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Volume 23, Issue 25, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher
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Monday Morning February 6th, 2006
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Radio News ®
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 Come on - Is the deal finally done?
Rumors were swirling Friday that the details had finally been worked out for Citadel Broadcasting to acquire ABC Radio and that it would be formally announced early this week. Timing-wise, today would make sense, since Disney will be reporting its quarterly earnings after the market closes. Of course, the radio industry has been waiting for an ABC Radio sale announcement for months, since Disney CEO Bob Iger had originally set a Thanksgiving 2005 target for deciding whether to sell the O&O stations and the ABC Radio Networks - - and to whom. Wall Street analysts have been projecting a price approaching three billion bucks in a tax advantaged deal that will make Disney shareholders the owners of slightly more than half of Citadel's stock.
RBR observation: At this point the announcement will be a joy with the other shoe dropping and once it hits the floor with a thud here is the big question - 'What will Citadel do with the stations and the network?' ABC radio stations for the most part are plumbs but remember with HD around the corner Citadel will have to make that capital expenditure with technology, programming and that means a cash investment. ABC Radio Networks, well, the strength is around 87 year old Paul Harvey and a young Sean Hannity. It would be wise to sell off the network to a dedicated network player but most likely Citadel will maintain control at least for awhile.
RBR sees Farid Suleman and Ted Forstmann of Forstmann Little & Co will have to come to a meeting of more than the minds on the outlook for the ABC Radio network. Harvey's age plays a factor and as RBR sources report but not confirmed Hannity has an out in his contract if the network is sold. Hannity only has to hang around for just 1 year and he is a Free Agent. If and once this deal is ever done then the real decisions have to be made - like running them.
 Analyst worried by radio trends
Wachovia Securities analyst Marci Ryvicker says the 1% radio revenue decline that RAB reported for December (2/3/05 RBR #24) was worse than expected and early evidence is that the softness has continued into 2006. "The holiday shopping season failed to materialize for radio," she noted, "despite the seemingly strong trends we heard about from retailers." In her latest note to clients, Ryvicker wasn't enthused about what she's seeing so far for the New Year. "Softness has continued into 2006, as previewed by Emmis' lower-than-expected guidance provided on January 9. National has been spotty, although there is anecdotal evidence of an up-tick in several markets. Q1 may be further impacted by the Winter Olympics, as TV historically tends to drain some of radio's ad dollars during this competition. We do, however, hope that easy telecom and national comps as well as political will equate to some growth this year," she wrote. How much growth? Ryvicker is looking for an anemic 1% gain in January and 2% for most months this year - - with 3% in June and November and 4% in October. For all of 2006, she's forecasting that radio revenues will be up a mere 2.3%.
RBR observation: Only two radio companies have reported their quarterly results so far and given guidance for early 2006. But both Emmis and Journal Communications indicated that the year is starting out soft for radio. That's not encouraging for a year that is supposed to feature easy comps. Add to injury radio still has many issues to face this year that revolve around investing money into their stations around technology - HD and PPM are just two that are now becoming a reality. Radio's perception is not strong and will have to fight for its place in the total media world this year as 'Time with Technology will not wait for no one'.
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Forget 2006 Candidates already lining up for 2008
It's expected to be a hot year in the political category - - Democrats smell their best chance to make gains in years and are making every effort to compete strongly in all 50 states. Republicans aren't going to take that lying down, and plan to defend their majorities in both houses vigorously. All of which spells cash on the barrel head for broadcasters - - albeit cash dragging the sea-anchors of lowest unit rate, fairness and other regulatory nightmares. But behind the swelling tsunami of 2006 cash is yet another wave of cash being gathered by candidates for the big House, the White one currently occupied by George W. Bush. Washington Post blogger Chris Cillizza looked at some of the likelies, and without going into specifics, we can say that some are doing well raising money for both 2006 and 2008. ON the Democratic side, Cillizza mentioned the fundraising fortunes of Evan Bayh, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Mark Warner; on the Republican side he looked at George Allen, Bill Frist, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. Suffice it to say that the only one who was relatively inactive in 2005 was Guiliani, who is a known prodigious fundraiser with the ability to catch up fast.
RBR observation: The Cillizza list is notable for all the names that crop up that he didn't mention at all. How about John Edwards just for starters? The primary season in 2008 should be boom year. In 2004, the only reason George W. Bush had for advertising was to counteract all the mean things Democrats were saying about him in their ads. This time, there will no doubt be a number of contenders going at it tooth and nail on both sides.
 McDowell gets WH nod for FCC
President George W. Bush has made it official. Robert M. McDowell is his pick to fill the fifth seat on the FCC - - the vital seats that will at long last give Chairman Kevin Martin a 3-2 majority to work with. However, unless extraordinary efforts are made on Capitol Hill, do not look for a confirmation vote next week. McDowell's communications expertise is on the Telco side. He is currently and attorney and SVP for Comptel, a lobbying firm for smaller telecom companies engaged in competition with the big telecoms. Martin perhaps tipped off his delight at the nomination in getting comments out into the public domain well ahead of the White House press machinery. He said, "If confirmed, Rob McDowell will be a great asset to the Commission. He has a wealth of knowledge in the communications arena, and we will rely on his insight when evaluating the issues before us. I look forward to working with a full complement of Commissioners should Mr. McDowell be confirmed." McDowell's nomination process will take him to the Senate Commerce Committee, where Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) has indicated support for the candidate, and where as yet there has been no strong indication of opposition. However, despite the fact that a nominations hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, 2/7/06, committee sources indicated that there was not enough time for standard preliminaries to add McDowell's name to that roster, which includes candidates for the Departments of Commerce and Transportation. Nominations are generally considered by the committee every 4-6 weeks. This particular nomination could be expedited, but even if it is not, McDowell can reasonably expect to go before the Committee no later than mid-March.
RBR observation: Kevin Martin spent his first months as FCC chairman clearing the docket of all the items which were likely to get four thumbs up from the evenly-split commission. McDowell becomes his all important tie-breaker (assuming neither McDowell nor Debi Tate show Martin's own occasional propensity to break ranks). The big bone of contention is the media ownership rules remanded to the Commission for revamping or better justification. It will be interesting to see how Martin approaches this potential powder keg issue.
 Religious group wants big fines finalized
The Christian Coalition of America believes the vast majority of the House of Representatives has spoken - - by a margin of 389-38 - - and it wants the Senate to get to it and follow suit. It's talking about the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act," and it wants to know why the Senate has sat on it. It's using the Super Bowl, or more specifically, the second anniversary of the infamous Jackson/Timberlake wardrobe malfunction, to bring home its point. CCA President Roberta Combs (pictured) said, "It has now been two years since the outrageous Janet Jackson incident during the Super Bowl half-time show. It is unbelievable that exactly two years ago today I made a statement saying, 'Congress needs to move aggressively to pass legislation which will finally and severely sanction those individuals in broadcasting companies and stations which violate decency standards. The American people demand it.' And yet the United States Senate has still stalled a vote on a common sense bill giving tools to the Federal Communications Commission to take the offensive against such gross violations of decency standards." The bill was ushered through the House by Fred Upton (R-MI). The name of Sam Brownback (R-KS) is most prominently attached to the stalled Senate version.
RBR observation: The CCA might want to ask the FCC where its long-rumored indecency actions are. There were zero actions in 2005, despite little apparent dissension among the Republicans and Democrats on the Commission on the topic - - indeed, Republican Chairman Kevin Martin and Democrat Michael Copps have been the leading indecency hawks at the FCC. The most likely dissenter, Michael Powell, is long-gone, and even he grabbed a baton and jumped in front of the anti-indecency parade after 'Nipplegate'. The fact that the FCC is having trouble enforcing the laws already on the books suggests the extreme difficulty of finding a solution to broadcast indecency acceptable to the most adamant watchdogs, yet still consistent with the First Amendment. The fact that one person's common sense is another's outrage spells out the problem rather succinctly.
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| Wall Street Media Business Report TM |
Dissidents win Wegener seats
Candidates nominated by Henry Partners have succeeded in winning two board seats at Wegener Corporation, denying CEO Robert Placek a seat on his own board of directors. David Wright, investment manager for Henry Partners, and Jeffrey Haas, a Professor of Law at New York Law School, each received over 5.6 million votes, while Placek and fellow incumbent director Wendell Bailey received fewer than 4.4 million each. The dissident slate mounted its challenge last November (11/21/05 RBR #228), saying it wanted "a new voice in the boardroom" with the goal of helping to find "the best and most efficient way of restoring stockholder value." After announcing the election results, Placek said he will work with the reconstituted board. "We respect the right of the shareholders to vote Mr. Wright and Mr. Haas onto the board of Wegener Corporation. I intend to work cooperatively with them and the other members of the board to focus on increasing shareholder value," Placek said. Wegener is a maker of satellite linking equipment for broadcasters and other communications companies. It fended off a hostile takeover attempt by Raydyne ComStream two and a half years ago. Wegener's board of directors currently has seven members.
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Ad Business Report TM
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 Beer institute loosens
ad code restrictions
The Beer Institute is modifying its advertising code, allowing brewers to show drinking and flirting within limits. The new code also defines humor, parody and satire for the first time as something "readily identifiable as such by reasonable adults of legal drinking age" and requires brewer audits to assure media placements are reaching a 70% adult audience. Beer advertising and marketing materials should not portray persons lacking control over their behavior, movement, or speech as a result of consuming beer or in any way suggest that such conduct is acceptable. And to clear up some of the recent Bud Light-Miller Lite controversy, "Beer advertising and marketing materials should not disparage competing beers. Comparisons or claims distinguishing competing beers should be factual. And beer advertising and marketing materials should never suggest that competing beers contain objectionable additives or ingredients. For product placement, placement opportunities will be guided case by case approval: "Brewers will approve or reject product placement in specific projects or scenes on a case by case basis, based upon the information provided by the movie or television program's producers." The revision also says a glassful of beer, followed by one of an empty glass doesn't now represent a code violation. However, "Advertising and marketing materials should not depict situations where beer is being consumed rapidly, excessively, involuntarily, as part of a drinking game or as a result of a dare."
| See the new guidelines here |
 Nissan Xterra:
"Show us Your X'' campaign
Nissan North America, as part of its new campaign for the 2006 Xterra, invites enthusiasts to share with the world what "X" means to them. The equation "X=" is left open-ended for the adventurer to fill in with whatever he/she chooses. Television spots, print ads and street teams will invite consumers to visit http://ShowUsYourX.com, the central hub of the campaign where enthusiasts can log-on, download an "X=" sign, submit their own "X" photos, as well as learn more about the Xterra. The three television ads -- which will begin airing during the Super Bowl in spot buy markets -- show a kayaker jumping off an icy cliff into a river, a surfer getting tossed by fantastic waves and two snowboarders being helicopter-dropped onto a mountain and skating down through the fresh powder. Each different scene pauses mid-action to the click of a camera next to the graphic "X=" to illustrate how the Xterra's attributes are ever present in different "everyday" adventures. All three athletes drive off in 2006 Xterras -- the means by which they can realize their dreams -- with their gear stowed on top. Print, which will begins in March publications that hit newsstands in February -- also show athletes finding and showing their "X" to the world. Whether it is in the snow, in the surf, or on a bike, the Xterra moments are recorded for all to see. The print ads can be found in publications such as Men's Fitness, National Geographic Adventure, Surfer and TransWorld Snowboarding. Online ads will also appear on several websites including BikeMag, SurferMag, CanoeKayak, PowderMag, Climbing, Fox Sports on MSN, MTV, MySpace.com and Sports Illustrated. Street teams have already begun canvassing Xterra-style events and distributing "X=" postcards that will drive traffic to the site and encourage consumer involvement. Events include the Action Sports Winter X Games, Nissan Aspen Open, AMA Supercross, NBA All Star Weekend, 2006 World Super Pipe Championship and the major auto shows. Creative was handled by TBWA\Chiat\Day, Playa del Rey, CA.
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| Media Revenue Technology |
The new generation of radio revenue specialists PART I
There's a quiet revolution underway in radio sales. A new generation of radio revenue "specialists" is challenging the way business is done in 2006. These new companies are filling a need in a time of change. Each has a different way of getting to the same place. There are at least four unsold inventory specialists out there accomplishing similar objectives, but with different ways of getting to it and some very different bells and whistles: dMarc Broadcasting, Bid4Spots, Marketing Architects (which declined to be interviewed for the story) and Soft Wave Radio. Now revenue can be created by letting your computer do the work of a salesperson. It solves many of traditional radio's needs-it's low cost; interactive and provides new revenue streams from non-traditional sources including direct response. This is one section RBR recommends to print out.
| Take a closer read and print |
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| Media Markets & Money TM |
Local broadcaster corral Mavericks on IL-WI border
Ronald Spielman and Scott Thompson are spending 1.475M to add an AM-FM combo to upgrade their border duopoly to a five-station Superduop cluster. WFLR-AM/WFPS-FM Freeport IL is coming from Gary Rozynek's Maverick Media. The licensee named used by the buyers is Green County Broadcasting. They already own WQLF-FM Lena IL and WEKZ AM & FM Monroe WI. The area served by the stations is in the northern portion of Illinois west of Rockford, and the southern portion of Wisconsin, south of Madison.
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| Washington Media Business Report TM |
 FM Auction No. 62 ends at 61
It took 61 rounds to complete FM Auction No. 62, and in the end the FCC picked up over 70M virtual dollars in exchange for the right to build 163 sticks. Taking bidding credit deductions into account, the amount of actual cash changing hands will be just under 54.26M, coming from 96 different winning bidders out of 214 who participated. Eight of the CPs went unclaimed and remain in the hands of the FCC. The Indian Wells CA CP, won by A & J Media LLC, remained atop of both the virtual and actual piles, earning a gross bid of about 6.66M, with a net of about 4.33M. Satellite Beach FL, won by Horton Broadcasting for about 5.25M/3.94M, was second. There were four virtual bids in the 2M range, and 10 more in the 1M range. That translated to two actual 2M winners and another nine actual 1M winners.
The ABCs of DTV for LPTV
LPTVs, translators and Class As will have a filing window to claim a digital companion channel to their existing analog facility later this spring. According to the attorneys at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, the window is open from 5/1/06 through 5/12/06. Minor CP apps will be frozen starting about a month prior to the window opening, beginning on 4/3/06 and extending to the date the window closes back down. Owners of any of these types of stations have the option of doing a flash-cut to digital on one channel, or operate analog and digital channels side-by-side as full-powered stations have been until such time as one of them is ordered back to the FCC for auction. More details are said to be forthcoming.
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| Internet Media Business Report TM |
CBS Radio to stream KROQ, others
CBS Radio's legandary KROQ-FM Los Angeles, will begin offering its programming online beginning today. Hit shows from Kevin & Bean, Jed the Fish, and Stryker will be available at www.kroq.com. In addition, CBS Radio will also provide listeners with immediate online audio access to 13 leading music and news-talk stations, including WUSN-FM (Chicago www.us99country.com), KITS-FM (San Francisco www.live105.com), KLLC-FM (San Francisco www.radioalice.com), WPHT-AM (Philadelphia www.thebigtalker1210.com), KHJZ-FM (Houston www.khjz.com), KILT-FM (Houston www.kilt.com), WPGC-FM (Washington, D.C. www.wpgc955.com), WPGC-AM (Washington, D.C. www.heaven1580am.com), KBKS-FM (Seattle www.kiss1061.com), KJAQ-FM (Seattle www.965krock.com), KMPS-FM (Seattle www.kmps.com), KZOK-FM (Seattle www.kzok.com) and WKQC-FM (Charlotte www.k1047.com). The launch of KROQ-FM brings the total number of CBS Radio streaming stations to 50.
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| Entertainment Media Business Report TM |
"Big Boy's Hip Hop Spot"
 launches with X Radio
X Radio debuts a 3-hour weekend radio show featuring Power 106/Los Angeles morning personality Big Boy. "Big Boy's Hip Hop Spot" is a weekend music-intensive program featuring new artists and releases, interviews and lifestyle segments, including parts of Big Boy's top-rated morning show on Power 106/Los Angeles. "Big Boy's Hip Hop Spot" is designed for weekend mornings, and will air Saturday mornings on Power 106. The show debuts the weekend of March 4-5.
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| Ratings & Research |
Satellite radio listeners have big plans to purchase
Listeners of Satellite radio providers Sirius and XM are likely to be planning purchases of big ticket products but the lack of commercial content may be impacting the ability of these new media options to influence consumers' purchases according to findings from BIGresearch's latest Simultaneous Media Survey (SIMM VII). "It seems to be quite clear, new adopters of media, do not change their relationship of media influence easily", said Joe Pilotta of BIGresearch. "Most early adopters are use to music channels which are virtually free of advertising content and therefore cannot be influenced by it."
| Read More... |
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| TVBR TV News |
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 Senate panel aims to keep
local cops on video traffic
Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Dan Inouye (D-HI) head each party's representation on the Commerce Committee, so their agreement in principle on video franchising regulatory framework is a big step toward the future. Their recipe calls for retaining local authority, provided that authority keeps the pipeline open for new entrants into the field. Inouye was given the forum of a joint committee release to praise his opposite-aisle colleague for this approach. He said, "I applaud Chairman Stevens for turning the Committee's attention to the issue of franchising reform and ways to increase video competition by promoting competitive entry on fair terms." Committee member Conrad Burns (R-MT) also weighed in, saying ""Chairman Stevens deserves a lot of credit for bringing the issue of franchising reform to the forefront of the minds of the Committee members. The principles we've put forth will lay the groundwork for serious reform of franchising that will not only benefit consumers through ensuring honest competition for their business, but will also allow new franchisees to enter markets with level playing fields while maintaining the local control so important to communities around the country." Both acknowledged that there is serious debate ahead.
TVBR observation: There's a good chance that both the cable and Telco industries will be disappointed if local franchising authorities are allowed to keep their hand in. The fact that national companies are beholden to a patchwork of regulatory frameworks, each a snowflake, is a condition which cable would love to shed and Telco's would love to avoid. However, local authorities want to keep that authority, and consumer watchdogs want them on guard to protect their constituents at the local level. Cable interests would probably have preferred that local authority was done away with for Telco's, and that they would be allowed to hitch a ride to the same thing in order to maintain a fair, level playing field. They will be pleased, at least, that if the authorities must remain, that Telco's will have to deal with them too. And we can see no reason why local authorities would make it difficult for competitors to provide all the frequently extolled benefits of competition to their constituents.
| Commerce Committee guidelines |
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| Monday Morning Makers & Shakers |
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Transactions: 12/26/05-12/30/05
It was beat the cherub week at the FCC, if you wanted your transaction in the files before the end of 2005. Not many did, with only seven agreements moving eight stations. One of the transactions, however, was for a TV station in Denver, rendering a respectable dollar figure onto an otherwise quiet week.
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Total
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Total Deals
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7
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AMs
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3
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FMs
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4
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TVs
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1
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| Value |
162.125M
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| Complete Charts |
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Radio Transactions of the Week
Davidson strikes again
| More... |
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TV Transactions of the Week
Gannett doubles up in Denver
| More... |
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| Transactions |
45M WBNG-TV Binghamton NY from Television Station Group New York License Subsidiary, a subsidiary of Television Station Group LC (Ian Guthrie et al) to WBNG License Inc., a subsidiary of Granite Broadcasting Corp. (W. Don Cornwell). 2.25M escrow, balance in cash at closing. Includes non-compete. Station is CBS affiliate on Channel 12. Also serves the Elmira DMA. [File date 1/23/06.]
13.25M WQLR-FM/WQSN-AM/WKZO-AM Kalamazoo MI from Fairfield Broadcasting Co. (Stephen C. Trivers) to Midwest Communications Inc. (Duey Wright). 500K escrow, 11.45M cash at closing, 1.25M consulting/non-competition agreement. Superduopoly with WNWN AM & FM, WFAT-FM. [File date 1/23/06.]
9M KFCD-AM & KHSE-AM Dallas-Fort Worth (Farmersville, Wylie TX) from DFW Radio License LLC (David Schum) to Bernard Dallas LLC (Daniel B. Zwiren et al). Bankruptcy sale. LMA until closing under management of Larry Patrick or designee. [File date 1/20/06.]
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| Stock Talk |
Rate hikes worry market
With the nation's unemployment rate at a four-year low, Wall Street investors worried Friday that the Fed will continue to raise rates. That sent the Dow Industrials down 58 points, or 0.5%, to 10,794.
Radio stocks also fell. The Radio Index was off 1.643, or 0.9%, to 176.154. Citadel fell 1.1% as investors waited for an official announcement of a deal to acquire ABC Radio. The day's biggest drop, though, was for thinly traded Regent, down 3.2%. One of the few gainers was Journal, up 1.6% as it rose for a second day after issuing its Q4 results.
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| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Friday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
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Arbitron
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ARB
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39.06
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+0.08
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Hearst-Argyle
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HTV
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23.83
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+0.02
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Beasley
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BBGI
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13.71
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-0.03
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Interep
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IREP
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0.37
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unch
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| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
 |
25.66
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+0.01
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Jeff-Pilot
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JP
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57.04
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-0.26
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| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
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25.75
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unch
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Journal Comm.
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JRN
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12.68
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+0.20
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| Citadel |
CDL |
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11.96 |
-0.13 |
Radio One, Cl. A
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ROIA
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10.44
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-0.12
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Clear Channel
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CCU
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28.82
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-0.24
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Radio One, Cl. D
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ROIAK
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10.39
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-0.18
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Cox Radio
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CXR
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14.00
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-0.26
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Regent
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RGCI
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4.79
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-0.16
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Cumulus
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CMLS
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12.70
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-0.37
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Saga Commun.
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SGA
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10.00
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+0.06
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Disney
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DIS
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25.01
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-0.09
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Salem Comm.
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SALM
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14.96
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-0.27
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Emmis
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EMMS
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18.30
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+0.04
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Sirius Sat. Radio
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SIRI
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5.33
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-0.21
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| Entercom |
ETM
|
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29.95
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-0.34
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Spanish Bcg.
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SBSA
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5.48
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+0.02
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Entravision
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EVC
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7.00
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-0.01
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Univision
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UVN
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31.24
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-0.26
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Fisher
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FSCI
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42.64
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+0.02
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Westwood One
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WON
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14.70
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-0.16
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Gaylord
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GET
|
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44.00
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-0.35
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XM Sat. Radio
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XMSR
|
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24.34
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-0.70
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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
Beer institute loosens code
Ad code and restrictions to show drinking & flirting within limits...
Media Revenue Technology
New generation of radio revenue
Quiet revolution underway of unsold inventory specialists...
Washington Media Business Report
FM Auction No. 62 ends at 61
Actual cash changing hands will be just under....
Ratings & Research
Satellite radio listeners
Have big plans to purchase big time so Terrestrial get there first...
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Radio Media Moves
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 Wolf gets Power
Beasley Broadcast Group named Ira Wolf Program director of WPOW-FM "Power 96" Miami, a position he had held on an interim basis since last May. Wolf has spent 18 years of his 25-year radio career at the station.
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Stations for Sale
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Northern NewEng
AM & FM stations. Separate
operations. Gross 450K+-.
Good upside. 850K.
[email protected] or
lv msg @ 781-848-4201
NYC Prime Radio
Time for Lease
7 days a week available p/t-f/t Business, Foreign language, religious, Health, Infomercials accepted. 212-769-1925 [email protected]
TV & Satellite time also available. Station Inquiries welcome
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More News Headlines
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Pittsburgh couple
wins suit against
CC Entertainment
A couple who claimed they were roughed up by security guards at a concert venue won 650,000 from Clear Channel Entertainment last Thursday. An Allegheny County jury found CCE participated in the "assault, battery or false imprisonment" of Marco and Kathryn Lopez, of Crafton, PA and was negligent in the hiring, training or supervision of its guards at the Post-Gazette Pavilion, the AP reported. The Lopeze's said a guard took away two of their tickets at a June 2003 Poison concert and gave them away. Guards roughed them up when they complained, they said. "The jury was sending a clear message to Clear Channel that they had to improve their supervision, their training and their screening of the persons they employed to perform the duty of security personnel at their concert venues," attorney Timothy O'Brien, who represented the couple, told The AP.
Downed Tyler TV tower takes out radio station
Raycom, after just closing on its acquisition of Liberty Corp. TV stations, had one of them lost its tower. ABC 7 KLTV in Tyler-Longview TX is the stricken station. Investigators are determining the cause of the collapse. Also downed was non-commercial Religious radio station KVNE-FM, which beamed its 89.5 mHz signal from the same structure. Cox cable systems, DirecTV and DISH Network are all carrying the TV station over their MVPD systems, and the station is using the Internet to stream local news, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Oprah and Dr. Phil, all at their regular times.
RAB debuts new
"Radio Gets Results"
jingles at RAB'06
The RAB debuted new format-targeted Radio Gets Results jingles Friday at the RAB '06 Conference in Dallas. Created by TM Century, there are seven jingles targeted to a total of eight formats: Urban, CHR, AC, Smooth Jazz, Country, Rock and Sports, and Spanish Language. The jingles will be available for download at www.RAB.com to RAB member and non-member stations for free.
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International
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US media at 'all-time low' says conference
The UK Guardian reports Arabic-language media have an unprecedented chance to take over as the world's premier news source because trust in their US counterparts plummeted following their "shameful coverage" of the war in Iraq, according to a conference heard last week. Excerpts from the story: The US media reached an "all-time low" in failing to reflect public opinion and Americans' desire for trusted information, instead acting as a "cheerleader" for war, said Amy Goodman, the executive producer and host of Democracy Now!, at a news forum organized by al-Jazeera. Newsweek's Paris bureau chief, Christopher Dickey, said the US media were dying because of cutbacks and weren't interested in covering the world outside America. But other delegates questioned whether Arabic media were up to the challenge, said the story. Goodman said in the run-up to the Iraq war a study of NBC, CBS, ABC and PBS newscasts over a fortnight recorded 393 interviews on the conflict, of which only three reported the anti-war movement. "This is a media cheerleading for war and does not represent mainstream opinion in the US," she added. "There's this idea that the US media is controlling the agenda. In fact the US media is dying. Resources, money and staff are being cut back. Twenty years ago Newsweek had 25 staff in Paris, today it has one: me," said Dickey. Concerns were also aired about the ability of al-Jazeera's soon-to-launch English language station, al-Jazeera International, to reproduce the success of its main Arabic network across the world.
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February RBR/TVBR Digital Magazine
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Era of Technology
and Moving Forward
AdBiz
'The new generation of radio
revenue specialists'
pg 12
Radio Sales
'What AEs can bring to the table
with Kim Vasey'
pg 18
Media Markets & Money
'Hedge funds are changing the broadcasting lending landscape'
pg 26
Read RBR/TVBR in 2 simple steps:
1.Create a simple account with Zinio and download the Zinio Reader.
2. You can then download the
February Issue of RBR/TVBR
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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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Radio industry must
Embrace Change
Speaking to his last RAB annual management conference as President and CEO of the organization, Gary Fries urged his audience of radio executives to look to the future and embrace change. "The biggest threat to our industry is wanting to stay the same. If you stay the same, you will have no success,...What are advertisers trying to do? They're trying to get ROI. The challenge to radio is to constantly move and progress. When my successor comes, that person will take the RAB to a new level. Constantly look for being part of the future - - part of the change. Do not get locked in the comfort zone."
RBR observation: "If you stay the same, you will have no success." Embed those words of wisdom of Fries as the young CEO's can learn from a true front line battlefield commander. Radio has been lucky to have had Gary Fries on the daily front lines fighting for radio's improvement with technology and research as many will talk at the water cooler but not out loud - Radio needs true leadership. Best of luck to Gary Fries and thank you for your years of dedication.
02/03/06 RBR #24
December yields flat year for radio
RAB came out with its latest revenue stats. Combined radio revenues experienced a slight 1% decline in December 2005 over the same month in 2004, enough to pull Q4 into the red at -3% and to erase any gains for the year as a whole. The silver lining may be getting LIM to LIM comps in 2006.
RBR observation: We'll be listening in to the upcoming round of quarterly conference calls for some previews of 2006. So far, a few birdies are chirping off the record, and it ain't exactly a chipper tune that they're chirping. 'Read and Weep'
02/03/06 RBR #24
Cox stops reporting record adds
Cox Radio has become the second major radio group to tell its stations to stop reporting record adds to trade publications. Just over a week ago Cumulus Media told its PDs to stop reporting adds to the trades. CEO Bob Neil says his company's move wasn't prompted by the Cumulus decision, but came about in the company's annual review of its payola and plugola policies. "It just eliminates one more possibility of something going on that we wouldn't want,"- While such information may have been valuable to record companies and station programmers years ago, Neil said it no longer seemed very important now that there is electronic tracking of airplay.
RBR observation: Neil is correct on this one issue even if that nasty word 'Payola' was not mentioned. It was just a few months back NY-AG Eliot Spitzer had shaken down two record companies for 25 million without having to prove in court but it did put a few radio people out of work and an embarrassment to their companies. Yep years and years ago it was a good tool but today with electronic tracking of airplay there is no need. RBR waits to see if others follow both Cumulus and Cox.
02/02/06 RBR #23
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. 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 stuffed full of inserts that usually end up scattered on my hall floor. Then there is radio... driving along listening to Dr. Laura berating a call-in when you're interrupted by a commercial. Or one hour of Howard Stern's show of 18 commercials ...38 units ran. Geez, that barely gives Howard time to get in the F word. For a reality check read the entire article
02/01/06 RBR #22
RBR First: Technology waits for No One; It moves 'Fig' fast forward
Bill 'Fig' Figenshu to accept the position of Chief Operating Office (COO) of Softwave Media Inc. '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.
RBR observation: 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 'Technology waits for No One.'
02/01/06 RBR #22
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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.
See Radio Careers
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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