4-22-14
Crain's New York Business says a new 50,000 square foot office in New York City already has 200 Pandora employees, many of them salespeople who are radio refugees. No doubt with the recent Clear Channel sales layoffs the people pool to pluck from just increased for the Internet pure-play. The Crain's story is actually one of the few published articles that includes someone who doubts the listener numbers Pandora produces every month including that Pandora is the number one station in many markets.
Horizon Media's managing director of audio and promotions Lauren Russo says she does not buy that Pandora is one station and its claim to be number one in some markets across the country. The proof will be in the measurement numbers. And at some point in the future those numbers will be provided by Nielsen. Although Nielsen has told Radio Ink that the Pandora numbers will not be made available side-by-side with Radio's numbers so a fair comparison can be made. And, the reasoning for that is Nielsen has said Pandora is not radio. Of course, that can change by the time Nielsen produces its final product.
In the Crain's piece, Russo says she would like Pandora to be measured by Nielsen, just as the terrestrial stations are, so that all the numbers would come from one methodology instead of two. Whether Nielsen believes Pandora is radio, whether radio believes Pandora is radio or whether Pandora executives believe Pandora is radio makes no difference to the consumer. It's clear the consumer could care less what we call it. And it's clear Pandora is hiring radio salespeople and coming after radio's $17 billion in ad revenue. In 2013 Pandora lost $41 million, despite a 56% growth in revenue, to $638 million.
(4/22/2014 5:35:34 AM)
www.advancedhiring.com
So typical of radio thinkers, Eric.
"No doubt with the recent Clear Channel sales layoffs the people pool to pluck from.."
A lot of smart radio people at Clear Channel "get" that second stringer salespeople are always second stringer salespeople -- that's why they clean house.
But old radio guys still think "previous sales experience" is so critical.
Any Radio Ink readers who want a fresh approach to sales hiring?
Alan
www.advancedhiring.com
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