RBR's Daily Morning Epaper

Volume 23, Issue 81, Jim Carnegie, Editor & Publisher

Tuesday Morning April 25th, 2006

From the NAB in Las Vegas

Rehr calls broadcasters to action
In his first address to an NAB convention, NAB President and CEO David Rehr called on broadcasters to go on the offensive, rather than defending the status quo. Building on a strong foundation, he said, digital TV and digital radio are about to change our industry. Taking aim at competition from satellite radio, Rehr noted that it has only 10 million subscribers, while 260 million people listened to broadcast radio just last week. And he noted that the two satellite radio companies lost about a billion bucks last year. "Its business model is bankrupt," he declared. But Rehr saw a bright future for broadcasters by going on the offensive and emphasizing localism. "Our future hinges on our ability to exploit new technology - - on every new platform," he said - - iPods, cell phones, the Internet and multiple HD Radio channels. On the subject of indecency, Rehr took another swipe at the satellite guys. He declared that "the FCC needs to pay more attention to the obscenity and vulgarity that has found its home on satellite radio." But he also called for clearer guidance for broadcasters on just where the lines are drawn for the FCC's indecency enforcement.

Fries says posting is coming to radio
Noting that many in the audience might never have expected to hear him say it, RAB President and CEO Gary Fries said yesterday in a speech at NAB2006 in Las Vegas that some sort of posting is inevitable for radio - - and needed. Fries noted that posting was the subject of a recent "raw" discussion at an RAB board meeting, but in the end everyone agreed that posting was coming to radio. "We have to do posting because every other medium is doing it," Fries said. He said posting is part of the accountability that is being demanded of all media by advertisers. In fact, he thinks radio is currently being penalized for not having posting. "I believe people will pay more," he said of ad rates once radio changes its position on posting. Questioned afterward by RBR, Fries said he was not talking about posting to ratings, but rather verifying that a schedule was run as it was bought - - and with the correct continuity. Ratings wouldn't enter into it, he said, unless the schedule was sold on the basis of guaranteeing a certain GRP delivery. In his speech, Fries was upbeat on HD Radio, saying it is a way to make radio hip again. "The world is going digital and we're going with them. We have to tell people about it," Fries said.

Rather and Brokaw
give Couric thumbs up
After being honored, along with the late ABC News anchor Peter Jennings, with the NAB's Distinguished Service Award, both former CBS News anchor Dan Rather and former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw told RBR/TVBR and other reporters that they expected Katie Couric to do well after taking the anchor chair this fall at CBS News. "If Katie Couric comes to CBS News and demonstrates that she is a leader and loves the news, she'll do just fine," declared Rather. Brokaw, who once co-hosted the "Today" show with Couric at NBC also expressed confidence in her. "I don't think it will look like the old CBS News format. They must be planning something," he said of the CBS newscast. "The role of the anchor can be and frequently is overestimated," said Rather, noting that much credit goes to the other reporters, producers and news staffers involved in the operation. "I don't think either Dan or I ever thought of ourselves as 'monster anchor' or the 'voice of God,' but it is important to have firm direction," said Brokaw. In a similar vein, Rather said his view of himself was that he reflected what he had learned covering such things as the Vietnam War and civil rights struggles. "That is not the 'voice of God,' that is the voice of experience," he said.

Multimedia in evidence at NAB/RTNDA gatherings
Let there be no doubt that the Internet has come of age. Right there on a Super Session panel yesterday in Las Vegas was Google VP Marisa Mayer along with Dan Rather from CBS News, Associated Press CEO Tom Curley and others from traditional media. Mayer drew a distinction between what Google does, aggregating and ranking news stories, and traditional news gathering. She said Google doesn't plan to get into content creation because it depends on the trust of its users and wouldn't want to get into ranking stories in which Google has a vested interest. "There needs to be more accountability," Rather said of news delivery on the Internet, although he said there was value in having blogs, so long as they are clearly identified for what they are. Mayer made a similar point, calling blogs a "news-like medium," but saying people expect a level of fact checking from "hard news."

Valenti pushes for parental controls
"May God save the First Amendment," said former Motion Picture Association of America chief Jack Valenti as he wrapped up an impassioned call for broadcasters to promote an approaching campaign to educate parents about how to use content controls such as the V-chip to control what their children are able to view. The campaign now being designed by McCann Erickson is due to be rolled out in June. Valenti says the message so parents is that "they and they alone have total power to control every hour of television that comes into their homes." Valenti lashed out at recent indecency enforcement by the FCC, declaring that much of it is unconstitutional. "Nobody today knows what is indecent," Valenti complained.

Radio News ®

Smulyan ups the ante in bid for Nats
Major League Baseball is said to be close to selecting the ownership group for the long-time orphaned franchise, the Washington Nationals. Emmis Communications honcho Jeff Smulyan has been working to counteract his out-of-towner status by partnering with numerous local investors, and has further been able to structure an investor lineup in which 25% of the equity would be held by African Americans. Now he's going another step further - - promising that if selected, the group would see to it that an African-American is named as the team's president. Former NFL great Calvin Hill, chair of the Group's Hiring Committee and himself an investor, said "Our group has been together from the beginning of this process. We are not a Johnny-come-lately group of names on a list to satisfy a requirement. It is important that the Washington Nationals' organization is involved with every community across the District. Our Hiring Committee and our Community Outreach Council, chaired by Eric Holder, Charles Mann and Art Monk, will make sure that we reconnect the game of baseball with the City's youth and use this team's resources for the good of the game and the good of the citizens and communities we serve and live beside every day."

RBR observation: Another investor well known to the broadcast community is Radio One/TV One honcho Alfred Liggins. We keep hearing that the Smulyan group is a dark horse in this contest, but you have to hand it to them - - they're hanging in there and swinging for the fences all the way until the last out of the final inning. Strange things can happen in baseball - - just ask the 1969 Mets...

Last note: Reading the above quote of community stands out - "It is important that the Washington Nationals' organization is involved with every community across the District." RBR wonders if this style of community involvement goes for local radio. Lot of passion in those words and Smulyan would be wise to spread it around - Local, community involvement, words like that then words that radio dropped the ball and satellite waxed radio's PR butt would never get up to the batters box. Think about it - the passion of that quote. Jeff, Radio needs this style of passion and commitment too.

New HD2 multicast programming set for 22 more markets
The HD Digital Radio Alliance announced the second wave of local markets that will begin broadcasting HD2 multicast programming under the Alliance's format-selection program. HD2 multicasts will now be available in 50 markets (including 42 of the top 50) - more than six months ahead of schedule. The number of new radio stations created under the initiative now tops 450.
| Read More... |

Court defends back room vulgarity
An assistant to the writers of former NBC hit sitcom "Friends" was unsuccessful in an attempt to frame harsh language used while scripting the show with sexual harassment, setting a precedent which extends into broadcast newsrooms. Justices agreed that the vulgarity used was part of the "creative process" as the writers worked out scenes. As Justice Marvin R. Baxter put it in the court's opinion, their "...non-directed sexual antics and sexual talk..." was not a specific attempt to discriminate between the sexes. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) worked to protect the writers, on behalf of journalists - - particularly those who find themselves covering stories where the same language is unavoidable because it is part of the story.

RBR observation: The court ruling in no way condones sexual harassment. It just says the definition doesn't apply in this case or in other like it. Broadcast journalists still have to be more careful about what goes out over their airspace than do their print counterparts. It's good to know they don't have to be as careful when the mics and cameras are turned off.

Wal-Mart: The other political category
Opening salvos in the battle between public activist groups and retail giant Wal-Mart have been flying for some time now. And as activists proliferate on both sides of the left/right political divide, the company is using its media spending on more than simply moving product. WakeUpWalMart.com has been a leader in attacking the retailer, and it's no accident that its campaign seems to feature tactics commonly used in the political sphere. According to the Associated Press, two of its top executives are fresh from the insurgent Democratic presidential primary campaigns of Howard Dean and Wesley Clark. A John Kerry veteran is also in on the action. But so is a veteran of the Bush-Cheney campaign. Democratic critics tend to go after the company for low wages and inadequate benefits; Republican critics tend not to like the company's reliance on low-cost imports to fill its shelves - - particular a human-rights challenged regime like that in China. Wal-Mart is fighting back with corporate initiatives aimed at showing its good-neighbor side, and has signed on advisors with ties to Bill Clinton and John Kerry, along with prominent civil rights Democrat Andrew Young. And, oh yeah, it'll be running advertising valued in the millions of dollars just to burnish its image.

Twin Cities Media Network hosts local event
On April 20th, Twin Cities Media Network, the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter of AWRT, held its annual General Manager's Luncheon--an informative panel discussion of challenges and opportunities facing local TV and radio outlets.

Photo: Dave Bestler, GM of KSTP-FM (Hubbard Broadcasting); Steve Woodbury, GM of KTTB-FM (Radio One); Marc Kalman, GM of ABC Radio; and Dave Bestler, GM of The Twin Cities Interconnect.

Ad Business Report TM

Media Monitors enters TV & Cable spot tracking arena
Media Monitors announces the addition of Broadcast TV and Local Cable to their roster of commercial monitoring services which currently includes radio and newspapers in major North American markets. The announcement is being made at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas. Adding broadcast television and local cable spot data from San Francisco, Boston, and Providence will enhance the company's service to customers interested in additional local advertising data. Using patented technology, Media Monitors tracks radio spots in the top 50 markets and provides same-day data to its clients. It also identifies print ads from major metropolitan newspapers in the top 30 markets. Speaking yesterday from Las Vegas at a press conference during the NAB Convention, Philippe Generali, President of Media Monitors says "The verification mandate of Media Monitors has grown from radio to newspaper and now broadcast TV and local cable spots. Media companies, ad agencies and advertisers are extremely interested in TV and Cable spot data and occurrences of commercials aired, so we are pleased to be adding this important service. We've chosen Boston, Providence and San Francisco as the markets where we begin our rollout of TV and Cable spot monitoring."

Taco Del Mar launches TV, radio campaign
Taco Del Mar has unveiled a new, multi-million dollar advertising and integrated marketing campaign. Television and radio spots will air in seven major markets, supported with point of purchase for all of its 192 restaurants. The spots depict active young adults socializing, with beachside vignettes and in-store cutaways. People are shown enjoying Taco Del Mar's signature mondo burritos, and its newest product offering - the Mojito Burrito -- featuring a proprietary tangy lime-cilantro sauce. Each spot features original surf-inspired music. The new campaign also debuts Taco Del Mar's new tag, "Taste Fulfilled." The campaign includes 30 and 15-second television spots, a series of radio spots, direct mail and in-store collateral. The national marketing campaign breaks this Spring in Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Portland, San Jose, Phoenix, Boise, and Sacramento.

Media Markets & Money TM

Saga on the move in Asheville
At the moment, WCTU-FM Tazewell TN is closer to Kentucky than it is to North Carolina. However, a rulemaking allowing it to upgrade and change its city of license will take it all the way to North Carlina and into the Saga cluster in the Asheville market. The 105.9 mHz station is headed from Tazewell, where it's a Class A, all the way to Weaverville NC. It'll pick up steam there, too, going up to Class C2, with 9.6 kW beaming off a 1,106' stick. The deal, which started as an option dated 5/21/02, is valued at 650K. Once WCTU completes its move (they're now in the process of getting the CP), it'll cluster up with WISE-AM, WLZR-AM and Saga's LMA of WOXL-FM. American Media Services handled brokerage chores. The seller is Stair Company Inc.

Mexican media mogul
gets a piece of Univision
288M in Univision shares have changed hands, representing a 2.8% stake in the Hispanic media giant. The buyer - - Carlos Slim Domit, who sits in the big chair at Telefonos de Mexico, which owns and operates the telephone business south of the border, and also has a hand in a company which produces programming important to Univision. According to the Los Angeles Times, that would be Grupo Televisa, where Slim has a board seat. Televisa, the Times says, already has an 11% stake in Univision. As a foreign corporation, its stake cannot go any higher than 25%. Univision is said to be exploring its options, including possible sale of its assets.

Washington Media Business Report TM

House markup in two acts
It looks like they're preparing for an ordeal over at the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. That's what happened in the related Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, and the schedule of its preliminary markup of the "Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006" began with a late 5PM session in which members were given the opportunity to make opening statements, followed by a nitty-gritty session beginning at 10AM the following morning. That same recipe will be followed as the full committee looks at the newer version of the bill. The oratory period will be held Tuesday, 4/25/06 with the actual work coming on Wednesday, 4/26/06. The bill is designed to ease the way of telecom companies into the MVPD business, primarily via a national franchising regime, and also would ease regulation on cable companies. Democrats are concerned that it does not force area-wide build-out and does not do enough to guarantee Internet network neutrality.

RBR observation: Broadcasters are not directly involved in this one, but figure to be highly-interested and strongly-affected front-row observers. Well, not quite. The NAB is concerned that Nathan Deal (R-GA) may try to append an amendment which would disrupt retransmission consent negotiations between broadcasters and the cable industry. NAB argues that the system has been found to do the job recently by the FCC - - and has put an ad opposing any such attempt in today's Communications Daily stating in large letter: "New Federal Mandate? NO DEAL!"

NAB Day Time Planner

	The following will be attending the NAB. Call or email to make your appointment in advance.

EQUIPMENT Les Kutasi, Sales Manager; Stainless, Booth #C2447, 215-631-1313, [email protected] BROKERS Todd Fowler/David Reeder/Gene Ferry, American Media Services, Bellagio, 843-972-2200, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Cliff Gardiner, Clifton Gardiner & Company, 303-758-6900, The Wynn Hotel, [email protected] Andy McClure/Dean LeGras, The Exline Company, The Wynn Hotel, 415-479-3484, [email protected] Frank Boyle, Frank Boyle & Co., LLC, Hilton Grand Vacations Villa, 702/765-8300, [email protected] Gordon Rice, Gordon Rice Associates, 843-884-3590, Treasure Island, [email protected] John L. Pierce, John Pierce & Company LLC, Mirage Hotel, 859-647-0101, cell 859-512-3015, [email protected] Jamie Rasnick, John Pierce & Company LLC, Mirage Hotel, 859-647-0101, cell 513-252-1186, [email protected]	Dick Kozacko/George Kimble, Kozacko Media Services, The Wynn Hotel, office 607-733-7138, cell 607-738-1219, [email protected] Elliot Evers/Brian Pryor/ Adam Altsuler/Tim Beach Media Venture Partners, LLC, 415-391-4877, [email protected], [email protected] Larry Patrick/Greg Guy/Susan Patrick Patrick Communications, Bellagio, 410-740-0250, [email protected] Glenn Serafin, Serafin Bros., Aladdin Hotel, office 813-885-6060, cell 813-494-6875, [email protected] Larry C. Wood, Wood & Company, Inc., Alexis Park, office 513-528-7373, cell 513-225-5100, [email protected]. LAWYERS Gregg P. Skall Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC 202-857-4441, Wynn Hotel [email protected] SALES Regional Reps Corp., Broadcast Sales Representatives, Stuart J. Sharpe, 216.535.3975, [email protected], Gail F. Lawing, 404.504.7030 [email protected],

Internet Media Business Report TM

Toyota to sponsor
wireless Fox spinoff
Toyota and Fox struck a deal for the auto company to sponsor and be featured in a spinoff series for mobile phones of the drama "Prison Break." The promotion, coinciding with the launch of Toyota's new Yaris Liftback and Sedan, crosses several of the company's entertainment divisions, including FOX Broadcasting, Fox Mobile Entertainment (FME), Fox Interactive Media (FIM) and the FX cable channel. "By threading complementary content across several FOX Entertainment platforms, we've created a unique Prison Break partnership with Toyota and Zenith Media," said Jean Rossi, Executive Vice President, Sales, for FOX. "We look forward to expanding this partnership with other divisions in the near future." FOX, original creators of Mobisodes, will produce the serial, "Prison Break: Proof of Innocence." Toyota's sponsorship of this series makes it the first-ever ad-supported scripted Mobisode. "Proof of Innocence" is available free, exclusively to Sprint customers on FOX's Channel 20 on SprintTV. Saatchi & Saatchi LA will produce unique 10-second marketing messages for Toyota that will air at the beginning of each Mobisode, followed by a two-minute episode that parallels the current Prison Break storyline. Toyota vehicles, including the Yaris, will be prominently featured in the 26 Mobisodes, which will be released three to four times per week, beginning yesterday. The partnership will also allow FOX Interactive Media - with its 70 million unique visitors per month - the opportunity to create a Toyota-branded Prison Break "microsite" within FOX.com, offering unique content tied to the hit FOX series. Visitors to the site will be able to register for a Prison Break /Toyota Sweepstakes. Additionally, the site will contain exclusive behind-the-scenes video streams from the series. Additionally, FOX is providing Toyota with "category exclusivity" for auto advertising during several upcoming Prison Break broadcasts, with the first airing yesterday. FOX will also drive viewers to both the Toyota-branded "microsite" and the Mobisodes with co-branded advertising in daily and weekly national publications.

RBR observation: A great example of traditional media testing a new option for clients. The cross-platform infrastructure is already in place, so it's becoming more and more turnkey for big networks to accomplish such feats. Whoever says new media is threatening traditional media like television may think differently if this pans out well for Toyota-Fox still gets the ad dollars, just more of them.

RBR Stats

Selector creators reinvent debut "GSelector"
RCS, the company that pioneered computerized music scheduling for terrestrial radio announces the introduction of GSelector yesterday at the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas. Billing it as "music scheduling reinvented", the new RCS paradigm merges science and art in an innovative system for radio. Working closely with top radio programmers and consultants during the entire development process, the new GSelector incorporates today's technology and workflow patterns to create music logs containing the best possible song sequences.

"First, GSelector is simple to use," explains Philippe Generali, RCS President, speaking today at a press conference in Las Vegas at the NAB convention where the product is being unveiled. "GSelector's patented new method is like nothing else," he continued. "Users can dynamically see in real-time, the natural demand of each song, artist or attribute like tempo, theme or sound code. They adjust it right there on the graphic display and can view the resulting changes instantly." "Secondly, for today's modern way of making radio. You need a truly modern tool. Managing multiple channels is nearly universal. GSelector users can handle all their channels from one shared music library." Generali explained that "Radio itself is so popular it's now available from multiple media: HD (DAB) channels, Satellite services, Internet streams, and the ever-popular FM and AM terrestrial radio stations. This means the new GSelector will help today's multi-channel programmer keep closer control on all his or her formats. It's all about music balance."

GSelector was created with the .NET 2.0 platform and SQL Server 2005 technologies from Microsoft, both of which increase software stability while shortening development time. The product is available by barter to US radio stations and via other agreements internationally.

Ratings & Research

iPod ownership exploding;
podcasting becoming viable medium
The results of a new web poll survey, conducted by Rock radio consultants Jacobs Media, consisting of over 25,000 respondents from over 75 Rock-formatted stations from all over the U.S., show that of all the new media tested - satellite radio, Internet streaming, text messaging, video games - the sharpest growth belongs to iPods and similar MP3 players.
| Read More... |

Transactions

3.9M WJMM-FM & WCGW-AM/WWFT-AM Louisville KY (Keene, Nicholasville KY) from Mortenson Broadcasting Company (Jack M. Mortenson) to Christian Broadcasting System Ltd. (Jonathon R. Yinger, Ralph D. Van Luven, Elma S. Van Luven). 225K escrow, balance in cash at closing. Existing duopoly. [File date 4/7/06.]

Stock Talk

Radio stocks a mixed bag
Yesterday's market close saw an even mix of up and down contenders, with no extremes. Standouts included Scripps, up 0.99 and Lincoln Nat'l, down 0.54.

Radio Stocks

**Here's how stocks fared on Monday**
Company	Symbol	Close		Change	Company	Symbol	Close		Change
Arbitron	ARB		34.20	+0.46	Hearst-Argyle	HTV		22.98	+0.06
Beasley	BBGI		9.86	-0.42	Journal Comm.	JRN		10.97	-0.14
CBS CI. B	CBS		24.81	unch	Lincoln Natl.	LNC		56.85	-0.54
CBS CI. A	CBSa		24.85	+0.07	Radio One, Cl. A	ROIA		7.37	unch
Citadel	CDL		9.56	-0.10	Radio One, Cl. D	ROIAK		7.34	-0.10
Clear Channel	CCU		27.83	+0.14	Regent	RGCI		4.36	unch
Cox Radio	CXR		12.88	-0.10	Saga Commun.	SGA		9.06	-0.07
Cumulus	CMLS		10.47	+0.30	Salem Comm.	SALM		14.84	-0.24
Disney	DIS		27.24	+0.22	Sirius Sat. Radio	SIRI		4.81	-0.19
Emmis	EMMS		12.51	-0.08	Spanish Bcg.	SBSA		5.08	+0.04
Entercom	ETM		26.51	+0.11	Univision	UVN		34.66	-0.29
Entravision	EVC		8.24	-0.12	Westwood One	WON		9.50	-0.09
Fisher	FSCI		42.87	-0.32	XM Sat. Radio	XMSR		21.92	-0.23
Gaylord	GET		44.01	-0.46	-	-	-	-	-

Bounceback

Send Us Your Opinions We want to
hear from you.
This is your column, so send your comments and
a photo to [email protected]

Below the Fold

Ad Business Report
Taco Del Mar launches
Radio campaign in 7 markets...

Media Markets & Money
Saga on the move
In Asheville - WCTU-FM Tazewell TN is closer to Ky...

Mexican media mogul
Gets a piece of Univision 288M...

Washington Media Business Report
House markup in two acts
Looks like they're preparing for an ordeal...

Rating & Research
iPod ownership exploding
Podcasting becoming viable...

Stations for Sale

25,000w FM Station
Low price opportunity, profitable station w. huge upside. Small town, NEast by interstate, county seat.
595K. Lv. msg. @ 781-848-4201 or
email [email protected]

More News Headlines

Correction: CBS divulges on Wednesday
CBS Corporation originally announced that their Q1 quarterly conference would be held Thursday, 4/27/06 at 8:30 AM. That was in error, and word quickly was sent out that the correct date is Wednesday, 4/26/06, also at 8:30 AM. We corrected our own records for internal use, but regrettably did not correct the public record as it appears in RBR/TVBR. We stand corrected, and regret any inconvenience this error may have caused.

TVBR - TV News

The CW adds 15 more affiliates; now at 85%
The CW has signed exclusive, long-term affiliation agreements with stations in Savannah, Tallahassee, Santa Barbara, Yakima, Corpus Christi, Anchorage, Binghamton, Gainesville, Abilene, Utica, Missoula, Billings, Great Falls, Butte and Juneau. The addition of the stations in these 15 markets -- which represent 1.96% of total U.S. TV households -- increases The CW's national coverage to more than 85% of the country, including 19 of the Top 20 markets, 26 of the Top 30 and 34 of the Top 40.
| See The newly signed affiliates here |

April RBR/TVBR
Digital Magazine

In this months Issue
We ask GMs and CEOs
about issues new NAB CEO
David Rehr should be tackling;
we also interview Rehr.

Magna Global's Brian Wieser
talks about the viability of
mobile video for ad placement.

We visit Indie/Classic Alternative KBZT-FM San Diego; and go OneonOne with B-101's Jerry Lee.

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
April Issue of RBR/TVBR

RBR Radar 2006

Radio News you won't read any where else. RBR--First, Accurate, and Independently Owned.

Quarterly results couch
sessions kick off
Maybe the broadcasters forced to trot out their quarterly dog and pony show should appear before a different kind of analyst - - one less reliant on a calculator and more in line with either Dr. Phil or Joyce Brothers - - someone who can at least buoy their sagging spirits since the bank accounts appear to be beyond immediate help. It must be particularly trying to keep waiting for the advertising business turnaround that just does not want to come.

RBR observation: Hey, talk to Doctor RBR. The prescription is simple. While you may not agree with FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein's stance on payola, but he is dead on accurate when he describes broadcasting's greatest strength. In three words, it is Local-Local-Local. The nation is swirling with offerings that are highly fragmented and therefore forced to be nationally oriented. Broadcasters are the only electronic media which can pull together a significant number of citizens at any given point. It's time to emphasize that power. And find new ways to use it. Read the entire analysis in
04/24/06 RBR #80

Roth hits the exit door
"I was booted, tossed, and it's going to cost somebody," said David Lee Roth Friday morning as he confirmed to the (few) fans of his radio show that CBS Radio has pulled the plug on his effort to fill Howard Stern's shoes - - and indicating that he intends to sue if he doesn't get his full four million bucks contract payment.

RBR observation: It was only a question of when the pink was going to be handed down. Come on get real - Roth on radio - CEO Joel Hollander putting Roth on the air would have been better off airing Roth's audio from the video rock tour because that was what he bought. Now the real business question - what has this cost CBS in money since radio is only a margin business to upper big honcho Les Moonves. See Radar right column for Publisher observation. Enough said - period - Next.
04/24/06 RBR #80

Sun-Times blasts CBS Radio
And it is Justified
In a column by Robert Feder took CBS and CEO Joel Hollander to task for his recent moves in Chicago. Excerpts: "CBS Radio rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic Monday, replacing the general managers of its two most rapidly sinking radio stations in Chicago. The same incompetents responsible for foisting Shane 'Rover' French on 'Free FM' talker WCKG-FM (105.9) and the 'Jack FM' format on oldies WJMK-FM (104.3) apparently hope they can buy themselves time by shuffling the suits in the stations' front offices. It's unlikely that any of the moves will do much to reverse plummeting sales at either station...Editor's note rest is not pretty.

RBR observation: Bottom line-Add up what O&A where billing before they were fired; the revenue loss of Stern; the blowing up of CBS FM for the Jack format. How much has CBS Radio blown in NYC? A bunch. And Feder says Chicago isn't much better.

Publisher note: Spent the week (4-17) in NYC and saw the bus boards on Roth and then tuned him in. Comment is - NO Comment and by Friday 4-21 - Ta Dum - Roth got Pinked or you are fired. But there were numerous questions asked for my observation on the entire issue of the CBS cluster in NYC and a betting line is on when and who will walk the plank for all this revenue loss as Les Moonves only sees radio as a margin business. Not hitting the margins in NYC someone or more than one has got to take a bullet for cluster Fx0! Again my observation was to all that asked was - No Comment for now as I wait for Moonves next conference call. RBR keeps telling ya and all wonder why radio is in a heck of a hess.
04/21/06 RBR #79

NAB boss David Rehr
sees shift in mission
The organization's role in Washington is changing. Rather than being a lobbying group, he said the focus is now on advocacy-what he called a "positive offense" to make the broadcast industry's case on Capitol Hill and with regulatory agencies. Rehr outlined four important values and the new mission statement of NAB with his vision for success in the overall broadcast industry. Rehr's four points can be reviewed in Washington Media Business Report column
04/21/06 RBR #79

CCU slammed by Fund
Influential institutional investor California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) listed six companies - - out of over 1.8K which it reviewed - - that it says are underperforming due to corporate governance issues. Here's the rap on Clear Channel: "Clear Channel Communications, a diversified media company that owns hundreds of radio stations, has excessive executive compensation and severance agreements, and lost 42% in stock value over the past five years compared with a 26% decline for industry peers."

RBR observation: The key to see how this plays out - excessive and the lost of value over the past five years, which RBR has also documented, is surely to make the balance of this year interesting to say the least.
04/20/06 RBR #78

Big market anchors cause
Emmis to miss target
In a word - Weakness in the two largest markets are on the books to hit Emmis with their Q4. Emmis's domestic radio business, was a big factor in a drop in station operating income from 24.4M to 19.5M; additionally, the company blamed increased promotional costs in Chicago and an unexpected bankruptcy from a core advertiser which by itself resulted in a 1.3M hit. Plus loss of auto business and Ford being their key did not help their results.

RBR observation: The canary in the mine reported its Q4 and closed out their year and it did not end on an up note, see below. So this tells all of us what radio can anticipate as the rest begin to roll out their Q1's. RBR suspects it will not be a pretty site for the medium as a whole. What radio needs more than ever is strong united leadership front attack. RBR is not talking lip service but it is time the top guns hit the streets themselves and start making calls talking about the radio business as a complete business. RBR agrees with Smulyan that radio is a rock solid business but one must work a business to make it successful.
04/19/06 RBR #77

Indecency wars still front and center
The FCC noted late last week that it had received further opposition from CBS regarding indecency forfeitures assessed for a broadcast of "Without a Trace." It indicated it would, as usual and as a matter of course, review the broadcaster's remarks, but also said it believed its rulings were correct.

RBR observation: We always thought that the whole thing about the Janet Jackson episode was that it was pretty much unprecedented. Frankly, we've seen hundreds of wardrobe malfunctions on those blooper and home video shows where the malfunction is not fleeting at all. We wish CBS and the other networks well in their battle for some kind of indecency policy that makes sense - - we sure don't have one now.
04/18/06 RBR #76

Finally! An Ad guy saying it
HD Radio isn't ready for prime time. Rich Russo's comments are right on the mark. Even if we ignore the technical issues, there need to be receivers of the type people actually use (battery operated) and programming that's taken as seriously as the main/analog channels. We need showbiz on HD2. Otherwise, the one chance we'll have to sell a receiver will be lost to dull programming. Bounce Back
04/17/06 RBR #75

Fighting back on indecency
The FCC is finally going to have to defend its indecency standard in court. ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Hearst-Argyle and the various network affiliate associations filed a slew of appeals in federal courts all over the country challenging several of the indecency rulings the FCC issued last month.
04/17/06 RBR #75

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