Telling investors it's difficult to predict, Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey is hopeful the Citadel deal will close by Labor Day. The three government agencies analyzing the deal are the FCC, DOJ and SEC. Dickey says things are moving forward and he will have more feedback on the closing later this week. When the deal does close Cumulus will employ another 4,000 people and go from owning 347 radio stations to owning 572 with a footprint in 120 markets, nearly doubling from 67. |
|
Lew Dickey joined the chorus of radio group heads putting the brakes on Q2 expectations. He told investors yesterday "pacings worsened throughout May." It all has to do with the tsunami in Japan as shortages of cars and parts for cars are forcing domestic auto dealers to cancel advertising. Dickey says this is "temporary" adding radio gets hit so hard "because its so easy to cancel". Radio also gets hit hard because, as we've written about in the past, automotive makes up a huge percentage of radio advertising. In other words there are a lot of eggs in that basket. |
|
Net revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2011 increased $1.5 million, or 2.7%, to $57.9 million compared to $56.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2010, primarily due to an increase of $1.5 million in new network advertising contracts. Station operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2011 decreased $2.4 million, or 5.9%, to $37.5 million, compared to $39.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2010. |
|
Trying to keep the Westwood One ship floating, company president Rod Sherwood reported down numbers to Wall Street yesterday. First quarter revenue decreased $1.9 million (2.1%) to $90.9 million from $92.8 million in 2010. The revenue decrease occurred in Network Radio, and Westwood says it was primarily due to the absence in 2011 of the Winter Olympics, which contributed significantly to first quarter 2010 Network radio revenue. |
|
Overall net revenue for SBS totaled $30.8 million in Q1. The radio division dropped 2% while the TV division increased 15%, although the television revenue is relatively small compared to the radio revenue ($4 million compared to $27 million). SBS has been struggling with the SEC regarding a delisting. The stock closed yesterday .86. |
|
|
Speaking shortly after his fundraising efforts syndicated morning man Steve Harvey said he plans to keep promoting the toll free number, to raise money for residents in the south, all week long. Harvey dedicated his entire morning show to victims of the floods and tornadoes Monday morning. He says "asking people to give money is always tough business but I think the show went well". Harvey says everyone down there is telling him volunteers are needed. "They need manpower and money, the donations of food and clothing have been overwhelming." |
|
Social Radio and Federated Media announced Monday they will be bringing a completely new online radio experience to listeners in South Bend and Fort Wayne. Active Rockers WRBR and WBYR will be the first stations to launch with Social Radio's personalized listening platform which they say is part Pandora, part Google Analytics and part Facebook. |
|
In very dramatic fashion, on his show this morning, Glenn Beck announced he will be holding a rally in Israel this summer. Here is Beck's statement: "Last summer we set out to Restore Honor in Washington, DC. This summer it is time to Restore Courage. Taking a stand is not always easy, but now more than ever it is imperative that we live with conviction and do the right thing. It is time for us to courageously stand with Israel. I invite you to join me in Israel this summer to stand together and show the world what living a life of faith and honor really means. I invite you to join me in my quest to Restore Courage." |
|
Exciting research reveals the wants and needs of radio's most sought after audience -- the 25-54 money demo. Discover what they really want from their radio station. Read more. |
|
 |
| Management Tools |
|  |
|
|
In today's world of media, there are more sales reps selling various forms of media than ever before. The Internet world has added at least twice the number of reps we saw 10 years ago, either calling on the prospect by phone or via in-person solicitation. It's never been a more immediate satisfaction and gratification selling environment than today. Letting a few days go by from your initial CMP (Customer Needs Analysis) to the close, could be time you can't afford to waste. Sometimes, you might even be opening the door for competing media to sell your prospect, while you are waiting to put together your creative. |
|
Whatever got you to where you are today will not be sufficient to keep you there so find your future by realizing the power of failure. There is enormous power in failure, especially if we truly learn from it. Several years ago when living on the West coast I was very impressed by a graduation speech that Steve Jobs gave at Stanford University. |
|
Last week we critiqued a total of 22 different radio presentations from 22 radio account executives who were asked to send us their “best presentation or one-sheet. It saddened me to note that only one of the twenty-two alluded to what they were going to do for the client. The rest may have well been titled "All About Me" or "All About My Station". How do you feel when you try to talk to someone who can only talk about themselves or their business, and in a jargon you don't understand? It's time to change that and this article explains how. |
|
|
|
| Radio Ink |
| |
|
|
|
Perhaps the example of what took place in Tyler Texas last night is a great example of why radio stations across America should get behind the push to have FM chips installed in cell phones. Public safety is one of the reasons the NAB is making a push to install the chips. Radio Ink publisher Eric Rhoads wrote an editorial about the chips and debuted a new commercial we are hoping radio stations can use to help educate the public. |
|
PastBlast, the new iPad app from Radio Ink is available now in the Apple App Store. Historical audio, photos, and more from every era of radio's history, with navigation through a beautiful, fully equipped retro radio studio. Click the headline to see it, or get it here. |
|
Radio Ink debuts the Mighty Red II, bringing back the little HD radio with mighty HD sound. New features on the Mighty Red II include Artist Experience -- cover art, artist info, and more -- onscreen ads that can be synced with audio, Live Pause, and song and ad Bookmarking. It's a great gift for clients to show them what's really possible with HD Radio. Click the headline to order now. |
|
June 6: The Most Influential Women in Radio
