Cautious Radio Accounts Are Spending Less...

The first week of July didn't bode well for radio business. It wasn't bad, just lower than expected, lower than one year ago. In the Mediaguide AdMonitor summary of radio advertising for June 30 through July 6, top retail brands are tracking at lower levels. "Other than radio enthusiast Geico, there isn't anything in this report that really shouts, 'The economy is doing better' says Mediaguide's Joan Gerberding. "Radio enthusiast" Geico, which never met a radio station they didn't buy, took second place to Home Depot, the top advertiser now and one year ago although they bought more spots last year at this time, 2% more in 2009. Top 20 radio spenders McDonalds (-3%), SafeLife Auto Glass (-29%), Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Lowe's Home Improvement, Wendy's, Taco Bell and Sam's Club were all down from one year ago. Bigger spenders year-over-year were Geico, Autozone Auto Parts Store and Kohl's. 2009 top 20 accounts dropping out this year are Wells Fargo/Wachovia Banks, Farmer Insurance Group and Onstar...
At the same time Mediaguide was announcing the results of their latest radio advertisers list, Goldman Sachs was trimming its U.S. auto sales forecast this year to 11.7 million vehicles from 12 million. Like Joan Gerberding, IHS Automotive analyst Chris Hopson is not over-the-moon about sales, "The recovery is just not as robust or as quick as first expected." Hopson's firm has also downgraded its estimate for annual sales to 11.5 million from 11.8 million...
Since there is a direct correlation between auto sales and the radios contained in those cars, Sirius XM, Internet radio and plain ole terrestrial radio will be keeping a sharp eye on future auto sales...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1630] Pass the cranberry: The Massachusetts Bay Colony celebrates what’s recognized as the 1st Thanksgiving. White meat or dark???
2.1776] Declaring our independence: Militia officer John Nixon gives the 1st public reading of the Declaration of Independence to a crowd gathered at Independence Square in Philadelphia…
3.1889] WSJ sighting: The Wall Street Journal is published for the 1st time…
4.1947] Ground breaking begins: For the building of the U.N. in Manhattan…
5.1981] Confirmation Day: The Senate confirms Sandra Day O'Connor as Supreme Court Justice…
6.1985] Madonna Unplugged: Madonna poses nude in Playboy and Penthouse. Soon to be 10-year old A-Rod hides his under his bed…
7.1986] This is not kosher: Kurt Waldheim is inaugurated as president of Austria despite controversy over his alleged ties to Nazi war crimes. You'll enjoy this clip if you speak German...
8.1997] Fen-Phen, ‘Feh’: The Mayo Clinic and the government warn that the diet-drug "fen-phen" could cause serious heart and lung damage…
9.2000] Beaned by a ‘Rocket’: Yankee pitcher Roger Clemens beans Met catcher Mike Piazza which is a warm up for throwing a bat chard at Piazza in a 2000 World Series game…
10.2006] “Happy Trails": To June Allyson who passes away from pulmonary respiratory failure at the age of 88…

Commentary: It was Steve who told me about his father's passing. It took me by surprise because Marty was always the picture of health at 80. Sadness was followed by many good memories of my friend, Marty Ostrow. I met Marty when he was editor of Cashbox in the early 70s and would run into him in the neighborhood. Marty was hired by Jann Wenner to give Rolling Stone some street cred by starting a chart of weekly hits. That's how highly Marty was valued in the radio and record business. That's not what I'll remember most about Marty though. When I left WCBS-FM, Marty and I met for lunch. I was trying to pick his brain about making the transition into the next phase of my life, like Marty did. He gave me some great advice, which led to the development of my own website. Marty told me to do something I love doing, even if I had to volunteer for it, something he did at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association. That led to 'Now and Then' and much encouragement from Marty after I started the website. One of a legion of friends of the man, Artie Wayne put together some fond memories of Marty in his latest post. One final personal thought. I will miss Marty for his friendship, for his love of radio and records but most of all for that famous smile of his. R.I.P. Marty. You will be missed by everyone that had the pleasure of making your acquaintance...Harvey Mednick reports the death of Kim Kelly (Tanenbaum), radio marketing exec, June 30. Kim spent 25 years in radio, from dj to marketing at WFYR Chicago, KFI/KOST, KRLA/KFSH Los Angeles. Kim passed away at 60 after a long battle with cancer...On a happier note sportscaster Jim Gray has been picked by the Lebron James people to handle the introduction, announcement and questions on tonight's ESPN Lebron James special at 9 pm (ET). Jim's interview with James will also air. I am one proud uncle this morning...

Music Memories:

• Number One 5 years ago today: "We Belong Together" - Mariah Carey...
• Number One 10 years ago today: "Be With You" - Enrique Iglesias...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Toby Keith (49), Kevin Bacon (52), Anjelica Huston (59), Wolfgang Puck (61), Jeffrey Tambor (66), Steve Lawrence (75) and Jerry Vale (78)...

Timeline Countdown: 5 days until the All-Star game & 17 days until NFL training camps begin opening...