Monday, October 11, 2010

It Looks Like Radio Will Have A Happy Holiday...

It's only Columbus Day but it's not too early to talk about the holidays. It's already Thanksgiving in Canada and while Halloween is still 3 weeks away in the U.S., the holiday season is being scoped out by the National Retail Federation. The NRF projects a 2.3% rise in holiday sales following better-than-expected retail numbers in September. Victoria's Secret, Macy's/Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus & Saks are all up as a new macroeconomic report tracking national retail and service sales, indicates a rise in total U.S. apparel sales of 3.8% in September compared to August, and a 4.3% rise in consumer electronic sales. All signs point to a substantial increase in holiday advertising this season for radio...

While retail growth remains slightly lower than the 10-year holiday sales increase of 2.5%, the NRF notes it would be a marked improvement from both last year's 0.4% rise and the 3.9% holiday sales decline retailers experienced in 2008. NRF president Matthew Shay is a bit more guarded than most retail forecasters: "Though the retail industry is on stronger footing than last year, companies are closely watching key economic indicators before getting too optimistic that the recession is behind them." ...

Better-than-expected retail sales bodes well for radio's continued recovery and an increase in holiday advertising looks like a good bet. It's the best Christmas present radio can get...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1967] Friendly Fenway: The Red Sox beat the Cardinals 8-4 in game 6 of the World Series with back-to-back-to-back home runs by Yaz, Reggie Smith & Rico Petrocelli, to force game 7 of the WS and make this blogger, in attendance, very happy. Then came game 7...
2.1968] Lift off: Apollo 7 is launched with Wally Schirra, Don Fulton Eisele and R. Walter Cunningham aboard. It's the first time live television broadcasts were received from space...
3.1971] Curtains: Hugh Downs leaves the "Today Show" and "Concentration". He will later resurface as host of ABC-TV's "20/20" ("we're in touch, so you be in touch")...
4.1975] Wedding Bells: Hillary Rodham (R) switches party affiliation when she marries Bill Clinton (D)...
5.1975] Live from New York: George Carlin hosts the first "Saturday Night Live" with musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston. This is John Belushi's screen test for the show...
6.1984] 1st woman spacewalker: American Kathryn D. Sullivan aboard the Challenger, becomes the first woman to walk in space...
7.1991] Hill v. Thomas: Anita Hill accuses Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment in 'must see TV' for the masses...
8.1992] A 3-ring circus: George Bush (41), Bill Clinton and Ross Perot conduct the first 3-way presidential debate...
9.2002] How nobel: Former President Jimmy Carter wins the Nobel Peace Prize...
10.2006] Tragedy on 72nd Street: Yankees relief pitcher Corey Lidle, 34, and his co-pilot/instructor Tyler Stanger die when their small plane crashes into the 40th floor of a 50 floor hi-rise in Manhattan. Pilot error was ruled. I saw the aftermath of the crash, located less than a mile from here...

Music Memories:

Commentary:

The Tampa Bay Radio Reunion is set for Saturday, November 6, 2010. Please RSVP to Sandy Hall at swoodworth@embargmail.com or call 813-205-5247. Sandy needs a headcount for the reunion. Tedd Webb adds that if you missed it last year, you missed a good one, so pass along the info and come swap lies and have a few brews. The reunion will start at 2 PM...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Michelle Wie (21), Emily ("Bones") Deschanel (34), Jane Krakowski (42), Luke Perry (45), Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez (45), Joan Cusack (48), Football Hall of Famer Steve Young (49), David Morse (57), Daryl Hall (64) and Elmore Leonard (85)...

Timeline Countdown: 17 days until the World Series begins, 21 nights until Halloween and 27 days until Standard Time...
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