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Volume 23, Issue 22, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Wednesday Morning February 1st, 2006
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Radio News ®
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 RBR First: Technology waits for No One; It moves 'Fig' fast forward
Bill 'Fig' Figenshu opened his full media consulting firm FigMedia-1, reported First by RBR on (07/05/05, RBR #131). At that time RBR also reported 'Battlefield Mgt. now Needed' - Why radio stocks and the companies are in the 'Read'em and Weep' column of business. From '05 to today, right this minute, that 'Read'em and Weep' continues as one key element is missing in many if not most of radio companies upper management structures it is called a front line director with multiple battlefield experience. Softwave Media Inc. www.softwaveradio.com a young new media technology company, its President Chuck Omphalius and his team have recognized the true value of a battlefield operator and have negotiated and convinced 'Fig' to accept the position of Chief Operating Office (COO) affective today, 02/01/06. 'Fig' told RBR "I quote you guys (RBR) always say that Time and Technology waits for no one and the front line field of battle is in technology and I want to be where the fight and action is. I am going with Softwave to make a difference, to use my skills learned throughout my career and help improve our radio medium. With Softwave we will deliver dollars to the real bottom line with respect to the stations and their operators. I can and will make a total impact for our radio medium. I don't want to be scared of change - I want to be scary!"
RBR observation: Google jumps into radio with dMarc buy (01/18/06 RBR #12) is the first shot fired that media positioning, planning, and the end result the purchase of radio and TV time changed with a blink of an eye. It doesn't mean that it will replace a solid sales/marketing person but only reinforce the need for building and maintaining relationships to free up quality time to work with a client for solid results. Technology helping to sell unsold inventory or known as Remnant Radio is probably the best blessing radio can receive to help any local operator because once that unit is gone unsold it is gone. The key with the various young firms in this technology marketing unsold inventory business is the station operator is in total control by giving one a better opportunity to project budgets and maintain sales pacing. RBR recommends read, learn, educate yourself on this new technology and make money period. For more on the fast business trend of - 'The new generation of radio revenue specialists' - see February issue of Radio & Television Business Report. If you have not received the February issue in print on your desk, it will also be in the RBR E-paper and distributed via technology in Digital and PDF format during this month. 'Technology waits for No One.'
 Kirby is Interep sales boss
Sheila Kirby has been promoted to the newly created position of President, Strategic Sales Development, at Interep, giving her oversight of the rep firm's overall sales efforts. She will continue to oversee Interep Innovations, where she had been Sr. VP since December 2003. "In her two years as head of our Interep Innovations new business unit, Sheila firmly solidified our standing as the leader in bringing new advertisers into radio, generating 156 million on behalf of our client stations and the entire industry over the past two years. Sheila is a dynamic, 'winning' sales executive who is recognized throughout the industry as being one of radio's shining stars," said Interep President George Pine. In her new position, Kirby is taking over many of the responsibilities previously held by Jeff Dashev, who resigned as President of Sales this month (1/25/05 RBR #17). His title will be eliminated. Pine says Kirby will now oversee all sales efforts for Interep's radio rep firms, but not its new TV rep firm, Azteca America Television Sales. While Kirby's career has been primarily in radio, she is also the former President and owner of Morrison & Abraham, which grew from a three-person training company to a full service sales consulting firm serving radio, television, newspaper and direct mail, with over 65 clients including CBS/Viacom, ABC/Disney, Jefferson-Pilot, Entercom, Knight-Ridder, Hearst (TV and newspaper), Cox Television and Belo (TV and newspaper). Interep bought Morris & Abraham in 1999.
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Beasley first to sign up for PPM
Arbitron CEO Steve Morris has spent the last several months pitching radio group owners to sign on the dotted line for commercial implementation of Portable People Meters (PPM). Now, Beasley Broadcast Group has become the first to actually commit to PPM for its stations in Philadelphia. "Beasley is a progressive company committed to utilizing the most advanced technologies available to the radio industry to enhance our platform for both listeners and advertisers. The Portable People Meter will provide additional integrity to our ratings results, which we believe will be embraced by our advertising clients," CEO George Beasley said in a statement. The agreement with Beasley doesn't commit Arbitron to any particular timetable for deploying PPM in Philadelphia. Beasley also owns station in nine other markets.
RBR observation: As is well known, Arbitron hopes to make Houston its first market for commercial deployment of PPM, keeping the infrastructure for the current test going forward to produce real ratings currency later this year. Since the previous test was in Philadelphia, there have been indications that it is likely to be the second PPM market once commercialization begins. While Beasley has made its move, at least in one market, some other radio group owners are awaiting the results of Clear Channel's ratings RFP, to be announced next month. And TV owners are waiting to see if Nielsen strikes a joint venture deal with Arbitron in the next couple of months to use PPM for TV/cable ratings as well.
 527s could figure in lobbying reform
As the House grapples with putting strict limits on things like airplane rides, free meals, campaign contributions and other perks provided by lobbyists, it may also try to impose limits on another source of political booty: the so-called 527 organizations which played a major role in the 2004 election. According to the Wall Street Journal, putting a clamp of groups such as MoveOn.org and Club for Growth, which were able to use a special tax classification to run advertising without facing the kind of contribution strictures binding most other types of political or issue-oriented groups. Such a provision is expected to be unpopular with Democrats, who benefited more from them last time around, but may also make the other provisions of lobby reform more palatable to Republicans
RBR observation: The authors of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act tried to squelch 527s during the heat of the primary season back in 2004, without success. The Federal Election Commission stayed away from a ruling to change the status quo since it would be too late for 2004, by the time comments cycles and public hearings ran their course. It supposedly has been up for review this time around, along with a number of other parts of BCRA which people like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) did not think were handled particularly well by the FEC. However, although the FEC has teeth (if it decides to use them), it is still only a regulatory agency serving at the pleasure of the elected US government. A law is much more powerful than a regulation, and if Congress passes something on 527s and gets the President's signature, the FEC will have no choice but to enforce it.
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Internet best bet for marketing cars to first-timers?
A study from Polk Center for Automotive Studies says that the Internet is the tool of choice for individuals setting out to make their first-ever automobile purchase. 35% cited the web as their key tool, compared to 8.2% for television, 4.4% for magazines, 3.6% for newspapers and 1.1% for radio. "First-time buyers' dependence on Web-based media validates the need for an aggressive interactive strategy to court them on the manufacturer and retail level," said Polk's Lonnie Miller. "The Internet's relevance in the 18-30 year age group has reached critical mass and is completely reconfiguring how car companies need to reach out to first-time buyers."
RBR observation: Hey car dealers, isn't it great that someone came out and told you that you need an Internet presence? Duhhhhh - - just about every single business we can think of need to have an Internet presence. The adults in our family no longer fall into the 18-30 demo, and even us fogies used the Internet to research our last several auto purchases. But we didn't call up a search engine and type in the word "car." Someone using the Internet still needs to have some idea what they're looking for, and that means the use of traditional marketing techniques to get the name of the vehicle out there in an enticing way. It means using TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, blimps, sandwich boards, town criers - - whatever works. Polks said, "Traditional mass media has been rendered nearly obsolete among first-time vehicle buyers..." We say nonsense.
 Interested parties
battle it out on the Hill
The Senate Commerce Committee sat before a six-pack of witnesses representing almost the full spectrum of players in the video delivery marketplace. There was a local broadcaster and an association of local cable companies. There was a rep from big cable and another from the satellite side. There was a big program producer offering a broadcast network and cable offerings, and a rep from an independent channel still trying to get up and running. The broadcast/local cable argument, which we wrote about yesterday is over which should have the upper hand during retransmission negotiations - - currently, it resides with broadcasters thanks to the Cable Act of 1992. The cable/satellite argument centers on big MSOs acquiring a dominant local market position, acquiring must-have programming generally in the form of a regional sports network, and they denying access to the sports programming to competitors such as satellite companies. Disney/ESPN says it does not force cable systems to run a given channel in order to get a must-have channel like the local ABC affiliate or ESPN. All of its offerings are available on a cash, standalone basis. If, however, a cable system wants to bargain for less cash, more carriage, it's ready to negotiate. The indie channel, The America Channel, says that it's had no trouble getting carriage on telco lineups in advance of their strong entry into the MVPD business, but cannot crack cable lineups filled almost exclusively with either their own O&O channels or those of other big programming conglomerates.
RBR observation: The issues on the table are complex, and brush up against always-thorny freedom-of-speech issues. Is Comcast thwarting The America Channel's freedom of speech by denying it carriage, or would it be a denial of freedom of speech to Comcast by forcing it to carry The America Channel? On top of that, there are strongly conflicted positions among competitors. There was a lot of he-said, she-said among the witnesses. So what'll happen? Our best guess is that inertia will likely rule - - it's hard to see the enactment of legislation coming out of this can of worms. Therefore, our best guess on the most likely result of this hearing is that the FCC will be directed to put the topic to further study.
| Testimony synopses here |
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Ad Business Report TM
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 What have we done??? By Jean Pool
Just why is it that we're hell bent on irritating the very people that we are trying to sell our products and services to? Clutter is the death of the media. You can't get away from advertising even in your own home with nothing but the phone plugged in. My personal favorite is the early Saturday morning call... a telemarketer that instructs me to wait for the next available operator. What are they thinking? Another favorite is my Sunday New York Times. It's stuffed full of inserts that usually end up scattered on my hall floor. And then there is radio... driving along listening to Dr. Laura berating a call-in when you're interrupted by a commercial. No, let's be honest ten or fifteen commercials. Hell, I forgot what Dr. Laura was saying. In Chicago Kurt Hanson's newsletter RAIN reported that in one hour of Howard Stern's show 18 commercials ...38 units ran. Geez, that barely gives Howard time to get in the F word.
| Read More... |
Electing to Advertise More in 2006 By Brian Wieser, CFA
Media and marketing are the most significant costs that political candidates will bear when running for election. Driven by the rise of political fundraising, MAGNA Global expects to see record levels of political advertising in 2006. Based on historical estimates published by PQ Media, we forecast total political advertising to rise by 82% over 2002 and by 10% over 2004 to 2.949 billion during 2006, including 1.655 billion of spending on local broadcast television. Growth in media spending will be driven by higher fundraising receipts, which themselves will continue to post strong underlying growth due to systemic improvements in traditional fundraising methods. Fundraising will surpass 2004's intake because the increased number of gubernatorial races will more than offset the absence of a Presidential election. The presence of wealthy individuals with rising levels of disposable funds will likely serve as another contributing factor. We expect that advertisers will need to pay particularly close attention to New York, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Washington state during this election. Local advertisers targeting these and other hot markets can navigate around the political torrents in 2006 by maintaining flexibility in their budget and media allocations. Alternately, marketers may benefit by committing their budgets in advance in key local markets that are expected to experience high levels of political spending. MAGNA Global and its affiliated agencies will continue to monitor the status of local elections in key markets, and advise clients as conditions change in the year ahead.
Brian Wieser, CFA
Vice President, Director of Industry Analysis
MAGNA Global USA
| See the full report |
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Harmelin Medias signs for PPM
The latest in the string of agency support: Arbitron announced Harmelin Media Philadelphia has signed an agreement for the Portable People Meter (PPM) ratings service when deployed in that market. Said Mary Meder, Harmelin president: "Harmelin is proud to be among the first media agencies to embrace the PPM measurement technology. We believe the PPM will significantly enhance the measurement of radio audiences, enabling us to plan and purchase even more effective advertising campaigns on our client's behalf." This agreement with Harmelin Media does not commit Arbitron to a specific timetable for deployment of the PPM. Arbitron has not yet determined when and in which markets it will deploy the system to measure local market radio audiences.
 Goodyear awards creative
to McCann Erickson
Goodyear has reportedly chosen McCann Erickson NY to handle creative on its 66 million account. Goodyear launched a review in August. The decision follows final presentations made late last week by McCann and the other finalist, Saatchi & Saatchi, NY. Arnold Worldwide chose not to defend the business. Planning and buying remains with MPG.
Mediaedge:cia names Michelle Guglielmelli
Senior Partner
Mediaedge:cia (MEC) has named industry vet Michelle Guglielmelli as senior partner, human resources director for North America. She will be responsible for all recruitment, benefits and employee relations, and report to MEC North America Chief of Staff Jeanne Tassaro. Guglielmelli joins MEC from New Line Cinema, part of Time Warner, where as senior vice president, human resources, she handled a number of HR duties for more than ten years.
Harrah's moves to Horizon
Horizon Media NY has reportedly scored Harrah's buying duties following a review. Harrah's spent 85 million on advertising in the first 11 months of 2005, up from 65 million for full-year 2004, according to Nielsen Monitor-Plus.
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Reilly catches a 'KAB in WB/S
Joseph R. Reilly has a deal which will give him the seminal local radio cluster - - the AM/FM combo. According to Dick Kozacko of Kozacko Media Services, Reilly's Columbia FM Inc. will pay 1.1M for Classic Hits WKAB-FM, serving the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton market from its perch in Berwick PA. It'll pair up with WHLM-AM, licensed to Bloomsburg. Both towns are located on the I-80 corridor considerably west of the market's main population centers. The seller is Robert Moisey's 4M Broadcasting, which is selling its only station.
Close encounter in greater LA
Styles Media has completed its acquisition of FM twins KDAY-FM and KDAI-FM in the Los Angeles from Spanish Broadcasting System. The deal was valued at 120M, and Styles closed it by coming up with the final 65M. KDAY is licensed on the coast in Redondo Beach, with KDAI located inland at Ontario.
Correction: Weston deal totals
RBR inadvertently took the total of a different math problem present among our notes yesterday and presented it as the total of four deals made since 2004 by Gregg Weston's 1 Chronicles 14 radio group. In fact, with deals of 700K, 1.4M, 1.8M and the just announced 1.3675 transaction, the total is over 5.25M.
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| Washington Media Business Report TM |
 Alito puts a stay on franchising hearing
Newly installed Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito did not stay the Senate Commerce Committee's hearing on video franchising as an official judicial act, but he was the reason it was postponed yesterday. The meeting, scheduled for 10AM eastern, would have barely started when it would have had to break up to vote on Alito's nomination at 11AM eastern. Also, according to the Committee, a key senator and author of legislation pertaining to franchising, John Ensign (R-NV), was involved in a car accident back in Nevada, which was said to have prevented his attendance (one way or another, Ensign did record a vote in favor of Alito). The session has been rescheduled for Wednesday, 2/15/06 at 10 AM.
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| Entertainment Media Business Report TM |
Jim Cramer moves to CBS Radio
Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money" and markets commentator for TheStreet.com, is moving his one-hour radio show, "Jim Cramer's Real Money," from WOR Radio Network and WOR/New York to eight CBS Radio stations, it was announced by Joel Hollander CBS Radio CEO. The one-hour weekday program will be broadcast live from 1:00-2:00PM, ET (12:00-1:00PM, PT in Los Angeles - tape delay). Premiering 2/13 on CBS Radio's WFNY-FM (New York), KNX-AM (Los Angeles), WCKG-FM (Chicago), KIKK-AM (Houston), WKRK-FM (Detroit), WHFS-FM (Baltimore), KDKA-AM (Pittsburgh), and KCMD-AM (Portland), the consumer-based show focuses on how to save and invest wisely in the market, as well as examine companies large and small to assess their investment potential. David Hall, VP/Programming of KNX and KFWB-AM Los Angeles, will serve as Executive Producer. Hall previously served as the Executive Producer of Cramer's nationally syndicated radio show when it first debuted. Additionally, Westwood One will exclusively distribute the program to all non-CBS Radio stations nationwide.
Envision scores National Lampoon
National Lampoon announced that Envision Radio Networks has been chosen to syndicate it's "National Lampoon's Comedy Countdown" show - - available in Rock, Country and AC formats - - produced by the National Lampoon Radio Network. The three hour countdown show features the best comedy from big name and up and coming comics, comedy clubs, sketch troupes, producers and morning shows from around the country. In addition to its daypart programming, National Lampoon Radio Network is set to launch it's a 24/7 FM "Comedic Hot Talk" format and the 24/7 "National Lampoon Comedy Network" that features pre-recorded stand up comedy, current parody news, sports and commentary.
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| Internet Media Business Report TM |
Wi-Fi is free to all in Silicon Valley
MetroFi Inc. is offering free wireless broadband service in a 25-square-mile area including Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, the heart of Silicon Valley. The company will support itself through advertising, reports MarketWatch. "Customers will be shown a banner advertisement," MetroFi said in a release. "Local businesses can take advantage of the local and regional nature of the network by providing links to their website, coupons, or announcements to those that are guaranteed to be near their establishment." Chuck Haas, CEO of the company started by former Covad execs, said customer-acquisition costs are a business's biggest expense. If you eliminate that, it's cheaper to offer free service. "We've broken the code on how to fund this network with advertising," he told Wi-Fi Networking News. Meanwhile, Philadelphia has completed negotiating a 10-year contract under which EarthLink will build a wireless service and offer city residents low-cost Wi-Fi. EarthLink will charge Internet-service providers a wholesale rate of $9 a month, and they will resell service to consumers, according to the APs. Citywide access could be available within two years. Oakland County, Michigan is also rolling out its county-wide service.
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| Ratings & Research |
 Radio: New metrics for sales
By Joe Pilotta, VP/BIGresearch
Today, the markets have changed, technologies have changed, the way people spend their time, communication habit, and everyday life has increased in speed. People are using media differently; not always for information, but for companionship, even as a mode of controlling their lives through the pleasure of channel surfing and surfing the net. Time horizons have shrunk, people have to do more and more, with less and less time and fewer resources. Everything is changing except our media models and our media business models. Hence we hear the call over the past years from P&G's marketing guru, Jim Stengel, "The models are broken." The question is anyone behaving as if they're listening. So the problem is:
| Read More... |
Country music consumer profiled
When it comes to influencing sales of country music, radio is still the king followed by music videos on TV and Word of Mouth, according to new findings from Tunecom and BIGresearch. Tunecom, in conjunction with BIGresearch and BIG Machine Records, tested the music video for Jack Ingram's new single "Wherever You Are" among 500 Country Music consumers. While the participants had very positive scores to offer the young country star and the video itself, perhaps most enlightening were the underlying answers regarding the consumers purchase actions and influences.
| Read More... |
RBR observation: Country music is one of those die-hard habits that are ingrained in small town or rural America. They grew up with Country music as the primary source of entertainment and the local radio station brought it to them. Certainly folks in large markets like Country as well, but the critical mass of listeners grew up hearing it on the radio in areas where most of the stations played Country. Many took that musical loyalty with them to the cities. A similar loyalty and born-and-bred influence lies with Hispanic listeners-radio is king and that's where the music is discovered.
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| RBR Stats |
First full year of comScore Arbitron Online Radio Ratings
Arbitron and comScore Media Metrix completed their first full year of online radio measurement. Weekday average quarter hour audiences for the three original subscribers increased 177% from October 2004 to October 2005.
| Read More... |
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| Engineering Business Report TM |
Martin Stabbert, Citadel Director of Corporate Engineering, on their HD rollout
What's the latest on your HD stations?
Citadel has stations in five markets on the air at this time. Our first was WQGN-FM in New London, CT followed shortly thereafter by KWIN-FM in our Stockton/Modesto market. WCTO-FM in Allentown, PA, WLXC-FM Columbia, SC, and WWLS-AM, Oklahoma City all launched in early December. Approximately 60% of the HD equipment we have on the air right now is from Harris, with Broadcast Electronics (BE) making up the other 40%. We are working on several other conversions as well, at least one of which will include the FM solution from Continental. In 2006, I anticipate our first installation using Nautel HD equipment. I'm not at this point convinced that there is one 'best' solution or one particular solution that fits every application. In these early stages we are playing the field, so to speak, to get an idea what there is, how well it works, and how well we can integrate the various products into our facilities. We have yet to do our first high-level FM system, but have done a mid (or split) level system, and several low-level systems. We are also working on several AMs at the moment - - Albuquerque KKOB-AM; WJOX-AM in Birmingham, WPRO-AM in Providence and KKOH-AM in Reno.
| Read More Q&A |
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| State Association News |
 Book: Serving Their Communities
50 Years of the NYSBA
The New York State Broadcasters Association was founded in 1955. This new book from www.Fordhampress.com book chronicles in detail the history - - and impact - - of one of the nation's most influential media organizations. Representing television and radio broadcasting in the largest market in the country, NYSBA has helped set a national political agenda, just as it has worked for smaller stations and markets throughout the state. Stephen Warley tracks the way the Association has responded to a host of important issues - - technological, economic, political, legal, and cultural - - as it serves not only the profession but also the larger public interest in effective media access during an era of rapid consolidation. He also includes personal accounts from almost one hundred well-known broadcasters.
| Read reviews here |
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| Transactions |
3.85M WBLJ-AM/WDAL-AM/WYYU-FM Dalton GA (Dalton, Chatsworth GA) from CC Licenses LLC, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Broadcasting Inc. (Mark Mays) to North Georgia Radio Group LP (Paul G. Fink et al). 225K letter of credit, cash at closing. Duopoly with WTUN-FM Ringgold GA, coming from same seller in concurrent deal. LMA 1/16/05. [File date 1/17/06.]
2.15M WTUN-FM Chattanooga (Ringgold GA) from CC Licenses LLC, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Broadcasting Inc. (Mark Mays) to East Tennessee Radio Group III LP (Paul G. Fink et al). 25K escrow, balance in cash at closing. Duopoly with WNOO-AM/WOCE-FM Chattanooga, and WBLJ-AM/WDAL-AM/WYYU-FM Dalton GA, coming from same seller in concurrent deal. LMA 1/16/05. [File date 1/17/06.]
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| Stock Talk |
Radio stocks buck down trend
Wall Street was disappointed not just by another rate hike from the Fed - - but no indication of when the hikes will end, even with recent news showing that inflation is well under control. The Dow Industrials dropped 35 points, or 0.3%, to 10,865. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was down only a smidgen, but that was before Google rocked the markets by reporting after hours that its Q4 earnings were below expectations. Today may be exciting!
Radio stocks bucked the down trend. The Radio Index rose 1.304, or 0.7%, to 179.249.
Regent was the big winner, up 5.3%. Radio One's Class D rose 3.2% (and Class A 2.5%). SBS gained 2.7% after reporting that its WXDJ-FM Miami was the market's top biller for 2005 and that it also had the two top billing Spanish stations in the nation, WSKQ-FM New York and KLAX-FM Los Angeles.
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| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Tuesday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Arbitron
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ARB
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39.70
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+0.13
|
Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
|
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23.88
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-0.03
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Beasley
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BBGI
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13.75
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-0.05
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Interep
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IREP
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0.37
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-0.08
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
 |
26.13
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-1.14
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Jeff-Pilot
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JP
|
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58.33
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+0.72
|
| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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26.20
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-1.18
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
|
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11.96
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-0.35
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| Citadel |
CDL |
|
12.30 |
-0.06 |
Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
|
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10.88
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+0.27
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Clear Channel
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CCU
|
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29.27
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-0.01
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Radio One, Cl. D
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ROIAK
|
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10.95
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+0.34
|
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Cox Radio
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CXR
|
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14.10
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-0.02
|
Regent
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RGCI
|
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4.97
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+0.25
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Cumulus
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CMLS
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13.20
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-0.05
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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10.07
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+0.02
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Disney
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DIS
|
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25.31
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-0.15
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Salem Comm.
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SALM
|
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15.34
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+0.04
|
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Emmis
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EMMS
|
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17.79
|
+0.10
|
Sirius Sat. Radio
|
SIRI
|
|
5.67
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-0.19
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| Entercom |
ETM
|
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30.19
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+0.06
|
Spanish Bcg.
|
SBSA
|
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5.66
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+0.15
|
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Entravision
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EVC
|
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7.10
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+0.01
|
Univision
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UVN
|
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31.84
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+0.02
|
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Fisher
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FSCI
|
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42.93
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+0.03
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Westwood One
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WON
|
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14.99
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+0.02
|
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Gaylord
|
GET
|
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43.00
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-0.56
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XM Sat. Radio
|
XMSR
|
|
26.18
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-0.25
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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
What have we done?
Clutter is the death of the media...
Media Markets & Money
Reilly catches a 'KAB in WB/S
Has a deal giving him the seminal local radio cluster...
Internet Media Business Report
Silicon Valley gets free WiFi
MetroFi Inc. is offering free wireless broadband...
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Radio Media Moves
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Hispanic specialist
joins ABC
Eric Romero has joined the Hispanic Sales Division of ABC Radio Networks as Manager of the Southeast region, based in Coral Gables, FL. He was previously Southeast Regional Manager for Univision Corporate Radio in Miami.
Kaminski goes Lite
Veteran NYC personality Rich Kaminski is joining Clear Channel's WLTW-FM later this month (2/20) as weekday afternoon driver. He was most recently at ABC's WPLJ-FM NYC.
New Brand for NPR
National Public Radio has added Madeleine Brand as co-host of "Day to Day," the network's midday program. She joins Alex Chadwick in hosting the show.
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Stations for Sale
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Suburban NYC AM
Time Leased, profitable.
Comes w. 14 acre T/studio
site. 1.6M firm.
[email protected] or
lv msg @ 781-848-4201
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More News Headlines
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SBS claims first for Spanish radio
Spanish Broadcasting System is trumpeting the fact that one of its Miami stations, WXDJ-FM "El Zol 95," has been ranked the top billing station in the market by Miller, Kaplan, Arase and Company. WXDJ's revenues were estimated at over 23.3 million for 2005, beating its closest rival by more than 2.5 million. SBS says it is the first time that a Spanish station has been the top biller in any major US market. Miami is ranked #12 by Arbitron. "WXDJ's accomplishment signals a bright future for Hispanic media as we strive to bridge the historical disconnect between our ratings and the ability to generate our fair share of market revenues," said SBS CEO Raul Alarcon.
Prophet Systems
and Radio Systems/ StudioHub+ form alliance
Prophet Systems and Radio Systems announced an agreement to provide StudioHub+ connectivity as a factory supplied value-added option for all Prophet Systems installations. Prophet Systems Innovations provides digital delivery systems through its NexGen and 101 models of PC-based audio storage and playback equipment. StudioHub+ from Radio Systems is integration and wiring platform that provides easy plug-and-play wiring solutions via CAT-5 pre-made cable assemblies and break-out boxes. StudioHub+ wiring for Prophet Systems installations will be offered as a factory shipped pre-wired option, or field installed.
Dial-Global and HipCricket announce partnership
Dial-Global will now be the exclusive ad rep for HipCricket, a company that provides mobile marketing and text messaging solutions to radio stations and businesses. Barter services are exclusive to radio stations. Non-media businesses will be able to purchase them for cash. "It's great to be associated with Ivan Braiker and Graham Knowles. Ivan's had a successful track record and I've known him a long time," said David Landau, co-president/CEO of Dial-Global. "We're delighted to now be able to link up with HipCricket and their development team."
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TVBR - TV News
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Injured newsmen
back in US
ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt were flown to Washington yesterday, where they'll continue treatment at Bethesda Naval Medical Center for head wounds and other injuries from a roadside bomb in Iraq. So far, only limited information about their medical condition has been released. The main doctor who was treating them at a US military hospital in Germany was quoted by the New York Times as saying that Woodruff "has a very good chance" of someday working again as a broadcast journalist. Woodruff's brother, Dave, told ABC News: "Having seen him, we think he's going to recover eventually. It's gonna be a long road, but he's a strong guy, and he's gonna make it, and he's gonna do well. And I think the care he's gotten has been just world class so far. So with that, we can feel pretty good about him." ABC News correspondent Jim Sciutto reported from Germany that Woodruff was brought out of sedation long enough to open his eyes and move his hands and feet in response to stimuli. He reported that Vogt is alert and has been sitting up and speaking.
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RBR Radar 2005
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Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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Adam Carolla gets ire of 3AF, AAJC over Asian awards parody
How to Win Friends and Influence People is not CBS Radio KLSX-FM LA morning man Adam Carolla's strong area and has angered both the Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) and Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF) for mocking the Asian Excellence Awards show on his 1/24 show. Both groups are threatening boycotts. CBS Radio spokesperson Karen Mateo tells us the bit was meant to be humorous and they didn't mean to offend anybody with the comments. No word yet if there was an apology issued.
RBR observation: To Carolla - Open wide take out left foot and insert right. To CBS - now take that left foot and kick oneself on that vertical smile. Suggestion to all of your new Free talent read the book - How to Win Friends and Influence People.
01/31/06 RBR #21
CBS looks to buy, even as it sells
Although CBS Corporation is looking to sell Paramount Parks and perhaps a few of its smaller radio stations, CEO Les Moonves is also on the hunt for acquisitions. "We're looking into getting into new media. Obviously we're strong in content and if there's the right content acquisition that fits with what we do and helps our distribution properties, then we would look! at that. I wouldn't mind expanding a bit internationally if there's the right opportunity there."
01/30/06 RBR #20
The ABC Radio multiple
When it is officially sold and it will be sold - but Bear Stearns has already crunching the numbers seeing a multiple of 13.75% - a bit more than the 13 that Cumulus Partners paid for Susquehanna. Pprojecting the Reverse Morris Trust merger to carry a stated value of 2.75 billion. He believes the radio group has EBITDA of 175 million (RBR sources say five million more) and ABC Radio Networks 25 million (same as we've heard). Thus, the price is 13.75 times EBITDA of 200 million.
RBR observation: This meshes pretty well with what we at RBR have told you all along about ABC Radio's cash flow earlier this month, when we provided a scale for various multiples. Sterns also provides valuable new information about the effective multiple after figuring in the tax benefit to Disney. That improves the sale multiple by about two and a half turns. Still, as we noted previously, the price tag would have been considerably higher just a couple of years ago.
01/27/06 RBR #19
Moonves commitment to radio
Insisted that "the reality is very, very different" from all of the talk circulating that terrestrial radio is a dying medium. Its goal is to do at radio what we have so successfully done with CBS Television. But most likely all CBS radio stations will not be around as the company would consider potential sales of stations that aren't core assets if they can command multiples of 14 or 15 times.
RBR observation: Not brain surgery but radio and groups like CBS will see stressful times during 2006 as RBR sources inside many of the public groups say their pacing for the 1st quarter '06 is way way off and not looking bright.
01/27/06 RBR #19
PPM gets blessing
Of ANA committee in support of Arbitron's PPM ratings technology. ANA wanted to get the advertisers voice out there and acknowledge all efforts underway to develop more accurate radio ratings measurement. We believe that technology has advanced to the point of no return and can't imagine electronic measurement for radio not becoming a reality. RBR observation: RBR learned quickly in 2002 when we dropped weekly print for daily electronic delivery. Guess what RBR has been saying for the past 18 months has finally taken hold - 'Time and Technology Waits for No One.' Full letter and report see
01/26/06 RBR #18
Arbitron has lots of Balls in the air
The guidance the company gave for Q1 and full year 2006 could change - - and quickly. 1. In just the next couple of months he expects to know the results of the Clear Channel RFP for electronic radio audience measurement, whether major radio groups will commit to a commercialization of the Portable People Meter (PPM) this year and 2. Will Nielsen Media Research sign on for a joint venture to deploy PPM for TV and cable as well as radio. Any one or all of those factors could make a significant impact on Arbitron's financial results for 2006. 3. The current situation of VNU management assessing a buyout proposal from a consortium of equity investment firms, could make it less likely that VNU will continue to invest in Apollo or that its Nielsen subsidiary will make the joint venture commitment to PPM.
RBR observation: A lot of balls - in the air is a good assessment for '06 for Aribtron because all three points are not in their control. It will be a sit and wait game unless Arbitron becomes more aggressive in many areas of marketing their product and services. Abritron must not depend on others but depend on themselves and their PPM product. 1. Clear Channel will do what is best for Clear Channel and use their leverage and circle of CEO amigos to pull them into their way of thinking. Or another scenario is just to slow down PPM so their 'LIM' can have enough time and research under their belt to show 'LIM' is working then make a switch. It is called buying time. 2. & 3. Arbitron can not depend on anything from VNU upper brass that is evaluating their current offer for a buyout. Nielsen's day to day team in the USA are doing there job just contending with press and buyout issues and as anyone that has gone through a sale knows the situation - chaos. RBR will keep reminding all - Time and Technology waits for no one.
01/25/06 RBR #17
Google jumps into radio
with dMarc buy
Internet giant plans to integrate dMarc's RevenueSuite inventory buying technology into the Google AdWords platform, "creating a new radio ad distribution channel for Google advertisers." The companies put the cost of the deal at 102 million in cash maybe an 800-lb. Gorilla in the making. Google sees radio as 14,000 candy stores spread out all over the country. This technology makes the buys automated for advertisers. The thinking may be there's no reason to have national sales organizations like Interep or Katz going forward. Meanwhile radio seems happy about the move: Said Val Maki, SVP/Market Manager/Emmis LA and Emmis Radio Division VP: "Emmis Radio has signed an agreement for the automated advertising platform by dMarc, which announced earlier today it was being acquired by Google. On the Ad Agency side - Kathy Crawford, MindShare President/Local Broadcast, says she understands why one might think this might curtail the need for the reps, however, "I'm not convinced we're going down an inevitable path today. I think we all have to take a deep breath and say, 'Where are we really going?'
RBR observation: We've said the day and age of electronic media is here. The day and age of transmitting and hitting the audience with a fast, precise message in content presentation is the way it's going to go. And it's the way it is right now. Unfortunately many of the people in the agency world on the creative side do not know how to actually utilize the new technology to reach the consumer. They're still stuck in 1996. They haven't gotten themselves out of that environment. The industry must fully examine, for the betterment of their clients, their creative departments. If they can't understand how to utilize technology in the new world of marketing, they better find people who do. The radio inventory management space is moving quite quickly and starting to attract new advertisers. Agencies and advertisers have been pushing vendors to get more electronic and accountable for years with some success. While some of these strides have been made from the springboard of remnant inventory, the entire process of buying and selling all inventories is evolving beyond. We're not sure Google/dMarc will change the game completely, but the dam is breaking. We're practicing what we preach - - RBR, TVBR, MediaMix and our print RBR/TVBR solutions magazine are all electronic (the magazine via Zinio.com and via PDFs) and presented in rich media.
01/18/06 RBR #12
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Retail Sales Manger
This is where the new money is today and for the future. Not selling spots that can be erased. Clear Channel- Minneapolis, top 20 market, has this unique opening and seeking a unique person to teach with leadership. This is not a spreadsheet position but one of growth to build a retail team.
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National Radio Services
Arbitron seeking that unique individual to join them as Account Manager to their National Radio Services team in NYC. Key duties: On the national side of the business serving as principal contact with-Networks-Syndicators-Rep Firms. Have the experience and skills in the network or rep business then join the Arbitron team where 'People make the difference.'
See Radio Careers
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