Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

RADAR won't put food on your table...

The new Radar 96 figures show Radio reaching 235 million listeners over the course of a week, a number that has increased from last year's RADAR 92 estimates. And there are lots more glowing numbers from the survey which should make sales people salivate but never does. To begin with let's look at what RADAR represents. RADAR is the "standard currency for national network radio ratings", measuring 57 individual radio networks which include ABC, American Urban Networks, Crystal Media, Dial Global Inc., Jones MediaAmerica, Premiere Radio and Westwood One. The sample size of the survey is huge - 225,000 respondents...

My hope is that RADAR matters in Network sales. The medium that gave me a living is in deep enough stuff that it needs all the help it can get to survive. The rub with RADAR is this - it doesn't help the bread-and-butter sales of local radio, the very lifeline of what keeps a station ticking - local sales...

If you're still in local radio, here's some advice - show your local sales people respect and provide all the help that you can offer, short of making any programming changes. There are far too many programming people who distance themselves from sales. Big mistake! I always felt that the sales people were feeding my family. Without them - the check won't be in the mail. RADAR results won't help them at all. Never has, never will. Your support will...

10 Timeline Memories:
  1. 1629] Welcome to the Bay State: The Massachusetts colony is founded by Englishmen. The Massachusetts state song is: "All Hail To Massachusetts" which should be replaced by the Bee Gees ...1822] The city of Boston is incorporated, something noted by Dave Loggins ...
  2. 1831] Stick up, highway robbery: The first bank robbery in America is reported. The City Bank of New York City loses $245,000 in a stick-up...
  3. 1953] Oscars bring Hope: Bob Hope emcees the first televised Academy Awards Show on the network. 174 stations give viewers a look at Gary Cooper winning for "Best Actor" in "High Noon" and Shirley Booth accepting the "Best Actress" award for "Come Back Little Sheba". "The Best Picture" is "The Greatest Show On Earth"...
  4. 1957] Gracing Memphis: Elvis Presley buys the mansion he names "Graceland"...
  5. 1966] Glory Road: Number three ranked Texas Western upsets #1 Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament's final game to win the championship of college basketball. The Miners, composed mostly of blacks beats the Wildcats 72-65. The story was made into the movie, "Glory Road" ...
  6. 1976] "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": Buckingham Palace announces the separation of Princess Margaret and her husband, the Earl of Snowdon after 16 years of marriage. They divorce two years later...
  7. 1984] Debuted on this date: "Kate & Allie" starring Susan Saint James (Kate) and Jane Curtin (Allie). The show will run 5 seasons, ending in 1989...
  8. 1987] Get the Kleenex out: TV evangelist Jim Bakker resigns as chairman of his PTL ministry amid a sex-and-money scandal involving former church secretary Jessica Hahn. Ted Koppel investigates...
  9. 2003] Shock and Awe: An American-led coalition launches a war against Iraq, beginning with the launch of U.S. Cruise missiles and precision-guided bombs aimed at Saddam Hussein near Baghdad...
  10. 2007] 'Happy Trails": Calvert DeForest a.k.a. Larry "Bud" Melman dies at 85 after years of poor health. Here's Larry "Bud" in happier times on the Letterman Show ...

Music Memories:

  • 1962] Bob Dylan's self-titled debut LP is released...

Commentary:

Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke whose most famous work was "2001: A Space Odyssey" passed away in Sri Lanka early this morning at 90. Clarke, had been battling debilitating post-polio syndrome for years. We also lost writer-director Anthony Minghella yesterday at 54. Minghella gave us "The English Patient", "Cold Mountain" and "The Talented Mr. Ripley". Minghella died from a brain hemorrhage following routine neck surgery. "Happy Trails" to both...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Bruce Willis (53), Glenn Close (61), Ruth Pointer (62), Joe Kapp (69), Clarence 'Frogman' Henry (71), Ursula Andress (72), Renee Taylor (75), Philip Roth (75), Phyllis Newman (75) and Patrick McGoohan (80)...

Timeline Countdown: One day until spring, 4 days until Easter Sunday, 6 days until opening day and 31 days until Passover...