Friday, August 31, 2007

Friday-Monday, August 31-September 3, 2007

Ad spending edge goes to the Internet...

I couldn't resist following up on the latest news regarding a topic I've been pounding for a while now - advertising spending. Sometimes stories fall right into your lap and when I saw the Forbes headline Web Ad Spending To Eclipse Radio in '07 I knew I had my next feature story. U.S. Internet advertising spending will pass radio advertising for the first time this year giving radio another wake-up call as we go into the unofficial summer-ending Labor Day weekend. As the Beach Boys remind us every June, "There's a time for joy, a time for tears, a time we'll treasure through the years" but these times won't be treasured through the years for the radio industry unless they wake up now...

eMarketer senior analyst Ben Macklin has radio ad spending inching up 1.5% in 2007 to $20.4 billion while online ad expenditures go up 22% from last year's figure to $21.7 billion. Macklin claims that radio station Web sites and online audio advertising "will be the principal drivers for radio advertising growth". He also expects the sluggish radio advertising market to continue to be so sluggish that by 2011 online ad spending will double radio, $44 billion to $22.6 billion...

Why will Internet ad spending money dwarf that of radio ad spending? Here's why. According to a study released earlier this year (Arbitron and Edison Media Research) only 17% of U.S. consumers consider radio the "most" essential medium, down from 26% five years ago. That's why. But there is some light at the end of the revenue radio tunnel. Macklin has this advice, "Advertisers should not abandon radio in favor of the Web but combine the two media to take advantage of the unique attributes of each". Here's Mel's advice, if your radio station is not utilizing its website to make money in addition to telling everyone how great your contests and personalities are, you lose!!!

10 Timeline Memories for August 31:
  1. 1888] The Ripper strikes: Mary Ann "Polly" Nicholls is found murdered in London's East End becoming 'Jack the Ripper's' 1st victim on his rampage but as many as 13 may have been victims...
  2. 1950] Joining the club: Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers hits 4 home runs in a 19-3 pasting of the Boston Braves...
  3. 1954] Oh Carol: Hurricane Carol hits the northeast, killing nearly 70 (60 in New England alone) and resulting in millions of dollars in damage...
  4. 1969] We lose the real 'Rocky': Undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano from Brockton (MA) dies in a light plane crash in Iowa, the day before his 46th birthday. Rocky is the only undefeated heavyweight champ in history. This is a terrific tribute to the Rock: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hp_fqTpt9EA ...
  5. 1974] Curtains: After 4 years on the air, "The Partridge Family" ends. Here's David Cassidy, Shirley Jones and the rest of the family ending their roller coaster ride: http://youtube.com/watch?v=AO0GamSg19k ...
  6. 1976] Here come de judge: A judge rules that George Harrison is guilty of copying from the Chiffon's hit "He's So Fine" when writing "My Sweet Lord"...
  7. 1985] Gotcha!: Richard Ramirez, later convicted of California's "Night Stalker" murders is captured by residents of an East Los Angeles neighborhood. He would be judged guilty of 13 murders, 5 attempted murders and numerous sexual assaults and burglaries...
  8. 1995] Debuted on this date: The doors of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are opened to the public in Cleveland...
  9. 1997] The death of a princess: This was the day that Princess Diana met her death in that tragic crash in a French tunnel. Diana was just 36...
  10. 2002] "Happy Trails": The legendary Lionel Hampton dies from cardiac arrest at 94...

Music Memories: All our music videos were #1 on Labor Day Weekend...

Commentary...

Checking in with e-mails were: Harvey Mednick, Frank Kingston Smith and Gordon Brown. Harvey reminds that re: Glenn Ford, his remake of the classic "3:10 to Yuma" is now out, FKS remembers when he played "634-5789" by Wilson Pickett that a lady in Milford (MA) got called which only proves Pavlov's theory and Gordie who thanked me for linking his birthday with that of Kitty Wells but his birthday is not until September 5th. Gordie: you've already had more mentions of a birthday than anyone has ever received. Finally to everyone: Make it a safe and happy Labor Day weekend...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

(8/31) Deborah Gibson (37), Marcia Clark (54), Richard Gere (58), Tom Coughlin (61), Van Morrison (62), Itzhak Perlman (62), Jerry Allison (Crickets) (68), Frank Robinson (72), Dan Rather (76) and Daniel Schorr (91)...

(9/1) Gloria Estefan (50), Dr. Phil McGraw (57), Archie Bell (63), Lily Tomlin (68), Alan Dershowitz (69) and George Maharis (79)...

(9/2) Salma Hayek (41), Lennox Lewis (42), Keanu Reeves (43), Jimmy Connors (55), Mark Harmon (56), Terry Bradshaw (59), Joe Simon (64), Jimmy Clanton (67) and Peter Ueberroth (70)...

(9/3) Charlie Sheen (42), Valerie Perrine (64), Al Jardine (65), Eileen Brennan (72), Anne Jackson (81), Hank Thompson (82) and 'Beetle Bailey' cartoonist Mort Walker (84)...

Saturday-Monday, September 1-3, 2007

10 Timeline Memories:

  1. 1897] (9/1) The 1st subway that didn't make sandwiches: The 1st subway system in the U.S. opens in Boston. Over 95% of the original subway tunnels remain in use today...
  2. 1942] (9/3) The 1st "Dooby dooby doo": Frank Sinatra starts his solo career...
  3. 1942] (9/3) Curtains: "The Lone Ranger" airs on radio for the last time after 2,956 episodes covering a period of 21 years...1966] "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet" ends after 14 years. It ran on radio for 10 years and then on radio and TV...1967] After 17 years, "What's My Line" ends its run...1977] "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" bows out with the famous group hug. All of these shows had their finale on 9/3...
  4. 1956] (9/1) Pink Cadillac: Elvis Presley shares early success with his family, buying his mother a pink Cadillac...
  5. 1963] (9/2) #1 Angels: The Angels become the 1st white female group to have a #1 record in the pop music era with "My Boyfriend's Back"...
  6. 1970] (9/1) The dream ends: The last episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" airs. The show premiered on September 18, 1965...
  7. 1970] (9/3) "Happy Trails": Legendary coach Vince Lombardi dies from cancer at 57...1991] Movie director Frank Capra is the victim of a heart attack in his sleep at 94...2001] Movie critic Pauline Kael passes away from Parkinson's disease at 82...(all on 9/3)...
  8. 1983] (9/2) O Solo Mio: Tom Brokaw becomes sole anchor of NBC's "Nightly News". His final broadcast was Dec. 1, 2004. Brian Williams replaces him...
  9. 1985] (9/1) The real Titanic: Is found by a joint U.S.-French expedition. The wreck site is located 963 miles northeast of New York and 453 miles southeast of Newfoundland...
  10. 1995] (9/2) The rock rolls on: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (already opened to the public) holds a 7-hour concert starring Jerry Lee Lewis, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan as part of the opening celebration...

Timeline Countdown (as of Sept. 3, 2007) Today is Labor Day and 3 days remain until the NFL opener on Thursday night...