Valle Creates National Radio Talent System

7-2-13

The veteran consultant says, "For decades, the radio industry has talked of the long-standing need for a farm system that would identify and bring new talent into the industry. Now, the National Radio Talent System is designed to be the ?go to? place to find new, young, passionate, well-educated, entry level talent qualified to excel in radio stations across America." The National Radio Talent System will be a ten-day program held on college campuses, with the goal being that one is held in every region or state in America so students can attend in their home state, and so radio stations can recruit from their own region of the country, or nationally.

Valle says, "Due to the advent of voice-tracking, automation, syndication, and labor laws that minimize or prevent the opportunity for young people to just ?hang around? the radio station, the radio industry has lost much of its training ground." The working model for the National Radio Talent System is the Kellar Radio Talent Institute at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, also created by Vallie.

Vallie says, "It?s the broadcasters who have vision, passion and love for the business that recognize this long-standing need and the importance of finding young, entry level talent, and the National Radio Talent System is the solution to that need. Most know that, while it?s imperative that we continue to have advances in technology and insure that radio is ubiquitous, success in our industry and the future will always depend on people. We have to attract the best and the brightest who have the talent and desire to get into radio to insure we not only hire great young talent today, but also to insure we have great leadership well into this 21st century?and that is not only possible, it has already begun. This is a noble effort.?

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SDS Introduces SalesTouch CRM System

9-17-2012

Sales Development Services (SDS) announced the launch of SalesTouch, a new Customer Relationship Management platform designed specifically for salespeople. The company says SalesTouch analyzes advertiser spending history and revenue trends and offers specific strategies to retain existing accounts, maximize revenue opportunities, and empower AEs to better manage their time. SalesTouch Mobile for the iPad, iPhone, and other iOS devices is available now in the iTunes App Store. Users of Android smartphones and tablets can download SalesTouch Mobile in the Google Play market.

SDS CEO Lee Smith says, ?We didn?t want to build another CRM that just counts what you sell. We wanted to build one that actually helps you sell. That?s why the design of this CRM system was based on a very simple premise: The only thing more important than what you?ve done for an advertiser is what you do next."

To learn more about SalesTouch, go to http://www.salestouch.com/.

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Newberry: We Tried, But Royalty System is Broken

6-6-2012

Commonwealth Broadcasting President and CEO Steve Newberry was in the thick of the action when the NAB was negotiating rates with performers a few years ago and he testified yesterday that, despite their best efforts, musicFIRST "declined our offer and never returned to the negotiating table." musicFIRST argues the NAB changed the offer at the last minute. Praising the Clear Channel Big Machine deal, Newberry said the way the rate system is set up is a "disincentive."

Newberry said, that since 2010, broadcasters have been ready to sit down and work to find common ground that properly recognizes the  promotional value of broadcaster airplay and the value of the music. "Yesterday, a negotiated royalty deal between Clear Channel Radio and Big Machine Records was announced. As I understand the details, Clear Channel has agreed to pay a percentage of advertising revenue for Big  Machine?s songs whether they are heard digitally or terrestrially. It is a free enterprise transaction between two willing parties. With no government involvement. From NAB?s perspective, nothing about this deal changes our strong opposition to a congressionally-mandated performance tax. What this announced deal really highlights is the major challenge we face as radio continues to grow online and into other new platforms. The current royalty structure for webcasting is broken. When initially set in 2007 and then built upon in 2009, the rates set by the Copyright Royalty Board were universally decried as being ridiculously high. So high that radio stations cannot afford to be successful online ? the more music listeners you attract, the less profitable it becomes."

Newberry was the NAB joint board chairman during some of the most heated discussions with the music industry. He testified that the system needs to change. "Believe me, radio broadcasters want to take advantage of all the possibilities the Internet presents, but these royalty rates create a financial disincentive to webcast, and solving this problem for broadcasters is essential. If we want music streaming to survive, we need to find a way to strike a better balance between royalty payments and platform growth, which at the end of the day, helps broadcasters and artists."

(6/7/2012 10:35:58 PM)
If these fees are so high, why aren't companies creating their own hits? Want a hot song that can't be found on Pandora? Make one and play it.
(6/7/2012 7:31:58 AM)
Two years ago I suggested a partnership with the music industry was a better approach than the war declred by the NAB. It is not too late as the Clear Channel approach illustrates. Listen to Greg Walden's words so that the next time Congress butts in the industry can say, " we have that worked out." Radio will get a much better deal.
(6/7/2012 7:25:01 AM)
Two years ago

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Ford Customers Not in Sync With Infotainment System

Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally tells Automotive Age "that revised versions of the Sync and MyFord Touch infotainment systems will be simpler and more reliable. He says improvements are coming. The magazine reports the changes are aimed at avoiding glitches that have dogged the new technologies and hurt Ford's standings in quality and reliability studies. Mulally says "I think when they (consumers) see the new upgraded versions of it, they might change their mind." Some consumers were not buying a Ford if they were forced to take the vehicle with Sync and MyFord touch already installed.

Consumer Reports magazine said it won't recommend the 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers because of low test scores -- mainly the result of MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch technology. The magazine called the technology "a complicated distraction while driving." It said "first-time users might find it impossible to comprehend. The system did not always perform as promised." In a J.D. Power and Associates survey released in June that tracks problems reported during the first 90 days of ownership, the Ford brand fared worse than the industry average for the first time since the 2006 model year.

According to Automotive Age in 2011 Ford will send owners of vehicles with MyFord Touch or MyLincoln Touch a flash drive that they can use to install an upgrade without going to a dealership. But Mulally conceded that Ford "got feedback early" from consumers "very clearly that in some areas maybe it was a little too sophisticated with maybe a little too many options."

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New Cadillac CUE System to Feature Pandora

Pandora announced yesterday that Cadillac is its latest automotive partners. Cadillac announced the launch of its new CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system, featuring Pandora, at the CTIA Wireless Association's Enterprise and Applications conference in San Diego. Pandora will be incorporated into the Cadillac CUE system, which will be in the upcoming XTS and ATS luxury sedans and will be a feature of all future Cadillac vehicles beginning in 2012.

CUE will support Android, BlackBerry and iPhone smartphones.

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