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Volume 24, Issue 176, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Monday Morning September 10th, 2007
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Radio News ®
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 PPM problems hit Arbitron's stock price
Arbitron missing its Portable People Meter (PPM) sample targets in Philadelphia and Houston has been big news in RBR and other radio publications for weeks now - but it hit the Associated Press wires Friday morning and sent Arbitron's stock price dropping. The stock fell as much as 1.43 shortly after the AP story came out, but recovered as the day went on, closing with a loss of 72 cents. The brief AP story Friday morning was the result of an SEC filing by Arbitron after the market closed Thursday. It included the PPM money-back guarantee letter that Arbitron CEO Steve Morris sent out to client radio stations (9-6-07 RBR #174).
RBR observation: Issue #1, Arbitron needs a focused educational and workable marketing campaign targeted to and in language the every day broadcaster can understand. Issue #2, Communications with the trade press as it has been our experience during the past 24 years that the consumer press, i.e. AP and many others, pick up the negative as they do not understand our radio business. Many reporters with no radio experience start writing to hit a deadline and in more cases only get half the information in their reports. In other words looking at the glass half empty rather than viewing the same glass as half full. A big difference. At RBR we view the glass one half full. Note: During the 4th quarter RBR will examine PPM from the educational view. Details later.
Will radio gain from TV's windfall?
The television industry is getting ready for a big year in 2008. With heavy election spending on the horizon, the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB), the counterpart to the Radio Advertising Bureau, predicts that TV station spot revenues (local and national combined) will jump 9-10% next year. But then, that windfall will be followed by a 2-4% decline in 2009, a non-election year. "Odd years will always face tough comparisons to even years, when spending on both the Olympics and political ads show up. Spot TV is a two-year business cycle," said TVB President Chris Rohrs in announcing the annual forecast. Here are TVB's Forecasts for 2008 and 2009.
Note: TVB estimates - derived from a consensus of Wall Street and financial analysts, station representative firms, and independent TVB research - represent national averages. Individual firms and stations may produce varied results based on a number of factors, including market size, region of the country, and affiliation.
RBR observation: What remains to be seen is how much of a ripple effect the big gains for TV may have on radio. The cable television industry is already mounting an effort to get a bigger share of that giant political advertising pie, making the pitch that its networks are a more targeted way for candidates to reach specific audiences. Radio is always a player in political advertising, though less so than TV. But radio can also benefit in election years by picking up non-political ad flights as traditional advertisers are squeezed off of TV as the campaign ads grab lots of inventory.
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 Bright future for
adaptive broadcasters
Speaking at a conference in the Netherlands, Consumer Electronics Association honcho Gary Shapiro said, "Broadcasters no longer enjoy a monopoly on content delivery. Ears and eyes once devoted exclusively to broadcasters are now being drawn in by new forms of content and new methods of delivery." But those able to anticipate where consumers are headed will do just fine, he said. Shapiro was speaking at the IBC2007 Conference, said to be Europe's largest annual gathering of broadcasters. "The winners over the next 40 years will be those who have the clearest vision," said Shapiro. "They are able to identify potentially disruptive new channels, recognize consumer trends and yet, go out to meet the challenge." Shapiro noted the advent of all sorts of new personal communication devices, and made special note of their portability. He took particular note of video coming to wireless telephones - and more. "Seventy-seven percent of Americans are holding the future in the palm of their hands in the form of a wireless phone. In Europe, 478 million wireless phones are in use. That represents 478 million ways to connect with consumers, whether they are on the train, on their lunch break, or waiting in an airport. The same is true with PDAs, laptops, and other portable information and entertainment devices."
His advice for broadcasters? Use broadcasting's spectrum advantage. "As broadcasters, you own the highest quality spectrum there is, able to reach almost every household by geographic region. This enormous bandwidth is more accessible than any other network owner-including cable, satellite and mobile. None is as ubiquitous as the broadcast spectrum. For competitors, updating their networks requires an enormous investment in physical infrastructure, but not for you. So while you may be facing competition from these new technologies, you have something they will never have. As such, you must find new and creative ways to take advantage of this scarce resource in the form of new services to consumers."
RBR observation: Shapiro's membership will face its own challenges during the upcoming transitional tumult, but for the most part they will simply sit back and benefit no matter what happens. New technology will render much of the electronic hardware in the average household obsolete (we haven't gotten rid of our vinyl yet and now they're saying CDs are on their last legs!), meaning these households will head to their local electronics store for an update, thereby filling CEA-affiliated cash registers. The challenge for broadcasters is much more perilous - to make sure that they are a key medium being delivered on whatever devices consumers are buying. However, despite rapid change and audience erosion, no technology has emerged that even comes close to broadcasting's ability to provide a mass audience. Hanging on to that attribute will be a key to the medium's future.
Looking at the Rush to stereotype
A subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is planning to look into stereotyping and degrading images of women later this month. It's not usual suspect Ed Markey (D-MA), either. And in fact, it's a rescheduling of a hearing which failed to come together before Congress's summer recess under the auspices of Bobby Rush (D-IL) and his Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection. According to Variety, the hearing is not on the schedule yet but is being attempted for the end of the month. Earlier attempts were done in by scheduling conflicts which rendered desirable witnesses unavailable. The Variety report notes that Rush is planning to concentrate on hip hop lyrics, and that the focus on women will include an even tighter focus on African American women who are often targets in such lyrics. Music producers are expected to be on the witness panel, but attendance from members radio and television management may also be invited. In fact, the original title of the hearing, "From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images," is said to remain intact, although it is unclear how much time, if any, will be spent on the now-stale Imus/Rutgers incident.
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 Chernin still gets the big bucks
Quick, name the highest paid executive at News Corporation. If you said Rupert Murdoch, you lose. He's the boss, of course, but he is so intent on keeping #2 Peter Chernin on board that he pays him more. That's been the case for many years. In fact, the compensation committee of the board of directors narrowed the gap this time around, boosting Murdoch's paycheck "for purposes of pay parity." According to the proxy filed for the company's annual shareholders meeting, Chairman & CEO Murdoch received total compensation of 32.1 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30th. That was mostly cash, with only a little over one million in stock added to his already huge holdings of News Corp. shares. Meanwhile, President & COO Chernin got a total just shy of 34 million, which included nearly 13 million worth of stock and an additional 1.2 million of stock options, as valued via the Black-Scholes option pricing method. Both Murdoch and Chernin, by the way, have the same base salary, 8.1 million.
Readers of RBR will no doubt also be interested in the paycheck of Roger Ailes, who clearly deserves some sort of award for having the most titles: Chairman & CEO of Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network and Chairman of Fox Television Stations and Twentieth Television. His bonuses and stock awards more than doubled his base salary of five million, for a total of 10.9 million.
RBR observation: There are a few big corporate honchos who don't get any salary at all, but rather have themselves totally aligned with the interests of their shareholders by banking solely on increasing the value of their equity stake. For example, Jerry Perenchio never took a paycheck from Univision. And Jeff Smulyan is currently working for a buck a year as he tries to get Emmis back on track. We think it is quite clever, though, for Rupert Murdoch to take a full executive salary, but then see to it that Peter Chernin gets more. That leaves absolutely no doubt just how highly valued Chernin is.
Taking on ill-advised white space initiative
A high-powered group of groups is getting set to head off efforts to open up spectrum between the cracks in the television band for unlicensed devices. Industry executives are wondering why an experimental land rush would be attempted right before the high-stakes conversion to digital television broadcasting that already has legislators and regulators on edge. Spearheaded by NAB President/CEO David Rehr, the effort also includes David Donovan, President, MSTV; John Taylor, VP LG Electronics; Jeff Willis of ESPN Productions on behalf of the Sports Technology Alliance; Alan Frank, President, Post-Newsweek Stations and chairman, NAB Television Board; and Elizabeth Murphy Burns, President, Morgan Murphy Media and Chairman, MSTV. Details of a coordinated effort to head off this threat will be unveiled today.
Meanwhile, a group of Hispanic broadcasting companies fired off a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin on the same topic. "[W]e urge the FCC not to allow the wholesale introduction of untold numbers of personal and portable unlicensed devices in to the television band until it can be conclusively demonstrated that they will not interfere with broadcast operations."
RBR observation: You'd think this would be a matter of simple common sense. Any discussion of this topic should be tabled until the successful completion of the DTV conversion is an established fact, and even then, the concept should be considered slowly, methodically and carefully.
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| Wall Street Media Business Report TM |
Publicis exits the NYSE
Come September 27th, you won't be able to find a price quote for Publicis Groupe on the New York Stock Exchange. The Paris-based ad agency giant has filed to voluntarily delist its American Depositary Receipts (ADR), which is how its stock is traded in the US. The ADRs will still trade over-the-counter, but Publicis will no longer make filings with the SEC. The company says it is strictly a financial decision. Trading of the US ADRs amounts to only about 1% of the total volume of trading in Publicis stock and the company says it will save on no longer having to report its financial results under both the International Financial Reporting Standards and the GAAP standards used in the US.
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Ad Business Report TM
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 Hyundai challenges consumers to "Think About It"
Hyundai Motor America announced the launch of a two-part campaign aimed at reframing the brand for U.S. consumers under the theme "Think About It." This is the first major creative work by Hyundai AOR Goodby, Silverstein & Partners which was hired this past spring. By adopting a tone of disarming honesty, Hyundai is breaking down the barriers that consumers have built to shield themselves from marketing claims. The intent is to challenge consumers' thoughts about what is, and should be, "standard" in the automotive industry. Phase one features three weeks of unbranded advertising from 9/10-9/28. The intention is to increase the receptivity of audiences increasingly skeptical of marketing messages, by offering startling proof points deployed across the media landscape (print, broadcast, outdoor and online). During phase one of the campaign, the advertising challenges conventional thinking about the auto industry, i.e. "Shouldn't a car have more airbags than cup holders?" Phase two begins 9/29.
RBR observation: Local operators' good reason to go visit your local Hyundai dealer. This is not brain surgery to get a tag line for the local dealer to piggyback off of the national campaign.
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NAB Daytime 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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BANKERS
Peter H. Ottmar; Dover Capital Partners, LLC; Westin Charlotte; 401/723-1063 x103; cell 401/639-4958; [email protected]
Jacob J. Barker; Barker Capital; Hilton Charlotte City Center; (212) 332-4312; [email protected]
Brian Eick/Dave Meier; The Gladstone Companies; Omni Charlotte Hotel; Brian cell 847-612-3002, Dave cell 847-650-1735; [email protected], [email protected]
BROKERS
Todd Fowler/David Reeder; American Media Services; Westin Charlotte; 843-972-2200; [email protected]; [email protected]
Cliff Gardiner; Clifton Gardiner & Co.; Hilton Charlotte City Center; 303-758-6900; [email protected]
Andy McClure/Erick Steinberg, The Exline Company, Westin Charlotte, office 415-479-3484, Andy cell 415-497-3855, Erick cell (415) 209-4890, [email protected]. [email protected]
Frank Boyle; Frank Boyle & Co.; Residence Inn Charlotte Uptown; 203-969-2020; cell 203-249-7818;
[email protected]
Gordon Rice; Gordon Rice Associates; 843-884-3590; Westin Charlotte; [email protected]
John L. Pierce/ Jamie Rasnick; John Pierce & Company LLC; office 859-647-0101, John cell 859-512-3015; Jamie cell 513-252-1186, Westin Charlotte; [email protected]; [email protected]
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Dick Kozacko/George Kimble;
Kozacko Media Services; office 607-733-7138; cell 607-738-1219; Westin Charlotte; [email protected]; [email protected]
Media Services Group; Westin Charlotte; www.mediaservicesgroup.com
Elliot Evers/Greg Widroe/Brian Pryor/Patricia Carberry-Harris;
Media Venture Partners;
415-391-4877; Hilton Charlotte City Center;
[email protected]
Larry Patrick/Susan Patrick/Greg Guy/Todd Wirth; Patrick Communications; 410-740-0250; Westin Charlotte; [email protected]
Glenn Serafin; Serafin Bros., Inc.;
office 813-885-6060; cell 813-494-6875; Westin Charlotte; [email protected]
Bill Schutz; Schutz & Company; Westin Charlotte; office 757-258-8740, cell 757-880-9251; [email protected]
Zoph Potts; Snowden Associates; Omni Hotel; office 252-940-1680, cell 252-717-3772; [email protected]
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Richard Mertz, Dan Ryson; Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc.; Main Office 703-392-9090; [email protected]
TRAFFIC SYSTEMS
Shane Harris/Susie Hedrick; Marketron Broadcast Solutions; Booth #530; www.marketron.com; 208-788-6800; [email protected]; [email protected]
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| Media Business Report TM |
Jobs apologizes for iPhone price cut
Apple is trying to placate early iPhone buyers angered by a 200-buck price cut for the top model. After being bombarded by hundreds of emails, CEO Steve Jobs has sent out a letter offering every current iPhone owner, who paid the full 599 list price, a 100-buck store credit. "We want to do the right thing for our valued iPhone customers," he said. Jobs insisted that cutting the price for the 8GB iPhone to 399 is the right thing to do. "iPhone is a breakthrough product, and we have the chance to 'go for it' this holiday season," he wrote.
 The iPhone went on sale June 29th, with people lined up at many stores to be among the first to have the new device. While it is normal for the price tags to come down over time with new tech devices, the early adopters were shocked at how quickly Apple made a big cut in the iPhone price. All current owners are eligible for the in-store credit announced by Jobs. Apple and AT&T Wireless, which has the exclusive US cellular service rights, said they will give 200-buck cash refunds to people who bought the 8GB models within 14 days before the price cut and allow people who bought the 4GB model for 499 within that time frame to return it for a full refund. They can now buy an 8GB model and still have 100 left over. The 4GB model is being phased out.
RBR observation: Don't ya just love it the way people run to be first with a new gadget when common sense says it is just a matter of time for the price to drop as all manufacturers are preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday now. Key remember now to start planning with advertisers for Christmas.
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Lincoln price revealed
The application for the acquisition of a five station cluster in Lincoln NE by NRG Media has hit the FCC's public record files, revealing the pricetag for the Kalil-brokered transaction. The stations, which include KBBK-FM, KLNC-FM, KLIN-AM, KFGE-FM & KWBE-AM, are priced at 17.5M cash. The seller is Triad Broadcasting Company, headed by David J. Benjamin.
More Nebraska action
Jay Vavricek and Alan Usher are expanding their Midwest radio group, Legacy Broadcasting. According to Media Services Group broker Jody McCoy, they've stuck a deal to acquire a ready-made double-duopoly comprised of KMOR-FM, KOZY-FM, KOLT-AM & KOAQ-AM. The stations serve the Scottsbluff NE area. An LMA kicked off 9/1/07.
Close encounter in Dallas
Amador Bustos has completed the acquisition of KTXV-AM CP Mabank TX, part of the Dallas-Ft. Worth market. According to broker Mark Jorgenson, who represented seller Jeff Eustis' JNE Investments, the price was 952,760. The station is earmarked for 890 kHz with 20 kw-D and 250 2-N.
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__FIRST__ __SECOND__, Planning for NAB?
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| Washington Media Business Report TM |
Off the table
At least one topic won't come up for discussion at the Open Meeting of the FCC tomorrow. The Commission's desire that local franchising authorities refrain from making unreasonable demands of entities attempting to enter their territory in order to compete with cable has been postponed. Chairman Kevin Martin has been a proponent of various efforts designed to help telcos get into the MVPD business, but municipalities have been howling about federal regulations which impair their ability to control MVPDs currently under their jurisdiction. Efforts on Capitol Hill to enact federal franchising authority failed to get ouy of Republican-controlled committees back in 2006 failed, and efforts have not been seriously renewed under Democratic control. Telcos have spent the interim period pushing for franchising authority on a state-by-state basis, and have also expanded their territory the old-fashioned way, locality-by-locality.
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| Internet Media Business Report TM |
 DOJ says No to Network Neutrality
Favoring restrictions on the internet, DOJ last week filed comments with the FCC against "Net Neutrality," or equal access to online content without interference or discrimination by the ISP. The DOJ agrees with telcos and CATV companies that argue that enforcing the concept would amount to a layer of regulation that would discourage investment. Without Net Neutrality, phone and cable providers who we buy access from could start imposing toll charges on content providers; that could mean favored providers/deeper pockets get faster and more exclusive access to internet users and gain a competitive advantage. The internet's history of consumer choice and freedoms would be threatened. Ed Markey (D-MA) responded to the DOJ comments, saying, "The Bush administration's decision to oppose Internet Freedom flies in the face of the open nature of the Internet, which has fostered unprecedented innovation and economic growth. Network neutrality safeguards would preserve the open architecture of the Internet and prevent companies from downgrading and discriminating against competitive Internet services and applications.
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| Engineering Business Report TM |
Bob Struble on iTunes tagging
A hot topic last week was Polk Audio and JBL introducing receivers with an integrated iPod dock and HD Radio. Apple is enabling HD digital radio's 'push to buy' technology via its iTunes service. This new "iTunes tagging" feature enables consumers to 'tag' a song by pushing a button. The next time the iPod is synced on iTunes, tagged songs are displayed and available for purchase. We asked iBiquity Digital CEO Bob Struble a bit about the tagging feature and how stations can encode it in their HD stream.
 How is the tagging data placed in the HD broadcast?
"There are certain fields in the digital bitstream that are reserved for special tagging, and we put the unique song identifier into those fields. Bits are bits, but it is in a different area of the spectrum than the song, artist and title stuff."
How many broadcasters have committed to encoding so far?
"Between five and 10. We're going to have a bigger rollout of that announcement hopefully at the NAB Radio Show. Our assumption is this is going to be very widely deployed because the effort that a broadcaster/individual station has to go through to be able to tag songs is really pretty trivial and we think this is going to be a sought-after consumer feature, so we think they'll want to do it."
What do broadcasters need to do to add the tagging component in the signal?
"It's generally taken out of their studio automation equipment, so the metadata is there which identifies the song. That is then matched up with a data table that has a bunch of unique IDs that sit in iTunes. So as the song is played, the software goes and grabs a unique identifier, puts it in the digital data stream and sends it out. It's just software which goes into the automation system or it might be a small box, depending on the system they've got."
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| Monday Morning Makers & Shakers |
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Transactions: 7/23/07-7/27/07
It was yet another week where one transaction provided most of the value. But the price of the top transaction fell from 38M last time to 25M this time, sending the trend arrow down even though the number of total stations dealt went up. At least television was back in the mix, but at less than 1M in a CP sale.
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Total
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Total Deals
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13
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AMs
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5
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FMs
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8
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TVs
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1
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29.708M
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| Complete Charts |
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Radio Transactions of the Week
Liberman expands in SoCal
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TV Transactions of the Week
Budding station goes to Budd
| More... |
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| Transactions |
5.8M WMDN-TV Meridian MS (Ch. 24/26 DT, CBS) from WMDN Inc. (Mary Jane Spain, co-executor of Estate of Frank K. Spain) to Meridian Media LLC (Sharlyn Threadgill, Wade Threadgill). 290K escrow, balance in cash at closing. Includes non-compete. Will continue to in program services agreement of 8/1/95 with WGBC-TV. [File date 8/16/07.]
110K WQMC-AM Sumter SC from Morris College (Janet Clayton, GM) to Miller Communications Inc. (Harold T. Miller, William Duncan, Theresa Miller, Frank A. Avent). 5K escrow, 45K cash at cloaing, 10K lease agreement, 50K in advertising on station for College, capped at 3K/month. Superduopoly with WDXY-AM/WICI-FM Sumter, WWKT-FM Kingstree & WIBZ-FM Wedgefield SC, forming two distinct markets. [File date 8/20/07.]
61,155 WCSS-AM Albany-Schenectady-Troy NY (Amsterdam NY). 76% of IZ Communications from Joseph M. Isabel (25 shares, 12.2K); Thomas Minnitti (22 shares, 11.55K); Michael Parillo (18 shares, 9.45K); Ernest Scialabba (16 shares, 8.4K); Florence Kiuber (15.9 shares, 8.348K); Donald E. Wilson (10 shares, 5.25K); Walter Scott (5.3 shares, 2.782K); Rovert N. Going (5 shares, 2.65K); Linda Martin (1 share, 525) to John A. Tesiero Jr. All funds placed in escrow. Price for all sellers is 525/share except Isabel at 550/share. Isabel retains 40 shares, which Tesiero has the option to acquire at 550/share. [File date 8/20/07.]
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| Stock Talk |
Jobs drop drops stocks
An unexpected drop in employment figures sent stock prices falling on Friday. The Dow Industrials were down 250 points, or 1.9%, to 13,113.
Radio stocks were lower. The Radio Index fell 0.970, or 0.8%, to 125.578. Fisher was off 3.7% as the worst performer. Disney declined 2.4%.
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| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Friday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Arbitron
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ARB
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47.98
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-0.72
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Google
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GOOG
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519.35
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-4.17
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Beasley
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BBGI
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7.13
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-0.04
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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25.57
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-0.08
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
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30.95
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-0.41
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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10.09
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-0.12
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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31.05
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-0.32
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Lincoln Natl.
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LNC
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59.79
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-1.03
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| Citadel |
CDL |
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4.16 |
+0.02 |
Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
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3.75
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-0.02
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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37.43
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-0.27
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Radio One, Cl. D
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ROIAK
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3.73
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-0.04
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Cox Radio
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CXR
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13.65
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-0.08
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Regent
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RGCI
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2.60
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-0.10
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Cumulus
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CMLS
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10.65
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-0.16
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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7.38
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-0.12
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Debut Bcg.
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DBTB
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1.19
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unch
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Salem Comm.
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SALM
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10.05
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+0.19
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Disney
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DIS
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33.59
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-0.82
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Sirius Sat. Radio
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SIRI
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3.16
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-0.05
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Emmis
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EMMS
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6.51
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+0.03
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Spanish Bcg.
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SBSA
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2.67
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-0.04
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Entercom
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ETM
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20.68
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-0.20
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SWMX
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SMWX
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0.05
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-0.01
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Entravision
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EVC
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9.10
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-0.10
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Westwood One
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WON
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2.73
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+0.38
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Fisher
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FSCI
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47.76
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+1.82
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XM Sat. Radio
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XMSR
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13.51
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-0.19
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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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Ad Business Report
Hyundai challenges consumers
To "Think About It" 2-part campaign aimed at reframing the brand. Local this is your opportunity to visit the dealer...
Media Markets & Money
Lincoln price revealed
5 station cluster 17.5M cash...
More Nebraska action
Legacy Broadcasting expanding...
Close encounter in Dallas
Acquisition of KTXV-AM completed...
Washington Media Business Report
Off the table
At least 1 topic won't come up for discussion...
Engineering Business Report
Struble on iTunes tagging
Q&A tagging feature & how stations can encode it in their HD stream...
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Stations for Sale
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NewEng Collegetown FM
Highly profitable AC station w. Red Sox rights, owned tower, only signal in market. Asking 8.5x trailing BCF: 950K. Inquiries 781-848-4201 or
e-mail: [email protected]
WEB: radiostationsforsale.net
 Market your Stations For Sale
in our daily epapers.
Contact
June Barnes
[email protected]
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More News Headlines
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Shows shift in Providence
Ex-con ex-mayor Buddy Cianci now has a time slot for his new show on Citadel's WPRO-AM Providence (8/17/07 RBR #161). Beginning September 20th, "The Buddy Cianci Show" will air 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, with Ron St. Pierre as co-host, moving from his current 5:00-8:00 am slot. The daytime lineup will be all local, with Rush Limbaugh's noon-3:00 pm show moving to Clear Channel's WHJJ-AM on September 17th. Jon DePetro, who had been on WPRO 8:00-11:45, will start work two hours earlier, 6:00-10:00. Dan Yorke takes to the air one hour earlier, 2:00-6:00 pm.
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TVBR - TV News
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Friday is the day
for AM HD @ night
AM HD DXers get ready-This Friday, 9/14 at 7PM, AM stations will be allowed to keep their AM HD signals on 24/7. Tom Ray, Buckley Broadcasting Corporate Director of Engineering, tells us off-hand the list of stations he knows of who initially plan on keeping their HDs on 24/7, including his WOR-AM NY, of course: WTIC-AM Hartford; WFAN, WABC, WCBS in NYC; KTCT-AM San Francisco; possibly WGN and WLS-AM Chicago; WBZ-AM Boston and likely WLW-AM Cincinnati.
Wall Street Journal reorganizes ad sales
The Wall Street Journal announced a reorganization of its ad sales department, creating an integrated sales and marketing team in business media. The reorganization is designed to help advertisers reach the global audience of 19 million readers and users of The Wall Street Journal and The Wall Street Journal Digital Network, which includes WSJ.com, MarketWatch.com, Barron's Online and AllThingsD.com. All sales executives will retain expertise in specific media -- print or online -- while sales managers will take on responsibilities for integrated sales.
RBR observation: It is called maximizing efforts in today's multicultural world. Cross marketing, selling and platforming increases ad revenue. In radio we call it up selling.
Digital carriage jockeying precedes vote
The National Association of Broadcasters and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association have been working the appropriate channels in Washington to angle for a favorable result when the FCC takes up the issue of mandatory dual carriage of digital and analog broadcast television streams tomorrow. Representatives of NAB/MSTV fired of a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin questioning cable's sincerity as it promises a "seamless" digital transition. "Cable has created an expectation that its subscribers will continue to receive broadcast signals after the transition," wrote NAB's Jane Mago and MSTV's David Donovan in the co-authored letter. "The advice provided in cable's public relations efforts is plainly inconsistent with the industry's opposition to the Commission's [mandatory dual-carriage] proposal." Indeed, looking back at a NCTA FCC filing of 8/16/07, NCTA argued that its only obligation should be to deliver a broadcast station's HD stream, "and allow customers to lease a box from the operator, if they so desire, to enable them to watch a digital must-carry signal on an analog set." According to Multichannel News, NCTA is said to be offering to provide dual digital/analog carriage for three years past the 2/17/09 switchover date.
TVBR observation: Will the FCC's examination of this issue provide clarity, or will it merely be a prelude to the next round of legal maneuvering? It should make for a particularly interesting FCC Open Meeting.
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NAB 2007
Investing Timeor Exhibiting?
Get the Max ROI, let attendees know, Market in RBR & MBR.
SPECIAL ROI
Ad Rate for NAB
Contact
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RBR Radar 2007
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Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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PPM impacting company-wide ratings stats
The analysts at Bear Stearns have been crunching the Arbitron numbers from the latest book and noticed a trend: "In an analysis of the Spring ratings book, several operators posted low to mid-single digit declines, including Univision, Clear Channel, Radio One, Cumulus and CBS Overall ratings gains were posted by Emmis, Entercom, Cox Radio and SBS. Of those four gainers, only Cox has stations in one of the two markets where Arbitron has fired up its Portable People Meters (PPM). It is in Houston, but not Philadelphia..Yes... There is More - What's the solution? With PPM showing higher cumes and lower TSL, the Bear Stearns analysts think radio may need to change its pitch to advertisers.
RBR observation: Whether change is good or bad, we can all agree that change is hard. Shifting how radio is marketed will not be easily accomplished. As we've noted before, the immediate problem is in how advertisers are pricing ad buys in PPM markets. Arbitron says 70 GRPs under PPM equal 100 GRPs under diary measurement, but the buyers aren't rushing to embrace the new math.
09/07/07 RBR #175
Martin's public thoughts
on private equity
One of the ramifications of the Democratic takeover of Congress was renewed activity on the oversight front, a fact of life to which the commissioners at the FCC can attest personally, particularly Chairman Kevin Martin. He has recently responded to the Democratic leadership of the House Energy & Commerce Committee - John Dingell (D-MI) - and its key Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet - Ed Markey (D-MA), who expressed concerns about the sudden influx of private equity groups into broadcast ownership. Martin acknowledged the concerns, but said the trend is in fact too new to have a history. And as far as transactions recently completed or in the pipeline, the FCC has no choice but to treat them the same as any other transaction which they must approve or deny.
RBR observation: Martin is absolutely correct that all in all it is too early to draw any conclusions about the desirability of this type of ownership structure, which isn't new to broadcasting at all, but has recently become much more prominent. We know from experience, however, that such organizations will do well to make sure they have seasoned, competent and experienced broadcast executives running the show, not traders, investors and accountants. Many believe that the ultimate benefit may come when actual broadcasters are back at the helm of broadcasting companies. And we wouldn't be upset if such groups recoup their investments by breaking the groups up via sales to smaller, broadcaster-led companies once we get past this current credit crunch. Let's hope something like that happens before too many of broadcasting's best and brightest are playing shuffleboard near the beach in Florida.
09/07/07 RBR #175
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.
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. 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. Note: Review the letter Steve Morris sent in RBR.
09/06/07 RBR #174
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. 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.
RBR observation: Nothing like being negative or as the street says being on the side of caution. Come on the word recession is in our vocabulary and in some respects the medium has never shaken off the word recession. Good broadcasters are working around that word and remembering Content is King and making it happen. The street, ah taken it with a grain of salt we do.
09/06/07 RBR #174
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