for Local Radio to have as you compete on the street. The information comes from a Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB) analysis of 2Q '06 automotive ad spending data compiled by TNS Media Intelligence points to a strong correlation between spot TV ad spending and vehicle sales.
RBR observation: If you did not take a close look then suggestion is do it, and see the data and print it out. It will be valueable data when selling on the street against your competitors.
08/28/06 RBR #167
PPM holdout comes
aboard in Houston
Radio One has quietly dropped its long opposition to encoding for Arbitron's PPM test in Houston and begun encoding. Its stations are doing pretty well, too. The revelation came as Arbitron Thursday issued a weekly ratings data report to demonstrate new software for PPM stations.
RBR observation: Mary Catherine Sneed had been the most vocal critic of Arbitron at Radio One. That makes us think that her recent departure as COO may have had something to do with the corporate change of heart toward PPM. Total details and stats in
08/24/06 RBR #165
GE exec takes VNU helm
Folks at Billboard, Radio & Records, Adweek, Nielsen Media Research and such have a new boss at VNU corporate headquarters. He has no media background, but David Calhoun is definitely a heavy-hitter as far as Wall Street is concerned.
RBR observation: One does not leave a Vice Chairmanship at GE at the peak of one's working life to preside over a break-up, so this move makes it clear that the new owners are out to build VNU (or whatever new name it soon takes) and have brought in a superstar CEO to take command. Our sources say the new owners have confidence in Susan Whiting as CEO of Nielsen Media Research and they recently brought in publishing veteran Robert Krakoff to head up VNU Business Media USA, so Calhoun doesn't need a background in media to do his job - streamline operations, set strategy to grow each of the businesses and tell the company story to the financial community. Folks on Wall Street who were familiar with Calhoun at GE were shocked that he went to a company as small as VNU to be CEO, but he indicated to Bloomberg that he was looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity. We doubt that his family will need to relocate to The Netherlands. Look for VNU to move its corporate headquarters to New York and, once the heavy lifting has been accomplished, launch an IPO.
08/24/06 RBR #165
More signs of a
banner political year
TNS Media Intelligence's Campaign Media Analysis Group is keeping track of that most seasonal of advertising categories, political, and in keeping with all the tea leaves and crystal ball readings that have preceded them, CMAG is finding record amounts of money being spent on advertising in support of both issues and candidates. YTD, 311M has been spent already, a figure CMAG calls "stunning." And that's just for local television, and it constitutes a 150% increase over the comparable period in the last midterm of 2002. The battle for Congress is generating much of the heat.
RBR observation: Political will be a category just like auto and the best advise is have a sales/marketing team in place to develop this business. Politics is business.
08/23/06 RBR #164
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