|
Radio News ®
|
|
|
 Inside the minds of the
DOJ's antitrust lawyers
RBR/TVBR has now been able to look over the court filings by the US Department of Justice's Antitrust Division in its civil settlement with Bain Capital, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Clear Channel Communications which requires radio station divestitures in four markets to win a thumbs-up to close the 26.7 billion bucks transaction by the two private equity firms to take Clear Channel private. As noted previously, the DOJ was concerned about the potential for radio advertising price-gouging in markets where Clear Channel competes with two other radio companies where the private equity firms have investments - Cumulus Media Partners (CMP) and Univision. As far as the latter is concerned, DOJ took the view that there is a distinct market for Spanish language radio advertising. Now we have the DOJ analysis of the relevant marketplace in each of the four markets. "Radio station ownership in Houston and Cincinnati is highly concentrated, with Clear Channel and CMP's combined advertising revenue share exceeding 37 percent in Houston and 65 percent in Cincinnati. Additionally, Clear Channel and CMP's combined listener share exceeds 34 percent in Houston and 59 percent in Cincinnati," DOJ said in the Competitive Impact Statement it filed in federal court. "Spanish-language radio station ownership in Houston, Las Vegas, and San Francisco is highly concentrated. Clear Channel and Univision's combined Spanish-language listener share exceeds 75 percent in Houston, 73 percent in Las Vegas, and 70 percent in San Francisco. Additionally, Clear Channel and Univision's combined Spanish-language advertising revenue share exceeds 79 percent in Houston, 78 percent in Las Vegas, and 63 percent in San Francisco," DOJ said. That alleged excessive concentration is why DOJ is requiring Clear Channel to divest two stations in Houston, two in Cincinnati, one in San Francisco and one in Las Vegas.
| Read the DOJ's entire Competitive Impact Statement at RBR.com |
RBR observation: If DOJ takes the view that Spanish radio in a given metro is a distinct market, we can't imagine how the department could justify a conclusion that satellite radio companies, of which only two exist, compete with a plethora of "audio" services, including AM & FM radio, Internet radio, iPods and what have you. As we've noted previously, for DOJ to approve the proposed merger of Sirius and XM would require a reversal of numerous precedents, of which the Clear Channel decision is only the latest. The only way the merger could win approval is via a political fix, not any even-handed application of the law.
 Analysts encouraged by CCU radio
Yes, revenues fell again in Q4 at Clear Channel Radio, but didn't fall as much as Wall Street analysts had expected. With Clear Channel Outdoor still posting revenue growth, there's plenty of cash flow for debt coverage and a growing expectation that the private equity buyout will, indeed, close next month. "Radio's mild decline should provide some investor relief," said Bear Stearns analyst Victor Miller in his report to clients on the CCU results. He noted management's statement that Clear Channel Radio is pacing down 4% for Q1 and, at this early date, flat for 2008 as a whole. The focus on Wall Street is not so much on the long-term prospects for Clear Channel's businesses, but whether they are doing well enough to get financing for the pending buyout. Miller noted the statement from the company's earnings release: "The Company anticipates closing on or before March 31, 2008." Hopes for the buyout to get to closing next month were raised by Q1 guidance that SMH Capital analyst David W. Miller said was better than even the most optimistic expectation - that radio was only pacing down 4% this quarter. "With the current arb spread now at 23%, we continue to recommend CCU shares for three reasons: 1) Bain Capital does not want to pay sky-high break-up fees; 2) CCU's austerity initiative was likely influenced by the sponsors themselves; and 3) CCU is still tremendously free cash flow-generative, and should produce enough free cash in order to service 'consensus' terms," Miller wrote. He calculates that a private Clear Channel will need about 1.3 billion in annual FCF to service a total of 22.8 billion in debt. Of course, that debt load can be reduced by selling assets. Bear Stearns' Miller notes that Clear Channel still has a 1.4 billion capital loss carryforward to use over the next three years, so he says asset sales are key. Was there anything not to like in Clear Channel's Q4 results? While Clear Channel Outdoor's performance was much better than radio, Lehman Brothers analyst Anthony DiClemente is concerned that outdoor growth is slowing in 2008. Q1 outdoor pacings were put at 4.5% growth, while he had been expecting 6.6%.
|
|
|
 NBC apologizes, PTC attacks
NBC Television Network called Jane Fonda's inadvertent on-air use of one of the George Carlin heavy seven words a "slip." Parents Television Council said that the network "assaults families with offensive language." PTC has initiated a complaint filing action directed to the FCC. They were discussing award-winning play "The Vagina Monologues" on the "Today Show" when the slip occurred. The play's author -- Eve Ensler -- was there with host Meredith Vieira and Jane Fonda. It was the latter who let the c-word fly while discussing another related monologue. "While NBC's apology is helpful, it is not enough..." "While NBC's apology is helpful, it is not enough -- millions of families were indeed offended, said PTC's Tim Winter. "NBC must change its broadcasting practices and implement a time-delay on all of its live broadcasts, thereby ensuring that this type of language does not air on the publicly-owned airwaves." He added, "The networks can no longer claim to be surprised by this now-routine conduct. It is now something they must anticipate happening. Just a few weeks ago, ABC's Good Morning America allowed the 'f-word' to slip by un-bleeped. How many times does this have to happen before expletives are no longer 'fleeting?'" PTC put the word out to its members to make their protest known to the FCC. Meanwhile, on the radio side, Toledo OH mayor Carty Finkbeiner is also in the news for a fleeting assault on decency. Participating in "The Frank Beckmann Show" on Citadel's WJR-AM Detroit, on the fly he was undecided about using the word fuss or ruckus to describe a certain situation, and wound up uttering a combination of the two that was in effect an unbleeped f-bomb.
RBR observation: Do you know what gets us hot? It's when our elected officials use the prettiest language they can conjure up to tell extended and repeated outright lies to us, fully intending to pander. Why can't that be actionable? Note that "repeated" and "pander" are two of the legs necessary for the FCC to issue a sustainable indecency fine. They simply need to replace "titillate" with "lie." Instead, we have to listen to PTC and a few other groups go ballistic because a dirty word slipped through. They call this type of slip "routine." To quote one of the fine members of the communications attorney community, horse puckey. There happen to have been a couple fleeting instances of fleeting indecency during the first month and a half of 2008. That stacks up against the countless millions of words NOT on the Carlin list that have been spoken. When dealing with matters of public importance, we would much rather have access to the unvarnished, unedited truth in the way that only the electronic media can pass through to us, without forcing the electronic media to attach a language nanny with a time suspension device to every single camera and mic that is ever put into operation. Oh, and once again, all of the many children who derive at least part of their food, shelter and clothing from the activities here at RBR & TVBR seem to have weathered yet another fleeting assault on the family with absolutely no ill effects. If this is all about protecting our children, forget it, PTC. No harm, no foul.
|
|
|
Clear Channel hedging its bets?
Among the biggest political donors in the broadcast world for the 2008 election cycle is Clear Channel. Some will be surprised at where the radio/outdoor giant's cash is headed, though. It has often been decried for providing a mouthpiece for the right wing (it does provide a corporate home for iconic rightie Rush Limbaugh) and was incorrectly branded as a Dixie Chick banner. But it is actually spending more of its direct-to-the-candidate campaign cash on Democrats this cycle. Out of 178.5K donated, 100.5K has gone to Democrats against 78K for Republicans. Actually, its donation pattern would indicate that it is in favor of legislative gridlock. According to OpenSecrets.org, it's supporting Democrats over Republicans for the House of Representatives by very nearly a two-to-one margin, 70K to 37K. But on the Senate side, it's boosting Republicans over Democrats 41K to 30.5K. Overall, Clear Channel's political action committee has distributed 357.7K, meaning that half of its donations have been to other PACs. We don't know how the split has broken down there, but that money is clearly going in both directions as well. All four of the Capitol Hill campaign funds (DCCC, DSCC, NRCC, NRSC) received a nice bankable note from Clear Channel. There is still 201.6K stored in the CCU PAC warchest.
RBR observation: All of which goes to show that politics are much like programming in the broadcast corporate world. You may love British drawing room drama, but unless you can convince a 4-share of the population to also love British drawing room drama and the products and services that run their ads during your British drawing room drama time slot, you'd better find something else to play. And you may love Republicans, but if have something you need up on Capitol Hill and all you see are Democrats, or vice versa, things will go much more smoothly if the faces you see have reason to smile before they hear your pitch. Add to that the rampant tendency of communications issues to blur party lines and it becomes obvious that friends are needed on both sides of the aisle.
 Think tanker wants
to free XM/Sirius
Daniel Ballon, a fellow at the Pacific Research Institute of San Francisco, was given space at Philly Online to shill for the merger of XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. It is full of interesting arguments. Let's take a look at a few. * Claim: Competitors are stopping an "otherwise clear-cut approval process." Response: Indeed, what can be more clear-cut than approving the merger of two companies that were banned from ever becoming one at birth? * Claim: The disapproving government will be an accomplice in the company's bankruptcy. Response: If that's the case, they should say so -- instead both insist they are and will remain solvent whether or not the merger is approved. * Claim: Growing competition includes "MP3 players, 'high-definition' digital radio, cellular music services and even Internet radio." Response: Many of these "competitors" can hardly be called up-and-running, putting the effectiveness of their competition into the pure speculation category. And while we're at it, why don't we keep piling on? There are millions upon millions of home stereos. Many subway stops feature live music, as do numerous clubs and arenas in most cities. People may opt to watch a video service, rather than listen to satellite radio, offering zillions more competitive outlets. Why not add libraries? People who want to read a book certainly won't be tuning into satellite radio. The list is endless. * Claim: Unlike "most real monopolies," neither company has made a profit. Response: Duh -- they aren't monopolies yet. The plan at both is to eventually get to a sustainable subscriber level. Will they? Who knows? But they both think they can and will achieve that goal. * Claim: Lack of approval gives consumers fewer choices. Response: Right. Now we can choose between XM and Sirius; if they merge, we won't have a choice.
RBR observation: OK, we admit it. This has been one extended RBR observation from start to finish, but here's some more. Maybe the NAB has invested more effort than is necessary to oppose the merger of XM/Sirius. But we agree that it should be opposed, and there are other reasons to oppose it we haven't even brought up this time around. Maybe we're crazy, but when we puzzle through a math problem like two minus one, we come up with one, which last time we checked worked out to less choice than two. Some people just can't say no to any merger. That may protect the freedom of Mel Karmazin to do whatever he wants to do, but it does nothing to protect the freedom of an average citizen to have a selection of satellite audio services and their unique attributes. Take away that choice, the average citizen is at the mercy of the remaining take-it-or-leave-it service, and that is never a good thing.
|
|
|
|
| RBR News Analysis |
 Less is: a) More; b) simply less
With Q4 radio revenues down from a year earlier at Clear Channel, it is obvious that they were once again down from the final quarter of 2004, before the company fully implemented the Less is More initiative to reduce commercial minutes, encourage advertisers to use shorter spots and, theoretically, boost rates. Three years of financial reports later, it's pretty clear that things didn't work out as planned. If you're keeping score, here's how the years have played out in terms of revenues for Clear Channel Radio.
| By the numbers and it ain't pretty see RBR.com |
|
|
|
|
|
Ad Business Report TM
|
Newspaper websites add millions to net reach
Nine daily newspapers have attracted more than a half million net readers to their websites and 37 dailies have used website gains to achieve market penetration of more than 70%, according to a new research report from The Media Audit. Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, emphasized that the gains they speak of are net gains in the unduplicated reach of the newspapers and their websites. Duplications between readers of the print product and website product have been eliminated to reveal the net reach figures. Jordan also points out that all numbers in the report are for the SMSA (Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area) served by these newspapers. "The newspaper website gains," says Jordan, "become more impressive each year. The growth in the net reach numbers is spectacular." The newspapers with websites that attracted 500,000 or more readers to the net unduplicated reach of the newspaper via their websites are: New York Times with an additional 1,570,400 visitors that don't read the print edition of the paper; Newsday (Long Island), 1,149,500; New York Post, 867,800; The New York Daily News, 840,200; Star Ledger/Jersey Journal, 734,700; Chicago Tribune, 661,900; Los Angeles Times, 598,400; San Francisco Chronicle, 587,800; and, The Palm Beach Post, 511,700. The 37 newspapers that have achieved market penetration of 70% or more are: New Orleans Times Picayune, 85.8; Omaha World-Herald, 83.7; Buffalo (NY) News, 82.1; Wisconsin State Journal/Capital Times, 82.0; Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 81.6; Louisville Courier-Journal, 79.9; Toledo Blade, 78.7; Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger, 78.7.
|
|
|
|
| Media Markets & Money TM |
 Clear Channel tries to put
some pep into PEP
The deal to take radio giant Clear Channel private will be much easier to accomplish if the side deal to send CCU's television group to Providence Equity Partners closes first. Rumors have floated questioning the status of the PEP TV deal, but it seemed a step forward had taken place when PEP filed with the FCC to place some of the stations under a trusteeship, basically setting up a temporary home for properties facing local cap issues in advance. That seemingly positive move has been counterbalanced with news that CCU is suing to force PEP to quit dragging its feet and get the deal done, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The television group was sold to PEP for 1.2B, a price that, like many others, seemed OK at the time but looks a little steep under current economic conditions. According to WSJ, Clear Channel has indicated its willingness to offer a discount, but a proposal from PEP was called unacceptable. So CCU is using a "specific performance" suit to force closure for the agreed-upon price and legal expenses. WSJ says the breakup fee, should PEP pull out instead, is 46M. The deal dates back to late 2006.
RBR observation: Deal-making in the near future will have the benefit of a healthy injection of reality. Traders on both sides of the table will understand that valuations have taken a hit, and prospective buyers will have an added crowbar to pry loose concessions from reluctant sellers - the fact that nobody really knows where the bottom is yet. That is no help to these slow-moving megadeals, which take on valuation hits at a pace much faster than the pace that the lawyers and bankers can maintain.
Another spoke in the EMF wheel
Evidently insatiable noncom Education Media Foundation is picking up a commercial Religious station, and as usual will move it into its non-profit K-LOVE network. The station, KTSL-FM Medical Lake WA is in the Spokane WA market. It's coming from Pamplin Broadcasting for 2.15M. Media Services Group broker Tom McKinley handled the transaction. "The Pamplin team has done a great job at KTSL in providing quality programming and, because of them, Spirit 101.9 is well-respected," said EMF president Mike Novak. "Spokane is a city we've wanted to be in for quite some time and I am extremely excited about this opportunity. We look forward to continuing to provide great contemporary Christian music programming and to serve the needs of the community."
Kalil takes over radio group
An unusual transaction in which a station broker has acquired the licenses for several small market radio stations in Texas has closed. But the brokerage house, Kalil & Co., is not entering into the station operation business. It's doing what it does best, putting the stations on the market for resale. The stations all came from companies under the control or Roy E. Henderson. They include KMBV-FM Navosta TX, from Bend Broadcasting Company, and a foursome, KHLT-AM/KTXM-FM Hallettsville TX, KIOX-FM Edna TX and KYKM-FM Yoakum TX, from LaGrange Broadcasting. They officially land in Kalil Holding Group LLC.
|
__FIRST__ __SECOND__,
here is another transaction brokered by Kalil & Co., Inc.
|
 |
|
|
| Washington Business Report TM |
 NAB commerce in campaign
cash covers the bases
In last week's story of National Association of Broadcaster campaign contributions, we noted that among the beneficiaries of the NAB's generosity were prominent members of the two Commerce committees. Notable exceptions, we thought, were Senate Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and House Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX). We have learned that these two gentlemen were not exceptions at all. Donations were made to their respective PACs, giving them discretion to reallocate the cash as they see fit. This is said to be a common practice when assisting a candidate who is either not running in a given year, as is the case for Inouye, or who is running in an ironclad safe district, as is Barton.
|
|
|
|
| Programming Business Report |
WFAN names Wayne Hagin to Mets on-air team
Sports Radio 66 WFAN NY, flagship for New York Mets baseball, has named play-by-play vet Wayne Hagin to the 2008 Mets radio broadcast team, joining Howie Rose in the booth. A 24-year veteran broadcaster in Major League Baseball, Hagin comes to New York from St. Louis where he called games for the Cardinals. He also has been the voice of the Oakland A's, San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, and Colorado Rockies.
ESPN Radio to debut three new shows
ESPN Radio will unveil three new programs when Erik Kuselias returns behind the microphone full-time on Saturday mornings, Jamal Mashburn makes his NBA points Sunday mornings, and SportsCenter A.M. provides the latest news at the earliest times weekday mornings. Erik Kuselias Show (Saturdays, 7-10 a.m. ET) starts February 16; NBA Sunday (Sundays, 10 a.m.-noon) starts February 17; and SportsCenter A.M. (weekdays, 5-6 a.m.) starts February 18 ESPN Radio will expand its SportsCenter updates from three times hourly to a full, one-hour show from 5-6 a.m. weekdays with ESPN Radio SportsCenter update reporters Jay Reynolds reviewing and previewing the day's hot topics, and Bob Picozzi, providing in-depth updates every 20 minutes.
|
|
|
|
| Internet Business Report TM |
Four newspaper groups pact for online ad sales venture
Four large newspaper companies are joining forces to sell ads on the Internet, hoping the larger reach will get more ad dollars. Each of the four companies, reports The NY Times, is transferring a portion of its online ad space to quadrantONE, a new company announced Friday. The companies include the New York Times Company, the Tribune Company, the Gannett Company, and the Hearst Corporation. The joint venture, based in Chicago with 17 on staff, is to let national advertisers place ads on local websites with a single phone call. The sites belong to papers like The Los Angeles Times (which is a Tribune property), The Des Moines Register (Gannett), The Houston Chronicle (Hearst) and The Boston Globe (The New York Times Company). Some of the companies' flagship sites, however, will not be included, because they are not considered local. These include the sites of USA Today, a Gannett paper, and of The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune, which are owned by the Times Company, reported the paper. In total, quadrantONE will be able to reach about 50 million unique visitors a month, its executives said, citing Nielsen Online data.
|
|
|
|
| Ratings & Research |
 Tax rebate checks to pump
43 billion into economy
According to a new National Retail Federation survey, conducted by BIGresearch, consumers plan to spend 40.6% of tax rebate checks when they are distributed later this year, which will provide an immediate 42.9 billion boost to the economy. The survey also found that the 105.7 billion distributed in tax rebates will be used to pay down debt (30 billion), saved (19.8 billion), invested (4.4 billion), and used to pay down medical bills (4.6 billion). "Tax rebate checks should have the desired effect of both bolstering the economy in the short-term and putting consumers in a better position to spend for the future," said NRF CEO Tracy Mullin. "This stimulus package is a crucial component to economic recovery and will provide much-needed relief to American shoppers." While women will spend a larger percentage of their rebate check than men (43.6% vs. 37.3%), both genders will plan to set aside the same percentage for savings (18.7%) Young adults 18-24 will spend more of their checks (46.2%) than any other age group.
|
|
|
|
| Monday Morning Makers & Shakers |
Transactions: 1/1/08-1/4/08
2007 went out with a dull thud, and that's just the way 2008 came in. Trading activity was minimal, it was television-free, and all of the deals were of the non-blockbuster variety. The fourth-place transaction for the week came home at 10 dollars -- but that's not all that odd when you consider that only five transactions were filed. The top 50 market action noted involved niche AM stations. [Editor's note: Although the calendar week began with Monday, 12/31/07, we included that with last week's report on final 2007 transactions for bookkeeping reasons. Two transactions involving three radio stations and about 3.5M in value were filed on that day.]
|
|
Total
|
|
Total Deals
|
5
|
|
AMs
|
3
|
|
FMs
|
2
|
|
TVs
|
0
|
| Value |
5M
|
| Complete Charts |
|
Radio Transactions of the Week
GA station goes noncom
| More... |
|
TV Transactions of the Week
Blaaaaah -- still hung over
|
|
|
|
|
| Transactions |
1.119B WJW-TV Cleveland OH (Ch. 8/DT 31, Fox); KDVR-TV & KFCT-TV Denver CO (Denver, Ch.31/DT, Fox, Ch. 22/DT 32, Fox); WITI-TV Milwaukee WI (Ch. 6/DT 33, Fox); KTVI-TV St. Louis MO (Ch. 2/DT 43, Fox); KSTU-TV Salt Lake City UT (Ch. 13/DT 28, Fox); WBRC-TV Birmingham AL (Ch. 6/DT 50, Fox); WGHP-TV Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point NC (High Point NC, Ch. 8/DT 35, Fox); and WDAF-TV Kansas City MO (Ch. 4/DT 34, Fox) from Fox Television Stations Inc., a subsidiary of News Corporation (Rupert Murdoch) to Foxco Acquisition Sub LLC, a subsidiary of Oak Hill Capital Management Partners/Local TV LLC (Robert L. Lawrence). Cash. [File date 1/14/08.]
8.2M KFDN-FM Denver CO (Lakewood CO) from Educational Media Foundation (Richard Jenkins, Mike Novak) to Public Broadcasting of Colorado Inc. (Max Wycisk). 410 escrow, balance in cash at closing. Duopoly. Buyer will move KVOD-FM programming from 90.1 MHz to this 88.1 MHz facility, move News/Info programming from KCFR-AM 1340 kHz, to 90.1, and put the AM on the block. Seller retains facility on 99.1 MHz. [File date 1/17/08.]
|
|
|
|
| Stock Talk |
How mixed was it?
Wall Street was so mixed on Friday that radio stocks were up and TV stocks down. The S&P 500 was up and the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite was down. Most of the economic news was on the negative side and traders basically put the market on hold for the three-day market weekend. The Dow Industrials finished the day down 29 points, or 0.2%, at 12,348.
The RBR Radio Index rose 0.272, or 0.3%, to 81.732. That was nearly all due to Clear Channel reporting decent Q4 results and giving better-than-expected guidance for Q1, raising hopes that the company's private equity buyout will get to closing next month. Clear Channel's stock rose 7.4% to 32.35 - still well below the 39.20 buyout price. Westwood One was up 4.8%. The day's worst performer was Salem, down 6.5%.
US stock markets are closed today in observance of Presidents Day.
|
|
|
|
| Radio Stocks |
Here's how stocks fared on Friday
| Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
Company |
Symbol |
Close |
Change |
|
Arbitron*
|
ARB
|
|
41.95
|
-0.45
|
Google
|
GOOG
|
|
529.64
|
-2.61
|
|
Beasley*
|
BBGI
|
|
5.42
|
+0.01
|
Hearst-Argyle
|
HTV
|
|
21.86
|
-0.14
|
| CBS CI. B |
CBS |
 |
25.38
|
+0.30
|
Journal Comm.
|
JRN
|
|
7.57
|
-0.19
|
| CBS CI. A |
CBSa |
|
25.32
|
+0.20
|
Lincoln Natl.
|
LNC
|
|
53.49
|
+0.59
|
| Citadel* |
CDL |
|
1.38 |
-0.03 |
Radio One, Cl. A
|
ROIA
|
|
1.58
|
unch
|
|
Clear Channel*
|
CCU
|
|
32.35
|
+2.22
|
Radio One, Cl. D*
|
ROIAK
|
|
1.57
|
unch
|
|
Cox Radio*
|
CXR
|
|
11.96
|
+0.20
|
Regent*
|
RGCI
|
|
1.16
|
-0.04
|
|
Cumulus*
|
CMLS
|
|
5.75
|
-0.06
|
Saga Commun.*
|
SGA
|
|
6.00
|
+0.02
|
|
Debut Bcg.
|
DBTB
|
|
1.02
|
unch
|
Salem Comm.*
|
SALM
|
|
3.75
|
-0.26
|
|
Disney
|
DIS
|
|
32.49
|
+0.17
|
Sirius Sat. Radio
|
SIRI
|
|
3.23
|
+0.04
|
|
Emmis*
|
EMMS
|
|
2.87
|
+0.04
|
Spanish Bcg.*
|
SBSA
|
|
1.61
|
+0.01
|
|
Entercom*
|
ETM
|
|
12.59
|
+0.28
|
Westwood One*
|
WON
|
|
1.96
|
+0.09
|
|
Entravision
|
EVC
|
|
6.58
|
-0.14
|
XM Sat. Radio
|
XMSR
|
|
13.56
|
+0.15
|
|
Fisher
|
FSCI
|
|
31.12
|
+0.06
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
*Component of the RBR Radio Index
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bounceback
|
 We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to [email protected]
Thumbs up for posting
 I was at the RAB this past week and salute Jeff Haley's pronouncement that the Industry will post. There are people in Radio who "get it" and want change. Jeff is one of them. Many of us are already doing a form of "posting" for several agencies and clients who have requested it. These are primarily large annual clients who have the opportunity to run make goods after new ratings come out, or who can adjust their schedule to meet a negotiated cost per point on an ongoing basis. When our ratings go up many of these clients permit an adjustment in our favor as well. Extending posting to one time only, or intermittent clients that have no idea when they will return on the air, or want refunds, will be the challenge, even with PPM. Agreed it is long overdue to our clients, but this declaration should be viewed that real change is at hand. However, we must engage our Agencies and Clients in the process of setting guidelines for posting in Radio moving forward.
Pete Forester
Director of National Sales
Greater Media
New Jersey Radio Group
|
|
|
Below the Fold
|
|
RBR News Analysis
Less is: a) More; b) simply less
It's pretty clear that things didn't work out as planned...
Ad Business Report
Newspaper websites
Add millions to net reach, 9 daily papers have attracted more than a 1/2M net readers...
Media Markets & Money
Another spoke in the EMF wheel
Picking up a commercial Religious station, and as usual will move it...
Kalil takes over radio group
But the brokerage house is not
entering into the station operations...
|
|
|
Stations for Sale
|
 Market your Stations For Sale
in our daily epapers.
Contact
Jim Carnegie
[email protected]
|
|
|
Below the Fold
|
|
RBR News Analysis
Less is: a) More; b) simply less
It's pretty clear that things didn't work out as planned...
Ad Business Report
Newspaper websites
Add millions to net reach, 9 daily papers have attracted more than a 1/2M net readers...
Media Markets & Money
Another spoke in the EMF wheel
Picking up a commercial Religious station, and as usual will move it...
Kalil takes over radio group
But the brokerage house is not
entering into the station operations...
|
|
|
More News Headlines
|
WHTZ (Z-100) scores Verizon Wireless for HD-2
Looks like Z-100 in NYC may have made history in being the first to gain advertising on an HD-2 channel. According to Crain's New York Business, Four 10 second spots will run per hour on its New CHR/New Top 40 multicast channel.
Dennis Miller to keynote NY Radio Forum
Dennis Miller, host of Westwood One's The Dennis Miller Show, will deliver the luncheon keynote during the third annual New York Radio Forum, "Unleash Your Audio Strategy," on Tuesday, 3/11 at the Grand Hyatt. Presented annually by the RAB and the Advertising Club of New York the ad seminar runs 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Unleash Your Audio Strategy will uncover what can happen when Radio -- a medium with a heritage of unparalleled consumer loyalty -- adds unique digital, visual, and creative assets to its existing list of powerful consumer and advertiser offerings.
Jess Cain dead at 81
Jess Cain, who retired from WHDH-AM Boston in 1991 after hosting the morning show for 33 years, has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 81. "While I have to admit that I didn't always look forward to my daily job at Massachusetts electronics manufacturer, Raytheon Company, my drive to work was always made a considerably brighter by having Jess Cain at then WHDH radio as my morning companion. Jess's humor, stories and songs made for very good radio listening and speaks volumes of what a real "morning show" was like - or good could be like," noted long-time fan Dick Kozacko, who went on to his own career in the radio business after Raytheon and recalled those earlier years in an email to RBR.
|
|
|
TVBR - TV News
|
DTV left-behinds
would number 13M
According to a report from ratings icon Nielsen Company, 13M US households would be without television service if the DTV transition took place today, and another 6M would see a secondary television sit go blank. The problem demographics are younger are less prepared than older citizens, and minority groups are also less prepared. Nielsen relied on the same techniques it uses to generate program ratings. Among its finding: 10.1% of all US homes would be cut off from television it the government pulled the analog plug immediately; and 16.8% of all households would lose programming on at least one analog television set. New York is pretty much ready to go, with only 3.5% of its households in the unready group; on the other hand, Portland OR is sitting on a mass of unreadies standing at over twice the national rate, with 22.4% standing to lose service. It says White households fall slightly below the national unreadiness average at 8.8%. Three minorities in the study are above the average with Hispanics significantly so at 17.3%.
|See charts for demographic and market-by-market statistics|
TVBR observation: With a year to go, 10% doesn't sound all that bad to us. And we're glad that different research groups are producing independent studies on this. Entities engaged in the outreach effort are aware of the at-risk demographics, and the Nielsen study could be very helpful in helping to direct resources and recruit outreach groups that may be of particular assistance. The simple fact is that television will be one of the most effective tools in reaching at-risk television viewers. Since the at-risk television viewers are, by obvious definition, television viewers, the likelihood that they will eventually see and understand information provided about the transition are very high.
|
|
|
RBR Radar 2008
|
|
Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.
|
RBR Analysis: Some prime
radio properties on the market
Parting with some prime radio real estate is the price that Clear Channel must pay, but only six stations, under the DOJ antitrust decision that clears the way for the company's private equity buyout. So it's full steam ahead to a closing next month as buyers line up to pick up the castoffs in San Francisco, Houston, Cincinnati and Las Vegas. DOJ is requiring CCU to sell.
RBR observation: The true irony of this is that Clear Channel had led the charge by general market broadcasters to get into the fast-growing Hispanic radio market and create new competition. So, the DOJ's Antitrust Division is actually moving to decrease competition in the Spanish radio marketplace in three markets, by forcing a sale to either an existing competitor or a new entrant who will be a weaker, standalone competitor than Clear Channel was with its English-Spanish clusters. Your tax dollars at work. RBR.com Examines the Stations, Prices and Potential Buyers in each market see this page
02/15/08 RBR #32
After RAB: What about
Haley's promise of posting?
RAB president Jeff Haley unveiled a few new initiatives in Atlanta, including getting radio receivers on every mobile handheld device, phone and MP3 player within the next five years; how digital will open the doors for radio to deliver targeted ad messages; and a promise that the radio industry would adopt posting (common in the TV biz)--showing ratings a buy was based on vs. the audience it actually delivered. He said posting was simply a guarantee that radio will deliver what it promises to our advertisers.
RBR observation: As Feinberg and Swed Stone noted, posting has been talked about for years, but has been done internally by the agencies for years as well. Stations should not say posting is being imposed on them, and then try to fight it-it only hurts their cred. We remember a healthy discussion at the RAB Board meeting in 2003 about posting. Posting is against national dollars and we should do it. Stop hiding under a rock and at least get it rolling as PPM is rolled out. We asked a few buyers what they thought: see RBR
02/15/08 RBR #32
DOJ approves CCU buyout, but requires divestitures
Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital now have the last regulatory approval needed to close their 26.7 billion bucks deal to take Clear Channel Communications private - but there are conditions attached, like selling and DOJ is the stamp of approval. Those divestiture markets are Cincinnati, Houston, Las Vegas and San Francisco.
02/14/08 RBR #31
|
|
|
RBR Classifieds
|
Hard finding that key person
to fill the important position at your organization? RBR Classifieds, Results with Service. Contact April McLynn at [email protected]
|
 |
|
|
|
|
