Monday, January 3, 2011

Mixed Messages On Radio's Recovery In 2011...

We start the new year off with mixed messages on radio's recovery in 2011. This much is certain - radio can't recover until the economy recovers and that's going slower than expected. Mark Thoma, macroeconomist at the University of Oregon tells CBS Money Watch he worries about an "agonizingly slow recovery." He bases his concern on employment where a recovery is now measured in years rather than months, consumer confidence being down and falling house prices. Thoma also recognizes some positive signs, such as a rise in long-term interest rates with expectations of a better economy ahead, better than expected Christmas sales, changes in the yield curve, falling jobless claims, increased consumer spending and other signs of an improving economy. Thoma still believes the recovery will be drawn out. Others are more optimistic...

Inside Radio reports that Wells Fargo analyst Marci Ryvicker says her team's view of media is "generally positive" for 2011 as the focus will "return to fundamentals" with an eye on local advertising and auto spending. Recent online advertising gains are fueling confidence and Standard & Poor's predicts that digital advertising will increase 10% this year. For radio, online billings have been the fastest growing segment for the past several years, and there's no sign of slowing down...

That 10% digital growth rate tops all other media growth rates. Radio revenue growth rates are predicted to reach 3% to 4%. Predictions made in 2010 ranged as high as 6% for 2011. Most experts now believe the 3% to 4% growth rate to be more realistic, indicating that radio's recovery will take longer than most broadcasters would like to see...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1847] The Name Game: Yerba Buena (CA) is wisely renamed San Francisco otherwise Tony Bennett would be singing "I left my heart in Yerba Buena". If this video doesn't tug at your heart and make you book a flight to the City by The Bay, nothing ever will...
2.1929] Inherit the network: 27-year old William S. Paley becomes CBS President, inheriting it from his father...
3.1952] 10-4: "Dragnet", a radio show since 1949 moves to TV...
4.1961] No more cuban cigars: The U.S. severs diplomatic relations with Cuba...
5.1967] 'Happy Trails': Jack Ruby, 55, the man that shot JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, dies in a Dallas hospital of a pulmonary embolism. Whatever he knew died with him...
6.1973] The worst sale ever???: CBS sells the Yankees to a group headed by George Steinbrenner for $10 million. CBS bought it for $13.2 million. In retrospect, this could be a worse deal than the Red Sox selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees...
7.1990] Curtains: Ousted Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega surrenders to U.S. forces in Miami, done in by loud Rock & Roll...1997] Bryant Gumbel signs off for the last time as host of NBC's "Today Show"...
8.1993] Comeback Kid: Backup Buffalo Bills QB Frank Reich overcomes a 32-point deficit to beat Houston 41-38 in OT in a Wild Card playoff game. It's the biggest comeback in NFL history. Reich did the same thing in College at Maryland as a backup to Boomer Esiason...
9.2000] No more Peanuts: The last new daily 'Peanuts' comic strip by Charles Schulz runs in 2,600 newspapers. This clip shows a "Peanuts" memorial...
10.2008] Upset special: Barack Obama wins the Democratic caucuses in Iowa on his road to the White House...

Music Memories:

R.I.P. Nick Santamaria:

In 1980, CBS Records product manager Marty Pekar was instrumental in the signing of several Doo Wop groups and the Ambient Sound label, short-lived as it was, was born. One of the groups signed to the label was The Capris headed by lead singer Nick Santamaria aka Nick Santo. Nick, a former New York City police officer, was the lead voice behind "There's A Moon Out Tonight", a Doo Wop classic from the late 50s. In 1982, Nick wrote and sang the lead on what would become an uncharted Doo Wop classic called "Morse Code Of Love." Nick announced his retirement in November of 2007. This past Thursday, December 30, 2010, Nick Santamaria passed away from cancer at the age of 69 and a classic Doo Wop voice was stilled forever...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Eli Manning (30), Mel Gibson (55), Victoria Principal (61), Stephen Stills (66), Bobby Hull (72), Dabney Coleman (79), Robert Loggia (81) and legendary Beatles producer George Martin (85)...

Timeline Countdown: 5 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs, 12 days until the Divisional Playoffs, 13 days until MLK Day & 20 days until the NFL Conference Championships...
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