Wednesday Morning November 30th, 2011, Volume 28, Issue 233
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 House panel takes up spectrum auctions
A bill coming from Republican members of the House Communications Subcommittee will be competing with one coming from the panel's Democrats, but the numbers clearly favor the side led by panel Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR). The NAB said that Walden's version was a "major step forward." More...
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LPFM group finds kinship with Occupy Wall Street
Prometheus Radio Project managed to make the establishment of more low power FM stations a matter of national policy, most recently on crowded urban radio dials; and it also has its name on a landmark broadcast ownership case. It sees similarities between its own reason for being and that of the economic activists that make up the Occupy Wall Street movement. More...
RBR-TVBR observation: There are obvious similarities between a lot of the LPFMers and OWS. However, we would bet that fans of LPFM are not at all limited to those who agree with OWS. In fact, we'd bet that quite a few local Tea Party organizations have or would like to have an LPFM, along with small organizations of almost any philosophy one can think of. More...
Slacker partners with ABC for content channels
Slacker Radio, the music discovery and on-demand online radio experience that includes over 150 expert-programmed music stations, announced new Lifestyle stations, in conjunction with ABC and ABC News Radio, that will be available on Slacker Personal Radio in early Q1. More...
Mobile devices a challenge for Pandora
Listening on mobile devices, such as smartphones, has grown from 4.6% in Pandora Media's fiscal 2009 to 50.5% in fiscal 2011, which ended last January - and is no doubt even higher in the current fiscal year. But with well over half of its listening on mobile devices, Pandora admits that it is more difficult, at least to date, to monetize that listening through advertising sales.
RBR-TVBR observation: It's a "Catch 22." Converting advertisers to audio isn't happening fast enough for Pandora to keep up with the music royalties it has to pay for mobile listening. More...
American Public Media acquires Spot.Us
American Public Media (APM) is a major producer of public radio programming, with a portfolio of programs reaching 16 million listeners via more than 800 radio stations, but it lately has been expanding its holdings outside radio. APM has now announced the acquisition of Spot.Us, a website that invites the public to fund journalism that is then distributed to newsrooms across the country. More...
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Moody's sees reverse comp threat for TV station owners
Retransmission consent fees have been an important new revenue stream for US television station owners - and that dependable flow of cash had been looked on favorably by the major credit rating agencies. But with the Big Four networks now demanding a share of that cash - and getting it in many recent affiliation renewals - one of the credit rating companies has raised a warning flag. Moody's Investors Service says in a new report that the move to reverse comp will put pressure on the credit ratings of pure-play TV station operators. More...
ABC Soaps' move to the web gets shuttered
Prospect Park, a Hollywood production company, has scrapped its effort to keep the canceled ABC soaps "One Life to Live" and "All My Children" alive as online programs, citing problems in finding backers to pay for the shows and contractual demands from talent unions.
RBR-TVBR observation: These soaps are not going to get the same dollars coming in as on ABC, yet the production costs, sets, crew, etc. are pretty inelastic. More...
Watchdog picks the best and worst content advertisers
The Parents Television Council knows what it likes and what it doesn't like, and it also keeps tracks of who advertises on what program. It has come out with its top ten lists for the period running from the beginning of September 2010 to the end of May 2011. Ford tops the best list; American Express is on top of the other one. More...
Fox claims November Sweep win
For only the second time ever in the network's history, Fox has declared victory in the November broadcast television sweep. Averaging a 3.4 rating among Adults 18-49 from October 27 to November 23, 2011, Fox said it outperformed its highest-rated competitor, CBS, by +6% in the key 18-49 adult demo. More...
CBS claims November Sweep crown for most viewers
CBS declared victory in November Sweep for total viewership. That's nothing new for the Eye Network, since this makes 11 in a row. More...
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James Murdoch holds on at BSkyB
BSkyB independent shareholders dealt James Murdoch a heavy blow 11/29 with over 40% failing to back his re-election as chairman, over his handling of the phone hacking scandal. Several major shareholders also voted against him because they wanted a truly independent chairman rather than an executive of News Corp., which owns 39% of BSkyB. More...
WideOrbit CEO issues statement on Greater Media move
Eric Mathewson, Founder and CEO of WideOrbit, issued some commentary over Greater Media's decision return to Marketron, its legacy traffic and revenue management system. Greater Media will replace its current system in its four largest markets with Marketron's Mediascape open technology platform. Said Mathewson:
RBR-TVBR observation: You don't see this sort of mea culpa very often in the industry-especially directed to the entire industry, rather than the lost customer. It's a stand-up thing to do. More...
Year-end surge in consumer confidence
The Conference Board puts together one of the most widely read consumer confidence reports once a month, and its findings for November bode well for businesses looking for a big holiday season. The top line number in the survey made an impressive double-digit gain over October's reading, based on strong future expectations.
RBR-TVBR observation: Confidence polls are very much a soft statistic, but with all the gloom and doom we see in the headlines, we must admit we were very surprised to see such a positive result here. More...
Kimberly-Clark signs for Meredith Engagement Dividend
Soft paper products company Kimberly-Clark is taking Meredith Corporation up on its program to deliver a guaranteed increase in sales for brands which advertise in its portfolio of women-focused magazines. Kimberly-Clark is the first advertiser to be officially announced as a participant in the Meredith Engagement Dividend Program, announced in July for implementation in calendar 2012. More...
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Ideas Working Now
License renewal and licensee certifications
By Gregg Skall, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
Why you don't want any dead air!: With 2011 coming to a close, it's interesting and significant to realize that the radio renewal cycle, marking the dates by which radio licensees must file their FCC renewal applications, will be about 20 percent done. Next June will start the television renewal cycle, and each will move across the country and back over a period of 3 years, with the Delaware and Pennsylvania bringing in the final renewal filing dates of April 2014 for radio and 2015 for TV. More...
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Contract Close-up
Making Sure that Seller Conducts Business as Usual
Most broadcast stations are sold as going concerns, and a large part of their value is in the form of intellectual property, loyal audience and established good will. However, a problem is presented by the period between the signing of a contract and the closing of a deal - there is no incentive for the seller to maintain high operational standards; meanwhile, the buyer doesn't want to see the station whittled down to stick value due to managerial neglect. Communications law expert Erwin G. Krasnow of Garvey Schubert Barer looks at how this situation was handled in a number of recent transaction documents. More...
Key CP going to Miami AM owner
An FM-to-be will be partnering with an up-and-running AM once a deal for WURN-FM comes to a conclusion. But although it already has similar calls to WURN(AM), the stations will be serving different geographical areas. More...
Radio Transactions
KRBR sold - and we had nothing to do with it
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Radio
Paul and Al Morning Show re-up with 94 HJY
Paul Fuller and Al Milukas from the "Paul and Al Morning Show" have extended their contracts for another four years with Clear Channel's 94 HJY, the Home of Rock and Roll in Providence, RI. Paul and Al's new contract will extend through 2015, which will mark their 25th anniversary with the station. They've scored No. 1 in the books with Persons 25-53 and 18-49 throughout 2011. More...
KPAM and Bob Miller launch 9th "Operation Santa Claus"
AM 860, The Voice of Portland talker Bob Miller is hosting the station's annual charity drive, "Operation Santa Claus" all this week. The event, from the Pamplin Media Group station, raises funds to assist local families coping with the loss of income due to military deployment. So far, Operation Santa Claus has raised over $1,000,000 dollars in the last eight years. This year's fundraising goal is $135,000. More...
Country Oldies Show unwraps Christmas special
Envision Radio Networks says the free four hour special features Classic Country holiday favorites. It's being offered up beginning 12/19, up to Christmas Day. Host Steve Warren will spin holiday music from: More...
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Television
ABC kicking off "The Revolution"
A little competition for Dr. Phil and The Doctors: ABC Daytime is bringing in the New Year with a new one-hour daily talker, "The Revolution," set to premiere Monday 1/16 at 2:00 p.m. ET. More...
Boomerang gets a puppy in time for the holidays
MEG Toys unveiled a US television deal for the animated TV series based on its Puppy In My Pocket toy line. "Adventures in Pocketville" will air on Cartoon Network's Boomerang. More...
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CBS gobbled up turkey week ratings
CBS scored an across-the-board ratings win in Thanksgiving Week. NBC, not surprisingly, had the #1 show in both Households and 18-49, "Sunday Night Football," but CBS had lots more highly-rated shows, mostly of the scripted variety. ABC was second, also across-the-board, led by the season's final two shows of "Dancing with the Stars." More...
Online shopping to be big this holiday season
Online and mobile tools will help holiday shoppers keep the economic Grinch at bay, according to Deloitte's 26th annual holiday survey of consumer spending intentions and trends. Almost half of consumers surveyed (48%) say they most likely will shop for gifts online this holiday season - a double digit (13%) increase from last year. More...
Reruns topped new shows on Monday
Fox Monday lands second-place w/ 'Terra Nova'
CBS wins Monday w/ comedy line-up
ABC's 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' a hit Monday
NBC's 'The Sing Off' fourth-place Monday
Monday late-night winner is 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'
FOX has solid November, strong in 18-49 demo
Week 10: November 21-27, 2011
Week 10: CBS wins demo's 18-49 and 25-54
Week 10: NBC ranked No. 3, 'SNF' continues win streak
Week 10: ABC finished No. 2 in total viewers and adults 18-49
Review all TV/Cable Ratings News at RBR.com |
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Stocks closed mixed on Tuesday - 11/29/11
An upbeat report on consumer confidence from the Conference Board wasn't enough to keep the rally going on Wall Street. Monday's gains gave way to some hesitation on Tuesday, with financial stocks dragging. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 33 points, or 0.3%, to 11,556. The S&P 500 was also up, but the Nasdaq Composite down. Broadcasting stocks were also mixed.
The RBR Radio Index was down 3.450, or 1.1%, at 306.633.
The TVBR Television Index was up 0.834, or 0.4%, at 214.040. More...
Review all Broadcast Stocks News at RBR.com
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Winners
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Losers
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| Entravision |
+5.6%
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Dial Global |
-11.5% |
| SBC |
+4.2%
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Gray |
-4.8% |
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CC Media
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+3.2%
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Radio One |
-3.3% |
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For additional reports, ideas, analysis, interviews, and
RBR/TVBR Observations...visit and bookmark www.RBR.com
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United States Department of Justice Ordered Divestiture of Radio Stations
Media Services Group has been retained to offer and manage the sale of the properties being held in trust by Potential Broadcasting, LLC, as trustee, as a result of the Cumulus-Citadel merger.
The stations being offered are:
WRSR (FM), (FCC ID 41681), Owosso, MI, serving the Flint ARB market;
WCAT-FM, (FCC ID 74557), Carlisle, PA, and WTPA (FM), (FCC ID 12050), Palmyra, PA, both serving the Harrisburg, Lebanon and Carlisle ARB market. The stations may be purchased individually or in any combination.
For information contact,
Eddie Esserman,
at [email protected]
or 912.634.6575 |
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Financial wiz
Former Nextel VP/Controller Teresa (Teri) Gendron has joined Gannett as VP and Controller. She succeeds George Gavagan, who will continue as VP and Chief Accounting Officer and retire after Gannett files its Form 10-K in February 2012, with Gendron then becoming Chief Accounting Officer.
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RIAA working Congress on Royalty / TV seeing Election Bucks
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
Entercom completes Refi Bid / FCC grudgingly OKs Raycom Triple Play
11/28/11 RBR-TVBR #231
Pandora's Double-Edge Sword / RAB facing Red Ink
11/27/11 Sunday Edition
Election prep for 2012 / Window of Opportunity
11/26/11 Saturday Edition
Pandora rings Record Q3 / Spectrum Bill still Alive
11/23/11 RBR-TVBR #230
RIAA still working Congress on radio royalty
RBR-TVBR observation: Record labels and the NAB had a tentative deal in place that would have opened the door to a performance royalty in exchange for an FM radio presence on mobile devices, but when NAB proposed graduating the size of the royalty in scale with the adoption of mobile FM, the labels back out.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
Negative analyst shunned by Pandora Media
Richard Greenfield at BTIG Research has been actively analyzing Pandora Media from its pre-IPO stage. He thinks the stock is so over-priced that he lowered his target price to $3.75 in September and maintained the "sell" rating he's had on Pandora since day one. Greenfield is complaining that Pandora management won't even let him ask questions on the company's quarterly conference calls. We have his questions at RBR.com.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
General election TV dollars already starting to flow
It is now just less than a year before Americans go to the polls to select the next President of the United States, and we don't even know yet who will be running on the Republican side. But that is not preventing the advertising air wars to start on TV.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
Sinclair expanding its bank credit facility
With two big acquisitions pending, Sinclair has gone back to its bankers to increase its credit facilities. Sinclair announced Monday that it will add up to $530 million in borrowing capacity.
RBR-TVBR observation: Wall Street apparently liked the company's ability to get its bankers to extend additional credit to close the pending acquisitions.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
Battlegrounds: Early read on 2012 US Senate races
The political handicappers are starting to take stock of the political situation in the 33 states that have a Senate seat on the table in 2012. RBR-TVBR looked at reports from three different oddsmakers, and can report that there is a general consensus as to where the hot action is likely to be when push starts coming to shove next year.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
Miami congresswoman wants Allianz ads pulled from media
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is pressuring National Public Radio stations, CNBC and others to stop airing sponsorships and advertising by the German insurer that collaborated with the Nazis.
RBR-TVBR observation: A sticky wicket, indeed. We would suggest that in conjunction with any advertising, Allianz should accelerate the process of settling any unresolved claims.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
New York noncoms do multi-station deal in Buffalo area
Crown jewel in a 3-station sale involving two New York State non-profits is WBFO-FM Buffalo, and the buyer Western New York Public Broadcasting Association had to make its promise to take good care of it going forward a matter of contract with seller State University of New York.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
Black Friday sets new sales record
RBR-TVBR observation: These are all good signs in a bad economy. The only negative possibility here is that folks are so concerned with finding deals that Black Friday was larger than ever, and the rest of the holiday season will be left wanting.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
Washington: Meeting, markup and nomination hearing
RBR-TVBR observation: Democrats do not believe the FCC is in serious need of reform, at least along the lines House Republicans have proposed, and we suspect key Dems John Kerry (D-MA), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) nor Harry Reid (D-NV) will have any strong motivation to push companion legislation to the House bill through the Senate.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
WBAL's Ron Smith stepping down from the mic
Long-time Baltimore mid-morning man first announced the news of his stage 4 pancreatic cancer 10/17. Smith, who has been there since 1984, originally said he planned to stay on at the station as he sought treatment. Not long after he stopped chemo treatments he has also decided to retire from the show.
11/29/11 RBR-TVBR #232
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