Forecast 2013. More Than Predictions

10-28-2012

Forecast 2013, November 28 at the Harvard Club in New York, will kick off with its annual outlooks and predictions for the country and for media expenditures by highly respected analysts and industry experts. This year, their guidance will also set the stage for the most in depth analyses and strategic deliberations ever presented in sessions at the Forecast summit.

In a groundbreaking agenda (www.radioinkforecast.com), Forecast 2013 takes the predictions and prognostications beyond the theoretical to the strategy of execution. How does radio get beyond customary boundaries and find its way to a larger share of all media expenditures? What can we learn from agency heads, who control billions in ad revenues, about what they look for in media? This is just one of the topics that will be tackled at Forecast 2013.  A panel of some of the biggest names in the world of advertising, who oversee the marketing of the nation's biggest brands, will be announced soon. You'll know the names.  Will they know your or are you and your company one of those they say they seldom, if ever, see? Forecast 2013 will provide an opportunity to meet these powerful ad executives in the summit's traditional  "no press", intimate setting and limited (200) seating.
Forecast 2013 is co-chaired by Bob PIttman of Clear Channel (pictured left), and Bill Koenigsberg (pictured right) of Horizon Media. Watch your email for exciting announcements and more information about Forecast 2013 this week. Register for Forecast HERE. To see the Forecast agenda, go HERE

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Many Cell Towers Failed During Storm

10-31-2012

This is going to give broadcasters more ammo to push for the FM cell phone chip. That is, if they continue to be aggressive in promoting the benefits to consumers. During a conference call Tuesday, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said 25% of wireless cell towers and a quarter of cable services in 10 states were knocked out as a result of the Hurricane. Genachowski also said service would get worse before it got better.

Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA all reported problems. The cellphone issues covered 158 counties from Virginia to Massachusetts.

Genachowski asked the public to limit "non-essential" calls and to text, e-mail or use social media to communicate with family and friends instead of calling. Radio stations in the heart of the storm had wall-to-wall coverage of the storm, providing vital information to communities. When stations, such as 1010 WINS in New York City went down due to damaged equipment, they quickly went to an FM (music) frequency to continue broadcasting. The station could also be heard live online without interruption.

A fully powered cell phone with an FM chip broadcasting local stations could have kept those residents who lost power and cell phone service fully informed as Sandy made its way through the storm zone. A chip broadcasting local stations does not use the data network.

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Radio Works Overtime To Inform The Public

10-30-2012

Before Sandy even made landfall, WTOP's website was getting bombarded by local residents looking for information on the storm. WTOP.com logged over two million pageviews on Sunday, with 280,000 unique users. It's a story being repeated all over the eastern portion of the United States. From big market stations like WTOP, to storefront stations on Main Street in tiny towns. 1010 WINS in New York is reporting damage to its equipment and is now broadcasting on 92.3-FM.

Here's where you can listen to live coverage of Sandy, and see incredible pictures posted on station websites of the damage from the storm all along the East Coast:
Hubbard Radio's www.WTOP.com
CBS Radio in New York 1010 WINS and WCBS-AM)
Townsquare's New Jersey 101.5
Greater Media's WCTC-AM in New Jersey
KYW in Philly

Pictured here is New Jersey Governor Christie with with New Jersey 101.5 (Townsquare) Meteorologist Alan Kasper. New Jersey was impacted first by the storm and New Jersey 101.5 was one of the many stations in that state helping residents deal with the situation.

At Greater Media in New Jersey, the newsroom was working late last night to bring listeners everything they needed to stay informed and stay safe. Pictured are News Director Bruce Johnson and Danny Breslauer.

Send your Sandy-related pictures to edryantheeditor@gmail.com

(10/30/2012 1:28:58 PM)
Two things.

First, why ignore public radio? Stations like WNYC did a terrific job covering many Sandy stories and now the aftermath, without any sensationalism.

Second, I'm betting WINS' problem, along with other New York AM stations, has to do with its transmitter location in the New Jersey meadows. In my my own coverage of the storm, I said I expected some of those stations to be affected by rising tides: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2012/10/29/riding-out-the-storm/ .

(10/30/2012 9:20:41 AM)
Lame.....Your name says it all, about you.
(10/30/2012 8:08:44 AM)
WTOP is a fraud. This is all a setup to get Bob Struble's junk-technology mandated into cell phones. It will never happen. During the recent derecho, WTOP's coverage was a joke. I live in D.C, and had no problems with my Verizon cell phone service last night or during the derecho. You all are frauds.

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(TALENT) The Blame Game (continued)

10-31-2012

Radio Ink publisher, Eric Rhoads, recently suggested that it was time for radio to take responsibility for its own situation. I would state in stronger terms that radio sits on the cusp of demise. If that?s too harsh for tender eyes, then, most certainly, stagnation. None of this, I contend, is necessary or inevitable ? for many reasons.

The circumstance in which radio finds itself is the responsibility of the people who own, run, and yes, staff the stations. Ownership and management do make for rich targets. And rightly so. The staff, meanwhile ? both on-air and creative ? are in no position to put on their whiner-hats and yip about the big, bad corporate entities that are getting in the way of their own superior wit, skills, and charm.

In his editorial, Mr. Rhoads accurately defines radio as a medium that gets better (read: more influential) responses when audience emotions are engaged ? more than if pure content is all that is provided. He didn?t have to say ?appropriate emotions? as the ones that drive listeners to jab the tune-out button are not those that anybody recommends. That, as is constantly being demonstrated, is something we can do all by ourselves. In fact, providing material in a manner that generates those exact undesirable emotions is what radio does ? as a default position.

The main factors that permeate the experience of the vast majority of radio folk include: 1/ An ignorance of how this medium impacts audiences; 2/ An unwillingness to consider newer or (seemingly) unrelated material that would influence programming and commercial production philosophies and techniques; 3/ An unwillingness and/or inability to adapt to changing environments; And, 4/ The unfortunate acceptance of a tainted and toxic hierarchy of values which places money/sales/revenue/profits as the first and highest priority.

The glaring and obvious irony here is that no one ? and I mean no one ? has been able to convincingly argue that audiences and clients have been the very last considerations of owners and management for decades. The bleating of management that ?our listeners and clients come first? is just pure, noxious tripe. In other words: They are lying ? and are so expert at it, they can do it with a straight face. There is, however, a bail-out position. They actually might be sincere. But, that?s even more frightening.

Further, and as mentioned earlier, talent is not being offered a free pass here either. As this is a business supposedly staffed by ?professionals," I would not be out of line to ask of every on-air or creative department staffer: ?What are the last three books on communication you read where you applied the material provided?? In other fields, ?professionals? are constantly being upgraded in their knowledge and skills ? most of which, by the way, is being provided by employers! (To expect that of radio is, I realize, to delude oneself.)

I really do tire of having senior on-air or creative personnel offering, ?That?s the way I have been doing it for years and it?s been working for me.? Twenty piggies crammed into a 15? x 15? slop-filled stall can make a similar claim. The only difference is the piggies don?t know that one day they will be bacon ? although rumors are rampant in radio.

I can pick any market of any size where the American model of radio is being practiced and know I am going to hear the most superficial, poorly-delivered, irritating, ill-prepared and seemingly mindless group of talent ever to grace a professional, electronic medium. While acknowledging the rare people-of-talent who do exist and who are plying their trade, I project that even the talent themselves would accept my description as being accurate. This doesn?t mean they have neither the potential nor desire to be superior communicators and/or entertainers. It is, unfortunately, a valid and sordid description of what is coming out of the box.

Talent will be forgiven for the claim of finding themselves in a terrible conundrum ? wanting and willing to be better at what they do, but given neither the skill-enhancement opportunities nor the air-time to master any skills they may already bring to the microphone. As has been suggested for those on the management side, there is that group of talent who don?t even know they suck, especially when PDs, who are incompetent anyway, tell the talent they don?t suck.

This is no time for radio to be digging in and continuing to strenuously do what doesn?t work. Please stop me if I seem a little maudlin here. I kinda feel for the poor salespeople who are thrown out on the street with the latest, greatest closing techniques to grind the unsuspecting (or not) client-base with more pleading bafflegab. White noise taking the form of ?Well, it worked for these guys!? is about all that is being provided. In terms of carrying briefcases full of powerful, broadcast solutions for their clients, most are just wandering around with empty sacks of confetti and sparkly beads ? and a firm, sincere handshake.

Speaking of further ironies: The one that has always impressed me the most about radio is that one that hardly anybody in the business can describe how, specifically our medium works/impacts an audience. Not only that, but the medium has a completely different impact on those who work in the industry. Audiences experience the radio. We think about it. It is called a ?meta-position."

Now, I do appreciate how laying out blame does nothing for the blamer ? other than tending to freeze them into inactivity. There is, however, a time and place to discuss responsibilities and alternatives. This may be one of those.

Still, my thanks and a tip-o?-the-hat to Mr. Rhoads for reinforcing that which has been obvious to some for decades. Someone of his stature making the admonition can only help the proposition to be moved along.

Ronald T. Robinson has been involved in Canadian Radio since the '60s as a performer, writer and coach and has trained and certified as a personal counsellor. Ron makes the assertion that the most important communicative aspects of broadcasting, as they relate to Talent and Creative, have yet to be addressed. Check out his website www.voicetalentguy.com

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Newspaper Digital Circulation on the Rise

10-31-2012

More proof that consumers are going online for information. Digital circulation now accounts for 15.3% of newspapers? total circulation according to a new report from the Audit Bureau of Circulations. That's up from 9.8% in September 2011. Digital includes newspapers that are delivered on a smartphone app, e-readers and restricted-access websites. The New York Times leads the pack with 896K digital readers.

Following the times are:
The Wall Street Journal - 795,000
The New York Post - 178,000.
The Denver Post - 176,000
The L.A. Times - 152,000

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Auto Sales Remain Strong in October

10-26-2012

J.D. Power and Associates is predicting October will be another strong month for auto sales. "New-vehicle retail sales continue the robust pace from September, with another month of strong double-digit year-over-year growth." October new-vehicle retail sales are projected to come in at 943,200 units--a 13% increase in volume, compared to 2011, according to the organization. The forecasted selling rate in October is the second consecutive month above 12 million units, the first time that has occurred since April and May 2008.

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How Much Should Sirius Pay in Royalties?

10-26-2012

Broadcast attorney David Oxenford (pictured) says the royalties that Sirius XM will pay to SoundExchange for the next 5 years will be decided by the Copyright Royalty Board in December. The CRB held an oral argument last week, where Sirius XM and SoundExchange presented their arguments as to what those royalties should be. Sirius wants to pay less and SoundExchange wants them to pay a lot more. Oxenford details how this upcoming SiriusXM decision will lay the groundwork for what happens to all Internet Radio Broadcasters.

Read the entire Oxenford blog HERE

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Don't Be A Twit When You Tweet

10-25-2012

Back in the day, it took a little time for a radio announcer to say something really stupid that lead to an eventual firing. These days, you can be gone in an instant thanks to social media. Scott Torgeson found that out when he tweeted something he was thinking, most likely before he thought about it too much. Despite apologizing Torgeson was suspended immediately and fired yesterday (see story below).

In addition to their daily to-do list longer than a football field managers now have watch what their employees are doing on Social Media. After all whatever the tweet or post is a reflection on the company and may have an impact with advertisers. So, in light of this additional job responsibility you weren't expecting, we reached out to Social Media expert Danica Kombol from www.beeverywhere.tv for advice on how to prevent this from happening at your station.

Kombol says managers need to understand that their on-air personalities now have a new broadcast channel and it's called Twitter and Facebook. "Just like they pay attention to their radio broadcasts, they need to be aware of what their personalities are sharing on their social feeds. Make sure you have a clear social media policy. Remind all employees that they represent a radio station and what they put out on their social channels is no different from what they share on the air. Train their entire staffs in social media - too many people think their social channels are private. Wake up. They are not. While what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas...everything in social media lives on forever .. in a cloud somewhere. Think about your digital footprint and what you are leaving behind.  There's no taking back. Didn't we learn that with Anthony Weiner? 
On the talent side, to help you avoid losing a job, Kombol also has some rules about Social Media to live by. "Remember, don't put ANYTHING on a social media site you wouldn't be willing to say on the air.  In fact, exercise even more caution. Scott Torgeson said,  ?My Desmond Howard tweet was a joke. I think if you listen to the show you know that.? Scott's challenge? He didn't understand the subtlety of a "printed word" or a tweet. The nuances and comedic sensibility of the spoken work don't always translate to a Tweet or a Facebook status update."

Follow Danica on Twitter @danicakombol

(10/25/2012 7:49:17 PM)
A few years ago, Bob Struble Twitted that he had taken Ambien on a red-eye flight, and couldn't remember the drive home! LOL!
(10/25/2012 3:54:56 PM)
Spoken like a true talentless manager. I'm a 26 year on air personality in a major market. I use social media to interact with thousands of listeners, it's a personal contact that creates loyalty and they actually HELP with show prep. Might want to walk in our shoes before you bleat.
(10/25/2012 9:59:43 AM)
By all means, keep the talent firmly in chains. Have their off-air, social media comments be as sachrine and p.c. as anything they would be allowed to say on-air.
After all, this is not an entertainment medium that also might challenge listeners - it's a money medium.
That is, unless the talent is a jaundiced, arrogant, fringe talk show host where slander and ridicule are the money-making elements of the program.
Lesson: Spend more time and effort on show prep than on social media quips that might reach less than 5% of the on-air audience. This is not rocket surgery.

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Journal Radio Revenue Flat In Q3

10-25-2012

For the third quarter, revenue from Tulsa's 35 radio stations increased 4.4 percent to $19.9 million from $19.0 million. However, when you back out the two stations Journal purchased from Renda in Tulsa that were not on the books last year, the Journal increase is only .8 percent. Political and issue advertising revenue was $300K in 2012 compared to $400K in 2011.

Core local advertising revenue increased 5.9 percent, or 1.8 percent on a same station basis, primarily due to increases in media and casino advertising. Core national advertising revenue decreased 2.1 percent, or a decrease of 5.7 percent on a same-station basis, mostly due to declines in communications advertising. Operating earnings from radio stations were $3.0 million compared to $4.1 million, a decrease of 26.6 percent. Radio operating expenses increased 13.0 percent driven by higher employee-related costs, a $0.4 million non-cash building impairment charge, and higher broadcast rights fees. Excluding the building impairment charge and Tulsa related operating and acquisition expenses of $0.6 million, operating expenses increased by 6.5 percent.

Journal purchased two stations from Renda Broadcasting in Tulsa last year (KHTT-FM and 92.9 BOB FM) which accounts for the additional revenue that gets the quarterly increase to 4.4 percent. Journal owns 35 radio stations in addition to its TV and publishing divisions.

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Lamar Purchases Next Media's Billboards

10-26-2012

Thursday Lamar outdoor announced it had agreed to purchase the outdoor division of NextMedia for $145 million. In addition to its 33 radio stations in eight states, Next Media owns and operates outdoor billboards in 8 states. The sale of the boards does not impact the radio division of Next Media. 

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Former WOL Host Bernie McCain Dies

10-26-2012

McCain was 75 and had left the station about a year ago due to his declining health. He was on the station, now owned by Radio One in Washington D.C., for 15 years. McCain came to WOL from WRC in 1981. He had been at WRC for over 15 years before making the move. McCain died of renal failure. McCain was WOL's first Program Director.

The Washington Post has more detail on the life of Bernie McCain HERE

(10/26/2012 12:19:01 PM)
With all due respect to and God bless Mr. McCain, I agree with the other comment that McCain was not WOL's first PD. The station became WOL in 1951 and was a top rated Soul/R&B station in the 60s & 70s. I grew up listening to it.
(10/26/2012 6:56:43 AM)
First Program Director? How can that possibly be?? For instance, how about their great years under Sonderling as Soul Radio?

Maybe he was WOL's first PD in 1981...

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Borrell Bringing a Life Preserver to Forecast

10-26-2012

It's no secret that radio is still well behind print competitors in local ad spending; newspapers and Yellow Pages combine for about a quarter of all local ad dollars. But those mediums are sinking fast under the pressure of digital competition.Where will their advertisers go? Gordon Borrell of Borrell Associates has a pretty good idea. And he thinks there's a lot of room for radio to move in on print -- if radio understands where its opportunity really lies.

"Local advertising is undergoing a fascinating evolution," Borrell says. "Less money is being spent on classical-type advertising and more on dynamic marketing and promotions. The marketplace cacophony is so loud that it?s gotten harder and harder to sell spots -- or any other type of advertising, for that matter. What?s emerging is a powerful opportunity for radio to capitalize on what their beleaguered print competitors have discovered. Handled the right way, the Internet becomes not a way to make a few piddly extra bucks, but rather a significant revenue magnifier."

Are you prepared to take real advantage of the digital future?

Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates, is a leading media analyst, top-ranked worldwide and frequently quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Ad Age, and other publications. He's a popular and incisive speaker widely sought after for conferences and events, and you won't want to miss what he has to say.

Radio Ink's Forecast is the radio industry's exclusive financial conference, gathering radio owners, CEOs, CFOs, group executives, and managers with Wall Street and private equity investors and analysts to forecast the upcoming year. Well informed and noted economic, political, and media participants present trends, opportunities, projections, and analytical commentary on the state of business, especially as it impacts media. Now in its 10th year, Forecast has become the premium event in radio financial circles. The event is held at the Harvard Club in New York City and is closed to the press.

Immediately following Forecast, Radio Ink's "40 Most Powerful People in Radio" are honored at an exclusive, invitation-only reception, also at the Harvard Club. Forecast attendees will get the exclusive opportunity to mingle with these industry luminaries. Only registered conference attendees are guaranteed invitations to this premier networking after-party. Attendance is limited to 200.

Register for Forecast HERE

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Christian Radio Listeners Very Loyal

10-26-2012

New research from Mark Kassof & Co. reveals that Christian format P1 listeners have the highest level of preference for the station they listen to most. Overall, 50% of listeners think their P1 station is ?a lot better? than other stations they listen to. But of those who name a Christian station, that number is 73%. These research is based on 732 online surveys of 18-64 year olds in the U.S. who can name a station they ?spend the most time listening to.?

Other formats with above average station preference are Public Radio (64%), News/Talk (61%) and Country (56%). CHR stations have the lowest preference among their P1 listeners...39% think their station is a lot better (while 55% find it only ?slightly better?). Other formats with ?a lot better? scores below average are Oldies/Classic Hits (42%), Adult Contemporary (43%) and Sports (44%).

The survey was conducted October 1-4, 2012. More details can be found at kassof.com. This research is the latest in a series of ListenerThinkTM surveys conducted by Mark Kassof &

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Pittman Teams With Westergren to Lobby Congress

10-25-2012

A lobbying group called the Internet Radio Fairness Coalition has launched and it has Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman and Pandora Founder Tim Westergren on the same team. Pittman has never been a big fan of the Pandora business model but in this case the Internet music service's millions of users will come in handy as both men lobby Congress for friendlier royalty rates. Pittman and Westergren are joined by 10 other organizations to form this coalition and push for pending legislation to lower royalty rates.

Founding members of the Coalition include 977 Music, AccuRadio, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Digital Media Association (DiMA), Digitally Imported, Engine Advocacy, National Religious Broadcasters Music License Committee (NRBMLC), Pandora (NYSE: P), Radio Paradise, Salem Communications, and the Small Webcaster Alliance (SWA). The Coalition website is www.InternetRadioFairness.com.

Pittman said, ?We believe that market-based solutions are the way to go. But in the absence of these agreements, the CRB needs to have and consider more relevant information so they are better able to develop a rate structure that will lead to a healthy, sustainable Internet radio marketplace. This will enable artists to earn more and connect more with their fans, consumers to have more choices, and entrepreneurs to invent and invest in new services.?

Westergren added, ?Legislation that establishes a fair royalty rate setting-standard for Internet radio will drive investment in webcasting, which ultimately offers greater opportunities and more revenue for working artists,? said Pandora Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Tim Westergren. ?Internet radio has been shown to help decrease music piracy and increase music sales. When the digital music sector is allowed to grow and innovate, everybody wins.?

The Coalition?s mission is to urge Congress to support legislation (The Internet Radio Fairness Act of 2012, or IRFA), aimed at bringing the royalty system for Internet radio into the 21st century -- creating a sustainable business model for the industry that gives consumers more choices and more products for listening to the music they love; enables artists to earn more money as Internet radio grows; creates a marketplace that will attract entrepreneurs to invest in new, innovative ways to deliver music to the public; and drives higher revenues for record labels.

(10/26/2012 3:44:50 PM)
The NAB wants to keep the the higher streaming rates because they have invested in iBiquity's fraud.

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NAB Says No To Coalition

10-26-2012

The National Association was asked to be part of the new Internet Radio Fairness Coalition and declined. Clear Channel and Salem are the only two radio groups signed on, according to the press release sent out Thursday. Cumulus isn't really in the space and Entercom did not reply to our inquiry as to why they weren't part of the group. So we asked the NAB's Dennis Wharton (pictured) why the group turned the coalition down.

Wharton said, "The reason the NAB has not taken an official position on the Chaffetz Bill, though we support the concept of lowering the rates that radio stations pay when they stream music, as is reflected in this statement that we released when the Chaffetz Bill was introduced on Sept. 21: NAB appreciates the leadership of Reps. Chaffetz and Polis and Sen. Wyden and strongly supports legislative efforts to establish fair webcast streaming rates. NAB will work with the bill's sponsors and all interested parties to create broadcast radio streaming rates that promote new distribution platforms and new revenue streams that foster the future growth of music."

(10/26/2012 1:10:04 AM)
The NAB wants streaming rates to stay high because of thier investments in iBiquity.

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Bob Michaels Dies

10-26-2012

Radio veteran Bob Michaels has passed away. Michaels apparently died of a heart attack vacationing in Key West, FL. Michaels was ExecutiveVP for Research at Clear Channel from April 2010 to September 2012. This sad news about Bob Michaels was passed along to Radio Ink from the Michaels family. Known at Arbitron as the father of software tools for Programmers, Bob is credited with the development of Maximizer?s Programmer?s Package - the first software ever designed expressly for the PD. The road to Bob?s multiple high-profile career successes began with stints in York ? Scranton, PA and the Virgin Islands where he served as Research Director, News Director, Sales Person, General Manager and On-Air Talent.

While at WQXA-FM in York during the early 80s, Bob converted a tiny abandoned station studio into an informal one-stop research agency where sales people, Programmers and Clients would gather to better undertsand what ratings actually meant. With a degree from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA and an M.B.A. from York College of Pennsylvania, Bob was uniquely qualified to transfer data into dollars for the reps. And he provided a clear programming edge to the PDs.

Bob went to Arbitron through Pierre Bouvard who, at the time, was the Regional Manager in Dallas. According to Bouvard, ?I repped Bob when I had Pennsylvania and was always amazed with how he understood our data better than most of us. When we had an opening in Dallas, he was my first call.? Bouvard and Michaels often discussed the need for and value of having software designed specifically for Programmers. From those conversations, Programmers Package was hatched and Bob became Arbitron?s first ever ambassador to radio programmers. Further incarnations of this work led to the industry newsletter PD News, PD Boot Camps and PD Advantage. Bob was on the frontlines where he help usher in PPM and he worked with programmers to help them understand the merits of the new rating service.

While many understand Bob?s innovations and contributions made our industry better, there was yet another side to Bob where his passions also benefitted others. Along with Cindy, his beloved wife of 22 years, Bob collected Garden Scale (LGB) Trains. And what started as a small backyard setup for personal enjoyment, turned into an annual Christmas display where the tens-of-thousands of onlookers would stop by to see their Carrollton, TX house in full seasonal splendor. Bob and Cindy asked each spectator to drop off a canned good for the local food bank. During Christmas, on a weekly basis, huge truckloads of food were hauled from Bob and Cindy?s to the needy. Bob would also head back to Pennsylvania where he would host the Public Television station?s fund drive ? garnering hundreds of thousands of dollars for their programming. And as an avid scuba diver and owner of a dive quarry, Bob would teach anyone who would ask about the joys under the water.

(10/27/2012 3:34:23 PM)
At least we know that the radio industry isn't starving (yet)!
(10/27/2012 2:17:14 PM)
Gee, Chubby!

Nice people saying nice things.

(10/27/2012 1:55:29 PM)
If he hadn't been so Goddamn fat, he wouldn't have died of a heart attack and left his family homeless!
(10/27/2012 9:40:09 AM)
Anyone else wish this was Bob Struble's obituary? LOL!
(10/27/2012 4:46:20 AM)
Worked with Bob at Arbitron for 20 years.
A great radio man and an even better person who always saw the half filled glass. Will miss him dearly. My condolences to his wife Cindy.

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Entercom Q3 Revenue up 2% Expenses Slashed 9%

10-26-2012

NOTE: THIS STORY WAS UPDATED AT 11am FRIDAY
Entercom scrapped out a 2% gain in Q2 of 2012. After starting out strong in July, August and September softened and political revenue is not coming in to radio as originally hoped. Entercom CEO David Field said, "we don't have a definitive answer why business softened." He did say Q4 looks better, pacing up 6% so far.

Entercom cut another 9% from the expense line which helped produce a 25% jump in operating income ($38.7 million). Free cash flow was flat at $20.6 million. The 2% gain may be an indication of a still uncertain consumer and confirmation that radio is not benefiting from political spending as it had hoped, and as much as Television is.

NOTE: THIS STORY WAS UPDATED AT 8am FRIDAY

We'll get more detail at 10AM on the company conference call but, at first glance, it was another so-so quarter of revenue for Entercom, gaining only 2%. In addition Entercom cut another 9% from the expense line which helped produce a 25% jump in operating income ($38.7 million). Free cash flow was flat at $20.6 million. The 2% gain may be an indication of a still uncertain consumer and confirmation that radio is not benefiting from political spending as it had hoped, and as much as Television is.

5AM
---------------------------
David Field will report 3rd quarter earnings on a 10AM conference call Friday. It'll be our first real look at whether a few of the bigger markets are really turning the corner and can produce significant top-line revenue gains in the radio industry. Entercom has over 100 stations in 23 markets including San Francisco (#4), Boston (#10), Seattle (#13) and Denver (#20). TV has been booming thanks to politics.If you believe the political pundits, Colorado, Wisconsin, Virginia and Florida are swing states and Entercom operates radio stations in all four of those states.

In August Field told investors he expected to see more top-line growth in the back half of the year as format changes started to take hold in several markets. In the second quarter of this year, Entercom reported flat local revenue. Overall the company was down 1% in Q2. Operating income was up but that was largely due to cost cutting. We should also get a clearer picture on political advertising. In 2008 Entercom took in roughly $8 million in political advertising and Field told investors last quarter that any revenue that would be coming to Entercom would mostly take place in Q3 and Q4.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter during the conference call for live updates @radio_ink

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More Work on The Clear Channel Debt.

10-26-2012

Clear Channel issued $2 billion of bonds after it said its offer to exchange term loans for the new notes was oversubscribed. Earlier this week, Clear Channel said more than $8 billion of loans were submitted for exchange by the time the offer expired at the end of last week. Clear Channel received permission from lenders this week allowing for the exchange of as much as $5 billion of debt.

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Jose Valle Joins Forecast Panel

10-25-2012
This year's Forecast Group Head Super Session will include an important addition to the line up when Univision president Jose Valle joins this powerful executive conversation, a first in Forecast history. The Forecast Group Head Super Session, moderated by award winning journalist, Rita Cosby, will also feature Lew Dickey, Cumulus; David Field, Entercom; John Hogan, CCM&E; Jeff Smulyan, Emmis; and Peter Smyth, Greater Media.
"We are very pleased that Mr.Valle has agreed to participate at Forecast this year. Not only is Univision one of the country's largest broadcasters overall, but focused as they are on Hispanic, they represent a hugely significant and growing segment of the industry that should be part of this exchange," noted Deborah Parenti, EVP/Radio for Radio Ink.
"To have all these influential leaders together on one stage is really exciting. We hope to add some fresh touches to the staging to enhance the presentation of this provocative session," added Ms. Parenti.
Forecast 2013 will be held at the Harvard Club in New York City on November 28. Attendance is limited to 200 and there is a no press policy. For reservations, go to www.radioinkforecast.com.

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Apple To Challenge Pandora In 2013.

10-25-2012

That's the update via Bloomberg, which seems to have the inside scoop on all the details. Apple is developing an online music service to challenge Pandora and apparently is trying to cut a deal with labels that gives them early access to new music. Bloomberg says Vivendi, Universal, Warner, and Sony all visited Apple's home office to see what the company was up to with its planned service and discussions are focusing on how to share revenue.

According to Bloomberg, in addition to an upfront fee, record companies are seeking a percentage of ad sales and the ability to insert their own commercials for artists. Apple sees the service as a way to grow its iAd mobile advertising platform, and is exploring ways to integrate iAd with iTunes to steer customers back to iTunes, according to the report. Apple has more than 400 million iTunes accounts.

Read the full Bloomberg story HERE

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(AUDIO) DiMa Chief: "Let's Be Fair"

The plan to organize a coalition to lobby Congress has been in the works for months according to the Executive Director of the Digital Media Association Lee Knife. Knife tells Radio Ink the group doesn't plan to have an office or paid staff, it's basically several organizations showing their support and solidarity for H.R. 6490, introduced in the House by Representative Jason Chaffetz and Senate Bill 3609 introduced by Ron Wyden in the Senate. The goal is to lobby Congress to lower royalty rates, sooner rather than later, on all streaming providers. Here's our interview with Knife about this new coalition.

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Who Are Top Sports Talkers in America

10-25-2012

Sports talk stations are popping up all over America to take advantage of one of the most exciting and popular formats in our industry. Many of those stations are home to some of radio's best talent. A sports talk host has to be a trusted expert on sports, understand the local market and produce a high quality program that engages listeners and rabid sports callers every day. It's time those talkers are recognized.

In an upcoming issue of Radio Ink Magazine we will recognize the Top 25 local sports talkers in America. Make your nominations today. Each person nominated MUST host a local airshift. (A local shift plus a regional show is acceptable). It can be a daily show or a weekend show. Teams/duos can be nominated as one nomination. Hosts cannot nominate themselves.

Send your nominations to edryantheeditor@gmail.com.
Each nomination must include the following:
- Contact information for the person you are nominating (including telephone number and e-mail address)
- All of your station information and how long the host has been on the air.
- A paragraph on why YOU believe this person should make the list.

Everyone nominated will be asked to answer several questions and submit an MP3 file of their work (and a picture) by a deadline.

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(SALES) "No" Doesn't Mean No

10-23-2012

When it comes to securing co-op support for your advertisers, no doesn?t always mean no.
Many manufacturers and suppliers publish co-operative advertising (co-op) programs that, at first glance, do not appear to work for you or your station. Some might even suggest they don?t support radio campaigns at all.

To secure support from these manufacturers or suppliers, you must first understand why suppliers budget for co-op funds or marketing subsidies:

1.) They have a vested interest in your client?s success.
2.) They know advertising and promotion can help sell more of their products.
3.) They want to strengthen their relationships with your advertiser.
4.) Suppliers are competing with other suppliers for shelf space, merchandising opportunities, and promotions.

Knowing these objectives, you?ll discover that most suppliers are willing to break their own co-op rules in yourfavor to further their relationship with your advertiser, their customer.

And even if suppliers don?t have a recognized co-op program, they?ll often access extraordinary marketing budgets to subsidize your promotional efforts. Many have budgets other than co-op for sampling campaigns, merchandising, contesting, promotions, and more, that they can steer your way in the interest of strengthening their customer relationships or selling more of their products. And it?s often simply a case of ?Those who ask for support will get it, those who don?t, won?t.?

How to Ask

Many business owners believe their hands are tied to rigid manufacturers? restrictions if they use manufacturers? co-op advertising funds, but seldom is this the case. The most successful radio account executives think of suppliers? published co-op plans as "guidelines" rather than rules.

Radio account executives who step up to the plate to help secure more vendor support for their advertisers? campaigns can increase their sales substantially. 

1.) Tender Your Next Ad Campaign. Ask you client for permission to use their name and letterhead to present to all of their key suppliers. Outline your proposed advertising schedule and investment, along with any special displays, promotions, demonstrations, or other exposure your advertiser can give the suppliers.

2.) Think Beyond Cash. Manufacturers and suppliers have more to offer than cash, credits, or discounts. They often have branded advertising specialties or prizes they can offer for your campaign. They might also offer their vehicle presence for "truckload sales," or arrange factory demos at your client?s location.

3.) Tie in With Suppliers? Promo Calendars. Many suppliers have promotions like travelling road shows, demos, personality appearances, and more. Ask to see their promotions calendar, and negotiate. Try to make your location a player in their events.

4.) Capture The Co-Op Due. You can be your advertiser?s valuable marketing partner by simply doing the work for them. Offer to review all of their suppliers' co-op plans and make contacts on their behalf. Offering to do the necessary paperwork and make the process as turnkey as painless as possible assures that you will be the beneficiary of the available co-op rather than some other media.

5.) Bend The Rules. Most suppliers are willing to bend the rules in their published co-op plans if it will further their relationship with their customer and help them sell more product. Often, for example, you don?t need to use the scripts they provide, and you can get approval to use your script as long as it mentions their product.

6.) Year-End Bonus Revenues. As companies near year end, ask if there are unused funds you could capture. Often, rather than seeing funds go unspent, you can persuade suppliers to re-allocate those funds to your campaign.

Wayne Ens is the president of ENS Media Inc. and producer of SoundADvice, the radio e-marketing system and advertiser seminar that is persuading local advertisers across North America to drop their print advertising in favor of a radio-Internet media mix. He can be reached at wayne@wensmedia.com 

(10/23/2012 11:17:29 AM)
Great article! The general consensus is that co-ops are fading away slowly but surely. With this uptick in the economy, hopefully we'll see co-ops come back!

Jim
www.homegrownpromos.com

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Does Radio Really Need a Makeover?

12-21-2012

Recently, Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman was featured in the Wall Street Journal. Pittman has been using every speaking opportunity to promote radio, tout its strengths and convince advertisers radio is still very relevant in the lives of consumers. Whether Clear Channel pitched the story to the Journal or they came  knocking on his door doesn't really matter. He was featured. Radio was the topic. And Pittman stayed on point, letting the writer know listeners never deserted radio. The WSJ headline "Pittman Envisions New Life For Radio" apparently did not sit particularly well with everyone in the industry, including Northern Broadcast General Manager Charlie Ferguson who says radio doesn't need a makeover. We'll let you decide what to make of Ferguson's points.

by Charlie Ferguson
When he appointed himself ?the Keeper of Cool for Radio,? (Clear Channel CEO) Bob Pittman showed more hubris than most of us could take. Bob seems to think he?s the only one in the world with a jar of ?cool? hidden next to the big can of Whup Ass under his desk. It also sounds like he, alone, has access to what?s inside. What?s bothering me about all this self promotion is it has nothing to do with what we do on free, over-the-air radio! You can?t make radio ?cool? again by putting a Pandora copycat service on the Internet. They don?t call TV on the Internet TV, they call it video. Radio on the Internet isn?t radio, it?s audio. Only terrestrial radio is radio, and it doesn?t get cooler because you put another program stream on iHeartRadio. 

Clear Channel isn?t getting ?cooler? because you got rid of the entire species known as ?Program Director? in the local markets.  It isn?t ?cooler? to run the same program on 300 stations at the same time when 299 of those audiences won?t ever even see a picture of the personality, let alone meet them and shake their hand. While CC is able to aggregate their online audience and cross-promote national things (i.e. Taylor Swift?s ?Red? launch) it?s the power of the terrestrial signals that make it all happen. A lot of local broadcasters were stunned to find out the world wasn?t holding their breath waiting to listen to their radio stations as soon as they went online. But we?re not ?un-cool? because our streaming doesn?t generate vast numbers of listeners. 

We?re taking a cautious approach because the revenue model just doesn?t work ? and we know we?re not alone.  Our station websites are contest entry portals, information delivery outlets, and fun places for our audience community with us and each other ? so we?re ?cool? there too. The road to success for radio isn?t moving our audience online. It?s serving them with live, local content they like ? over the air. 

Our little group of radio stations makes radio ?cool? every single day. We?re on the air live and local, interacting with the audiences and having fun! Two of our FM stations racked up a total of over 200 live remote broadcasts and appearances over the past 12 months. We?re ?cool? because we take part in every charity fundraising event we possibly can ? and we sell third-party sponsorships to help our area businesses ?wear the white hat? and be a part of successful events. We?re also ?cool? because we take an entirely different approach to covering local high school sports on our ESPN Radio affiliates ? and there are 56 high schools spread out across our 17-county coverage area. The audience is responding and it?s profitable.

If you?re not doing it on the air using your radio transmitters, stop saying you?re making radio ?cool? again. Bob didn?t ask me, but if he did I?d say that if you want to make radio ?cool? again, bring back real, local personalities.  Get them out doing live remote broadcasts and appearances. Meet the audience face to face, thank them for listening to your radio stations, ask how they?re doing, entertain them, make them smile and shake their hands. 

Then last but not least, sell radio advertising on a ?dollar for dollar ? time for time? basis ? because if the dollars spent and the timeframe are equal, radio will get results equal to, or better than, any other medium. We reach 93% of Americans every week on free, over-the-air radio and have the ability to fill the stores, shops, and showrooms of our advertisers with customers every day. We don?t need Bob Pittman telling everyone that radio sucks and only he can make us ?cool? again. Radio broadcasters need to stop worshiping at the digital altar and keep pounding on what radio does ? and can do ? every day for both our listeners and clients.

Editor's Note: For clarification purposes, there's no record Bob Pittman has ever said "Radio sucks and only he can make us cool again." That may be how Mr. Ferguson perceives the Wall Street Journal article, however it is not a factual statement from anything we have seen or read.

Charlie Ferguson is General Manager of Northern Broadcast, Inc. (WKLT/WKLZ ? WFCX/WFDX ? WSRT/WSRJ FM) in Traverse City, Michigan (www.wklt.com and www.wklt.mobi) and can be reached at charlie@wklt.com

(10/23/2012 4:44:44 PM)
We all know Charlie is right. We had the pleasure of being entertained by Charlie’s excellent stations while traveling in his beautiful market area and exploring the U.P. He speaks the truth about radio, and about his group. He’s doing the best radio I’ve heard in this millenium.

We indies can take the extra care required to focus on continuing to do great radio, But in soulless media conglomerates where everyone from the corporate CEO to the regional manager to the platform manager to the SM, salesmen, and group PD is under tremendous pressure to focus only on feeding the beast created by avarice at the top, it ain’t going to happen no matter how times we see the picture of the smiling, self-satisfied golden boy du jour.

I don’t see the point of using a hilarious pseudonym to denigrate a passionate and successful local broadcast team that proves every day how there’s much more to the achievement of greatness in radio than the superficial as measured by Arbitron BIA. Such negativity is cheap and easy, and probably incorrect.

These broadcasters are important to the people of their communities. They actually stand for something beyond taking money out of the local economy and sending it away to corporate headquarters.

(10/23/2012 3:37:30 PM)
"Andy" is either a CC troll or a major market lifer who somehow wound up in a large market right off the bat by kissing the proper behind.

As one who has worked in a small and top 25 market, I can assure you that there are many Andys out there who have never left the ivory tower, and assume that they know everything. On a level playing field they would get killed. Deep down inside they know they are fakes. Thats why they rip others.

That article must have really hit a nerve. The truth hurts.

(10/23/2012 1:33:17 PM)
I have not spoken with or worked with Charlie for decades...and I've never met clear channel's mr. pittman. However, on a level playing field, Charlie will kick mr. pittman's ass...because the Charlie I knew would eat, sleep and breathe radio 24/7...and his commitment was to his EMPLOYEES and his ADVERTISERS FIRST, and not some corporate suits and shareholders who can barely spell radio. I really don't think technology is what's right or wrong with radio...it's greed and Wall Street.
(10/23/2012 1:09:39 PM)
There are some small & mid-sized market stations/groups that can continue to survive for a few more years while still living in the past... but those markets are becoming fewer & fewer. I'm in a county of 100,000 with 4 high schools and 2 local AM's... on Friday night if the game is good you might have 2,000 listeners between the 2 stations combined. The only way the morning or drive local shows can generate any listeners is to give away stuff every 5 minutes. The percentage of people under 40 who still listen to terrestrial radio continues to declines. I'm 52 and have gone from being a lifetime radio junkie listening 5+ hours a day to not having listened to a terrestial station in over 3 years. There may be a way for terrestrial to pull a rabit out of its hat, but I haven't heard a plan yet that will work... and staying with the old tried & true of radio's heyday surely ain't it.
(10/23/2012 12:14:50 PM)
Nice to see "Andy Travis" has found work again. :)
Meanwhile, Charlie's point is well-taken. However, if he doesn't believe radio needs a total makeover, he is mistaken. Although I can appreciate how those who are making comfortable livings - and more - are less willing to shake things up... even on the off-chance that improvements would be made all around. There are, after all, no guarantees. Those who want guarantees are urged to buy toaster ovens.

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Herman Cain To Speak To Arbitron Clients

10-21-2012
Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain will be speaking at the 2012 Arbitron Client Conference which is being held in Annapolis, MD,  December 5 and 6. Cain will be replacing Neil Boortz when Boortz retires from his syndicated program in January. Additional presentations will include: "What Connected Cars Mean for Radio," "How Disney Builds Customer Loyalty," and "What Radio Can Learn From Minnesota Twins' Social Efforts."

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No Surprise. The Shift To Mobile Continues.

10-23-2012

According to eMarketer, time spent using mobile devices for activities such as Internet and app use, gaming and music has more than doubled in the past two years. This year, the amount of time U.S. consumers spent using mobile devices?excluding talk time?will grow 51.9 percent to an average 82 minutes per day, up from just 34 minutes in 2010, eMarketer estimates. Mobile is growing quickly thanks to the consumer's love for smartphones and tablets.

Read more from the eMarketer story HERE

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(TALENT) Creative Departments – Part XXVI

10-24-2012

Much has been offered by so many expert sources on the creation, care, and feeding of radio commercials that anything I might add could easily be referred to as Part XXVI. But, since the Romans had such a strange way of writing numbers, I want to avoid having even astute readers go back to using fingers (and toes).

Radio commercials are the least expensive form of advertising being generated at a professional (read: for fees) level. An individual outside of radio -- including a listener -- can be forgiven for wondering how it is that when the only elements that are necessary in a radio commercial are spoken words and maybe some supporting sounds, the majority of the product being offered drives them to distraction.

The value of ?creativity? in radio advertising has been bandied about for years. Unfortunately for all concerned, this has not always been an exercise conducted by people who actually knew about what they spoke. Just as well, as I won?t be addressing ?creativity? in this piece. To be candid, I am unconvinced that off-the-wall or entertaining creative is absolutely necessary in all cases or at all times, anyway. Preferred ? of course. But, not required.

There are other elements and factors to radio commercials that have, so far, gone almost completely unnoticed. They have to do with the implementation and effect of the process we in the trade like to call: ?Talkin? effective English." After all, speaking English is all we have to deliver a message whether it is by a live (perish the thought) on-air presenter or through a prerecorded spot. The degree to which we apply our language is the only determining factor we have for any messages offered on the radio. That is, unless the content is overwhelming in and of itself. Not too many client, station, or jock-offerings are good enough to accomplish that!

There are three regular sources that provide radio commercials: In-house, agency-produced, or client-supplied. Almost none of the people who represent these sources, to my knowledge, have even begun to pay attention to the incredibly powerful benefits of using precise strategies in the application of English that are, and have been, available for decades. Yes, there are many clever and creative individuals slaving over their copy keyboards ? cranking out the odd, nifty spot. But, for the greater part, it?s mostly about typing the hype. There are, meanwhile, a few high-end agencies that are, in fact, paying extremely close attention to these matters. However, to engage them is to plop huge wads of cash on their tables. These folks don?t even sniff around radio budgets if they don?t have to. Most don?t have to.

Regular readers already know my position on the ineffective, fraudulent, but universally-held proposition that radio is a direct and, therefore, a one-to-one medium. Yet, there is hardly a spot that goes by that isn?t operating on that assumption ? and it?s a poisonous assumption that works directly on the minds of our colleagues and our listeners. Like the dead skunk on the side of the highway, the spots stink to high heaven and nobody seems to notice. When they do pick up on an offensive anomaly, they have great difficulty articulating what it is about the commercials that are irritating them, making them cry and, generally, just tickin? them off. My rants about radio?s use of the Second Person (?You?) are available in previous articles and readers are invited to churn through those for more details.

However, it gets worse. Somewhere along the radio timeline, somebody decided that speakers on the radio, including those in the commercials, had actual authority over the listenership. Actual authority! That is to say, they presumed they were in a position to tell people they didn?t know, couldn?t see and about whom they had no knowledge whatsoever (if those unspecified people were even listening) to do stuff! Are they crazy!? Working on the premise that anybody on the radio can demand any behavior at all from a listener suggests the speaker is just, as the psychology industry might put it, a stone cold wack-job.

One of the reasons we don?t get direct responses from our listeners on these issues might be audience indifference. With the exception of some genuine personalities on the air, it could be said that radio presenters have so little credibility as to be unworthy of any direct communication no matter what they are babbling about. A simple and easy tuning out gets the desired result anyway. That we are constantly telling our listeners what to do is beyond disgusting, it is insulting to them, jeopardizes whatever intelligence we might claim for ourselves, and only makes the speaker out to be the goof-in-question. Listener behavior seems to suggest an attitude of: ?Let the poor, stupid, sleeping cur just lie there. No point in kicking it and inviting trouble.?

Is it really any wonder ? any mystery at all ? that we can claim only seven percent of available advertising revenue? Sure, many advertisers get splendid results from using the medium and we need to thank all our lucky stars for that. But, since we refuse to upgrade our methods of jock-presentation and spot-generation, we might be well served to just accept what we get, walk away, and stop bothering people. (This, by the way, is a very pervasive management position anyway.) We are using copywriting and presentation methods that were even dysfunctional when Alan Freed said, ?I?ve got to get a name for this crap!? Fortunately, in the early days of radio playing rock ?n? roll, there were no other media that could directly compete.

This is not the first time I have had this discussion and I didn?t pull the material out of a rabbit last Tuesday. I have already heard most of the objections ? many of them rattled off as a panicked and unconsciously produced defense of a strongly and long-held, but unsubstantiated position. When radio-folk are presented with this information, most either want to run away with their hands clasped over their ears or work it out with me in the parking lot.

Some Creative Directors and most agency weenies will claim that all that is being inserted into the spots are ?Calls To Action." This makes for a quaint but weak and wholly unsatisfactory justification. Even when some poor sod of an announcer is compelled to apply their most affected, superficial, and (allegedly) inviting tonality, they are still telling a listener what to do, where to do it, and to do it right freakin? now! Charming? Not. Effective? Hardly.

Those are only two of a substantial number of elements available for writing and presenting the language through an electronic medium much more effectively than we ever have. If I have said it once, I have said it MLXXII times: I believe we really do need to consider getting this part of our act in order. For many of us, the same-ol? same ol? is not acceptable.

Ronald T. Robinson has been involved in Canadian Radio since the '60s as a performer, writer and coach and has trained and certified as a personal counsellor. Ron makes the assertion that the most important communicative aspects of broadcasting, as they relate to Talent and Creative, have yet to be addressed. Check out his website www.voicetalentguy.com

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(SOCIAL) Set Your Social (Media) Right

10-24-2012

You might be surprised when you find out that the social media you thought was being done well for your team isn?t.  Let?s take a look.

1. If you don?t put care into understanding your audience and how they use social media, you will likely fail. Just like when you launch a radio station, focus your efforts on what listeners get from your social media and your role as it relates to what you want your brand to own in the listener?s mind.

2. Make sure you and your entire team understand why listeners use each social media platform. The more you know before you truly begin to develop your social media strategy, the more successful you will become in your efforts.

3. Do you have an actual written social media plan? Do the members of your team (anyone who posts, comments, or engages listeners in any social media platform or even on the street) know the plan and have a copy of it?

4. Does your morning show or other high-profile personality have a blog that is focused on elements that listeners are passionate about and that will also bring listeners back to your actual on-air as well? Are they posting pictures and sometimes video on their blogs? Is the content value strong for listeners?

5. Is there a Facebook ?like? button on your radio station website and if listeners like it can they do so without leaving your website? Remember: If they leave your page, they are going away from you. They are not coming to you. So, everything you do should involve planning for them contacting you; to come toward your radio brand (not away from it).

6. Keep your content highly focused on the listener you most want to attract and keep your activity level (posting and commenting on listener posts) high and consistent as well. Are you providing social media activities for your listeners? Remember this:  The more activities you have on social media, the more listeners will see you and the more likely they are to be influenced by you.

7. Use content focused on preview or anticipation of events and/or opportunities that will come along on your on-air or that your brand is launching in your market (this can include concerts, special events, or even non-public opportunities that you can only attend with the help and/or invitation of the radio station).

8. Are you using YouTube? Are you putting the fun of your radio station (or the seriousness of your station) out there for listeners to see, engage and join in? 

If you have a specific plan for social media, your team knows the plan, and you use these eight points to really make sure you are focused in the right place and doing things that will help your engage listeners and encourage them directly to participate with your on-air brand, you will see your influence grow. After all, we don?t get extra points for making Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or any other social media platform more successful. Our opportunity is only to engage listeners, bring them closer to our brands on radio, and monetize the relationship. Do that and everyone in your company will want to talk to you about how you came to know so much about making social media really work for radio.

Loyd Ford is the direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Americalist and programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes for years, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here:  http://about.me/loydford. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE  Visit his Facebook radio social media page HERE

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WDBO Orlando Adds Andy Dean

10-21-2012

Premiere Networks says, "America Now with Andy Dean" has joined Orlando?s NewsTalk WDBO in the 7 to 9 p.m. ET timeslot, effective immediately. Over the past month, Dean has been added to 20 more markets including Seattle, Pittsburgh, Albuquerque, Omaha, New Haven, and Charleston, S.C. "America Now with Andy Dean" is now heard on more than 80 stations across the country.

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CBS Promotes Steve Davis in D.C.

10-22-2012

Market Manager Steve Swenson promotes Davis (pictured) to Operations Manager for CBS in Washington D.C. Swenson said, ?Steve?s many years of experience as a programming consultant for radio brands in the United States and Europe, his intimate knowledge of Arbitron ratings, and his work in establishing 94.7 FRESH as a strong Hot A.C. station will help us as we do more and more across all six of our radio stations here in DC."

Davis will work closely with CBS DC program directors in managing programming content, collaborate with the Director of Sales and the Director of Marketing on special projects, as well as retain his position as program director of WIAD-FM 94.7 Fresh. Davis has been with the CBS radio in D.C. since 2010 as the Program Director for 94.7 Fresh FM.

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Radio Earnings Season is Upon Us

10-24-2012

There was a certain expectation that 2012 would be a turnaround year for radio, following an anemic 2011. Even though political advertising is a once-every-four-year shot in the revenue arm, it was coming at the right time. The economy was stabilizing, automotive sales have been strong and a completed election would mean stability in the eye of the consumer. Well, so far political advertising doesn't seem to be coming to radio as much as anticipated and overall revenue growth so far in 2012 hasn't been anything to write home about. Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker says, "trends have been somewhat disappointing."

Ryvicker says she expects to hear a "muted tone" from radio CEO's when they report 3rd quarter earnings, starting with David Field's Entercom Friday at 10AM. "We do think a lot of the weakness is macro-related -- recall that radio has the shortest term contracts of all traditional media; therefore, top line growth tends to ebb and flow muchmoreso than what we see in both broadcast TV and outdoor. As a result of the cautious commentary we heard during our checks, we reduced our revenue growth assumption for ETM, to +2.4% from +5.4%, which suggests a ?core? of -1.5% (although if we were to include KBLX, our ?core? moves to +0.6%) and political of roughly $2MM."

She also believes the upcoming earnings calls will focus on the following points:
? Core ad trends for Q4 and potentially for 2013 (although it is still early, especially for radio);
? M&A ? especially post CBS? recent acquisition of 101.9 FM in New York from Merlin Media for $75MM
(SNL puts this sale at an $4.51 per pop) to simulcast its WFAN 660AM sports station;
? The state of the ?sports network? landscape post CBS and CMLS? decision to create and syndicate ?CBS
Sports Radio?, which is expected to launch on January 2, 2013.
? The potential for shareholder returns;
? Competition ? from new media as well as other local advertising categories;
? The impact of lower radio royalties (ASCAP and BMI) specifically on operating expense;
? The potential for groups to join Clear Channel and ETM in signing with Nashville label Big Machine for
both terrestrial and streaming performance royalties; and
? An update on the state of the iHeartRadio platform, now that it boasts over 1,500 live stations from 150
cities.

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WEEI-FM Launches New Sox Show

10-22-2012

VP of Programming and Operations for Entercom Boston says, ?This is has been a very difficult season for Red Sox fans, but it also means that the off-season will be incredibly meaningful. There will be more Red Sox talk this off-season than in any other in recent memory given the needs of the team, and this show will provide listeners with the most up-to-date information as it happens.? The show will be called "Red Sox Hot Stove."

Hosted by Kirk Minihane, along with WEEI.com Red Sox insiders Rob Bradford and Alex Speier, Red Sox Hot Stove promises to be a true Red Sox insider show that brings Sox fans the most comprehensive coverage of the team?s off-season moves. The program will be focused exclusively on the Red Sox and will include regular interviews with Sox GM Ben Cherington as well as many other Sox beat writers and columnists who will provide unique information and insight.

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Forecast 2013 Only One Month Away

10-22-2012

Radio Ink's Forecast 2013 is only one month away and one of our highly anticipated panels is being assembled by Bill Koenigsberg (pictured) called, "Advertiser Super Session: Where Do the Ad Dollars Grow in 2013?" 2012 saw ad revenues rise, in part thanks to the elections and the Olympics. Can 2013 continue that growth curve -- and what media are likely to be the beneficiaries? Will radio see gains, or will other platforms outperform?
Koenigsberg is assembling a fresh, exciting panel of experts from the world of advertising who will deliver their frank and insightful outlooks and projections for advertising expenditures, and where radio fits into the mix, over the next 12 months. Register for Forecast 2013 at the Harvard Club in New York on November 28.

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Touting Mobile Facebook Nails Earnings

10-24-2012

Facebook reported revenue of $1.26 billion in the third quarter, an increase of 32% over the same period last year. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, "I believe that over the long run we're going to see more monetization for time spent on mobile than on desktop. On mobile, we believe ads will be more like TV." Mobile  only accounts for 14% of total Facebook ad revenue, which only rolled out mobile ad products in March. Facebook has 604 million mobile monthly active users, up from 543 million three months ago

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Claudia Marshall Leaving WFUV

10-22-2012

Claudia Marshall has been the morning host on WFUV since 2001. Friday will be her last day. On the air today, Marshall said, ?After twelve years of the 3:30 a.m. alarm, it's simply time to move on. I have some exciting things in the works and when the time is right, I'll share them. I've had opportunities here that I would not have had at any other radio station on earth."

WFUV?s evening host Corny O?Connell (an occasional substitute for Claudia in the past) will step in to do mornings from 5 to 10 a.m. on an interim basis while WFUV conducts a national search for its next morning show host. He will continue the popular Question of the Day feature in the 9 o?clock hour. WFUV fill-in hosts Eric Holland and Carmel Holt will share the evening duties in the meantime.

"WFUV's listeners have always appreciated Claudia's smarts, friendly style, and warmth on the microphone," said General Manager Chuck Singleton. ?We?ll certainly miss her gift for connecting with listeners and artists, and we wish her the best. It?s a rare opening at WFUV, and we?ll take this opportunity to consider how we can build on Claudia?s success." 

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New Study Uncovers Good News For Radio.

10-22-2012
by Ed Ryan

TargetSpot has released a study called ?Attitudes Towards Digital Audio Advertising? that was conducted by Parks Associates. The information comes from an online survey of 1,000 Internet radio listeners conducted over 10 days in January. The survey participants listened to Internet radio anywhere from once a month to every day. And while the study touts the relevance of targeted ads over traditional radio ads, in reality, the difference is small and may provide good news for radio.

TargetSpot and Parks Associates conclude that "Internet Radio listeners are more tolerant of digital audio ads than broadcast AM/FM audience." However, when you dig deep into the results, you might come to the conclusion that radio ads, when compared to targeted over-the-air ads are not much different to the listener. The study says 26% of AM/FM listeners stopped listening to the radio because they did not find an ad personally relevant. It's unclear where TargetSpot came up with that statistic. This study used 1,000 Internet audio listeners and said nothing about AM/FM listeners. The study says compared to that 26% number, Internet radio listeners tuned out only 20% of the time when they did not find an ad personally relevant. If the 26% number for AM/FM listeners is accurate, that is not a large spread when Internet radio's big play is that ads are more relevant to the listener because they are targeted.

Of course, the big elephant in the room for radio, which has yet to be measured, is the overloaded stopsets played on most radio AM and FM stations across the country, which is more likely to be the reason listeners tune out. Not every radio ad needs to be targeted to a listener all the time. It's always going to be difficult for advertisers to know when consumers are in the market to purchase a vehicle, a refrigerator or a new mountain bike. That doesn't mean those categories of advertisers should never market themselves on radio because they are afraid of tune-out. A consumer can enter that market at any time and advertisers should be there when they do.

Advertisers should complain about being the 6th commercial in a pod of 12 when consumers start daydreaming, zoning out or hitting the scan button because it appears regularly scheduled programming will never return. That is an advantage Internet radio has for now, a limited number of interruptions, whether they are targeted or not.

Here are additional findings from the TargetSpot/Parks Associates study of 1,000 Internet Audio listeners:
65% are comfortable receiving ads based on their personal profiles
70% are comfortable receiving ads based on their Internet Radio usage and/or content preference. 
59% of Digital Audio listeners like to get coupons, special offers or discounts.
55% don?t mind ads as long as they have free access to their favorite stations.
37 % are willing to ?like? an ad in order to receive discounts or special promotions for the product/service. 
34% said they are more likely to remember an advertiser if the media player has the advertiser?s logo or design
30% said that branded stations improved their perception of the sponsoring advertiser.
27% said they were more inclined to buy products from the sponsoring brand.
27% of Digital Audio listeners do not mind getting ads on their mobile device for products/services they are interested in and the same percentage does not mind being targeted based on their physical location.

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Pattiz Launches Podcast Platform

12-22-2012

Norm Pattiz and Kit Gray are partnering to form Launchpad Digital Media, a new division of Pattiz?s Courtside Entertainment Group. Gray is a former division manager for Katz 360 and was the Director of Advertising for Verizon?s EV-DO networks Amp?d Mobile. The Podcast platform includes Adam Carolla, Bill Burr, CBS News, Afterbuzz TV with Maria Menounos, Jay Mohr, Dr. Drew, Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist), Mark Maron, and others.

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iPad Mini But Where's The Music Service?

10-22-2012

While Apple was making waves unveiling the new iPad Mini and other products on Tuesday, it may have been what they didn't talk about that helped Pandora's stock make its biggest jump since August. There was no mention of a new Pandora-like music service. Apple Senior VP Phil Schiller, when introducing the new iPad Mini said, "Pandora looks and works great on the device."

It was back in early September when news broke that Apple was negotiating deals with record labels to start a new service similar to Pandora's. The Pandora stock was slammed on that news, dropping 17 percent to close at $10.47. It's been slowly recovering. Pandora was up over 8 percent yesterday closing at $9.86.

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Radio One Sells Columbus FM to Salem

10-24-2012

Radio One says its selling (Adult Hits) WJKR-FM in Columbus to Salem. Radio One said the station is not a core asset. Radio One owns two urban stations in Columbus: WCKX-FM (mainstream/urban) and WXMG-FM (R&B and oldies). The sale rice was not annouced. Salem will LMA the station starting November 1st.

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What's Next For Mel?

10-22-2012

Most 69 year old's with enough money to last them 5 more lifetimes might decide it was time to sit back, relax and enjoy a few umbrella drinks. From our very unscientific poll of radio executives Tuesday, following Mel's announcement, all were in agreement that there would be no sitting on the sidelines for Mel Karmazin. Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei will lead a 3-person committee to find Mel's replacement. It was Maffei who made it seem Karmazin was easy to replace only one month ago. Perhaps that had something to do with Mel calling it quits after 8 years running the show.

Karmazin, well-known in the radio industry for his years at CBS, has been with SiriusXM since 2004. When he joined Sirius the company had 700,000 subscribers and was battling for subscribers and content with XM Radio. In 2007 Karmazin lead Sirius through a 17-month long merger with XM Radio. Today the company has 23.4 million subscribers. In late September it was Maffei who told investors at a Goldman Sachs investor conference, "Mel was valuable but not replaceable. I think there are plenty of people who could do a great job running the business." In 2011, SiriusXM produced a profit of $427 and generated $3 billion in revenue.

Karmazin hinted he wasn't real interested in running the company if it was taken over by Liberty. Liberty is edging closer to gaining 50% control of SiriusXM. They are also awaiting regulatory approval from the FCC. When SiriusXM was burdened with a mountain of debt, John Malone came to the rescue. Malone's Liberty Media loaned SiriusXM $530 Million in return for a 40% stake in the company and 5 board seats.

The retirement announcement is not a big surprise, although most analysts who cover SiriusXM and Liberty were guessing Karmazin could have just as easily decided to sign another contract (his current deal expires at the end of 2012). Mel will stay on until February 1st to "ensure a smooth transition." On February 2nd, that everyone will be watching two things; where will Karmazin start his next story and what will Howard Stern do. Investors will be watching the stock on Wednesday. The one-time high-flighing $60 stock is still below $3.00 but year-to-date is up 60%

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CBS Sports Radio Adds Feinstein

CBS Sports Radio Adds Feinstein

John Feinstein is added to the CBS Sports Radio Network in the 9 a.m. to noon slot. The network debuts on Wednesday, January 2. In addition to Feinstein, CBS has also announced Jim Rome is coming over from Premiere to host the noon to 3 p.m. ET shift, former ESPNer Doug Gottlieb will air from 3 to 6 p.m., and Scott Ferrall ends his SiriusXM show at the end of the year and returns to radio on the CBS Sports Network holding down the 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. position.

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Group Targets Clear Channel Billboards

10-21-2012 Update - Clear Channel to Take Down Boards
Clear Channel VP of Corporate Communications for Outdoor Jim Cullinan said in a statement, "We reviewed the situation, and in light of the fact that these billboards violate our policy of not accepting anonymous political ads, we asked the client how they would prefer to work with us to bring the boards into conformance with our policy. The client thought the best solution was to take the boards down, so we are in the process of removing them."
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10-20-2012

Liberal activist group "Color of Change" is demanding Clear Channel Outdoor take down billboards warning against voter fraud according to the Hollywood Reporter. The billboard ads say: ?Voter fraud is a felony! 3 ? Yrs & $10,000 Fine," and they are being paid for by a private foundation. The billboards appear in black and Latino neighborhoods in Ohio and Wisconsin and the group calls them ?one of the nastiest voter suppression schemes we?ve seen.?

Clear Channel issued a statement that Hollywood Reporter included in its story. It read: "Clear Channel Outdoor does not comment on our advertisers' ads. We are committed to ensuring that ads, including political ads, posted on our billboards have the appropriate disclaimer so this situation doesn't happen again in the future."

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(SALES) Find The Liquid Fire In You

10-22-2012

I started my consulting business, Luce Performance Group, in the summer of 1999. My venture began with a vision of coaching media reps to become the best that they could be in their field. As with any career change, I was taking a risk in starting over. Before I set off on my new career, I decided to visit my parents in Lincoln, Nebraska.

While I was in Lincoln, I went out for my usual morning run. I also purchased my daily cup of coffee before I ran. As I got in the car, I took a drink of the coffee. It burned my tongue like the space shuttle coming back into the atmosphere without a heat shield!  My instant response was to drop the coffee in my lap. The coffee hit my left thigh first. It then went between my legs and into my groin area. My head literally hit the ceiling of the car. My mom attempted some home remedies, but I soon headed for the emergency room.

I received a quick diagnosis and was scheduled for immediate surgery to mend second- and third-degree burns. The third-degree burns would require a skin graft. The fortunate part of this story is that I was in one of the top burn centers in the United States. I was a patient at St. Elizabeth?s Hospital and under the care of Dr. Chet Paul, a 40-year veteran of burn surgeries. I sensed that I had a good team, but I was unaware of the scope of my recovery.

Describing rehabilitation from skin graft surgery defies explanation. To complicate matters, my graft was located in an area where skin tissue is at a minimum. A few days before the accident, I had been eagerly awaiting the start of my speaking tour and new business. I was now sitting in the hospital painfully starring at a two-month recovery. My speaking partner pulled out and left me to start alone. Cancelling the tour looked more and more like a reality. In an instant, I faced the possibility of never getting out of the gate with my new company. Before I could contemplate my future, I had to deal with my present state, and it was not looking pretty. Welcome to the world of "You Better Have a Great Attitude or Your Ship is Sunk!"

After a four-week recovery in Lincoln, I was ready to travel to my home in Houston for another long month of rehabilitation. Before I departed, I went to the hospital to thank Dr. Paul. I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. After expressing my gratitude to Dr. Paul, I went on to ask him about the most difficult burn situation that he had ever encountered. I became instantly spellbound as Dr. Paul recalled the incident. While he was an intern in the early 1960s, Dr. Paul said two men came into the hospital with almost identical burns over 70 percent of their body. The only method of disinfecting burn victims at that time was to place them in tubs of Clorox. Dr. Paul called it "liquid fire."

The two men were treated in separate bathtubs of Clorox, but they entered at the same time. Dr. Paul recounted that the one fellow looked at the other while in the "liquid fire" and told him, "This isn't worth it. I'm checking out." He told me the other man said, "This is worth it, and I'm going to make it." According to Dr. Paul, the man who lived went on to have a family and a successful career in sales. Dr. Paul said the only thing that will keep a patient alive with burns over 50 percent of their body is attitude. My conversation that day with Dr. Paul changed my attitude about my recovery and my business. I decided, ?This is definitely worth it!"

At Luce Performance Group, we present awards each year to people that I work with who excel in various areas of sales and management. We created the Liquid Fire Award to honor the ?comeback? sales rep of the year. It is named after the burn victim who survived the tub of Clorox and went on to lead a productive life. I presented the first LPG Liquid Fire Award to Christine De Alba in 2010 for her remarkable cancer survival story along with her successful return to media sales at Castanet.net.

I recently presented Christy Watkins of the Ozark Horse Trader in West Plains, Missouri with the 2012 LPG Liquid Fire Award.

Christy is a young mother who was diagnosed last November with ovarian cancer. At the time of her diagnosis, Christy was also helping her husband recuperate from a serious automobile accident. While undergoing chemotherapy, she was diagnosed with a rare bone disease unrelated to her cancer. Christy has been a valuable part of the Horse Trader sales team, not to mention having one of the best attitudes of all time. Christy?s always positive outlook would pull her through some very difficult times this past year. Christy has remained upbeat throughout her ordeal. She reminds me of the man in the Clorox tub who said, ?This is worth it." I am happy to report that Christy is currently in remission and has returned to work part time for the Horse Trader.

On all Luce Performance Group awards, we inscribe the LPG Battle Banner which states, ?Fast as the wind. Quiet as a forest. Aggressive as fire and immovable as a mountain.? There is no substitute for a positive attitude whether battling cancer or dealing with a difficult client. Attitude is the one thing that will keep you in the game of life. Luce Performance Group congratulates Christy Watkins on receiving the 2012 LPG Liquid Fire Award!

Sean Luce is the head international instructor for Luce Performance Group and can be contacted at sean@luceperformancegroup.com.

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Breeanna Malik Promoted To Market Manager

10-21-2012

Clear Channel elevates Malik to Market Manager in San Antonio where she'll be responsible for a seven-station cluster and report to Harley Adkins. Malik was D.O.S. for the cluster and, before that, GSM. She said, "I sincerely love calling San Antonio my home and I?m extremely proud to lead this very talented team. Clear Channel is the leader in San Antonio as well as the industry and I?m humbled to be part of the team that is trailblazing the media industry.?

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Buzzam Launches Personalized Radio App

10-21-2012

Buzzam COO Greg Starling says, ?Millions have become frustrated with ?old school? broadcast, and have abandoned radio entirely for services like Pandora. The problem with Internet radio services is that they omit critical elements of radio like news, weather, commentary and other entertainment. Buzzam curates the best of the traditional radio experience together with your favorite music, then brings other textual content like Facebook and Twitter updates into an audio stream customized for each user.?

The company says key features include: Text-based reader for social feeds, Music aggregation from sources like Spotify and personal music libraries GPS technology offers opt-in location-based and activity-aware traffic and weather advice. Unprecedented accuracy is afforded for advertisers to target specific demographics (for example, a 21-year-old driving in a particular direction, within a specific distance from a business)

Buzzam CEO Josh Wright says ?Streamlined personalization is a growing expectation for consumers. People design their own clothing, computers, furniture, food and cars online. There are personalized digital magazines and books, cars that read text messages, and 3D printers that can build almost anything. So we thought, ?Why shouldn?t your radio be custom too???

Buzzam is now available for free in the iTunes Store.

(10/22/2012 7:05:46 AM)
"...The problem with Internet radio services is that they omit critical elements of radio like news, weather, commentary and other entertainment."
Wait a sec. Isn't that the same gripe people have about terra-radio?

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(PROGRAMMING) Sportscaster Ted Robinson

10-18-2012

Ted Robinson was the kid whose relatives always asked his parents, "Is he okay?" They came to the house and Ted would be in his bedroom, broadcasting a Mets game with the sound down. At age 11. The ensuing decades have never brought normalcy to Ted's life. Fortunately, he has found homes as the radio voice of the San Francisco 49ers, tennis, Olympics and swimming announcer for NBC, football/basketball announcer for Pac-12 Networks, and play-by-play/host for the Tennis Channel. I sat down with Ted to get an insider's view of life as a sports commentator.
 

Most people nationally know your work with NBC doing Wimbledon and the Olympics. Which gig do you like the best?

The greatest sporting event I ever covered was the 2008 Wimbledon classic between Federer and Nadal. Nothing moves me more than a medal ceremony at the Olympics, watching adults tear up as their flag is raised. But, the most satisfaction is connecting with a great franchise's fan base, as in the 49ers-Saints 2012 playoff. Finally, the greatest EVENT I ever called was a Papal Mass at Candlestick Park in 1987. Sports can't touch the emotions of 65,000 spilling out as they see their Holy Father in person.
 
You're now the radio voice of the San Francisco 49ers and you used to broadcast the San Francisco Giants. Which do you prefer, radio or TV?

Baseball on the radio is an announcer's greatest challenge. A game lasts three-and-a-half hours with about 10 minutes of action. How an announcer fills the expanse of nothing creates legends. The greatest sports announcers of our time have almost all called baseball. Yet, the NFL is America's premier sports experience. There is no greater scrutiny than calling a significant NFL game. And radio presents a unique test as every NFL play is televised. Through my work with the 49ers, I have learned that the legacy of the NFL lives through radio. Yes, we all watch the games as they happen. But, after a game, do you ever hear the network TV calls? NFL Films, the documentarians of pro football, use the local radio calls! It's a source of great pride and insures the viability of team radio broadcasts to the NFL franchises.
 
Many of the greats like Vin Scully and the late Bill King said certain sports broadcast better on radio and some others worked better on TV. Agree?

Basketball is the perfect example. Bill was an extraordinary basketball announcer in an era when few games were televised. Today, every game is televised and the sport is completely visual. Trying to accurately portray basketball on the radio often feels fruitless. Candidly, I struggle to listen to a basketball game. Baseball is a radio sport, an accompaniment to daily work/activity. Who sits in front of a TV and is glued to a three-hour ballgame? Most people float in and out, hoping to catch the key moments.
 
You grew up in New York and got to listen to the likes of Phil Rizutto, Bill White, Marv Albert and the like. Who was your mentor?

Marv Albert was the model for anyone of my generation. He started on radio, also in a time when TV was still blossoming, and held our attention with his amazing vocal skills. Marv taught me about inflection, pacing, emphasis, and tone. He was a brilliant radio play-by-play announcer who was also a gracious help to me in my early years.
 
Your view of the sports broadcasting business?

The biggest change is our world's move from aural to visual. I can listen to a broadcaster for about 30 seconds with my eyes closed and predict, fairly accurately, if they ever worked in radio. It's the Marv factor. Radio teaches us to communicate, to be heard AND understood. It teaches us to use our voice. Content excluded, Rush Limbaugh is the greatest practitioner of radio today. Rush uses his voice expertly. I fear that training is lost amidst today's video/Internet world. Live sports is a lifeblood for AM radio. I hope radio continues to provide, through sports broadcasting, the much-needed training ground for future generations of communicators.
 
When you listen to as much of the sports play-by-play broadcasters as I do, you tend to hear a lot of "homers" -- most notably, in baseball -- your 're pretty much known, Ted, as a straight-up non-homer. Your thoughts?

First commandment I learned in this business: no "We" or "They" and no "Us" or "Them." An announcer's most basic charge is to earn the trust of listeners. Those who listen must believe you're accurate and fair in your words. I cringe when I hear "homers" although I know some markets demand that approach. In fact, I once interviewed for a major league job and was asked by a leading executive in my interview, "Can you bleed (the team's color)?" By far the most uncomfortable interview moment in my time -- and a job I was better off not landing.
 
Is there something about sports broadcasting in general that the public should know, but doesn't?

There are two types of sportscasters. Those who love the games become play-by-play, analysts, or reporters, myself included. "We" love sports. "We" love being at the stadium. "We" learn to respect those who play and manage, even if we don't always agree. Those who love to be "on the air" become studio anchors, talk show hosts, or, in a general umbrella, pundits. There is a sad trend towards volume in the sports talk arena, usually at the expense of content. I try to listen to the games when I'm home. Those are the people with knowledge and perspective in their presentation.

Rich Lieberman is a veteran SF Bay Area news blogger covering radio and TV since 2001.His media blog, "415 Media" (http://www.richliebermanreport.blogspot.com) is the #1-read industry sheet in SF.

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