Clear Channel And Black River Sign Rev Share Deal

10-16-13

Nashville independent label Black River Entertainment's roster includes country stars Craig Morgan and Kellie Pickler. CEO Gordon Kerr says, ?Every day at Black River, we are focused on finding ways to develop our roster of incredibly talented artists for a long-term career in country music. We are thrilled to enter into this partnership with Clear Channel and to deliver more for our artists while continuing to bring fans music they love.?

Today's agreement will allow Black River?s artists to share in revenue for airplay on Clear Channel?s broadcast and digital radio streams. This includes Clear Channel?s 850 AM/FM stations serving 150 markets, as well as the iHeartRadio digital radio platform. Black River Entertainment, which is comprised of Black River Records, Black River Publishing, and Black River Management, also owns two Nashville studios ? Sound Stage and Ronnie?s Place ? that have served as the birthplace for some of America?s best country recordings of the past few decades.

Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman said, ?Black River has proven its ability to find, develop, and promote an extraordinary set of artists with outstanding musical talent and a genuine passion for country music. Clear Channel is delighted to work together with Black River artists, helping lead the way to a sustainable digital music industry that benefits everyone ? artists, fans, record labels, and broadcasters.?

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(SALES) The Black Belt Formula

1-28-2013

If you invested approximately 1,820 hours over five years to earn a black belt just to break into sales management, would you have been a better sales manager when you took over your first sales department? Most probably we all would have. That?s what it took me to achieve one black belt in martial arts. This short black belt course will give you some techniques as a sales manager for you to strive to achieve your business black belt.

1. White Belt: This is where everyone starts in martial arts -- plain and simple. Do you have a vision, that combination of self-knowledge, knowledge of your company, and your short- and long- term goals? If you don?t, then maybe you?ll still stumble to some success, but don?t fool yourself. Ask your top three sales reps what your department's vision, and what your sales department's standards, are. If they don?t know, it?s time they do. More importantly, as their leader, do you have a vision and do you know where you want to take your sales department?

2. Hire: It?s human nature to root for the underdog. Going into Super Bowl week, it?s easy to root for the Baltimore Ravens. However, underdogs usually get their tails kicked. The surest way to win every time is to hire people better than yourself who will out-perform your competitors.

3. Create Balance and Harmony: Do you use antiquated daily call reports (DCRs) or weekly planners? Seventy-six percent of DCRs are fictitious. If you do use daily call reports, make sure you look at them and provide feedback -- especially positive feedback where you see your reps succeed. On the other hand, weekly planners allow you to monitor productivity before it happens versus legislate it. If executed properly, a good account management system gives you a screening system to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. True balance and harmony in the sales department comes from an effective intelligence network that you execute as opposed to just paying lip service to it.

4. Building a Winning Team: TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More! I have never had one sales budget achieved by one single individual who billed what the total sales goal was for the entire sales department for the month -- or year for that matter. Whether it?s a sales contest, a phone blitz to set up appointments, or carrying the weight of the sales department, it ultimately comes down to a team effort. Listen, everyone is dispensable. I have used the analogy of pulling your finger out of a cup of water to see what kind of a hole it leaves. I have tried it; there is no hole left. Keeping up morale and attitude is vital to building and keeping a winning team on top of their game!

5. Empower Your Employees with Weapons: What kind of weapons (tools) are we giving our reps in the field? With technology getting better and better, are you giving your reps the most cutting-edge tools? We have a property that has each sales rep with their own one page on their website that shows testimonials and creative from their successful clients. There is nothing more powerful than other clients telling your prospective prospects the success they will have by using your media company to sell their products. It?s also a great way to promote your reps and it also gets prospective new reps in the market wanting to work for you because they know you care about your people.

6. Rewards and Recognition: Twenty-five percent of good sales people leave organizations every year because of a lack of recognition! Your first priority is to take care of your employees, which in effect will keep your customers coming back. Put your customers second? Absolutely. It?s never the other way around.

7. Follow Your Bushido. The Japanese refer to it as Kaizen, the basic foundations on which all business in Japan is built. At the end of your next sales meeting, have everyone stand up, hold hands and repeat, ?In every day, in every way, never ceasing, never ending, always getting better one day at a time.? It may seem weird to do this, but it?s a great way to build team unity.

Sean Luce is the Head International Instructor for the Luce Performance Group and can be reached at sean@luceperformancegroup.com.

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Radio One and Others Highlight Strength of Black Media

6-26-2012

Radio One has partnered with BET Networks, HuffPost BlackVoices, Inner City Broadcasting Company, KJLH Radio, Johnson Publishing Company, National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters, Reach Media, Steve Harvey Radio and others to create a black media and marketing consortium. The consortium is launching a #INTHEBLACK campaign (which you can now follow in Twitter) to encourage increased investments in the African American consumer marketplace while helping companies reach the African American audience more effectively.  

African Americans represent over 42 million strong consumers, product talkers and brand influencers with a buying power of nearly one trillion dollars annually. By 2015, African American buying power is estimated to gain a whopping 35% hitting 1.2 trillion dollars, up from $913 billion in 2008.* African Americans are mega consumers beating out all other ethnic groups in the consumption of automobiles, wine & spirits, baby care products, groceries, health and beauty products, personal care products, apparel, electronics, movies and travel and entertainment.

The consortium will use its collective resources and strength to speak to the advertising community and consumer audience to raise awareness and create a sense of urgency around the economic opportunity the black consumer segment presents. African American media has the unique ability to reach the African American consumer base directly and is an important resource in identifying and establishing trends within the black community. #INTHEBLACK aims to amplify the value of engaging African Americans through black targeted media and agencies.

 For more information or to find out how you can help, visit areyouintheblack.org.

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Billy Black Hired by WLNK/WBT

5-14-2012
Black becomes the new Imgaing Director at the two stations in Charlotte. Black comes from WRXR in Chattanooga, where he was the morning show host, Imaging Director and PD. Before that Black was at WZZI in Roanoke as Imaging Director/Production Director, and Night Show Host.  Before that he was the Night Show Host/APD/Imaging Director for WXRC in Charlotte He was born in Huntersville, NC where his family still lives.

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