Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Why Radio Numbers Can Be Misleading...

Radio is getting downright giddy about the turnaround in business coming in 2011. The new RADAR 107 numbers show more than 3.3 million more listeners 12+, year-over-year. RADAR indicates that radio is listened to weekly by over 92% of all Teens 12-17, by 94% of Adults 18-34 and by 95% of Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. The big question is are all those listeners bringing in better local sales? So far the answer is - not enough and until that happens, those numbers are impressive but they won't keep the wolf away very long...

While most radio forecasters agree that 2011 will be up, no one agrees how much of an increase we'll see. Entercom CEO David Fields has the right idea. "It comes down to what happens with local" says Fields. Until we see a substantial increase in local business, all those numbers are encouraging but they won't pay the mortgage or buy groceries...

CBS CEO Les Moonves sees "A real rebound." Moonves says the turnaround in the company's radio (television and outdoor divisions) business has been "extremely strong" and the growth will continue into 2011. I'm happy for CBS but most of the radio industry doesn't have the mammoth machine CBS has. As with most people predicting radio growth in 2011, Moonves won't hazard a guess as to how much business will be up, especially local...

10 Timeline Memories:
1.1
776] What did Delaware?: General George Washington crosses the Delaware River with retreating American Revolutionary Army troops, from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, apparently in only one boat. Washington will again cross the Delaware on December 26th for the battle of Trenton…
2.1863] Reconstruction: President Abraham Lincoln announces plans for Reconstruction of the South
3.1940] Scalped: The Chicago Bears annihilate the Washington Redskins 73-0. It’s not only the biggest one-sided score in NFL history but the Bears were forced by officials to run for their final extra point because there was only one football left. And you thought the 45-3 Pats/Jets massacre was big???
4.1941] U.S. enters WWII: The U.S. enters World War II as Congress declares war against Japan one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor…
5.1952] TV history is made: For the first time a pregnancy is used on TV’s “I Love Lucy”…
6.1964] “Happy Trails“: Actor William Bendix dies of lobar pneumonia at 58…1978] Former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir passes away from cancer in Jerusalem at 80…1982] Singer Marty Robbins dies from heart failure at 57…
7.1980] Rock & Roll Tragedy: John Lennon is fatally shot by Mark David Chapman
8.1987] Nuking the nukes: President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev sign a treaty calling for destruction of intermediate-range nuclear missiles…
9.1993] Thanks Bubba: President Bill Clinton signs into law the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)…
10.2008] About-face: Khalid Sheikh Mohammad confesses to masterminding the 911 attacks. Latest plans (subject-to-change) have Khalid being tried in a civilian court...

Music Memories:
  • 1961] Released on this date: The Beach Boys release their first single - "Surfin"...
  • 1995] Breaking of The Dead: The Grateful Dead announce their break up after 30 years of making music. The announcement comes 4 months after the death of Jerry Garcia. Various incarnations of the remaining members re-formed in 1998 and continue to tour...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Dominic Monaghan (34), Sinead O'Connor (44), Teri Hatcher (46), Ann Coulter (49), Kim Basinger (57), Gregg Allman (63), Jerry Butler (71), Maximilian Schell (80) & Dr. Ferdie Pacheco (83)...

Timeline Countdown: Happy Hanukah (last night), 13 days until winter, 15 days until Festivus, 17 days until Christmas, 23 nights until New Year's Eve and 31 days until the NFL Wild Card Playoffs...