Radio can thank an upswing in ad spending by auto, retail, financial and political for ending its long sales slump. Kantar Media reports that radio sales are up 7.4% to $1.72 billion. Local sales are up 4.6% to $1.11 billion, national spot catapulted 19% to $396.8 million and network radio improved by 3% over Q1 2009, taking in $215.7 million. While Q1 was up 10.5% for television media, national syndication was down 13.2%, there was no love for magazines (-3.2%) except for Sunday editions, newspaper spending was off 3.7%, outdoor dipped -0.4% and Internet (display ads only) was up 5%. And who were the big spenders???
Proctor & Gamble increased its Q1 ad spending 17.7%, AT&T in a battle with Verizon upped their spending for the quarter by 26.7% while Verizon scaled back it's spending by 9.1%. Other big spenders included General Motors (+28.5%), telecom (+10.6%), Pfizer (+46.2%) and financial services (+10.1%). Kantar reports that while some media sectors enjoyed a greater lift than others, Q1 spending hikes "were broadly distributed across advertisers and categories, and that's an encouraging signal for the market going forward." ...
This uptick in ad spending marks the first quarterly increase since Q1 of 2008 and the most significant gain since the first three months of 2006. The big dark cloud that's been hovering over radio for what seems like forever, is starting to lift...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1668] New England justice: Three colonists are expelled from Massachusetts for being Baptists. Lighten up people!!!
2.1932] Debuted on this date: Massachusetts Governor Joseph Ely signs a bill making Sunday baseball possible at Fenway Park…1937] The Golden Gate Bridge connecting San Francisco and Marin County opens to “pedestrians only". On May 28th it opens to traffic…
3.1941] Sink The Bismarck: The British naval and air forces do! 2,300 are killed on the German battleship…
4.1957] Top 40 eh?: CHUM (AM) becomes Canada's first top 40 station...
5.1960] Catch this!: The Baltimore Orioles debut a giant catcher’s mitt, the size of Rhode Island, to help Clint Courtney catch Hoyt Wilhelm's knuckleball…
6.1968] Papa Bear hangs up his paws: George Halas retires after 48 years as coach of the Chicago Bears…
7.1969] Disney discovers Florida: Construction of Walt Disney World begins in Orlando. The theme park will open in 1971...
8.1995] Superman upended: Christopher Reeve is paralyzed when thrown from his horse during a jumping competition in Charlottesville (VA)…
9.1997] The Supes Rule: The Supreme Court rules that Paula Jones can pursue her sexual harassment lawsuit against President Bill Clinton while he is in office. It will eventually cost Clinton $850,000 to settle the case...
10.1998] Guilty as charged: The government’s star witness in the Oklahoma City bombing case, Michael Fortier is sentenced to 12 years in prison for not apologizing for not warning anyone about the deadly plot...
Music Memories:
•1957] Released on this date: "That'll Be The Day" - Buddy Holly & The Crickets ...1962] "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" LP...
Commentary:
Art Linkletter started his career in radio in the 40's but will mostly be remembered for hosting such highly rated television shows as House Party, Kids Say The Darndest Things and People Are Funny. There was no one better at interviewing kids, which led to a successful series of books quoting children. In his autobiography, Confessions of a Happy Man (1960) he revealed that he had had no contact with his natural parents or his sister or two brothers since being abandoned in Canada when just a few weeks old. Linkletter was adopted by Mary and Fulton John Linkletter and later moved to the United States. Linkletter died yesterday two months before his 98th birthday. No cause of death was given...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Jamie Oliver (35), Jack ('30 Rock') McBrayer (37), Todd Bridges (45), Peri Gilpin (49), Bruce Weitz (67), Cilla Black (67), Louis Gossett Jr. (74), Lee Meriwether (75), Ramsey Lewis (75), Sumner Redstone (87) and Henry Kissinger (87)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until Memorial Day, 9 days until the Belmont Stakes, 24 days until Fathers' Day and 25 days until summer...
