9-3-13
For years now we've heard radio's most powerful executives say radio needs to tell a better story, including Clear Channel's Bob Pittman. Yesterday, the company hired Mark Rosenthal (pictured) as the person to go out and pitch radio's product. Rosenthal comes into the radio industry from cable where he was part of the original team that created MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1 and Comedy Central. As CEO of the Katz Media Group he'll report directly to CCM+E CEO John Hogan and focus on bringing additional revenue into the radio sector. Hogan said, ?Radio is a powerful national marketing platform. Our goal is to continue to tell the success story of radio?s massive reach. Mark joining the team signifies a very exciting step forward in our intensified effort to drive substantial growth for Katz clients by providing the most innovative media solutions available.? Radio Ink spoke to Rosenthal yesterday about his role as radio's new storyteller. Heres what he had to say.
RI: Why did you decide to leave where you were?
Rosenthal: The opportunity to join KRG is just huge. It's a phenomenal company. It's already a phenomenal company. But, I think there is a big opportunity to take the company to the next level by focusing on advocacy for all radio and helping some really good people lead the charge to bring additional money to the radio sector. There's few opportunities in life where you can do that with as clear a mandate. It's very exciting.
RI: Your role will kind of be an advocate for the entire industry, and I am guessing you will go out to advertisers? Can you kind of tell us what your vision of that will be?
Rosenthal: I think it's going to be crafted more specifically over the coming weeks and months. Katz is a great company, and it runs extremely well. It is a very talented group of people that are running the company. It's not like there is anything broken, but it is about how you take that company, that really great company, to the next level. Radio has a great story to tell. I want to take the opportunity to tell that story maybe across a bigger platform, in ways that it hasn't been told.
RI: As an outsider, it's rare that the radio industry gets an outsider that comes in. What has been your perception of radio from the outside?
Rosenthal: I think radio is enormously powerful. I know that when I was at MTV Networks or Current TV, radio was always the preferred partner to tell our story, because of everything that radio represents and everything that radio can do with its enormous reach and its enormous power to be pinpointed locally when necessary. I often looked for opportunities to get more and more involved with radio. This is an exceptional one.
RI: One of the things a lot of radio executives have said is that radio needs to tell a better story to bring more money to radio. Are we going to be able to do that?
Mark: I don't see why not. Look, I think the opportunity is enormous. The dollars are out there. If you can show an advertiser how to accomplish their results, maybe even accomplish better results at a price point that may be less than what they are currently spending on television, I think that is a message that will be well received.
RI: What can other managers or radio executives do to help?
Rosenthal: I'm sure that I'm going to need a lot of help. I think the industry rowing together is obviously going to help tell this story in a bigger way than any one group might be able to do individually. I'm going to be looking for help and guidance and success stories and everything in between so that we all focus on the prize, which is, really, bringing more money into radio.
RI: What is your perception of how the economy is really doing?
Mark: I would rather not opine on that on day one. I think there are people that are far better suited to do that.
(9/4/2013 11:24:00 PM)
In my excitement, I banged a key twice. Sorry.
Now, lemme unnerstand this: A guy with incredibly successful media experiences goes in to run a radio operation. An open mind and strong character can go a very long way.
This could get very interesting.
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