Radio Needs to be Cool Again

8-21-14
This may be a theme we hear a lot of at the Radio Show next month, especially with the show in Indianapolis...HQ for Emmis...the creator of NextRadio. Many Radio CEO's and managers believe NextRadio is the solution to making radio cool again. They say the digital interaction NextRadio provides listeners with their favorite local station, without sucking up data, will bring young listeners back into the radio tent and make radio cool again. Digity President and CEO Dean Goodman, who has been on a radio station buying tear of late, and who appears on the cover of Radio Ink magazine this week agrees with the assessment that radio has lost its cool factor.

"I think the biggest downfall we have right now is not being cool and not attracting the brightest of the bright that have that creative fire. When I was doing mornings in Gainesville, I would be up at 1 a.m. doing show prep for a 5 a.m. show. I think a lot of that creative fire has moved to some digital environment instead of coming to us. I think that's a tough situation for the industry. If you take a look at some of the best morning people maintaining that creative desire and fire is really hard to sustain through a whole career. There are a few that do and they are self-evident.

Goodman also says to improve the industry overall, radio can do a better job at helping their communities. "We can do that better at Digity, and I think most others can too. There was a time when radio was very FCC-ish, and you were here to operate in the public need and focused on your ascertainments, etc. We are broadcasters, which is a unique position. Every employee of a radio station should understand they are not running a Dry cleaner. When you work at a radio station, you get a different degree of respect because people listen to your product. To them, you are part of the life of the station and the fact that you?re there is important to people. Radio can do better at taking that responsibility seriously. We can be more entertaining and be more community-service focused. We have a tremendous vehicle for good, and the good can come in a variety of ways, but largely, it can help the community economically. That, to me, we can do better. In doing, that the whole industry rises."

Goodman plans to get his company as big as he can, as quickly as he can, and take it public. "Bigger allows us to have the type of quality support that?s hard to afford singularly, to benefit each radio cluster in all areas ? from programming to sales and so on, operationally. And bigger provides better access to capital, capital that can really only be accessed when you have significantly more cash flow, and less expensive debt. Going public gives us a viable way to [make money for] people who have helped us along the way and not have to sell the company. To reward employees for doing a good job in that environment. I think the public ultimately rewards good companies with a higher value. That?s sort of the aspiration."

To subscribe to Radio Ink on your digital device and download the Dean Goodman story instantly, GO HERE
Reach out to Dean by e-mail at Dean@digity.me

(8/21/2014 5:42:37 PM)

Radio is no longer "cool", to some, for many reasons. One is because those of us with creative fire go to platforms (the internet being one) where we are allowed to (try to) be creative.

I also do hours of preparation before my radio shows...regardless of the daypart or shift. And, for the internet (streams/vodcasts/podcasts/blogs), I continue to...

(8/21/2014 3:28:56 PM)
The general position of most commentators is that radio is well-provisioned, well-armed and completely prepared to saddle-up and ride to glory.

The facts, however, include: We have half a bag of beef jerky and a partially-eaten Twinkie and 20 rounds of mismatched ammo. Unless some might have missed the arrival, our horses were brought to the corral in veterinary ambulances.

We're not ready to even take on each other, never mind other media, and I suggest that info be seared into our brains pans - right smartly.... before anybody rides off, full of the bluster of Custer.

(8/21/2014 2:51:19 PM)
Might not want to get too cocky about McDonalds and Walmarts of the world - the more sterilized and nationalized society becomes, the more people will crave something different - something local, flexible enough to respond to their needs and pique their curiosity. Works both ways.
(8/21/2014 1:16:15 PM)
Can we please stop the self-loathing in our business?
Invite a blogger or even (gasp) a podcaster to appear on your station and see how fast they jump at the chance.
We as broadcasters are actually envied for our ability to capture, hold and motivate a loyal audience,not to mention our dependability in emergencies.
We just don't seem to be envied among ourselves.
(8/21/2014 9:47:16 AM)
The mere fact we are in a discussion debating "cool" is an indicator about how far off course radio gets. "Cool" is a dead word in today's vernacular. Young people DON'T use it. Middle aged people don't use it. In this age of vulgar hyper-statement and verbal "one-upsmanship" what we say really does not have much impact. Radio needs to "DO"! DO LIVE and LOCAL BROADCASTS. DO HIGH-TOUCH IN COMMUNITY EVENTS. DO PUT OUR SIGNALS ON OTHER AVENUES OTHER THAN TERRESTIAL TOWERS. The bane of radio is we're an industry based on TALK that sells basically an ABSTRACT rather than a "concrete" product and service. In closing, I salute Radio Ink because through all the years you have in fact communicated rather than talked. And with that said, after years of lapse, I am now going to re-subscribe to this publication.

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Radio Needs to be Cool Again

7-8-14

Answering a question about the possibility of more consolidation, Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan said he did not see too much activity on that front in the near future. "Our industry is challenged for capital. Multiples are slowly rising." Then Smulyan turned to the streaming side of business where he says radio needs to make more of an effort to regain its cool factor. "This industry generates a lot of cash flow. The Streaming industry attracts billions of dollars, yet it does not make any money. We need to change that perception. Our industry needs to be cool again." And Smulyan believes the catalyst to do that is NextRadio.

Smulyan says there have been 600,000 NextRadio activations and every radio company is now doing interactivity. That means radio companies are starting to use the app Emmis built to give the listener the kind of experience they've come to expect from streaming companies, album art, interactivity, social media connections to name a few. There is also a public campaign underway to promote the app with public radio (see story below) and another one will kick off later this summer at the NAB. Smulyan says NextRadio is the game-changer for radio. He expects every carrier to be on board at some point and for the app to be on every tablet, Dashboard and the clock radio's of the future.

(7/10/2014 8:23:21 AM)
Radio can become cool by becoming part of the community through active involvement and by giving people a reason to listen other than music (which, if you hadn't noticed, can be found through better delivery systems).
(7/10/2014 7:42:00 AM)
About 15 years ago, I listened as Jeff Smulyan spoke to members of the Radio Marketing Bureau in Canada. This was back in the days when consolidation was just beginning to gain momentum. Jeff's position was very unlike the other group heads and I was deeply impressed. I've paid attention to what Jeff has said ever since. Frankly, he's the main reason I'm keeping my eye on this NextRadio thing. He's correctwhen he says, "Radio needs to be cool again. But I the cool people of radio all got fired.

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WTOP Does it Again

3-25-14

Hubbard's all-news WTOP in Washington, D.C. was the top-billing radio station in 2013, according to BIA/Kelsey. Excluding digital revenue, WTOP took in $63.5 million in 2013, $1.1 million less than 2012, but still enough to beat out the second-highest biller, Clear Channel's KIIS-FM in Los Angeles ($61.6 million). KIIS-FM had a very nice 2013, adding $4.8 million in billing over 2012.

Rounding out the top 10 billers, according to the new BIA report were: WHTZ-FM in New York (Clear Channel) at #3 with $51 million, WCBS-AM in New York (CBS) came in at #4 at $50.5 million, WLTW in New York (Clear Channel) was 5th with $45.5 million, WINS-AM in New York (CBS) was 6th at $45 million, Clear Channel's KBIG-FM in L.A. jumped from #13 in 2012 to #7 in 2013 with $44.5 million, WFAN-AM in New York (CBS) was #8 at $43 million, at #9, KROQ-FM in L.A. (CBS) with $42.8 million, and at #10 WBBM in Chicago (CBS) with $42 million.

BIA Kelsey released the numbers last night in its first edition of the BIA/Kelsey Investing in Radio Market Report. BIA/Kelsey Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Mark Fratrik said, ?WTOP is morphing into a digital media company by providing access to its audience in many different ways beyond over-the-air. Their approach is serving them well and their model demonstrates that as the industry continues to adopt a multi-platform approach, it will engage audiences and sustain growth."

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Pandora Total Radio Listening Up Again

10-3-13

Pandora's share of total radio listening is inching toward the 8 percent mark...according to Pandora. The company released its monthly listening numbers today and says it now has 7.7 percent of "total U.S. radio listening," up from 7.46 percent last month. Radio Ink has no way to verify those numbers. September listening hours were 1.36 billion, compared to 1.35 in August, and active listeners were 72.7 million, up from 72.1 million in August.

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Live & Local – Radio's Mantra (Again?)

9-27-13
(by Dana Hall) According to CBS Radio President/CEO Dan Mason, that?s the direction he sees terrestrial radio moving towards, once again. Mason appeared on the panel, ?the State of the Industry,? at this morning?s Audio Industry Summit in New York. Emmis' Pat Walsh agreed, citing that competitively, ?radio can elevate brands through being local,? and adding that being local matters to agencies. 

Galaxy Communications? President/CEO Ed Levin notes that while companies like his own are going the live and local route, there are still two distinct radio business models. ?The two C?s (Clear Channel and Cumulus), clearly take the opposite approach ? and when you have two companies that are so prominent, in so many markets, with a different perspective, that becomes a commonly held perception about radio as a whole.

(9/29/2013 9:42:42 AM)
"Live and Local" is not a process that anybody is doing really well. Nor is it a switch that can be thrown. Station owners in every sized market run the risk of frustrating, boring, insulting and otherwise pissing off more audience and advertisers by attempting an amateurish rendition of "L&L" than if they were doing McRadio.
(9/28/2013 1:49:45 PM)
Small and medium market stations. Keep doing what you do good. Live, local, and community.
(9/27/2013 9:59:22 PM)
When you overpay for properties, you leave yourself only one choice to pay the bills...eliminate staff. For the "Live and Local" claims, it's not something new. It's what happens at the lower levels of radio. Just where are you going to find the talent at the upper levels of radio after you've eliminated and burned bridges with former employees? Hire some more newspaper people? Sad days for radio...
(9/27/2013 9:58:12 PM)
The column is right...live and local made radio! But the column is correct about Cumulus and Clear Channel...Dickey and Pittman think they can voice track, use cheap syndication... anything but investing in top local talent.
(9/27/2013 7:32:52 PM)
Wow, live and local! What a concept! (Again) So after beating the brand into the ground the way to make it grow again is by watering it with live personalities and local content. I would have never thought of that. I'm really glad those guys are in charge of such important properties. The bankers who call the shots must be happy with their leadership. Now, think about community responsibility.

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Pandora Says Total Radio Share Up Again

9-4-13

Since Pandora instituted a 40-hour-per-month listening cap on free subscribers, it had been reporting monthly decreases in what it calls "total U.S. radio listening," although July was flat at around 7 percent. The company lifted those caps last month and the number is already up, to 7.46 percent. As we report every month there is no way to verify the total percentage number Pandora publishes and the radio industry disputes it. August listener hours for Pandora were 1.35 billion compared to 1.28 billion in July. Active listeners were 72.1 million, compared to 71.1 million in July. 

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Blazers Move Broadcasts Again

8-30-13

It's the third time the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers are changing radio stations in the past three years. This season, games will air on Fox Sports Radio AM 620. The Blazers had been on KEX-AM, both signals are owned by Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. Prior to the 2012-13 season, the Blazers were on AM 750, owned by Alpha Broadcasting.

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Where Will Sotelo Pop up Again?

7-22-13

Although his manager did not return a call to Radio Ink last night you can bet listeners have not heard the last show from Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo. His show is too popular with the exploding Hispanic audience. Some of the speculation surrounding the show being canceled had to do with Sotelo's ratings in Los Angeles, where he is heard on KSCA-FM.  Last month he was beaten in the ratings by Ricardo "El Mandril" Sanchez who's heard on KLAX-FM. One affiliate expects Sotello to be picked up quickly by another syndicator. His show is just too popular to fade into the sunset. Of course, there is also SiriusXM.

(7/23/2013 4:42:43 AM)
I surely doubt that ratings had to do with his departure. In the Los Angeles market, the battle for Spanish speaking listeners is being waged between Piolín, Mandríl, and Don Cheto. They would battle back and forth for the #1 position in 18-34 and the coveted 18-49 demo.

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Pittman Tops Radio's Power List Again

7-16-13

He's never held any other position on our list of Most Powerful People in Radio. For the third consecutive year, Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman has been named the Most Powerful Person in Radio. Not only is Bob Pittman leading America?s largest radio company, he is radio?s self appointed evangelist. Radio Ink Publisher Eric Rhoads says, "Bob Pittman is transforming Clear Channel and as a result, impacting all of radio. His influence ripples throughout the industry with every new innovation and decision." Pittman knows how to build enthusiasm and followers for his compelling message about radio. His pitch and his commanding personality have made him the master of communicating radio?s ?Gospel according to Pittman.? The most anticipated issue of Radio Ink Magazine, identifying the 40 Most Powerful People in Radio, is now making its way across the country to subscribers. Here is some of our interview with the person who wields much of that power.

Glassnote Records CEO Daniel Glass says of his friend Bob Pittman, ?I think he?s a leader. I think he sets the tone. He?s exciting, progressive. If you look at what he does with his events and the excitement of them, I think he is a lightning rod for attention, because he loves it. I think he really loves radio, deep down. He loves local radio and he loves national radio. I think what he set out to do a few years ago, when he came back to Clear Channel, was to make it friendly, to make it cool, make it progressive, give it a zip, build those bridges again ? as evidenced by, twice a year, we are invited into an open forum as an independent label to play our music in front of everyone, and they bring programmers in from all over the country. He was a broadcaster; he was a radio guy. I think he really respects DJs. When he walks in to work, people in the radio business know he?s one of them. He gives his people a lot of freedom, a lot of leeway. I am also very impressed with the team he has assembled. There is no doubt that he?s the guy.?

Pittman's advice to everyone in the industry, would be to recognize how important radio is. "We take our success for granted. TV is America?s hobby, and people treat those programs like they do their hobby. But radio is America?s companion. I think that it is a much more powerful medium. It may not be something that people consciously think of, like they do the new Game of Thrones episode, or who was slaughtered this week on Game of Thrones, but if you stop and figure out what you did today, and what you interacted with, radio is at the absolute epicenter of what we do and who we are. If we would, for one second, just pause and realize how important we are to the consumer, and therefore how important we are to advertisers, that would probably cause us, first, to feel better about programming radio. We would be a lot more excited about what we are doing every day. And second, it would also probably cause us to be confident in selling it to advertisers, because we would be certain that we are offering them a valuable service that they don?t have if they are not using radio,
or not using enough radio.

Though anyone leading Clear Channel will be subject to criticism, Pittman has been changing the dynamic for the debt-saddled company, and for all of radio, by personally opening doors and meeting with CEOs from America?s top brands. Others may not get their calls returned, but when Pittman calls, meetings happen.  and he knows he can?t grow Clear Channel without growing the radio industry as a whole. So radio has become his topic, from that bully pulpit atop radio?s biggest player. Some even see him as the industry?s savior.

To order a copy of the 2013 40 Most Powerful People in Radio issue of Radio Ink ($10.00) call 561-655-8778.
To subscribe to Radio Ink (20 issues) for one year and receive this issue on your digital device ($49.00) today Go HERE

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(DIGITAL) Never Cold Call Strangers Again

6-24-2013

Did you know prospecting has been forever changed by social media?

You no longer have to cold call perfect strangers. Performing a client needs analysis during your first meeting with a prospect actually makes you looked unprepared. You should be using that valuable time to fill in gaps in your research. Calling a prospect after you heard or saw them advertise elsewhere demonstrates your lack of insight.

The old prospecting methods have lost much of their effectiveness. Today?s radio AEs need to start practicing social prospecting. Search, monitoring, and social media tools can now help AEs accelerate the sales process by gaining insights about the marketing needs of a prospect in a way they couldn?t even just a few years ago.

If you want to be the first one to get a prospect to buy advertising in your market, here?s how social prospecting can help you do it.

1. Find a Personal Connection

Social media has made it so much easier to find a personal connection inside any local company. Think about how much easier you?ll be able to pitch a company by having someone on the inside acting as your sales advocate. They can help you quickly identify the key marketing needs and decision makers.

Before contacting any local advertiser, get in the habit of scanning your social networks first for personal connections, especially LinkedIn. You?ll be surprised to find how many personal connections you already have within local businesses in your market.

2. Create Instant Personal Rapport

Forget small talk when you talk to a prospect for the first time. Creating instant personal rapport will both show the prospect you really understand their business, and that you are a person they'll like and trust. Search for information about them on Google, LinkedIn, Manta, and Yelp.

Gain insights by looking for recent quotes or interviews by someone inside the company in local publications or blogs. Scan reviews by their customers on Yelp.com to identify the primary reason people patronize them. Analyze the content they are sharing with their customers on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Visit their website to see what they are promoting.

Before you meet with an individual prospect, Google them or connect with them on LinkedIn. See if you have anything in common so you can quickly create a personal connection with them instead of talking about the weather.

3. Identify Sales Cycle of Prospect

Each year LifeHacker.com reports on ?The Best Time to Buy Anything During the Year.? This one report can help you understand the sales cycle for almost any advertising category.

If the best time to buy furniture for a consumer is July and January, then the best time for you to call on furniture retailers is four months in advance of those ?best times to buy? to help them maximize their marketing dollars. In this case, March and September.

Use search and social media to identify the slowest and busiest times of the year for each advertising category. Find out when they introduce new products and when they have to get rid of excess inventory. These insights will help you identify when to call on prospects well in advance of your competitors. Let them be the ones to call the prospect once their ad hits your air!

If you can get in the habits of finding personal connections, building personal rapport, and identifying optimum moments in sales cycles, you definitely close more sales than cold calling strangers ?asking? them to buy radio advertising.

Stephen Warley is the founder of inboundarts.com, a research and training firm dedicated to helping radio broadcasters use digital tools to generate more qualified sales leads. He is also the founded of LocalBroadcastSales.com in 2008. Email him at stephen@inboundarts.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Pandora Share Of Radio Listening Drops Again

5-7-13

Pandora reported it had dropped to 7.33 percent of total U.S. radio listening in the month of April -- the second consecutive month those numbers have declined (although there is no way to verify the numbers Pandora provides). In March, Pandora reported an 8.05 percent share and in February an 8.48 percent share. Why the drop two months in a row?

A Pandora spokesperson said, "This could be attributed to the 40-hour mobile listening limit, which was intended to reduce hours streamed without impacting the size or growth of Pandora's audience. April?s listener metrics show that the limit is working as intended: we saw an increase in total active listeners and a reduction of total hours streamed. These results are in line with our expectations. Moreover, Triton data shows there has been no material impact to Pandora?s rankings in major radio markets nationwide."

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Clear Channel Rocking Out Again in Tampa.

2-21-13

Two translators are helping Clear Channel bring the Thunder back to Tampa on 105.9 and 94.5. According to Tampa VP of Programming Doug Hammond says Clear Channel was simulcasting WFLA-AM on 105.9 and 94.5 is new. Both will now switch to the class rock brand to compliment Active Rock "98 Rock" WXTB. Thunder 103.5 was dumped about 8 years ago to make way for Country US-103.5. The Rocker was being played on HD2.

Hammond said, ?We?re excited to bring Thunder to Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg to offer our listeners Classic Rock programming all throughout the area. Thunder is another avenue for great Rock programming and we?re excited to have it as a compliment to Active Rock station, 98ROCK WXTB.?

Thunder 105.9 and 94.5 debuts commercial free playing the best Classic Rock from the Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Eagles, Pink Floyd, Boston, Van Halen and more. Thunder returns to the market after the station previously flipped to Country programming in 2005.

Thunder 105.9 and 94.5 programming lineup:
Jim Kerr ? Weekdays from 6-10 a.m.
Maria Milito ? Weekdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. ? 3 p.m.
Ken Dashow ? Weekdays from 3-7 p.m.
The Big Rig ? Weekdays from 7 p.m. ? Midnight, Sundays 10 a.m. ? 3 p.m.
Doc Reno ? Weekdays from Midnight ? 6 a.m., Saturday s 3-7 p.m.

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Rising Star Rises Again

8-20-2012

Chris Eagan was recently named one of Radio's Rising Stars. He'll appear in the August 27 issue of Radio Ink magazine. It appears the company he works for also recognizes Eagan's star status and has given him a promotion. CMG in Atlanta has promoted Eagan to Program Director for WSB-FM. Kudos to Eagan for continuing his rapid rise through the ranks of radio. He is only 31 years of age.

Eagan was Ops Manager for CMG Connecticut?s stations WPLR- FM 99.1, WEZN-FM 99.9 and WFOX-FM 95.9. Prior to being promoted to Ops  Manager, he held the position of program director for WEZN-FM STAR 99.9. Eagan said, ?I am thrilled to be joining the CMG Atlanta programming team. Atlanta is arguably the most competitive radio market in the country, and I can?t wait to work with Tony Kidd, Ben Reed, and the entire B98.5 programming, marketing, and sales staffs.?

Congratulate Chris for his promotion at CMG here: chris.eagan@coxinc.com

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Here We Go Again

5-10-2012

There are a few things in life you can always depend on. The sun will rise in the east and set in the west, the Chicago Cubs will never win the World Series and Republican lawmakers will try to defund public broadcasting. Oh wait, it's an election year isn't it. Senator Jim DeMint (pictured) and Representative Doug Lamborn, both Republicans, are calling for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to be defunded in next year?s federal budget. In letters to the chairmen of the Senate and House Appropriations committees, DeMint and Lamborn took issue with CPB?s request for an ?enormous? $445 million.

Here are exerpts from the letter, "Even though media and information have become more accessible than ever, funding for CPB has exploded. While so many Americans are making sacrifices around the country to make ends meet, CPB appears unwilling to do the same. Now is the appropriate and necessary time for the government to end taxpayer subsidies for CPB.?

It's important to note that a recent federal appeals court ruling has allowed public broadcasters to take political ads, that could net quite a bit of money in this election cycle.

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Radio Listening on The Rise Again

Arbitron announced results from its September 2011 RADAR 110 National Radio Listening Report. The ratings firm says "radio added more listeners versus the September 2010 report, with an additional 1.7 million listeners aged 12 and older tuning in on a average week." The growth in radio listeners is largely attributed to young demographics. The number of persons twelve and older listening to radio each week now reaches an estimated 241.4 million, representing 93 percent of the population twelve and older.

As compared to the September 2010 report, the number of teen listeners aged 12 to 17 increased by 36,000 and Adults aged 18 to 34 increased by 80,000.  Radio now reaches 91.9 percent of teens aged 12 to 17 and 93.4 percent of adults aged 18 to 34.  The number of radio listeners aged 25 to 54 dropped by 118,000.  Additionally, the number of radio listeners aged 18 to 49 fell by 365,000. 

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Bustos Building Again. Purchases Four in Portland.

With a goal of owning 20 stations within 5 years, Amador Bustos is 1/5 of the way there. Bustos exercised his option to purchase four stations in Portland Oregon that he had been LMAing from Adelante Media Group since October. The stations are; KGDD-AM, a Regional Mexican format, KXET-AM (a simulcast with 93.5 FM), KOOR-AM (Russian Radio 7 ? Religious music and talk) and KRYN-AM (Radio Familiar ?  Spanish Christina).

Bustos had a pretty rough go his last time around the radio block. Back in 2010 Bustos Media had to forfeit its radio and television stations when it went into default. Bustos told Radio Ink last night "Minority broadcasters are an ?endangered species.?  My mission is a conservation effort to not have this species become totally extinct.  I want to establish Bustos Media as a premier small privately owned Spanish language regional broadcast group."

Bustos says the time to get back in is now. "The market place could not be better to grow a broadcast group, but since I want to do it without external private equity, it may take longer to execute.  For that reason,  I may be unable to take advantage of all the opportunities currently available. I would like to have approximately 20 stations in four markets within fairly close geographical proximity." His lesson after losing his stations the first time around; "Take the least possible high-priced private equity or bank debt."

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