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Volume 21, Issue 249, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Monday Morning December 27th, 2004
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| Before Time Runs Out In '05 |
 A Look For and Must Do list
As the year draws to a close,
here are a few issues to be aware of in 2005:
1. Accountability continues to get the most attention.
2. EDI-cable has it and it has been the buzz for over two years. EDI is one solution piece to the accountability puzzle.
3. PPM and LPM are both People Meters, but very different technologies. What is clear is that diaries won't cut it in the future.
4. FCC's rulemaking and influence on consolidation and deal making, for both radio and television. Critical decisions on local ownership caps, mainly involving TV double and triple plays and newspaper-cross ownership combos, are back at the FCC for recon by order of the 3rd Circuit.
5. Spot load/clutter. Reach is not what it used to be. Solution for some is to buy more inventory. It's a vicious cycle that leads to further clutter. And with more clutter has come more erosion of listeners and viewers.
6. Capital Expenditures or investing in key assets or key stations that will bring an ROI. Can't be the biggest group without giving the equal amount of food or this case money to grow if you expect people to listen or view and get make a profit.
7. Shedding of assets or the ones that cannot be feed properly to grow, means selling for cash at a reasonable price to a local broadcaster to make it work. A smaller group that doesn't carry the heavy overhead weight to see a stronger profit since it doesn't have to feed an 800-lb gorilla.
8. Branding & Marketing of your company. You may think you're the best but if nobody knows you lose. Be in the face of your audience, ad agencies, and product clients and show them you're investing in your brand and they may take you more seriously.
9. Public groups got hammered by Wall Street and buying back their own stock goes only so far. Go private in 2005?
10. 5 C's - In few days we will be in 2005 and the radio and television business are facing the new 5C's - Challenge yourself, Commitment, Content, Cross marketing and platforming, and most of all using the key C of Common sense to re-establish each medium facing their fair share of issues next year.
Publisher Note: There is a thin line between Failure and Success and that is why the January '05 issue of Radio & Television Business Report - The Real Media Business Magazine - added investigative coverage and put Television on our 22 year old magazine. Jan. '05 mailed last week and Feb. '05 is being worked as you read with one of the key issues being PPM & LPM - your future. Reserve your copy today.
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Radio News®
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 It's a twister, Auntie En!
A 220K twister
Entercom has been hit with a 220K dollar FCC fine over alleged indecency over a pair of Midwest stations. Dating back to spring 2002, the first incident in question was a game of "Naked Twister" on the "Dare and Murphy Show," heard on KQRC-FM in Kansas City and KFH-AM in Wichita, and went on into new allegedly indecency material on the subsequent days.The 220K is the result of eight 27.5K fines - - one per station on four different days, including 4/4/04, 4/29/04, 5/2/04 and 5/3/04. The FCC said that the "Naked Twister" game featured "...with local strippers participating as contestants, dwells on descriptions of female genitalia and breasts in an explicit and graphic manner." The Commission went on to note objectionable commentary. The other three shows featured interviews with pornographic film stars that each, in their own way, went over the line. Entercom offered two points in defense, both of which were rejected by the FCC. First, Entercom said that the high ratings of KQRC-FM indicate that its programming is well within the bounds of community standards in Kansas City. Second, the FCC's indecency standard is unconstitutionally vague. The ball is now in Entercom's court. It can either pay up; argue for a reduction of the fine, or its complete cancellation.
RBR observation: Or Entercom can do nothing and see if the FCC will take it to court. The indecency wars continue to heat up, and figure to get much, much hotter, especially with the threat of supercharged fines coming into the mix courtesy of Congress. Somewhere, someday, somehow, somebody is going to take this to court. Stay tuned.
More 2005 Spending Forecasts for Eleven Major Media
First there was Bob Coen's forecast 12/07/04 RBR #237 this time analyst Jack Myers' latest report, "2005 Spending Forecasts for Eleven Major Media," overall marketing communications spending is projected to grow 6.7% in 2005, with ad growth projected at 4.8%. Promotional and direct marketing spending is projected to increase 7.3%, led by dramatic 12% growth in event marketing budgets. These final 2005 Jack Myers Report forecasts are based on proprietary analysis of the Myers Advertising Confidence Index survey of ad execs. From the report: | More... |
 Every watchdog has his day
Media General is one of many owners with waived cross-owned TV/newspaper combos in operation facing the near-term waiver expiration. Watchdog groups Common Cause South Carolina and Free Press have objected to the continuation of one such waiver, involving WBTW-TV Florence SC and the daily Florence Morning News. The FCC gave MG more time to argue its case. Now the watchdogs have an extension. Media General's extension took it to 12/15/04, and it used its time to file a pleading stretching beyond 100 pages in length. CC/FP have asked for and received and extension of the deadline to reply to the reply. The continuation will extend until 1/31/05.
TVBR observation: You can be for or against media crossownership. However, there is a different concept in play here, in our opinion: fair play. It is not Media General's fault that the battle over the new ownership rules has become so entangled that a year and a half after the FCC issued a ruling which would have allowed this combination, the issue nevertheless remains unresolved. Further, the Third Circuit Court, which is responsible for bringing the regulatory machinery to a halt, specifically said that it sees no intrinsic illegality or evil in TV/newspaper combinations. It merely questions the local caps the FCC applied to such combinations. It is hardly fair to make Media General divest one or the other property when the combination may well be perfectly within the rules, once they are finalized. It is only fair to keep the crossownership waiver in place until the FCC and the courts are on the same page and there is a solid regulation in place.
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 Disney tightens executive pay policies
By revamping its executive compensation policy, requiring top officers to own and hold more stock and tying stock awards to the performance of the company's stock, reports the AP. The new policy comes atop other compensation changes the board made in September to Disney's bonus plan, which tied executive bonuses more closely to the company's financial performance. The plan also reduces the amount of stock options granted to executives, shifting the majority of grants to restricted stock units. The changes come as the company plans to replace CEO Michael Eisner, who has said he will retire when his contract expires in 2006. Disney says it expects to name a successor by June. The new long-term incentive program provides that half the restricted stock units granted to senior executives will be usable only if the company's stock appreciation, plus reinvested dividends, exceeds that of the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index over either the prior year or three-year time period. The new policy also requires the company's top five executives to hold over time company stock equal to three to five times their base salary, depending on their position. The new pay plan "will help the company continue to attract and retain the best employees while aligning their interests with those of our shareholders," says Judith Estrin, chairwoman of the board's executive compensation committee. For stock option grants made in 2005 and after, Disney's top five execs will be required to keep shares representing at least 75% of the after-tax gain realized from the exercise of the options for at least one year. Disney's CEO will be required to keep shares representing 100% of the gain for 12 months. That prevents execs from immediately cashing out all the options they exercise.
Consumers Union opens media watchdog portal
A new website focusing entirely on media issues they're calling it hearusnow.org, and it carries the subtitle "Consumer Voice for Communications Choice." It even features a little movie called "Media Eye for the Little Guy." It carries hot buttons where people can go to learn the CU take on a number of issues. Here's the laundry list" Internet & Broadband; TV, Radio & Cable; Media Ownership; Phone Services; Wireless Services; and Digital Content. It includes informational issue alerts, such as "Cable Rate Hikes." There are also items under the heading "What's at Stake," which are similar to the issue alerts. They include informational items like "Transition to Digital TV" and "Fewer Cell Choices." Then there are interactive action alerts, such as "Stop Hidden Phone Fees" and "Tell the FCC to Fix Media Ownership Rules," which provide the now-standard direct links which have proven so useful to various activist campaigns. Here's what it says under the ownership item: "A federal court overturned FCC media ownership rules that would have hurt open, democratic debate. The FCC has until January 2, 2005 to decide whether to appeal the court action. Tell the FCC to skip the court challenge and get the rules right this time." Then, with a link called "Take Action," you are put in direct touch with the FCC's computer.
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Adbiz©
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Millsport as AOR for Sports & Event Marketing
XM Satellite Radio announced it has selected Millsport, the sponsorship and event consulting unit of The Marketing Arm, as its AOR. Millsport will provide a mix of strategic consulting, program planning and integrated activation around XM's portfolio of partnerships including Major League Baseball, NASCAR, Collegiate Sports and music. Program extensions will include XM's powerful stable of retail, automotive and technology partnerships. In addition to its core consulting function, Millsport will optimize The Marketing Arm's specialist units in promotion, event marketing and talent buying in support of XM program activation across multiple consumer touch points. According to Ray Clark, founder and CEO of The Marketing Arm, the XM Satellite Radio pitch was undoubtedly one of the most competitive pitches in quite some time. "We're honored to have Millsport selected and believe the agency 'chase' is a testament to the XM being among the hottest brands and service in the country. The Marketing Arm has continued to differentiate its offering through superior, front-line talent and big ideas that change behavior and drive measurable results for our client's brands."
 Consumer watchdog group
questions Bud Light ads
The Center for Science in the Public Interest is throwing a flag on Anheuser-Busch TV ads featuring beer-stealing football referees who lie to and run from police, so says the AP. In letters to the FTC and the Beer Institute, the watchdog group says the spots violate the institute's voluntary codes barring ads that "portray or imply illegal behavior of any kind." The commercials are spoofs of spots by rival Miller Brewing showing referees penalizing drinkers and employees of Busch's top-selling Budweiser and Bud Light. In the Miller ads, the referees replace Bud with Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft. Anheuser-Busch's response? "We disagree with your assertions that these ads promote 'illegal activity,'" John Kaestner, VP/Consumer Affairs told the center in a 12/9 letter, defending the commercials as "clearly meant to be a spoof of the spots currently being run by our competitor. Anheuser-Busch's spots, the latest salvo in an intensifying exchange between the world's two largest brewers, suggests the referees are actually stealing the Bud Light for themselves. Just recently, CBS and NBC announced they would pull three ads by Miller after Anheuser-Busch complained, calling nine Miller ads aired since summer unsubstantiated and misleading.
 MediaCom to score US Volkswagen duties
That what reports say as Volkswagen AG is believed to have decided to award US media buying for Volkswagen of America's VW and Audi brands to MediaCom after a review that pitted the agency against incumbent MPG. The move, expected to be announced in January, would essentially consolidate MediaCom's hold on VW's 800 million global account in most of the world. MediaCom already handles the automaker in most parts of the world outside the US, but MediaCom's parent, Grey Global Group, is in the midst of being acquired by WPP Group, pending approval by various government regulatory bodies. WPP counts Ford as its largest global client. In the US, Audi and VW spent a total of 430 million in measured media last year, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR.
Heineken USA creates independent ad review panel, advisory board
With the creation of a three-member Independent Advertising Complaint Review Panel and Advisory Board to add an independent voice to the company's existing process to address public concerns that may arise over its print or broadcast advertising. | More... |
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| Media Markets & MoneyTM |
Closing is Bliss for energetic buyer
New Radio Group, or N-R-G (en-er-gy - - get it?) has closed on its just-about-4M dollar acquisition of WFHR-AM & WLGX-FM in the Wausau-Stevens Point market. It brings to an end an LMA with seller Bliss Communications, and makes the combo an official part of what is now a six-station cluster. WDLB-AM/WLJY-FM Marshfield, WOSQ-FM Spencer and WYTE-FM Whiting were already in the fold.
Sometimes renting is enough
Cornerstone Church is hanging on to the license for WXQQ-FM, which serves the Toledo market from its perch in Wauseon OH. However, other aspects of the operation of the station are being farmed out under terms of an affiliation agreement worked out under the auspices of Patrick Communications broker Greg Guy. Guy has brought in Educational Media Foundation to provide its noncommercial K-LOVE Contemporary Christian Network to the station. The calls will be changing to WNKL-FM. It'll be another foray into the unreserved portion of the FM band for EMF - - the station resides will into that territory at 96.9 mHz.
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| Washington Beat |
 Congressman wants broadcast exit polls
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI) wants raw data from the consortium of broadcast and cable news organizations which along with the Associated Press conducted extensive exit polling on Election Day. The firms contracted to actually conduct the poll interviews have declined to make the information available. Conyers is trying to study the possible need for election reforms. Associated Press banded together with ABC, CBS, NBC CNN and Fox to form the National Election Pool (NEP), tasked to get data on the election, and handed polling contracts to Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International. Although there were no problems in the polling to even remotely compare to the Florida debacle in 2000, bones of contention remain, focusing on results in Ohio and early data leaks which were put in the Internet by various bloggers. According to the AP, NEP is still analyzing data itself, and would not have anything in a presentable form until early next year.
Rogers neighborhood gets to keep repeater
The FCC has upheld the Nexstar plan to acquire two full-power Arkansas television stations and continue operating one as a repeater of the other. Ft. Smith 46 Inc. had filed a petition to deny the arrangement. The stations are being acquired from J.D.G. Television. KFTA-TV Fort Smith is the key station; the repeater is KNWA-TV in Rogers. Nexstar's plan was approved thanks to its conformity with a three-pronged test. The first two are: (1) the city grade contours of the stations do not overlap; and (2) the station brings service to an underserved area (despite the presence of LPTVs in the Rogers area, as noted by the complainant). The third is a bit more difficult to prove, but based on testimony from Media Venture Partners' Brian Cobb, the FCC was persuaded that KNWA would likely not be economically viable operating on its own in the sparsely-populated Rogers area. It will therefore be allowed to continue providing duplicated NBC and local Ft. Smith fare to Rogers.
Political category already ready to return?
So you thought the political advertising category was set to hibernate for at least a year or so? Silly puppy! A major battle for hearts and minds is in the offing, and the Bush administration is preparing to pull out all the stops to win it. The battlefield is Social Security. According to a Reuters report, phase one will be making the case that reform is needed in the first place. The White House bully pulpit will figure in that, as in any public issue. But TV and radio advertising is expected to figure in as well. Conservative organization Club for Growth, one of the so-called 527 groups which figured so prominently in the 2004 elections, is planning to spend as much as 15M dollars of its own on the topic.
RBR observation: There is no word on the topic of a Democratic response, but there are plenty of 527 groups hitched to the donkey rather than the elephant, so it is likely that dollars from both sides will be part of the filling in the 2005 media revenue pie.
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| Programming |
NPR places its bet on BET vet
Exiting NPR Talker Tavis Smiley will be replaced by Ed Gordon, who brings extensive broadcast journalist credentials with him, including stints at BET and NBC. His show will be called "News & Notes With Ed Gordon," and will focus on African American issues. The show, conceived by NPR, the African-American Public Radio Consortium of radio station managers and Ed Gordon, is a continuation of NPR's commitment to highlighting social, political and cultural issues of concern to all Americans and to expanding the public radio audience. The show will have a bi-coastal format, with Gordon based in New York. The show is said to replace "The Tavis Smiley Show" for topicality. Smiley's last day on the net was 12/16. Gordon, a Detroit native, brings to NPR more than 20 years experience as an intelligent, honest, and compelling journalist covering a variety of topical news stories. He was recently named a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes Wednesday on CBS. Gordon has also reported for the Today Show and Dateline during his years at NBC. He's best known for his headline making interviews with newsmakers, including Nelson Mandela, President Bill Clinton, President George H.W. Bush, Senator Trent Lott, Jamie Foxx, Minister Louis Farrakhan, Senator John Kerry, Oprah Winfrey, and O.J. Simpson.
Sprint takes on everybody?
It looks like terrestrial radio and satcasters may have a common enemy: wireless telephone service Sprint. According to the New York Times, users of the phone service will be able to get music over their phones for less than six dollars a month, available commercial free and in a variety of formats. It will join video services as a option available from Sprint.
RBR observation: It's hard to imagine that this service will be much more than an annoyance to traditional broadcasters or satcasters. And if it keeps even one bozo from carrying on a loud conversation right next to us on the Metro, we say go for it.
 DC pirate AM calls for inauguration protests
An AM pirate broadcaster in DC on 1680 AM called for "massive protests" in the week leading up to the 1/20 presidential inauguration. The station broadcast 12/22 and identified itself as "Guerrilla Radio, WSQT." During the ID, according to CNN, an announcer said, "WSQT is a project of urban activists in the D.C. area working on housing issues, homeless issues, issues of war, issues of occupation both at home and abroad, and issues of the environment that we all have to live in." After being tipped by a reporter, an official with the FCC said enforcement investigators will try to pinpoint the transmitter using direction-finding equipment. Other programming featured rap music with urgent, unsettled lyrics. An unidentified announcer said, "It's time to say no to Bush." The announcer also called on the Supreme Court justices to "get off your butts" and free people unfairly imprisoned on drug convictions, and further stated that "we know you can hear our signal up there, and all you people in Congress." CNN monitored the signal on a conventional car radio as far away as the Maryland suburbs, about 10 miles from downtown DC. At deadline, an RBR editor received an extremely faint signal on that frequency 35 miles south of DC, with no way to tell what was being said.
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| Monday Morning Makers & Shakers |
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Transactions: 11/15/04-11/19/04
Not a lot of deals filed - - only seven all told, and almost no big market action. Nonetheless, a singleton TV and a five-station radio cluster moved, accounting for over 60M between them.
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Total
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Total Deals
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8
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AMs
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7
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FMs
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9
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TVs
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1
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| Value |
69.65M
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| Complete Charts |
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Radio Transactions of the Week
Small makes the biggest buy
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TV Transactions of the Week
Barrington wheels into Missouri
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| Transactions |
TV CP Flint-Saginaw-Bay City MI (Bay City MI) from ACME Television LLC to Barrington Broadcasting.
KTXV-AM CP Tyler-Longview TX (Frankston TX) from JNE Investments Inc. to Bustos Media Holdings LLC.
WTUA-FM Charleston SC (St. Stephen SC) from Jeremiah Ravenell to Praise Communications Inc.
| More... |
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| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Thursday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Arbitron
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ARB
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38.76
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-0.08
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Jeff-Pilot
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JP
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51.70
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-0.69
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Beasley
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BBGI
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17.00
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+0.29
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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18.04
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+0.03
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| Citadel |
CDL |
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16.38 |
-0.05 |
Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
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16.10
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+0.29
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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33.87
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+0.15
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Radio One, Cl. D
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ROIAK
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16.11
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+0.32
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Cox Radio
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CXR
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15.69
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+0.12
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Regent
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RGCI
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5.34
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+0.10
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Cumulus
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CMLS
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14.99
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+0.02
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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17.15
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-0.05
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Disney
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DIS
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27.59
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-0.04
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Salem Comm.
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SALM
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24.31
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-0.18
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Emmis
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EMMS
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18.94
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unch
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Sirius Sat. Radio
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SIRI
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7.95
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+0.06
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| Entercom |
ETM
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35.29
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-0.05
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Spanish Bcg.
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SBSA
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10.56
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-0.08
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Entravision
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EVC
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8.13
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+0.23
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Univision
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UVN
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28.52
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-0.18
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Fisher
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FSCI
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48.50
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+0.06
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Viacom, Cl. A
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VIA
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37.10
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-0.18
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Gaylord
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GET
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41.16
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+0.16
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Viacom, Cl. B
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VIAb
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36.60
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-0.12
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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25.78
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+0.02
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Westwood One
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WON
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26.39
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-0.16
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Interep
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IREP
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0.76
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-0.02
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XM Sat. Radio
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XMSR
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39.92
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-0.28
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International Bcg.
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IBCS
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0.01
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unch
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-
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-
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- |
-
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-
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__UNSUB__ to this email service.
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Bounceback
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 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments to [email protected]
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Upped & Tapped
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Regent Communications announces transfer
In management realignment in their Flint, MI and Evansville/Owensboro markets Mark Thomas, VP/GM of Flint will transfer to Evansville/ Owensboro and be replaced in that position in Flint by director of Sales, Zoe Burdine-Fly. CEO Bill Stakelin said: "Mark Thomas has done a superb job of growing the Flint stations into the market leader, greatly increasing ratings and revenues and the local commitment to the Flint market. He is just the person to take Evansville/Owensboro to the next level of success." Mark will replace Bob Dakin who is leaving Regent. Mark will continue to have oversight input to the Flint operation. When Mark hired Zoe Burdine-Fly, he told us not to worry about Regent's continued success in Flint because he had just hired his replacement."
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TVBR News Analysis
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TVBR Observation
Cutie Katie in the old Walter & Dan CBS Chair: Someone get a grip on life
This report was said to have been started in trade B&C then picked up by the NY Post that CBS, Katie Couric and her agent Alan Berger best get a grip on true reality because that perky cuties' giggle ain't for an aging evening news report on any television network. The only thing that would motivate Cutie Katie or maybe more her agent to push for this deal is plain money greed. Katie you don't take this perkiness and transform yourself into Uncle Walter Cronkite. Evening news even with Brian Williams has ratings, but the demo of 60+ is not getting any younger. This years' TV upfront sales market saw more money move to cable news like Fox News Channel than the traditional NBC, CBS, ABC. With Vioxx and Celebrex and Rx money in limbo for next year-wham-you've got big problems. Cutie Katie cannot turn around CBS Evening News because all networks with evening news are on life support. All three networks are jockeying for a younger demo than 60 and it just ain't gonna happen until you re-format the programming, and then you're at the mercy of your local affiliates that must have a strong position in their market to keep the remote out of viewers' hands to switch channels. Evening news with Brit Hume is an excellent format - calm, cool, conversational and not yelling with terror alerts. The average person knows what is happening on a 24/7 basis so why yell and think every story you have on the Evening News is a Hot Scooper Pooper. Not! Katie we love 'ya in the Mornings. Take a lesson 101 from Bryant Gumbel - he sat in the anchor chair at NBC's Today Show for 15 years and then what - TA DUM - where is he today? Our observation when that 15 million dollar a year contract is up with NBC in 18 months negotiate a better deal that makes you happy and wake up whomever is advising you if you are thinking of moving. Come on people the average Jane or Joe's do not make 15 million a year and when the average person reads, hears all the gossip on those entertaining shows about this kind of money they go out of their way to turn you off. Bryant Gumbel lesson 102 - "Don't write any memos about this like Gumbel did to Willard Scott." That just pissed people off by picking on Uncle Willard.
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TVBR - TV News
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Last week's TiVo Top 25 Network Primetime Ratings Report
The report contains the top 25 programs watched on TiVo that were aired during prime time on the six commercial broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, UPN, and WB. The Total TiVo Rating is calculated as the per-second average percent of subscribers tuned in to the given program. The Primary Viewing Mode is how the majority of the viewing audience watched the show, in recorded playback or live TV. TiVo records a 30 minute 'cache' of what viewers are watching at all times so they can rewind and instant replay programming. People watching within the live cache are considered 'Live' viewers. The aggregate ratings are based on an anonymous random sample of 20,000 TiVo units in subscriber households across the US. | More... |
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RBR Radar 2004
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Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
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Susan Whiting: Nielsen's PPM decision to be made by Q2
Has until the end of Q2 '05 to decide whether to form a joint venture with Arbitron for a TV and radio audience measurement service based on Arbitron's passive PPM system, possibly breaking the in-house tether its current LPM measurement system requires. Nielsen CEO Susan Whiting detailed the announcement in a letter to Nielsen clients. RBR observation: "This letter outlines the key open questions and Nielsen's plan to address them before deciding whether to join Arbitron in the launch and accreditation of Houston as the first commercial market of the PPM." RBR has the letter so click to view. It is hard ball time folks.
12/22/04 RBR #248
Publisher's Perspective
In few days we will be into 2005, and operators in the radio and television business would do well to consider what I call the Five C's as they get set to face the year ahead: Challenge, Commitment, Content, Cross-marketing and - - most of all using - - Common sense. We need to re-establish each medium and get back to the pattern of steady growth that has characterized broadcasting throughout most of its history. At the same time, we must consider new challenges which could very well threaten the extinction of our business. To deal with these challenges, we recommend an extra heaping helping of The Biggest C - - Common sense. That's what it will take to win in 2005 - - along with passion and heart - miles and miles of heart. Naples, FL called to some in 2004. 12/22/04 RBR #248
RBR Exclusive--Spinning into '05
Joel Hollander In - John Sykes Out
It was just a question of when and according to various record industry sources Infinity CEO John Sykes will be leaving to pursue other opportunities sometime after the first of the year which also comes with a generous golden parachute. Intelligence gathered the announcement will be coming soon by Viacom Co-COO Les Moonves. 12/20/04 RBR #246
Radio local revs post up in November
RAB notes local revenue continued to hover around the break-even point, finishing November on the black side by 2%. National's second month in a row on the plus side of the mid-to-upper single digit range - - an up tick of 7% - - brought the monthly total to a positive 4%. But it may be too early to start popping champagne corks. RBR observation: Black ink is black ink, but there are a couple of factors graying November's positive if lackluster results. One is the fact that it reconfirms the notion that radio was largely bypassed by both national and local political campaigns. The other is the warning that the modest November bump is but a prelude to a flattish December. In other words, it does not appear to be the start of a steady climb, merely another small rise before another drop on the revenue roller coaster. 12/21/04 RBR #247
Local TV broadcast ad revenues
Up 12.2% Q3
Jumped a healthy 12.2% in the third quarter of 2004 compared to the same period last year. The biggest percentage increase among the top 25 advertising categories for the quarter was posted by Government & Organizations, which is mostly political spending. The category was up 165.7% over the same period in 2003. TVBR observation: Praise politics as The Bush for President Committee made it onto the list of the top 25 individual local advertisers for the quarter at No. 19 (the Kerry campaign ranked No. 41). But what are you gonna do now in first quarter 2005? 12/21/04 TVBR #247
RBR First Reported
Katz re-opening Eastman Radio
Sources confirmed that Eastman Radio Reps will be back in business, with Tucker Flood running the show. The move by Katz Radio Group is designed to placate some key clients - - including Saga, Cox, Citadel, Fisher and Nassau - - who've had some issues with the way Christal is being run within the Clear Channel/Katz Media Empire. Some of the discontented groups had been pressuring Clear Channel to sell the independent reps to them, but as we reported a year ago, Mark Mays is resisting that idea. 12/16/04 RBR #244
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VP/Programming for The Dr. Laura Show
Take On The Day, Inc., by Geoff Rich and Dr. Laura Schlessinger looking for an experienced PD to manage and market The Dr. Laura Show. Experience in talk radio programming, marketing and media relations. Based in L.A. Confidentiality respected. EOE
Major Market
Affiliate Director
Take On The Day, Inc. newly formed radio network producing and distribution of The Dr. Laura Show beginning 01/ 1/05. Candidate must have major market affiliate sales experience with Talk format. Cover letter, resume and salary requirements - Confidentiality respected. EOE
See Radio Careers for more info.
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