Saga Declares Special Cash Dividend

11-21-13

The Saga Communications Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend of $1.80 per share. The dividend is a 47 percent increase over last year's special dividend. Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker says, "Saga will retain a very strong balance sheet, in our view. As of September 30, Saga had $27.5M of cash on hand and net leverage of 0.6x. Post the dividend payment, we estimate SGA's leverage ratio will remain a strong 0.9x. We believe SGA's increasing return of capital is appropriate given its robust cash position and low leverage."

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(SOCIAL) Making That Special Connection

10-4-2013

Why do you think personalities avoid putting themselves out there in social media? Don?t these personalities remember their mom saying they were like snowflakes?   

You see this all the time if you follow what is largely happening in radio on Facebook and Twitter (and other social media platforms). You see a lot of focus on what other stations are doing and a lot of promotional crap. This content is generally driven toward shock or promotion of a radio-station-selfish movement. Too little is focused on real connectivity with local listeners, but that can change. Let?s look at the possibility of focusing on three key areas that could really give great impact for local radio personalities today.

1. Personalities are people. Real listeners respond to authenticity and other real people. It?s weird to say ?Be real? isn?t it? But that is the point and it is largely missing from local radio personalities in social media. When you repost the content of others or use tricks, it isn?t really connective. It can provide ?temporary eyes,? but you should be looking to win hearts too. Be yourself and put your life into social media. Of course, you want to be careful and use good judgment for safety and also to make sure you are matching company standards, but people don?t really like being manipulated. They like to see you are a real person. Once they do, they are usually drawn closer to you. That?s half the real value of social media and something most manipulators miss.

2. Passion means easy engagement. Hopefully, you are a personality that matches the market you are in and you also match the audience you are trying to attract. If this is true and you are a well-rounded person with interests beyond radio that you're passionate about, it?s likely you should use them creatively to connect to your local listeners. There are causes in your market, things that happen that are hyper-local. Comment on them, engage listeners about them, be passionate, and build community with others who will identify with you.

3. Get listeners to take follow-up actions. Try to create your content in such a way that you really get listeners involved. This involvement could be as simple as commenting on a post, photo, or video from you, going to your website or on-air (one of my favorites) or joining up with you if you are super-involved in a cause or event, to help you ?take it to the next level.? You talk about opportunity to gain loyalty of passionate listeners! 

There is great opportunity out there for local radio personalities to really connect, protect themselves and their livelihood, and grow audience with social media. But it takes authenticity, strategy that matches the life group of your format, the values of the audience you most want to attract, and smart engagement that leans directly into the benefits for, along with passions and interests of, your local listeners. If you do that, while being highly visual and fun, you will win opportunity to move audiences in social media. That?s much larger than temporarily manipulating someone to see reposted content or generic cookie-cutter stuff everyone else in radio may be posting.

Loyd Ford is the direct marketing, ratings and social media strategist for Americalist Direct Marketing and has programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, and WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here:  http://about.me/loydford. Get his radio-social media content sent directly to your smart phone or email for free here:  www.rainmakerpathway.wordpress.com. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HERE.  Visit his Facebook radio social media page HERE.

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Special Memorial Day Show Returns

3-15-13

"A Grateful Nation," debuted in 2012 as a one-hour program, but was expanded to a three-hour format in its second year due to popular demand. News/talk stations can support military families Memorial Day weekend by airing the show which is a spoken-word program honoring those who have fought and died to defend America, and the loved ones who share the burden. ?A Grateful Nation? is a project of Fisher House Foundation, which provides no-cost housing and other support for the families of wounded warriors while their loved ones are being treated at military and VA hospitals.

The program is distributed by Premiere Networks. For more information and to sign-up for ?A Grateful Nation,? contact Kurt Kretzschmar at Premiere Networks at 602-374-6351 or kkretzschmar@premiereradio.com.

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SRN's Tradup in Guatamala For Special Series

2-24-2013

Salem Radio Network vice president/news & talk programming Tom Tradup spent the past week in Guatemala preparing a week-long SRN News series titled The Poorest of the Poor. Tradup said, ?We always strive to be 100% objective covering any story. But for me?especially as the father of two?many aspects of this trip were heartbreaking." Guatemala suffers from the lowest malnutrition rate anywhere in the Western hemisphere. Tradup embedded with the American relief agency Food For The Poor to cover the story of impoverished children in Guatemala.

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Our Special Beasley Broadcasting Birthday Issue

It was 50 years ago that George Beasley went on the air with his first radio station in Benson, NC. Today the company has 42 stations in 11 markets and nearly 650 employees. In the current issue of Radio Ink we give readers a complete timeline of events celebrating the Beasley success story. Along the way, many exciting events took place in the life of this successful broadcast family and we've spoken to many people involved in those events. In fact, we had too many interviews to fit between the printed pages.

An additional 6 pages of content can be found in our digital edition of this special Basley Broadcasting issue. Those 6 pages include an audio interview with Rick Dees about his long friendship with the Beasley family, audio interviews with Tommy Edward, Randy Kabrich, David Van Dyke. All three men were involved in the CBS/Beasley Oldies battle in Los Angeles. They tell some great stories. Our expanded digital edition also includes video from Emmis CEO Jeff Smulyan, NAB EVP/Radio John David and Commonwealth Broadcasting CEO Steve Newberry.

In addition to our expanded Beasley coverage we also feature radio's Best Managers for 2011. In our expanded digital issue we have expanded interviews with 7 of the managers who made it on our list. In those extra pages these managers go into greater details about how they succeed in their markets, the challenges they expect to face in 2012 and what makes them a great manager. In all, the November 21st issue of Radio Ink has 14 extra pages of content to help you succeed at your job every day. Radio Ink, in digital format, is delivered directly to your inbox as soon as it is published. it's easy to read, easy to print pages and easy to go back to and revisit whenever you need it.

To order your digital for only $49.00 FOR THE YEAR Click HERE

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Finebaum Makes Surprise Visit to Special Listener

Despite being embroiled in an ugly controversy with his employer, popular sports-talker Paul Finebaum made a special surprise visit to a listener this past Friday who's mom told the local paper "this was the greatest thing that could ever have happened to him." Robert Fisher is 33 years old and has cerebral palsy. Friday morning Finebaum and other members of his show got on a private plane and left Alabama headed for Waterloo.

Fisher is not only a regular listener to the show, he's become one of Finebaums regular callers and is somewhat controversial. According to the Cedar Valley Courier, "while a couple of hateful callers took issue with Finebaum putting Fisher on the air, the vast majority of listeners embraced him." Finebaum says "everybody loves the guy on the show. He's known from coast to coast."

Fisher received packages from all over the country from other listeners, and a coach from Eastern Kentucky University sent a hat, according to the Courier. Others sent inspiring books and wrote letters. Some suggest Fisher seems to grow confident and articulate the more he goes on the show. One listener, an 83-year-old man, wrote a poem and sent it to Fisher. He finished by encouraging Fisher to keep calling the show because everyone enjoys listening."

Read the entire Courier story HERE.
Out thanks to Paul Finebaum for sending over the pictures from his visit.

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Smerconish "Special Interview" To Open Forecast

Forecast 2012 keynote, Dial Global-syndicated radio host, and best-selling author Michael Smerconish says he's  "looking forward to participating at Forecast," where he'll be conducting a live interview with a high-profile, controversial special guest newsmaker. Forecast is set for December 6 at the Harvard Club in New York. Smerconish says "Given this individual's past battles with Wall Street, I can't wait to ask him about Occupy Wall Street, among other pressing matters." 

Radio Ink VP/General Manager Deborah Parenti believes this presentation will be compelling, but may stir some strong reaction. "The interview format he has chosen for the opening keynote is one in which he is exceptionally gifted, and, as with his radio show, Michael has not shied from injecting some controversy into his interview choice," Parenti says. "This could be one of the most provocative presentations ever at Forecast."

The award-winning Smerconish's impressive resume speaks for itself: He was the first radio host to interview President Obama from the White House, was named Local Personality of the Year by R&R, and made Philadelphia magazine's list of the most powerful citizens. His best-selling books have advanced meaningful discussion in our post-9/11 world, and his contributions to MSNBC and many respected periodicals have brought his message to readers and viewers across the country.

Forecast is Radio Ink's eagerly anticipated annual radio industry financial conference -- the only one of its kind. Radio owners, CEOs, CFOs, group executives, managers and Wall Street analysts gather to discuss the state of the radio industry and predictions for the coming year. Participants hear about current and upcoming trends and opportunities, and meet the trendsetters of tomorrow. There are only 200 seats available, so early registration is encouraged.

Each year after the conference, Radio Ink invites the 40 Most Powerful People in Radio to pick up their plaques and join us for cocktails in their honor. The 2011 40 Most Powerful featured more new faces than any time in the list's history, and Forecast attendees will get the exclusive opportunity to mingle with both new entrants and the perennials in New York's elegant Harvard Club. Only registered conference attendees are guaranteed invitations to the after-party. Attendance is limited to 200.

Don't miss your chance to gather with, and learn from, the best in radio at Forecast 2012. Get your tickets today!

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