Kantar Media may claim that radio's rate of recovery outpaced the rest of the media world in 2010 but new Katz Radio President Mark Gray says radio can do a lot better in selling itself. Marketing Pilgrim has posted a chart showing local radio growth year-to-year (2009/2010) at 4.9%, national spot radio jumping 18.6% and network, a more modest 2.2%. While Kantar's numbers would indicate a recovery to pre-recession is well under way, Gray doesn't think radio is doing enough to promote itself...
Gray told Radio Ink, "We can do a better job telling people about radio. There are a lot of good stories not being told. There are a lot of things that can be done regarding the success advertisers are having with radio. There's going to be a lot more research done regarding the impact radio really has. Why radio is so important to people." Katz Media Group has realigned "to develop innovative solutions for advertising partners and highlight radio's value as an an advertising medium." Gray adds "This new structure offers us an unprecedented opportunity to champion radio's extraordinary power, reach and flexibility to marketing decision-makers across the advertising spectrum. It's our mission to harness the power of all our assets to make sure the advertising community understands radio's enormous capabilities." ...
I'm not so sure that radio still has "enormous capabilities", compared to the new media, which can create a new buzz just by launching a new device, but it still has two valuable assets. Free and local will keep radio competitive enough to survive and that might be as good as it gets...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1953] The Braves leave Beantown: Boston loses the Braves as NL President Warren Giles and all the NL team owners approve the team’s decision to move to Milwaukee. They eventually wind up in Atlanta where they are now (3/18)...
2.1954] The Real Hoosiers: Milan beats Muncie Central for the Indiana state high school title in the game that the movie “Hoosiers” was based on. The final score of the game was 32-30. Obviously there was no clock in use yet (3/20)…
3.1959] Aloha: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Hawaii statehood bill, giving us “Hawaii Five-O” (3/18)…
4.1961] Premiered on this date: The Poppin’ Fresh “Pillsbury Dough Boy” is introduced (3/18)…1968] Mel Brooks’ film “The Producers” premieres, starring Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel. The movie wins an Oscar for “Best Screenplay” (3/18)…
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 (3/19). The story was made into the movie, “Glory Road“…
6.1981] Guilty as charged: Jean Harris is sentenced to 15-to-life for the murder of lover Dr. Hyman Tarnower (3/20). Harris is released, her sentence commuted by New York Governor Mario Cuomo after 12 years served in 1992…
7.1991] City tragedies: Eric Clapton’s 4-year old son Conor dies when he falls out the window of a 53rd floor apartment in Manhattan (3/20). Clapton will win a Grammy for his song written about Conor, “Tears in Heaven.”…
8.1996] Double Guilt: Erik and Lyle Menendez are found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of their parents. Both are serving a life term in prison (3/20)…
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 (3/19)…
10.2004] Gotcha: The U.S. military charges 6 soldiers with abusing inmates at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq (3/20)...
Music Memories:
- 1961] Recorded on this date: "Hello Mary Lou" - Ricky Nelson. Ricky sings the song on the "Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet" (3/20)...
- 1962] Released on this date: Bob Dylan's self-titled debut LP is released (3/19)...1967] "The Happening" - Supremes (3/20) (who sing the song at a WRKO show at the Boston Arena shortly after it's release)...1972] "Back Off Boogaloo" - Ringo Starr (3/20)...
- 1963] Number One on this date: "Walk Like A Man" - Four Seasons (3/18)...1972] "A Horse With No Name" - America (3/20)...1973] "Killing Me Softly With His Song" - Roberta Flack (3/18)...1982] "I Love Rock 'n' Roll - Joan Jett (3/20)...1983] "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson (3/18)...
- 1967] Debuted on this date: Brit supermodel Twiggy makes her U.S. debut and WRKO News Director Roger Allan interviews her. Roger and Twiggy are featured on the front of the NOW 30 (3/20). That photo can be accessed by clicking here and go to "Talent Pages/Airchecks" - Roger Allan..
R.I.P: Ferlin Husky has passed away at the age of 86...
"WRKO...The Launch" (Part 14) (March marks the 44th anniversary of WRKO Boston. All month long, I will be serializing the story behind the actual launch of what would become one of the country's legendary Top 40 radio stations and today continues to be a mainstay in New England with a N/T format)...
By the time Arnie ("Woo-Woo") Ginsburg arrived to do 6pm - 9pm he was already a radio star. Arnie started his career as a radio engineer at WORL and would become an iconic air personality while at WBOS and WMEX in his native Massachusetts. Arnie picked up the "Woo-Woo" handle when he hosted his "Night Train" show. It was on that show that Ginsburg used a train whistle, among other bells and whistles that he would entertain his audiences with, as he told WRKO.org webmaster Shel Swartz in this video clip a few years ago...
(Monday: "WRKO...The Launch" - Part 15: We conclude our Now Crowd profiles with Chuck "Chuckles" Knapp, "the guy from Fergus Falls, Minnesota" as Arnie would introduce our 9pm to 12mid disc jockey. Also, a quick look at Dick Burch, our all-night guy for one day and the great technicians of WRKO)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (3/18) Zdeno Chara (34), Queen Latifah (41), Bonnie Blair (47), Vanessa Williams (48), Irene Cara (52), Michael Reagan (65), Charlie Pride (73) & John Kander (84)...(3/19) Bruce Willis (56), Glenn Close (64), Ruth Pointer (65), Joe Kapp (72), Clarence 'Frogman' Henry (74), Ursula Andress (75), Renee Taylor (78), Philip Roth (78) & Phyllis Newman (78)...(3/20) Kathy Ireland (48), Holly Hunter (53), Spike Lee (54), Mike Francesa (57), William Hurt (61), Bobby (#4) Orr (63), Pat Riley (66), Hal Linden (80), Carl Reiner (89) and Marian McPartland (93)...
Timeline Countdown: Spring arrives Sunday night,13 days until MLB Opening Day, 32 days until Passover & 38 days until Easter Sunday...
