So what does it take to have a winning radio station? First of all, it's not entirely about the music. Just playing listeners favorite music is not enough. They can get their favorite music on their iPod, YouTube or any other digital service. How that music is presented is what it's all about. What's happening between the songs is as important as the music itself. A new confirmation of that is included in the recent Alan Burns and Associates study of female radio listeners. Results showed that respondents distinguish between "entertaining talk" and "useless deejay chatter" and that distinction drives much of the behavior that is observed in PPM ratings. "CHR's unique advantage is providing fun and helping listeners plug into shared experiences and tastes" says the man who conducted the study. Burns adds that "the station that does those things better than others, wins." ...
The study ranked the top 5 favorite music artists among CHR listeners. They are, in this order: Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Rihanna and Usher. Ke$ha is the hottest new artist. And if you've been wondering why you just don't hear as much hip-hop booming out of cars recently, hip hop has slipped to 4th in popularity for CHR listeners. Other interesting findings include that the highly coveted CHR P1 listeners are more likely to tune out "A Song I Don't Like" (71%) than "A Song I'm Tired Of" (48%). Top needs in a morning show for CHR listeners are "Play A Lot Of Music" (66%) and "Make Me Laugh" (58%)...
In another key finding, respondents knew the difference between "entertaining talk" and "useless talk" which results in holding listeners' interest and getting repeat listening. Song or artist pre-sells into commercial breaks help bring listeners back for more tune-ins and finally the listeners most inclined to join a CHR station's Facebook tend to be its heaviest listeners...
With the exception of Facebook and different music artists, all of the findings in this study have been practiced by winning CHR stations since CHR started. There are no surprises here but lots of confirmation about what it takes to be a winner...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1948] Final Bambino Sighting: Babe Ruth is seen publicly for the last time attending the premiere of "The Babe Ruth Story" in Manhattan...
2.1953] They say you want a revolution: Fidel Castro begins his revolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba. Castro eventually ousts Batista 6 years later...
3.1971] Moon shot: Apollo 15 is launched on a manned mission to the moon...
4.1981] I started to choke: New York Mayor Ed Koch is given the Heimlich maneuver when he chokes on chinese food. It saves his life...
5.1984] Blue busted: Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspends pitcher Vida Blue for the remainder of the season for cocaine possession...
6.1987] Going to Hall: Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame are Catfish Hunter, Billy Williams and Ray Dandridge (from the Negro Leagues)...
7.1990] Acting on disability: President George H.W. Bush signs into law the Americans with Disabilities Act...
8.1992] "Happy Trails": Mary Wells, Motown's first Diva, dies from larynx cancer, first diagnosed in 1990. Mary was just 49...
9.1997] Going to Hall: Giants owner Wellington Mara and Dolphins coach Don Shula gain entrance into the NFL Hall of Fame (7/26)...
10.2006] Insanity ruling: A jury in Houston finds Andrea Yates not guilty by reason of insanity in the drowning of her children in a bathtub in her second trial. She will be committed to a state mental hospital...
Music Memories:
•1963] Released on this date: "Mickey's Monkey" - Smokey Robinson & Miracles...1969] "Beggar's Banquet" LP - Rolling Stones...
1968] Hey Jules: Paul McCartney writes a song in tribute to Julian Lennon while dad John adds his finishing touch to it on this date...
•1972] #1 on this date: "Alone Again (Naturally)" - Gilbert O'Sullivan...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Kate Beckinsale (37), Jeremy Piven (45), Sandra Bullock (46), Kevin Spacey (51), Dorothy Hamill (54), Helen Mirren (65), Mick Jagger (67), Bobby Hebb (69), Brenton Wood (69), Dobie Gray (70), Darlene Love (72) and Blake Edwards (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 13 days until the Pro Football induction, 13 days until the 1st NFL pre-season game, 42 days until Labor Day and 45 days until the NFL opener (Minn. at New Orleans)...
Monday, July 26, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Smartphones And "The "Cloud" Take On Sirius XM...
(Weekend Edition)
SiriusBuzz, the Sirius XM blog says the satellite company should be aware that Google may be ready to offer up a "cloud" based music service which would have an impact on any music service globally. "The issue of cloud computing is something Sirius Buzz has been talking about both here and on our Satellite Radio News radio show. The important thing with cloud networks is that it makes music and video files for services available from anywhere. This gives consumers more options on using and accessing their content on virtually any device capable of accessing the internet, and storage capacity is not an issue." Sirius Buzz notes that in addition to Google, existing services like Pandora and Slacker "come in at less expensive price points than Sirius XM. Initially the battle will seem to be between Apple and Google but satellite radio investors and fans alike need to watch these issues play out over the coming months." Sirius stock at the moment is at 95 cents...
Another concern for Sirius XM has to be smartphones. The amount of customized radio-type listening services is almost limitless on iPhone or Android (Google). If you want more than Pandora, you can download the Stitcher app for Android or iPhone and you have Fox Radio, CNN and more, and podcasts are available at any time. Even though Sirius has apps for its satellite radio service on popular smartphone platforms will subscribers continue to pay for it with so many other options???
If you're Sirius XM you sell your exclusive brands. No other radio service has Opie & Anthony, Howard Stern, Bob Dylan, Martha Stewart, Oprah and MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, Indy. Recently Sirius XM added weather and traffic. And while internet radio and smartphone service is becoming accessible in cars, satellite is increasing it's reach. If you're already hooked on Sirius XM while driving over the years, the only reason to switch is cost and that's what it will come down to - paying and remaining loyal to satellite or get as close as you can without paying for it...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1886] Brodie does it: Saloonkeeper/Bookmaker Steve Brodie must have been sampling the schnapps. Brodie jumps from the Brooklyn Bridge and survives (7/23)... 2.1904] One scoop or two?: The ice cream cone is invented by Ernest Hamwi during the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis (7/23)...
3.1956] Tragedy at sea: The Stockholm collides with the Andrea Doria off the coast of Nantucket. Survivors number 1,660 but 51, including the crew, goes down with the ship (7/25). The Andrea Doria lies in 200 feet of water, 45 miles south of Nantucket. Divers continue to brave the depth and sharks in order to salvage valuables that still remain...
4.1965] Curtains: At the age of 75 and nursing a broken hip, Casey Stengel calls it quits as manager of the New York Mets (7/24)...1978] A tearful Billy Martin gives his famous "One is a born liar, the other a convict" speech. The liar was Reggie Jackson, the convict - George Steinbrenner. With that statement made, Billy Martin "retired" as Yankee manager (7/24)...
5.1969] Splashdown: The Apollo 11 astronauts (Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins) splash down safely in the Pacific Ocean after their historic walk on the moon (7/24)...
6.1978] Tubular belle: Louise Joy Brown, the first test-tube baby is born. Louise is a happily married postal employee with a 4-year old son, born naturally. Louise will be celebrating her 32nd birthday (7/25)...
7.1983] The Pine Tar game: A George Brett home run is taken away from him for using too much pine tar on his bat. The score reverts back to 4-3 Yankees (7/24). Mel and Rob Phillips see Brett go berserk at Yankee Stadium. AL President Lee MacPhail overrules the umpires and the home run counts. The game is resumed on August 18th with KC winning the game 5-4 after the Yankees fail to score in the 9th inning...
8.1990] Rosanne Boo: Rosanne Barr gets booed in San Diego for her disgraceful singing of the "Star Spangled Banner". Following her mangling of the song, she grabs her crotch and spits on the ground (7/25)...
9.1997] Lost and found: Police find the body of Andrew Cunanan, the suspected killer of designer Gianni Versace, on a houseboat in Miami Beach. Cunanan was believed to be a suicide (7/23)...
10.2007] The Price was right: Drew Carey is announced as the replacement for the retiring Bob Barker as host of "The Price Is Right" (7/23)...
Music Memories:
•1965] Electrifying: Bob Dylan goes electric in his first non-acoustic set at the Newport Jazz Festival (7/25)...
•1966] Released on this date: "You Can't Hurry Love" - Supremes (7/25)...1970] "25 or 6 to 4" - Chicago (7/25)...1971] "Surf's Up" LP - Beach Boys (7/25)...
•1969] Adding the 'Y': With Neil Young now a member, Crosby, Stills and Nash make their debut at the Fillmore East in Manhattan (7/25)...
1978] Debuted on this date: The movie "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" premieres in New York City (7/24)...
1995] 80 and still swinging: Frank Sinatra celebrates his 80th year with 3 nights at Carnegie Hall. This appearance is from 1980 (7/24)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (7/23) Daniel Radcliffe aka Harry Potter (21), Nomar Garciaparra (37), Philip Seymour Hoffman (43), Slash (45), Woody Harrelson (49), David Essex (63), Tony Joe White (67) and Don Imus (70)...(7/24)Anna Paquin (28), Jennifer Lopez (41), Kristin Chenoweth (42), Barry Bonds (46), Lynda Carter (59), Michael Richards (61), Dan Hedaya (71) and Ruth Buzzi (74)...(7/25) Billy Wagner (39), Matt LeBlanc (43) and Iman (55)...
Timeline Countdown: 1 day until NFL training camps begin opening, 2 days until the MLB HOF Induction (Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog & Doug Harvey) & 15 days until the Pro Football HOF induction...
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Slacker Adds News To Their Menu...
Slacker listeners will now get the morning news with their coffee and whenever they choose, 24 hours a day. Customized streaming services like Slacker, Last.fm and Pandora had up-to-now been missing a huge piece of information with which to pepper their music with - the news. An alliance with ABC News will now allow Slacker listeners to intersperse news updates with their music, or listen nonstop on a dedicated ABC News channel. Jonathan Sasse, senior vice president of marketing at Slacker says "Our listeners have been excited about the prospect of accessing news in our service and we are pleased to be offering them premium content from one of the most respectable brands in a truly innovative way." For those wondering why Slacker or any other service would want news with their music, a recent Pew Internet study should answer that question...
The Pew Internet study showed that more Americans get their news from the internet than from newspapers or radio and three-fourths say they hear of news via email or updates on social media sites. A majority of those surveyed, a full 61% said they get their news online. That's compared with 54% who said they listen to a radio news program and 50% who get the news from a local newspaper. Almost all respondents, 92% said they get their news from more than one platform. "In the digital era, news has become omnipresent. Americans access it in multiple formats on multiple platforms on myriad devices" reads the report, based on a survey conducted in December and January. "The days of loyalty to a particular news organization on a particular piece of technology in a particular form are gone." ...
By adding the news, Slacker becomes the first of the major internet music services to come closer to becoming full service. Not only is this a smart move on Slacker's part but it's sure to be copied by other music streaming services...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1916] They forgot the “un": During a Preparedness Day parade in San Francisco, a bomb goes off killing 10…
2.1931] O Solo Mio: American aviator Wiley Post completes the first solo flight around the world in 7 days, 18 1/2 hours…
3.1934] Dillinger down: A man identified as bank robber John Dillinger is shot to death by federal agents in Chicago…
4.1963] A Sonny day: Sonny Liston defends his heavyweight crown with a KO of Floyd Patterson (for the second time) in one round. The fight in Las Vegas was a rematch of a 1962 fight…
5.1981] Justice served: Turkish extremist Mehmet Ali Agca is sentenced in Rome to life in prison for shooting Pope John Paul II. Agca is now a free man...
6.1991] He’s busted - we’re disgusted: Milwaukee police arrest Jeffrey Dahmer after finding the remains of 11 victims in his apartment. Dahmer confesses to 17 murders and is sentenced to life in prison…
7.1994] Guilty as charged: O.J. Simpson pleads innocent to the murders of his wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman…1995] Susan Smith is convicted by a jury in Union (SC) of 1st-degree murder for drowning her 2 sons…
8.2003] Welcome back: Months after her P.O.W. ordeal, Pvt. 1st Class Jessica Lynch returns home to a hero’s welcome in Elizabeth (WV)…
9.2003] Saddam’s sons: Saddam Hussein’s sons Odai and Qusai are killed by U.S. forces when they storm their villa in Mosul, Iraq…
10.2004] Grave report: The Sept. 11 commission issues a report saying America’s leaders failed to grasp the gravity of terrorist threats before 911…
Commentary: They called him "The Major" for his commanding presence and years of service in World War II. As a player he was light years away from the hall of fame as a third-string catcher for the Yankees in the 50s but his managerial career was another story. He would win three straight American League pennants and two World Series championships in his first seasons as Yankee manager. Ralph Houk would manage for 20 seasons with the Yankees, Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox but his high mark came in his first two seasons in the Bronx in 1961 and 1962. Houk passed away yesterday at the age of 90...
David Spade (46), Albert Brooks (63), Don Henley (63), Danny Glover (64), Sparky Lyle (66), Bobby Sherman (67), Ron Turcotte (69), Alex Trebek (70), Louise Fletcher (76), Oscar de la Renta (78), Orson Bean (82), Margaret Whiting (86) and Bob Dole (87)...
Timeline Countdown: 2 days until NFL training camps begin opening, 3 days until the MLB Hall of Fame Induction (Andre Dawson, Whitely Herzog & Doug Harvey) & 16 days until the Pro Football HOF induction...
The Pew Internet study showed that more Americans get their news from the internet than from newspapers or radio and three-fourths say they hear of news via email or updates on social media sites. A majority of those surveyed, a full 61% said they get their news online. That's compared with 54% who said they listen to a radio news program and 50% who get the news from a local newspaper. Almost all respondents, 92% said they get their news from more than one platform. "In the digital era, news has become omnipresent. Americans access it in multiple formats on multiple platforms on myriad devices" reads the report, based on a survey conducted in December and January. "The days of loyalty to a particular news organization on a particular piece of technology in a particular form are gone." ...
By adding the news, Slacker becomes the first of the major internet music services to come closer to becoming full service. Not only is this a smart move on Slacker's part but it's sure to be copied by other music streaming services...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1916] They forgot the “un": During a Preparedness Day parade in San Francisco, a bomb goes off killing 10…
2.1931] O Solo Mio: American aviator Wiley Post completes the first solo flight around the world in 7 days, 18 1/2 hours…
3.1934] Dillinger down: A man identified as bank robber John Dillinger is shot to death by federal agents in Chicago…
4.1963] A Sonny day: Sonny Liston defends his heavyweight crown with a KO of Floyd Patterson (for the second time) in one round. The fight in Las Vegas was a rematch of a 1962 fight…
5.1981] Justice served: Turkish extremist Mehmet Ali Agca is sentenced in Rome to life in prison for shooting Pope John Paul II. Agca is now a free man...
6.1991] He’s busted - we’re disgusted: Milwaukee police arrest Jeffrey Dahmer after finding the remains of 11 victims in his apartment. Dahmer confesses to 17 murders and is sentenced to life in prison…
7.1994] Guilty as charged: O.J. Simpson pleads innocent to the murders of his wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman…1995] Susan Smith is convicted by a jury in Union (SC) of 1st-degree murder for drowning her 2 sons…
8.2003] Welcome back: Months after her P.O.W. ordeal, Pvt. 1st Class Jessica Lynch returns home to a hero’s welcome in Elizabeth (WV)…
9.2003] Saddam’s sons: Saddam Hussein’s sons Odai and Qusai are killed by U.S. forces when they storm their villa in Mosul, Iraq…
10.2004] Grave report: The Sept. 11 commission issues a report saying America’s leaders failed to grasp the gravity of terrorist threats before 911…
Commentary: They called him "The Major" for his commanding presence and years of service in World War II. As a player he was light years away from the hall of fame as a third-string catcher for the Yankees in the 50s but his managerial career was another story. He would win three straight American League pennants and two World Series championships in his first seasons as Yankee manager. Ralph Houk would manage for 20 seasons with the Yankees, Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox but his high mark came in his first two seasons in the Bronx in 1961 and 1962. Houk passed away yesterday at the age of 90...
Music Memories:
- 1967] Rock & Roll Debut: Vanilla Fudge make their concert debut in New York...
- 1977] Surprise: Tony Orlando surprises everyone (including Dawn) when he announces on stage in Cohasset (MA) that he was retiring from performing...
- 1979] The evils of R&R: The Reverend Richard Penniman aka Little Richard, warns his North Richmond (CA) congregation against the evils of rock & roll music...
David Spade (46), Albert Brooks (63), Don Henley (63), Danny Glover (64), Sparky Lyle (66), Bobby Sherman (67), Ron Turcotte (69), Alex Trebek (70), Louise Fletcher (76), Oscar de la Renta (78), Orson Bean (82), Margaret Whiting (86) and Bob Dole (87)...
Timeline Countdown: 2 days until NFL training camps begin opening, 3 days until the MLB Hall of Fame Induction (Andre Dawson, Whitely Herzog & Doug Harvey) & 16 days until the Pro Football HOF induction...
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Nielsen Says It's Time To Focus On Baby Boomers...
So why is there not more emphasis on reaching the growing baby boomer demo? That's what Nielsen wants to know. The measurement company believes that advertisers are too focused on younger consumers. Nielsen says that by overly focusing on demos such as 18-to-34 and 18-to-49, "advertisers and consumer goods manufacturers are overlooking a group that has tremendous buying power." We're talking about 78 million boomers ranging from 46-to-64 yet it's a virtually untapped demo. Boomers are part of the 35-to-64 demo that gets less than 5% of the overall ad dollar pie. Nielsen executive Pat McDonough says that boomers should be as "desirable" for marketers as millenials and Generation X: As the U.S. continues to age, reaching this group will continue to be critical for advertisers." ...
Younger consumers aren't the only age group spending time in Wi-Fi enabled locales (See: Starbucks) but Nielsen says boomers are more likely to have broadband connections at home. They also make up a third of tweeters and social media users, while they turn to DVRs to time-shift TV more than 18-to-24-year olds. The top 10 most trafficked websites for both boomers and 18-to-34-year-olds is almost identical - 8 are the same (Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.). About the only difference is the inclusion of Ask.com and Amazon.com for boomers...
Nielsen adds that boomers account for 39% of dollars spent on consumer packaged goods and they spend more in 1,023 of the 1,083 categories in the segment. The argument to include older demos is older than the demo itself. Those opposed to including boomers in time buys are the people at the ad agencies who fall into a younger demo. Radio's argument over the years has been a sound one. Until an older demo is acceptable, we'll continue to program to a demo that is acceptable to the ad agencies. It will take some people with guts at the ad agencies to step out and make boomers a viable demo for advertising. Unless and until agency decision makers include boomers, Nielsen's wish will fall on the deaf ears of the younger demos who call the shots...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1925] Scoping it out: The "Monkey Trial" ends in Dayton (TN) with John T. Scopes convicted of violating the state law for teaching "Darwin's theory of evolution". The conviction is later overturned. Scopes was heard muttering "that judge is an ape" as he leaves the courtroom...
2.1957] Another 1st: Althea Gibson becomes the 1st black woman to win a major U.S. tennis title when she wins the Women's National Clay Court singles competition...
3.1961] Space Race: Gus Grissom becomes the 2nd American to rocket into a sub-orbital pattern around the Earth on the Liberty Bell 7. Alan Shepard was the 1st...1969] Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin blast off from the moon aboard the lunar module...1998] 74-year old Alan Shepard passes away, a victim of leukemia...
4.1975] Say it ain't so, Joe: As a member of the Mets, Joe Torre bounces into 4 double-plays. Each time he follows a hit by Felix Millan who wishes Torre would become a manager...
5.1976] Outbreak: The 1st outbreak of "Legionnaire's" disease is reported in Philadelphia...
6.1983] Don't let the rain come down: Diana Ross and her fans get drenched in Central Park and an unruly crowd riots in an ugly scene. Over 100 arrests are made... 7.1987] Check out those legs: Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight" has her legs insured by Lloyd's of London for $2 million (her liver for $500,000, her kidneys for $250,000 and her earrings for $100,000)...
8.1999] Bodies found: Navy divers find the bodies of John F. Kennedy Jr., wife Carolyn and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette in the wreckage of Kennedy's plane in the Atlantic Ocean off the shore of Martha's Vineyard...
9.2000] Innocent: Special Counsel John C. Danforth concludes "with 100% certainty" that the federal government is innocent of any wrongdoing in the Waco siege that killed 80 members of the Branch Davidian sect near Waco (TX) in 1993...
10.2002] Chapter 11: WorldCom Inc. files for bankruptcy protection about a month after disclosing it had inflated profits by nearly $4 billion through deceptive accounting...
Music Memories:
•1970] #1 on this date: "(They Long To Be) Close To You" - Carpenters...1975] "The Hustle" - Van McCoy...1985] "Everytime You Go Away" - Paul Young...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
CC Sabathia (30), Ali Landry (37), Brandi Chastain (42), Robin Williams (59), Cat Stevens aka Yusuf Islam (62),Kenneth Starr (64), Edward Herrmann (67), Janet Reno (72) and Kay Starr (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until NFL training camps begin opening, 4 days until the MLB HOF induction & 17 days until the NFL HOF induction...
Younger consumers aren't the only age group spending time in Wi-Fi enabled locales (See: Starbucks) but Nielsen says boomers are more likely to have broadband connections at home. They also make up a third of tweeters and social media users, while they turn to DVRs to time-shift TV more than 18-to-24-year olds. The top 10 most trafficked websites for both boomers and 18-to-34-year-olds is almost identical - 8 are the same (Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, etc.). About the only difference is the inclusion of Ask.com and Amazon.com for boomers...
Nielsen adds that boomers account for 39% of dollars spent on consumer packaged goods and they spend more in 1,023 of the 1,083 categories in the segment. The argument to include older demos is older than the demo itself. Those opposed to including boomers in time buys are the people at the ad agencies who fall into a younger demo. Radio's argument over the years has been a sound one. Until an older demo is acceptable, we'll continue to program to a demo that is acceptable to the ad agencies. It will take some people with guts at the ad agencies to step out and make boomers a viable demo for advertising. Unless and until agency decision makers include boomers, Nielsen's wish will fall on the deaf ears of the younger demos who call the shots...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1925] Scoping it out: The "Monkey Trial" ends in Dayton (TN) with John T. Scopes convicted of violating the state law for teaching "Darwin's theory of evolution". The conviction is later overturned. Scopes was heard muttering "that judge is an ape" as he leaves the courtroom...
2.1957] Another 1st: Althea Gibson becomes the 1st black woman to win a major U.S. tennis title when she wins the Women's National Clay Court singles competition...
3.1961] Space Race: Gus Grissom becomes the 2nd American to rocket into a sub-orbital pattern around the Earth on the Liberty Bell 7. Alan Shepard was the 1st...1969] Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin blast off from the moon aboard the lunar module...1998] 74-year old Alan Shepard passes away, a victim of leukemia...
4.1975] Say it ain't so, Joe: As a member of the Mets, Joe Torre bounces into 4 double-plays. Each time he follows a hit by Felix Millan who wishes Torre would become a manager...
5.1976] Outbreak: The 1st outbreak of "Legionnaire's" disease is reported in Philadelphia...
6.1983] Don't let the rain come down: Diana Ross and her fans get drenched in Central Park and an unruly crowd riots in an ugly scene. Over 100 arrests are made... 7.1987] Check out those legs: Mary Hart of "Entertainment Tonight" has her legs insured by Lloyd's of London for $2 million (her liver for $500,000, her kidneys for $250,000 and her earrings for $100,000)...
8.1999] Bodies found: Navy divers find the bodies of John F. Kennedy Jr., wife Carolyn and sister-in-law Lauren Bessette in the wreckage of Kennedy's plane in the Atlantic Ocean off the shore of Martha's Vineyard...
9.2000] Innocent: Special Counsel John C. Danforth concludes "with 100% certainty" that the federal government is innocent of any wrongdoing in the Waco siege that killed 80 members of the Branch Davidian sect near Waco (TX) in 1993...
10.2002] Chapter 11: WorldCom Inc. files for bankruptcy protection about a month after disclosing it had inflated profits by nearly $4 billion through deceptive accounting...
Music Memories:
•1970] #1 on this date: "(They Long To Be) Close To You" - Carpenters...1975] "The Hustle" - Van McCoy...1985] "Everytime You Go Away" - Paul Young...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
CC Sabathia (30), Ali Landry (37), Brandi Chastain (42), Robin Williams (59), Cat Stevens aka Yusuf Islam (62),Kenneth Starr (64), Edward Herrmann (67), Janet Reno (72) and Kay Starr (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until NFL training camps begin opening, 4 days until the MLB HOF induction & 17 days until the NFL HOF induction...
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Radio Advertisers Gear Up For 'Back-To-School' Campaigns...
You know the summer is flying by when radio advertisers get their 'back-to-school' campaigns ready. The latest Mediaguide AdMonitor review of radio advertising across the U.S. for the first two weeks of July shows that the top retail brands are, for the most part, tracking at lower levels than the same period in 2009. Macy's, Target, JC Penney and Kmart are down for the first 15 days of July 2010 versus the same period of 2009. Kohl's and Wal-Mart are significantly up with Kohl's running nearly 10 times the number of radio spots this year and Wal-Mart doubling their radio spot load. So what does Kohl's and Wal-Mart know that makes them invest in radio now instead of saving their advertising dollars for the fall? Could it be both are starting their fall campaign early? Joan Gerberding, Mediaguide's EVP Advertising Sales may not have the answer but says "The experts are predicting that marketers will go all in for the back-to-school season"...
The top four advertisers during the period August 1 through September 1, 2009 were: Wal-Mart with 220,324 ads, Macy's with 62,364, Kohl's with 45,589 and JC Penney with 41,195. Target and Kmart ran under 1,000 ads during the same period. Could it be that Target and Kmart are Ksmart for saving their dollars for September or do they just have less money to spend than the big four? Joan Gerberding says "I think it's a good bet to say that the big name department stores are saving their advertising budgets to blast back-to-school ads toward the end of the summer." ...
The results of the Mediaguide AdMonitor review mirrors what the U.S. Commerce Department reports - that retail sales have dropped for two consecutive months. Could this be a summer lull or is radio advertising not as robust as we first believed it to be???
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1858] Pay Ball: All-Star baseball teams from Brooklyn and Manhattan play the 1st in a series of 3 games at Fashion Park Race Course on Long Island. For the 1st time admission (50 cents) is charged for watching a game. It will be 11 more years before the 1st players, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, will get paid to play...
2.1940] #1 with a bullet: Billboard publishes its 1st "Music Popularity Chart". The 1st #1 hit is "I'll Never Smile Again" by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra featuring singer Frank Sinatra...
3.1958] Curtains: After a decade on the air, the final episode of "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" airs. Stars that cut their musical teeth on this show include Rosemary Clooney, Pat Boone, Steve Lawrence, Connie Francis and Patsy Cline. Elvis Presley flunked his audition in 1955...
4.1969] One small step: Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon and documents it: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." ...
5.1976] Martian hop: America's Viking 1 robot spacecraft lands on Mars...
6.1984] Vanessa the undressa: Vanessa Williams is asked to resign as Miss America for posing nude in Penthouse. Suzette Charles replaces her. Vanessa became the 1st black woman chosen, Suzette, the 2nd...
7.1990] Ollie freed: A federal appeals court sets aside Oliver North's Iran-Contra convictions...
8.1993] Murder or suicide?: White House deputy counsel Vince Foster is found shot to death in a park near Washington, D.C. His death is ruled a suicide...
9.2004] UN resolution: The U.N. General Assembly passes a resolution demanding that Israel tear down the barrier it was building to seal off the West Bank...
10.2007] Inhuman treatment is out: President George W. Bush signs an executive order prohibiting cruel and inhuman treatment, including humiliation or denigration of religious benefits, in the detention and interrogation of terrorism suspects...
Music Memories:
1961] Number One on this date: 'Tossin and Turnin' - Bobby Lewis...1981] 'Bette Davis Eyes' - Kim Carnes...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Julianne Hough (22), Stephen Strasburg (22), Gisele Bundchen (30), Ray Allen (35), Sandra Oh (39), Dan Shaughnessy (57), Carlos Santana (63), Kim Carnes (65), Dame Diana Rigg (72), and Sally Ann Howes (80)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until NFL training camps begin opening, 5 days until the MLB HOF induction and 18 days until the Pro Football HOF induction...
Monday, July 19, 2010
Radio Is Not Taking Any Chances About Indecency...
Despite the latest FCC v Fox ruling striking down indecency as we know it, radio is not pushing the envelope, according to broadcast attorneys in a recent survey conducted by Inside Radio. Just 6% think the door's now wide open to air whatever anyone wants, no matter how suggestive it is. Few expect radio to become R-rated but a Wyoming program director says "Broadcasters should be able to air what they want to. Local markets will either support or reject that content thereby providing any necessary regulation." There are already reports that some TV shows taping for the new fall season are including dialog containing some language previously ruled to be indecent yet radio will apparently take the high road...
Nearly half of respondents (49%) say they will continue to operate as if the FCC rules are in full effect until the Supreme Court has its say. 45% of those polled believe radio should follow the FCC indecency rules regardless of which way the court goes because the audience expects stations not to air offensive content. One respondent says "There is far too much responsibility involved with broadcasting for anyone not to take this seriously." Another respondent says "none of us think just spewing the f-word is now acceptable, however, it is good to know that a slip-up will keep that pompous organization (FCC) from levying a fine." ...
I believe that most radio stations will follow the indecency rules currently in effect, court ruling or not, until they change but I expect that an occasional "slip-up" will never be feared as much as it was in the past, pending the next court ruling. Chances are good that since the FCC v Fox ruling came down, a ruling on the Janet Jackson case in Philadelphia will come soon...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1961] Cue up "Bruce Almighty": TWA shows the 1st in-flight movie. I was once on a cross-country flight that showed "Airport". Scary enough, right? I also had another flight on a Whisper Jet and sat next to a Boeing engineer who told me that those planes have been known to lose a wing on occasion. Oh and how can I forget flying through a hurricane on Allegheny?...
2.1966] Wedding Bells: 50-year old Frank Sinatra and 21-year old Mia Farrow tie the knot. Old Blue Eyes had pants that were older than his new wife…1986] Caroline Kennedy, 28-year old daughter of JFK walks down the aisle with Edwin A. Schlossberg in Centerville (MA), not far from the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port…
3.1969] In orbit: Apollo 11 and astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins circle the moon in orbit. On the 20th they touch down...
4.1976] Olympic: Tiny 14-year old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci scores a perfect 10 on the parallel bars. ‘Comaneech’ becomes an overnight sensation for her Olympic feat…1996] The most recognizable person in the world, Muhammad Ali lights the Olympic torch in Atlanta...
5.1980] Nyet: Dozens call in sick for the summer olympics in Moscow because of Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan...
6.1985] NASA goes to school: New Hampshire school teacher Christa McAuliffe is chosen to ride aboard the space shuttle. Christa was on the ill-fated Challenger when it exploded in 1986...
7.1990] Guilty as charged: Baseball's all-time hits leader Pete Rose is sentenced in Cincinnati to 5 months in prison for tax evasion...
8.1999] Search continues: Navy divers continue to search in the waters off Martha's Vineyard for JFK Jr., his wife and sister-in-law...
9.2005] Just super: The president nominates John Roberts to replace Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who retires. Instead, Roberts will wind up succeeding Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who dies in September...
10.2009] The world mourns Uncle Walter: Walter Cronkite is mourned after his death at 92 on July 17th...
Music Memories:
•1958] Will the real Drifters please stand up: Drifters mgr. George Treadwell goes backstage at the Apollo Theater and fires his group. George walks across to the dressing room of the group's opening act, The Crowns and hires them as replacements. The Crowns lead singer? Ben E. King...
•1968] #1 on this date: "Grazing in the Grass" - Hugh Masekela...1976] "Kiss and Say Goodbye" - Manhattans...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
ESPN's Stuart Scott (45), Anthony Edwards (48), Ilie Nastase (64), Vikki Carr (69), George Hamilton IV (LXIII), Sue Thompson (85) and George McGovern (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 5 days until NFL training camps begin opening, 6 days until the MLB HOF (Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog & Doug Harvey)induction and 19 days until the Pro Football HOF induction...
Nearly half of respondents (49%) say they will continue to operate as if the FCC rules are in full effect until the Supreme Court has its say. 45% of those polled believe radio should follow the FCC indecency rules regardless of which way the court goes because the audience expects stations not to air offensive content. One respondent says "There is far too much responsibility involved with broadcasting for anyone not to take this seriously." Another respondent says "none of us think just spewing the f-word is now acceptable, however, it is good to know that a slip-up will keep that pompous organization (FCC) from levying a fine." ...
I believe that most radio stations will follow the indecency rules currently in effect, court ruling or not, until they change but I expect that an occasional "slip-up" will never be feared as much as it was in the past, pending the next court ruling. Chances are good that since the FCC v Fox ruling came down, a ruling on the Janet Jackson case in Philadelphia will come soon...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1961] Cue up "Bruce Almighty": TWA shows the 1st in-flight movie. I was once on a cross-country flight that showed "Airport". Scary enough, right? I also had another flight on a Whisper Jet and sat next to a Boeing engineer who told me that those planes have been known to lose a wing on occasion. Oh and how can I forget flying through a hurricane on Allegheny?...
2.1966] Wedding Bells: 50-year old Frank Sinatra and 21-year old Mia Farrow tie the knot. Old Blue Eyes had pants that were older than his new wife…1986] Caroline Kennedy, 28-year old daughter of JFK walks down the aisle with Edwin A. Schlossberg in Centerville (MA), not far from the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port…
3.1969] In orbit: Apollo 11 and astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins circle the moon in orbit. On the 20th they touch down...
4.1976] Olympic: Tiny 14-year old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci scores a perfect 10 on the parallel bars. ‘Comaneech’ becomes an overnight sensation for her Olympic feat…1996] The most recognizable person in the world, Muhammad Ali lights the Olympic torch in Atlanta...
5.1980] Nyet: Dozens call in sick for the summer olympics in Moscow because of Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan...
6.1985] NASA goes to school: New Hampshire school teacher Christa McAuliffe is chosen to ride aboard the space shuttle. Christa was on the ill-fated Challenger when it exploded in 1986...
7.1990] Guilty as charged: Baseball's all-time hits leader Pete Rose is sentenced in Cincinnati to 5 months in prison for tax evasion...
8.1999] Search continues: Navy divers continue to search in the waters off Martha's Vineyard for JFK Jr., his wife and sister-in-law...
9.2005] Just super: The president nominates John Roberts to replace Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who retires. Instead, Roberts will wind up succeeding Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, who dies in September...
10.2009] The world mourns Uncle Walter: Walter Cronkite is mourned after his death at 92 on July 17th...
Music Memories:
•1958] Will the real Drifters please stand up: Drifters mgr. George Treadwell goes backstage at the Apollo Theater and fires his group. George walks across to the dressing room of the group's opening act, The Crowns and hires them as replacements. The Crowns lead singer? Ben E. King...
•1968] #1 on this date: "Grazing in the Grass" - Hugh Masekela...1976] "Kiss and Say Goodbye" - Manhattans...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
ESPN's Stuart Scott (45), Anthony Edwards (48), Ilie Nastase (64), Vikki Carr (69), George Hamilton IV (LXIII), Sue Thompson (85) and George McGovern (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 5 days until NFL training camps begin opening, 6 days until the MLB HOF (Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog & Doug Harvey)induction and 19 days until the Pro Football HOF induction...
Friday, July 16, 2010
New Female Study Shows Importance Of Cellphone Radios...
(Weekend Edition)
The highly-coveted female listener would listen to radio more if they could listen on their cellphone. According to a new Alan Burns and Associates study of females, half (54%) of all 2,057 women surveyed and 73% of the "early adopters" of technology say they would buy a different cellphone if the phone had a radio receiver. Alan Burns is impressed: "This is great news for the radio industry because now we have hard data to show cellphone manufacturers that putting radio receivers in their products would benefit them financially. It's a huge opportunity, because over half of the 2,000 women we interviewed said they'd listen to radio more if they could listen on their phone." I'm not sure why "cellphones" are mentioned. Does that include "smartphones" or was "cellphone" used as a generic term that includes "smartphones" in this survey? There was more interesting data in the survey including female reaction to commercials, song information, social involvement and radio personalities. Since women are the heaviest users of radio, the data should be taken seriously...
So what would make listening to radio more enjoyable for female listeners? 68% say fewer commercials and 60% say fewer "obnoxious commercials." Burns may have included it but I didn't see this in the press release - it would've been interesting to find out about "burn out" caused by repeat occurrences of the same commercial. Other findings show that half of all the women studied like air personalities and think they enhance listening, but the rest either actively dislike air personalities or can "take or leave them." 37% would like more information on songs and artists, the same number would enjoy hearing more new music while 36% asked for less music they're tired of. Radio is the dominant source of music discovery by a wide margin. Among women who buy music, radio leads 3 to 1. Of the women surveyed, a full 76% have a Facebook profile and 21% have a Twitter account, compared to 26% who'd visited a radio station website in the past week. Of those who visit station sites, 23% say the sites are more entertaining or useful than other sites, 16% say less and 61% say station sites are about the same as other websites...
If I were still programming a radio station, I would take a pen - never a pencil and circle all the percentages that show a response over 50% in any particular category. Chances are that 9 out of 10 future studies will show about the same percentages...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1931] A radio first: CBS airs the first radio/TV simulcast. The show features Kate Smith, George Gershwin and New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker. Here's Miss Kate with a release from the same year (7/18)…
2.1941] Boogety, boogety. This streak ends: The longest hitting streak in baseball ends in Cleveland for the “Yankee Clipper”, Joe DiMaggio. After hitting in 56 games, Indian pitchers stop DiMag. 69 years later, no one has come close to equalling or breaking his record (7/17)…
3.1951] Debuted on this date: The J.D. Salinger novel “Catcher In The Rye” is published (7/16)…
4.1969] Chappaquiddick tragedy: This was the day that Mary Jo Kopechne died when Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy lost control of the car he was driving. Mary Jo was just 27 (7/18)…
5.1969] To the Moon Alice: Apollo 11 blasts off from Cape Kennedy to begin its journey to the moon and the 1st landing made by man on that surface (4/16)...
6.1981] LIE tragedy: Harry Chapin is killed on the Long Island Expressway on his way to a benefit concert. Chapin was 38 (7/16)…
7.1996] Tragedy in the air: TWA Flight 800, a Boeing 747 bound for Paris, explodes and crashes off Long Island, shortly after take-off from JFK killing all 230 aboard (7/17)…
8.1999] Vineyard tragedy: Another day ends in tragedy for the Kennedy’s as John F. Kennedy Jr.’s plane crashes off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, John’s wife and Carolyn’s sister Lauren Bessette was also aboard. All the bodies are found on July 21 (7/16)…
9.1999] Perfecto: Yankee pitcher David Cone pitches a perfect game at Yankee Stadium against the Montreal Expos (7/18)…
10.2003] The voice is stilled: Barry White dies of renal failure at 58 (7/18)…
Music Memories:
•1960] The original version: Hank Ballard & the Midnighters release "The Twist". Chubby Checker's version wouldn't become a hit until later in the year (7/18)...
•1966] The Cream Rises: Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker form Cream (7/16)...
1972] Breaking up is hard to do: After 18 years with The Miracles, Smokey makes his final appearance with the group in Washington, D.C. (7/16). "Tears Of A Clown" was their final #1 hit with Smokey...1972] Loggins & Messina go their separate ways (7/16)...
•1977] #1 on this date: "Looks Like We Made It" - Barry Manilow (7/18)...1980] "Glass Houses" LP - Billy Joel (7/18)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (7/16) Barry Sanders (42), Will Ferrell (43), Phoebe Cates (47), Michael Flatley (52), Jimmy Johnson (67) and Bess Myerson (86)...(7/17) Bryan Trottier (54), Phoebe Snow (58), David Hasselhoff (58), Lucie Arnaz (59), Charlie Steiner (61), Daryle Lamonica (69), Spencer Davis (71), Diahann Carroll (75), Donald Sutherland (75 and Phyllis Diller (93)...(7/18) Nick Faldo (53), Richard Branson (60), Steve Forbes (63), Martha Reeves (69), Joe Torre (70), Dion DiMucci (71), Dick Button (81), John Glenn (89) and Nelson Mandella (92)...
Timeline Countdown: 8 days until the NFL training camps begin opening, 9 days until the MLB HOF induction & 22 days until the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction...
The highly-coveted female listener would listen to radio more if they could listen on their cellphone. According to a new Alan Burns and Associates study of females, half (54%) of all 2,057 women surveyed and 73% of the "early adopters" of technology say they would buy a different cellphone if the phone had a radio receiver. Alan Burns is impressed: "This is great news for the radio industry because now we have hard data to show cellphone manufacturers that putting radio receivers in their products would benefit them financially. It's a huge opportunity, because over half of the 2,000 women we interviewed said they'd listen to radio more if they could listen on their phone." I'm not sure why "cellphones" are mentioned. Does that include "smartphones" or was "cellphone" used as a generic term that includes "smartphones" in this survey? There was more interesting data in the survey including female reaction to commercials, song information, social involvement and radio personalities. Since women are the heaviest users of radio, the data should be taken seriously...
So what would make listening to radio more enjoyable for female listeners? 68% say fewer commercials and 60% say fewer "obnoxious commercials." Burns may have included it but I didn't see this in the press release - it would've been interesting to find out about "burn out" caused by repeat occurrences of the same commercial. Other findings show that half of all the women studied like air personalities and think they enhance listening, but the rest either actively dislike air personalities or can "take or leave them." 37% would like more information on songs and artists, the same number would enjoy hearing more new music while 36% asked for less music they're tired of. Radio is the dominant source of music discovery by a wide margin. Among women who buy music, radio leads 3 to 1. Of the women surveyed, a full 76% have a Facebook profile and 21% have a Twitter account, compared to 26% who'd visited a radio station website in the past week. Of those who visit station sites, 23% say the sites are more entertaining or useful than other sites, 16% say less and 61% say station sites are about the same as other websites...
If I were still programming a radio station, I would take a pen - never a pencil and circle all the percentages that show a response over 50% in any particular category. Chances are that 9 out of 10 future studies will show about the same percentages...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1931] A radio first: CBS airs the first radio/TV simulcast. The show features Kate Smith, George Gershwin and New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker. Here's Miss Kate with a release from the same year (7/18)…
2.1941] Boogety, boogety. This streak ends: The longest hitting streak in baseball ends in Cleveland for the “Yankee Clipper”, Joe DiMaggio. After hitting in 56 games, Indian pitchers stop DiMag. 69 years later, no one has come close to equalling or breaking his record (7/17)…
3.1951] Debuted on this date: The J.D. Salinger novel “Catcher In The Rye” is published (7/16)…
4.1969] Chappaquiddick tragedy: This was the day that Mary Jo Kopechne died when Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy lost control of the car he was driving. Mary Jo was just 27 (7/18)…
5.1969] To the Moon Alice: Apollo 11 blasts off from Cape Kennedy to begin its journey to the moon and the 1st landing made by man on that surface (4/16)...
6.1981] LIE tragedy: Harry Chapin is killed on the Long Island Expressway on his way to a benefit concert. Chapin was 38 (7/16)…
7.1996] Tragedy in the air: TWA Flight 800, a Boeing 747 bound for Paris, explodes and crashes off Long Island, shortly after take-off from JFK killing all 230 aboard (7/17)…
8.1999] Vineyard tragedy: Another day ends in tragedy for the Kennedy’s as John F. Kennedy Jr.’s plane crashes off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, John’s wife and Carolyn’s sister Lauren Bessette was also aboard. All the bodies are found on July 21 (7/16)…
9.1999] Perfecto: Yankee pitcher David Cone pitches a perfect game at Yankee Stadium against the Montreal Expos (7/18)…
10.2003] The voice is stilled: Barry White dies of renal failure at 58 (7/18)…
Music Memories:
•1960] The original version: Hank Ballard & the Midnighters release "The Twist". Chubby Checker's version wouldn't become a hit until later in the year (7/18)...
•1966] The Cream Rises: Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker form Cream (7/16)...
1972] Breaking up is hard to do: After 18 years with The Miracles, Smokey makes his final appearance with the group in Washington, D.C. (7/16). "Tears Of A Clown" was their final #1 hit with Smokey...1972] Loggins & Messina go their separate ways (7/16)...
•1977] #1 on this date: "Looks Like We Made It" - Barry Manilow (7/18)...1980] "Glass Houses" LP - Billy Joel (7/18)...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (7/16) Barry Sanders (42), Will Ferrell (43), Phoebe Cates (47), Michael Flatley (52), Jimmy Johnson (67) and Bess Myerson (86)...(7/17) Bryan Trottier (54), Phoebe Snow (58), David Hasselhoff (58), Lucie Arnaz (59), Charlie Steiner (61), Daryle Lamonica (69), Spencer Davis (71), Diahann Carroll (75), Donald Sutherland (75 and Phyllis Diller (93)...(7/18) Nick Faldo (53), Richard Branson (60), Steve Forbes (63), Martha Reeves (69), Joe Torre (70), Dion DiMucci (71), Dick Button (81), John Glenn (89) and Nelson Mandella (92)...
Timeline Countdown: 8 days until the NFL training camps begin opening, 9 days until the MLB HOF induction & 22 days until the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
How Will FCC Address Indecency Ruling?...
The FCC can't wait too long to figure out how to handle Tuesday's decision by the Second Court of Appeals striking down the agency's indecency ruling because there's another indecency case pending. The decision just handed down was in response to a fight between the FCC and Fox Broadcasting over so-called fleeting obscenities. Remember the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction?" There's a separate battle with CBS which is pending an outcome in the 3rd Circuit Court in Philadelphia. If the FCC's indecency regulations are shot down there, they better be ready with a response and a re-write of the agency's indecency regulations. So which way is the FCC leaning with regard to an answer to Tuesday's ruling???
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski says "we're reviewing the court's decision in light of our commitment to protect children, empower parents, and uphold the 1st Amendment." FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps is more judgemental about the ruling calling the decision an assault on families. "I am shocked by such an anti-family decision coming out of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Sadly, the court focused its energies on the purported chilling effect our indecency policy has on broadcasters of indecent programming, and no time focusing on the chilling effect Tuesday's decision will have on the ability of American parents to safeguard the interests of their children." Copps says the FCC still has the authority -- articulated by the court -- to create "a constitutional and enforceable indecency policy. I call on this commission to move forward immediately to clarify and strengthen its indecency framework to ensure that American parents can protect their children from the indecent and violent images that bombard us more and more each day." ...
The agency had better come up with that framework before another potentially damaging indecency ruling comes down in Philadelphia. There's absolutely no time to waste...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1916] What’s your name?: In Seattle, Pacific Aero Products is incorporated by William Boeing. He will later name the company? Boeing!!!
2.1952] Debuted on this date: Patti Page makes her TV debut in a summer replacement series for Perry Como…1968] The soap "One Life To Live" debuts…1996] MSNBC debuts. Originally a 50/50 partnership between NBC and Bill Gates, Gates sold 32% of his shares in 2005. NBC is now principal owner with 82%, Gates with 18%…
3.1964] Vote for me: Conservative Barry Goldwater is nominated for President at the Republican National Convention…
4.1965] Smile, you’re on Candid Mariner: Mariner IV sends back the 1st closeup pictures of Mars but can’t get the red eye out as hard as they try. Could there be life on the red planet?
5.1968] Commack, home of the Amerinets: The New Jersey Americans move to Long Island and become the New York Nets. Then they move back to Jersey and will someday move to Brooklyn. Have you been following along???
6.1973] Lending an ear: Paul Getty III (grandson of J.Paul), 16, is kidnapped. His parents receive a lock of hair and an ear in a box. Paul will be ransomed for $2 million with less hair and one ear…
7.1973] Oh no? Oh yes: Nolan Ryan becomes the 1st pitcher since Allie Reynolds in 1951 to pitch and win 2 no-hitters in one year. Ernie Harwell gives us the play-by-play of the 9th inning. Ryan is the best pitcher I’ve ever seen in my lifetime…
8.1992] Taking care of T-C-B: Aretha Franklin sings the National Anthem as Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton is nominated for the presidency at the Democrats National Convention at Madison Square Garden. Here's The Queen singing at a Dem convention in Chicago...
9.1997] In cold blood: Designer Gianni Versace is shot to death by Andrew Philip Cunanan outside his home in Miami Beach. Cunanan was found dead 8 days later…
10.2002] Turncoat gets his due: John Walker Lindh pleads guilty to 2 felonies: supplying services to Afghanistan’s former Taliban government and for carrying explosives during the commission of a felony. Lindh agrees to spend 10 years in prison on each charge…
Music Memories:
1972] Number One on this date: "Lean On Me" - Bill Withers...1982] "Every Breath You Take" - The Police...
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski says "we're reviewing the court's decision in light of our commitment to protect children, empower parents, and uphold the 1st Amendment." FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps is more judgemental about the ruling calling the decision an assault on families. "I am shocked by such an anti-family decision coming out of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Sadly, the court focused its energies on the purported chilling effect our indecency policy has on broadcasters of indecent programming, and no time focusing on the chilling effect Tuesday's decision will have on the ability of American parents to safeguard the interests of their children." Copps says the FCC still has the authority -- articulated by the court -- to create "a constitutional and enforceable indecency policy. I call on this commission to move forward immediately to clarify and strengthen its indecency framework to ensure that American parents can protect their children from the indecent and violent images that bombard us more and more each day." ...
The agency had better come up with that framework before another potentially damaging indecency ruling comes down in Philadelphia. There's absolutely no time to waste...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1916] What’s your name?: In Seattle, Pacific Aero Products is incorporated by William Boeing. He will later name the company? Boeing!!!
2.1952] Debuted on this date: Patti Page makes her TV debut in a summer replacement series for Perry Como…1968] The soap "One Life To Live" debuts…1996] MSNBC debuts. Originally a 50/50 partnership between NBC and Bill Gates, Gates sold 32% of his shares in 2005. NBC is now principal owner with 82%, Gates with 18%…
3.1964] Vote for me: Conservative Barry Goldwater is nominated for President at the Republican National Convention…
4.1965] Smile, you’re on Candid Mariner: Mariner IV sends back the 1st closeup pictures of Mars but can’t get the red eye out as hard as they try. Could there be life on the red planet?
5.1968] Commack, home of the Amerinets: The New Jersey Americans move to Long Island and become the New York Nets. Then they move back to Jersey and will someday move to Brooklyn. Have you been following along???
6.1973] Lending an ear: Paul Getty III (grandson of J.Paul), 16, is kidnapped. His parents receive a lock of hair and an ear in a box. Paul will be ransomed for $2 million with less hair and one ear…
7.1973] Oh no? Oh yes: Nolan Ryan becomes the 1st pitcher since Allie Reynolds in 1951 to pitch and win 2 no-hitters in one year. Ernie Harwell gives us the play-by-play of the 9th inning. Ryan is the best pitcher I’ve ever seen in my lifetime…
8.1992] Taking care of T-C-B: Aretha Franklin sings the National Anthem as Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton is nominated for the presidency at the Democrats National Convention at Madison Square Garden. Here's The Queen singing at a Dem convention in Chicago...
9.1997] In cold blood: Designer Gianni Versace is shot to death by Andrew Philip Cunanan outside his home in Miami Beach. Cunanan was found dead 8 days later…
10.2002] Turncoat gets his due: John Walker Lindh pleads guilty to 2 felonies: supplying services to Afghanistan’s former Taliban government and for carrying explosives during the commission of a felony. Lindh agrees to spend 10 years in prison on each charge…
Music Memories:
1972] Number One on this date: "Lean On Me" - Bill Withers...1982] "Every Breath You Take" - The Police...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Beth Ostrosky Stern (38), Brigitte Nielsen (47), Forest Whitaker (49), Kim Alexis (50), Barry Melrose (54), Terry O'Quinn (58), Jesse Ventura (59), Ariana Huffington (60), Linda Ronstadt (64), Millie Jackson (66) and Alex Karras (75)...
Timeline Countdown: In 9 days NFL training camps will begin opening, 10 days from the MLB Hall of Fame (Doug Harvey, Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog) induction & 23 days from the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
'FCC Faces Its Biggest Test'...
The week started well for this new FCC administration but it didn't take long for it to come crashing down on Julius Genachowski, the Federal Communication Commission Chairman. First the good news. The FCC was named the "most improved" government agency this year, based on the results of a government-wide survey. This left-handed compliment came from a survey which is administered by the Office of Management and Budget to gauge job satisfaction and motivation within agencies. Here's an idea for a new government survey - finding out what the Office of Management and Budget does. Genachowski gratefully accepted his agency's award: "I am delighted that the FCC has been recognized as the 'most improved' federal agency. The survey results reflect the hard work being done throughout the agency to make the FCC a model of excellence in government." The week should have ended there for the FCC because that's all the good news they would receive...
Most broadcasting people are not very fond of the status-quo ownership rules in effect and when the FCC asked for comments as part of the agency's quadrennial review, they got it. On Monday, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) called for modest reform of the rules, including the elimination of cross-ownership rules and reform of the TV duopoly rule. In addition to urging the FCC to eliminate newspaper-broadcast and radio-TV cross ownership rules, the NAB also made the case that the FCC should allow TV duopolies in markets of all sizes. The broadcasting lobby also called for relaxation of the local radio ownership rules. In their filing the NAB wrote "Simply put, it is untenable to maintain broadcast-only restrictions on the assumption that common ownership of stations could somehow reduce the ability of consumers to access diverse information or harm competition in the information marketplace." If Genachowski is as smart as we think he is, he won't monkey too much with that concept. It wasn't deregulation that killed radio, it was the people operating radio...
The rotten cherry on the cake for the FCC was that appellate court ruling that tossed out the FCC's indecency policy yesterday, ruling that it violates the First Amendment and admonishing it for vague enforcement of incidents like the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" and Bono's f-bombs on an award show. Genachowski has already announced that the FCC is appealing the ruling. You sure you wanted this job Julius???
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1881] A legend dies: Outlaw William H. Bonney Jr., alias Billy the Kid is shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett...
2.1921] Showing who's boss: Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are convicted in Dedham (MA) of killing a shoe company paymaster and his guard. They will be executed in 1927...
3.1946] Dr. Spock makes a house call: "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" is published. To date, the book has sold over 50 million copies with no end in sight. Here's the good doctor...
4.1958] The fun begins in Iraq: The army of Iraq overthrows the monarchy...
5.1965] No need to get the red eye out: American space probe Mariner 4 makes a fly-by of Mars and sends back photos...
6.1966] Killing Spree: 25-year old Richard Speck goes on a rampage in a Chicago dormitory killing 8 student nurses. Speck will die of a heart attack in prison in 1991. No one claims his body which is cremated...
7.1970] All-Star highlight: In one of the most famous of all All-Star game plays, Pete Rose bowls over catcher Ray Fosse to score and never stopped talking about it...
8.1976] Mr. Peanut: Jimmy Carter wins the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in New York. Jimmy wins the presidency but loses when he takes on Ronald Reagan in 1980...
9.1999] School busing busted: Race-based school busing in Boston ends after 25 years...
10.2004] Not that there's anything wrong with that: The Senate votes 50-48 against a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. John McCain and Ellen Degeneres discuss the issue recently...
Commentary: Until the end of the 1995 season I had been a lifelong Yankee fan although I had become unhappy with George Steinbrenner's hiring and firing of managers and constant meddling in operational matters. Spurred by the loss of Don Mattingly to retirement and a manager I really liked (Buck Showalter), I decided to do something about it - I cancelled the partial season ticket plan I had for 17 years. Why should I continue to root for this team? Why should I continue to contribute to the Boss's mismicromanagement of the Yankees? That was the end of my rooting interests in the team I loved since I was 9. My timing was not good because thanks to Showalter's development of young talent, the Yankees would win 4 world series under Joe Torre's watch. They would add another title just last year. Principles are principles after all and I never looked back, never went back to being a fan. These days my allegiance is to the Boston Red Sox, the arch enemy of the Yankees with a local interest in the Mets, another arch enemy. All that aside, George Steinbrenner will go down as one of the greatest team owners in the history of sports. Since he bought the team in 1973 from CBS, he guided the Yankees by putting his money where his mouth was, to 7 World Series titles and 11 American League pennants. Like him or not, his body of work is unmatched in modern times...
Music Memories:
•1950] #1 on this date: "Mona Lisa" - Nat "King" Cole. No one sang a better ballad than Nat "King" Cole...1960] "I'm Sorry" - Brenda Lee..•1967] Opening for The Who: In a rather bizarre pairing, The Who opens for Herman's Hermits in New York City... •1973] Breaking up is hard to do: The Everly Brothers break up on stage at the John Wayne Theatre in Buena Park (CA) as Phil slams down his guitar and storms off in the middle of a song. The Everly Brothers in better times...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Matthew Fox (44), Tommy Mottola, Jr. (61), Rosey Grier (78), Polly Bergen (80), Harry Dean Stanton (84) and Dale Robertson (87)...
Timeline Countdown: In 10 days the NFL training camps will begin opening, 11 days until the MLB Hall of Fame induction (Andre Dawson, Doug Harvey & Whitey Herzog) & 24 days until the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction...
Most broadcasting people are not very fond of the status-quo ownership rules in effect and when the FCC asked for comments as part of the agency's quadrennial review, they got it. On Monday, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) called for modest reform of the rules, including the elimination of cross-ownership rules and reform of the TV duopoly rule. In addition to urging the FCC to eliminate newspaper-broadcast and radio-TV cross ownership rules, the NAB also made the case that the FCC should allow TV duopolies in markets of all sizes. The broadcasting lobby also called for relaxation of the local radio ownership rules. In their filing the NAB wrote "Simply put, it is untenable to maintain broadcast-only restrictions on the assumption that common ownership of stations could somehow reduce the ability of consumers to access diverse information or harm competition in the information marketplace." If Genachowski is as smart as we think he is, he won't monkey too much with that concept. It wasn't deregulation that killed radio, it was the people operating radio...
The rotten cherry on the cake for the FCC was that appellate court ruling that tossed out the FCC's indecency policy yesterday, ruling that it violates the First Amendment and admonishing it for vague enforcement of incidents like the Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" and Bono's f-bombs on an award show. Genachowski has already announced that the FCC is appealing the ruling. You sure you wanted this job Julius???
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1881] A legend dies: Outlaw William H. Bonney Jr., alias Billy the Kid is shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett...
2.1921] Showing who's boss: Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti are convicted in Dedham (MA) of killing a shoe company paymaster and his guard. They will be executed in 1927...
3.1946] Dr. Spock makes a house call: "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care" is published. To date, the book has sold over 50 million copies with no end in sight. Here's the good doctor...
4.1958] The fun begins in Iraq: The army of Iraq overthrows the monarchy...
5.1965] No need to get the red eye out: American space probe Mariner 4 makes a fly-by of Mars and sends back photos...
6.1966] Killing Spree: 25-year old Richard Speck goes on a rampage in a Chicago dormitory killing 8 student nurses. Speck will die of a heart attack in prison in 1991. No one claims his body which is cremated...
7.1970] All-Star highlight: In one of the most famous of all All-Star game plays, Pete Rose bowls over catcher Ray Fosse to score and never stopped talking about it...
8.1976] Mr. Peanut: Jimmy Carter wins the Democratic presidential nomination at the party's convention in New York. Jimmy wins the presidency but loses when he takes on Ronald Reagan in 1980...
9.1999] School busing busted: Race-based school busing in Boston ends after 25 years...
10.2004] Not that there's anything wrong with that: The Senate votes 50-48 against a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. John McCain and Ellen Degeneres discuss the issue recently...
Commentary: Until the end of the 1995 season I had been a lifelong Yankee fan although I had become unhappy with George Steinbrenner's hiring and firing of managers and constant meddling in operational matters. Spurred by the loss of Don Mattingly to retirement and a manager I really liked (Buck Showalter), I decided to do something about it - I cancelled the partial season ticket plan I had for 17 years. Why should I continue to root for this team? Why should I continue to contribute to the Boss's mismicromanagement of the Yankees? That was the end of my rooting interests in the team I loved since I was 9. My timing was not good because thanks to Showalter's development of young talent, the Yankees would win 4 world series under Joe Torre's watch. They would add another title just last year. Principles are principles after all and I never looked back, never went back to being a fan. These days my allegiance is to the Boston Red Sox, the arch enemy of the Yankees with a local interest in the Mets, another arch enemy. All that aside, George Steinbrenner will go down as one of the greatest team owners in the history of sports. Since he bought the team in 1973 from CBS, he guided the Yankees by putting his money where his mouth was, to 7 World Series titles and 11 American League pennants. Like him or not, his body of work is unmatched in modern times...
Music Memories:
•1950] #1 on this date: "Mona Lisa" - Nat "King" Cole. No one sang a better ballad than Nat "King" Cole...1960] "I'm Sorry" - Brenda Lee..•1967] Opening for The Who: In a rather bizarre pairing, The Who opens for Herman's Hermits in New York City... •1973] Breaking up is hard to do: The Everly Brothers break up on stage at the John Wayne Theatre in Buena Park (CA) as Phil slams down his guitar and storms off in the middle of a song. The Everly Brothers in better times...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Matthew Fox (44), Tommy Mottola, Jr. (61), Rosey Grier (78), Polly Bergen (80), Harry Dean Stanton (84) and Dale Robertson (87)...
Timeline Countdown: In 10 days the NFL training camps will begin opening, 11 days until the MLB Hall of Fame induction (Andre Dawson, Doug Harvey & Whitey Herzog) & 24 days until the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
'Terrestrial Radio Stations That Can't Pull The Trigger'...
A new digital preparedness study shows that most terrestrial radio stations are aware that "involvement in social network marketing or increasing online listening over time and with repeated and proper messaging, terrestrial radio's tune-in occasions are positively impacted." The problem with many stations is that they just can't pull the trigger on digital involvement for one reason or another. The study was done by Bridge Ratings and conducted in May and June 2010. Bridge spoke with 242 general managers and/or market managers in the top 150 radio markets to better understand what's preventing them from being more proactive when it comes to digitally transitioning their businesses. General managers were asked "What is preventing you from having all the digital resources you need? The answers were surprising...
92% give "Budget" as the number one reason they are prevented from going digital. Second at 91% is "Know-how" followed by "Personnel" at 80%. The rest of the reasons preventing their stations from going digital were "Equipment" (69%) and "Software" (67%). Bridge concludes that "The fact that costs and personnel assets to direct and operate digital strategies are the number one and two issues makes sense because they are inextricably tied together. While staffing a digital department ranks as the third obstacle to effectively moving forward more quickly, it is clear by these interviews that traditional radio's executives find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The desire to move faster is there yet the resources are not." I would have added a follow-up question asking the general managers whether or not they've priced-out the costs involved in going digital in order to eliminate the GM's that just believe it can't be done without investigating it...
Bridge did a simultaneous study conducted among 2611 persons ages 12 and older that underscored the urgency related to terrestrial radio's rapid adoption of all things digital. Two findings were quite clear: For the immediate future terrestrial radio should maintain it's weekly listenership penetration and internet radio and social networking show the greatest growth. There's much more in this study that's worth reviewing by going to Bridge Ratings website. One final point: I hope the stations that aren't even considering going digital or who haven't even priced the expense involved will be able to survive. I'm not so sure they will...
Timeline Memories:
1.1960] Vote for me: John F. Kennedy wins the Democratic presidential nomination at the party’s convention in Los Angeles…
2.1967] Race riot: Race-related rioting breaks out in Newark (NJ) with 27 killed in four days of violence…
3.1972] Trading Teams: The owners of the Baltimore Colts (Robert Irsay) and Los Angeles Rams (Carroll Rosenbloom) swap teams. It’s the first and last trade of its kind…
4.1977] Lights Out: A 25-hour blackout hits the New York City area…
5.1978] Canned Iacocca: Lee Iacocca is fired as president of Ford Motor Company by chairman Henry Ford II…
6.1985] Temporary prez: The Constitution’s presidential disability clause is invoked for the first time as President Ronald Reagan transfers power temporarily to VP George H.W. Bush before undergoing surgery for colon cancer…
7.1994] Guilty as charged: Tonya Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, is sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the attack on Harding’s skating rival, Nancy Kerrigan…
8.1998] Tawana bet?: A jury in Poughkeepsie (NY) rules that the Rev. Al Sharpton and two others had defamed a former prosecutor by accusing him of raping Tawana Brawley…
9.2005] Gotcha: Former WorldCom Inc. boss Bernard Ebbers, is sentenced to 25 years in prison for leading the largest corporate fraud in U.S. history…
10.2007] Convicted: Former media mogul Conrad Black is convicted of swindling the Hollinger International newspaper empire he once ran out of millions of dollars. Black is serving a 6-year sentence at a federal prison…
Music Memories:
•1964] #1 on this date: "Rag Doll" - Four Seasons...1975] "Listen To What The Man Said" - McCartney & Wings...1985] "A View To A Kill" - Duran Duran...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Spud Webb (47), Michael Spinks (54), Didi Conn (59), Tony Kornheiser (62), Cheech Marin (64), Roger McGuinn (68), Harrison Ford (68) and Patrick Stewart (70)...
Timeline Countdown: The MLB All-Star Game will be played in Anaheim tonight. The MLB Hall of Fame Induction (Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog & Doug Harvey) is 12 days away, NFL camps will begin opening in 11 days & the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction is 25 days away...
92% give "Budget" as the number one reason they are prevented from going digital. Second at 91% is "Know-how" followed by "Personnel" at 80%. The rest of the reasons preventing their stations from going digital were "Equipment" (69%) and "Software" (67%). Bridge concludes that "The fact that costs and personnel assets to direct and operate digital strategies are the number one and two issues makes sense because they are inextricably tied together. While staffing a digital department ranks as the third obstacle to effectively moving forward more quickly, it is clear by these interviews that traditional radio's executives find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The desire to move faster is there yet the resources are not." I would have added a follow-up question asking the general managers whether or not they've priced-out the costs involved in going digital in order to eliminate the GM's that just believe it can't be done without investigating it...
Bridge did a simultaneous study conducted among 2611 persons ages 12 and older that underscored the urgency related to terrestrial radio's rapid adoption of all things digital. Two findings were quite clear: For the immediate future terrestrial radio should maintain it's weekly listenership penetration and internet radio and social networking show the greatest growth. There's much more in this study that's worth reviewing by going to Bridge Ratings website. One final point: I hope the stations that aren't even considering going digital or who haven't even priced the expense involved will be able to survive. I'm not so sure they will...
Timeline Memories:
1.1960] Vote for me: John F. Kennedy wins the Democratic presidential nomination at the party’s convention in Los Angeles…
2.1967] Race riot: Race-related rioting breaks out in Newark (NJ) with 27 killed in four days of violence…
3.1972] Trading Teams: The owners of the Baltimore Colts (Robert Irsay) and Los Angeles Rams (Carroll Rosenbloom) swap teams. It’s the first and last trade of its kind…
4.1977] Lights Out: A 25-hour blackout hits the New York City area…
5.1978] Canned Iacocca: Lee Iacocca is fired as president of Ford Motor Company by chairman Henry Ford II…
6.1985] Temporary prez: The Constitution’s presidential disability clause is invoked for the first time as President Ronald Reagan transfers power temporarily to VP George H.W. Bush before undergoing surgery for colon cancer…
7.1994] Guilty as charged: Tonya Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, is sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the attack on Harding’s skating rival, Nancy Kerrigan…
8.1998] Tawana bet?: A jury in Poughkeepsie (NY) rules that the Rev. Al Sharpton and two others had defamed a former prosecutor by accusing him of raping Tawana Brawley…
9.2005] Gotcha: Former WorldCom Inc. boss Bernard Ebbers, is sentenced to 25 years in prison for leading the largest corporate fraud in U.S. history…
10.2007] Convicted: Former media mogul Conrad Black is convicted of swindling the Hollinger International newspaper empire he once ran out of millions of dollars. Black is serving a 6-year sentence at a federal prison…
Music Memories:
•1964] #1 on this date: "Rag Doll" - Four Seasons...1975] "Listen To What The Man Said" - McCartney & Wings...1985] "A View To A Kill" - Duran Duran...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Spud Webb (47), Michael Spinks (54), Didi Conn (59), Tony Kornheiser (62), Cheech Marin (64), Roger McGuinn (68), Harrison Ford (68) and Patrick Stewart (70)...
Timeline Countdown: The MLB All-Star Game will be played in Anaheim tonight. The MLB Hall of Fame Induction (Andre Dawson, Whitey Herzog & Doug Harvey) is 12 days away, NFL camps will begin opening in 11 days & the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction is 25 days away...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Ad Industry Spending Will Rocket For Mobile...
Mobile Advertising may be a baby in comparison to the media big boys, but not for long. ABI Research says that spending on mobile display ads in the United States, at $313 million now is about to quadruple to over $1.2 billion in 2015. ABI Research practice director Neil Strother says "A survey conducted by ABI in February found that 28% of the mobile subscriber respondents accessed the mobile internet daily - a huge increase over the number doing so just 14 months ago, and is a powerful driver for the mobile marketing and advertising market." While smartphone usage is a primary driver of this new and still fragmented industry (smartphone penetration in the U.S. is just about 20%, which is why you see so many ads in every configuration), mobile marketing's potential extends to mobile devices of all kinds...
While mobile advertising is the new media darling, there's also optimism for radio. Ken Pearl, one of the partners of Advertiser Perceptions Inc. (API) says "Advertiser optimism leads ad spending. Based on that, I think that advertisers are feeling better about the economy, or at least, more comfortable about the reality of economic uncertainty, which in either case will positively affect ad spending." This is good news for radio and all media except magazines and newspapers although both are up from a year ago. And there's more good news about sales growth...
Guilford Securities analyst Jim Boyle surveyed a group of radio executives at public and private companies about the prospects for radio holding its growth momentum beyond 2010. Boyle says those polled have jacked up their average prediction of revenue growth another 3.5% for 2011. Privately held companies, according to Boyle were more optimistic than public ones...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1901] 1st to 300: Boston's Cy Young wins the 300th game of his career in a Red Sox win over Philadelphia 5-3. This clip shows pictures of Young and his 1903 Boston teammates...
2.1960] Would you like to see my etchings?: The first Etch-A-Sketch goes on sale. What were those black metallic specks anyway?...
3.1979] Disco Demolition Night: This promotion was the brainchild of WLUP in Chicago. The demonstration between games of a double-header at Comiskey Park caused the White Sox to forfeit the second game to Detroit...
4.1979] 'Lovin' Minnie: Minnie Riperton (”Lovin’ You“) dies from breast cancer at 31. Minnie’s daughter Maya (SNL) Rudolph was just 5 years old at the time…
5.1984] Fritz picks a woman: Walter Mondale chooses U.S. Rep. Geraldine Ferraro as a running mate for his Democratic Presidential run. Ferraro from New York is the first woman to run for VP on a major ticket…
6.1990] Debuted on this date: “Northern Exposure” starts a 5-year run...
7.1996] Signing Off: NBC network news anchor John Chancellor dies from stomach cancer 2 days before his 69th birthday...
8.2001] Blood money: Abner Louima, tortured in a New York City police station, agrees to an $8.7 million settlement…
9.2005] Sitting on the throne: Prince Albert II of Monaco accedes to the throne…
10.2008] Bowing out: Yankee broadcaster and former player Bobby Murcer, 62, dies from complications related to brain cancer...
Commentary:
Ex-WRKO VP & GM Bob Fish passed away suddenly on Friday. Bob was recently president and chief executive officer of Rhode Island PBS, joining WSBE--called Rhode Island PBS on air--in 2005. Fish was also the president of the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association. "Our sincere and deep condolences go out to Bob's family in their time of grief. This was not only their loss, but a loss for Rhode Island PBS and the entire local broadcasting community," said a statement from Michael Isaacs, chairman of the Rhode Island Public Telecommunication Authority Board. The statement did not give any details of Fish's death. Fish began his career in broadcasting in 1968 after graduating from Bryant College. For several years, Bob owned properties in New England in partnership with Janet Karger...Harvey Fuqua, lead singer of one of Alan Freed's favorite 50's groups, The Moonglows, passed away July 6 at the age of 80 from a heart attack. Fuqua, in addition to singing with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, mentored Marvin Gaye and became an executive at Motown Records. This clip features the group's signature song, "Sincerely"...And finally, they called him "The Voice of God." Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday on October 20th, passed away yesterday. He started doing Yankees games in 1951 and over the years also did p.a. announcing for the Giants. He ended his announcing career in 2007...
Music Memories:
•1954] Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Elvis Presley quits his day job (truck driving) to sign his 1st recording contract with Sun Records in Memphis...
•1962] Live debut: The Rolling Stones make their 1st appearance at the Marquee Club in London. Here they are circa 1964...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Topher Grace (32), Kristi Yamaguchi (39), Cheryl Ladd (59), Jay Thomas (62), Richard Simmons (62), Christy McVie (67), Bill Cosby (73) and pianist Van Cliburn (76)...
Timeline Countdown: 1 day until MLB All-Star Game & 13 days until all NFL camps begin to open...
While mobile advertising is the new media darling, there's also optimism for radio. Ken Pearl, one of the partners of Advertiser Perceptions Inc. (API) says "Advertiser optimism leads ad spending. Based on that, I think that advertisers are feeling better about the economy, or at least, more comfortable about the reality of economic uncertainty, which in either case will positively affect ad spending." This is good news for radio and all media except magazines and newspapers although both are up from a year ago. And there's more good news about sales growth...
Guilford Securities analyst Jim Boyle surveyed a group of radio executives at public and private companies about the prospects for radio holding its growth momentum beyond 2010. Boyle says those polled have jacked up their average prediction of revenue growth another 3.5% for 2011. Privately held companies, according to Boyle were more optimistic than public ones...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1901] 1st to 300: Boston's Cy Young wins the 300th game of his career in a Red Sox win over Philadelphia 5-3. This clip shows pictures of Young and his 1903 Boston teammates...
2.1960] Would you like to see my etchings?: The first Etch-A-Sketch goes on sale. What were those black metallic specks anyway?...
3.1979] Disco Demolition Night: This promotion was the brainchild of WLUP in Chicago. The demonstration between games of a double-header at Comiskey Park caused the White Sox to forfeit the second game to Detroit...
4.1979] 'Lovin' Minnie: Minnie Riperton (”Lovin’ You“) dies from breast cancer at 31. Minnie’s daughter Maya (SNL) Rudolph was just 5 years old at the time…
5.1984] Fritz picks a woman: Walter Mondale chooses U.S. Rep. Geraldine Ferraro as a running mate for his Democratic Presidential run. Ferraro from New York is the first woman to run for VP on a major ticket…
6.1990] Debuted on this date: “Northern Exposure” starts a 5-year run...
7.1996] Signing Off: NBC network news anchor John Chancellor dies from stomach cancer 2 days before his 69th birthday...
8.2001] Blood money: Abner Louima, tortured in a New York City police station, agrees to an $8.7 million settlement…
9.2005] Sitting on the throne: Prince Albert II of Monaco accedes to the throne…
10.2008] Bowing out: Yankee broadcaster and former player Bobby Murcer, 62, dies from complications related to brain cancer...
Commentary:
Ex-WRKO VP & GM Bob Fish passed away suddenly on Friday. Bob was recently president and chief executive officer of Rhode Island PBS, joining WSBE--called Rhode Island PBS on air--in 2005. Fish was also the president of the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association. "Our sincere and deep condolences go out to Bob's family in their time of grief. This was not only their loss, but a loss for Rhode Island PBS and the entire local broadcasting community," said a statement from Michael Isaacs, chairman of the Rhode Island Public Telecommunication Authority Board. The statement did not give any details of Fish's death. Fish began his career in broadcasting in 1968 after graduating from Bryant College. For several years, Bob owned properties in New England in partnership with Janet Karger...Harvey Fuqua, lead singer of one of Alan Freed's favorite 50's groups, The Moonglows, passed away July 6 at the age of 80 from a heart attack. Fuqua, in addition to singing with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, mentored Marvin Gaye and became an executive at Motown Records. This clip features the group's signature song, "Sincerely"...And finally, they called him "The Voice of God." Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday on October 20th, passed away yesterday. He started doing Yankees games in 1951 and over the years also did p.a. announcing for the Giants. He ended his announcing career in 2007...
Music Memories:
•1954] Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Elvis Presley quits his day job (truck driving) to sign his 1st recording contract with Sun Records in Memphis...
•1962] Live debut: The Rolling Stones make their 1st appearance at the Marquee Club in London. Here they are circa 1964...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Topher Grace (32), Kristi Yamaguchi (39), Cheryl Ladd (59), Jay Thomas (62), Richard Simmons (62), Christy McVie (67), Bill Cosby (73) and pianist Van Cliburn (76)...
Timeline Countdown: 1 day until MLB All-Star Game & 13 days until all NFL camps begin to open...
Friday, July 9, 2010
'Can Pandora Be Stopped?'...
(Weekend edition)
Benjamin Franklin may have had it wrong about only two things certain in life. Apparently there are 3 things certain in life - death, taxes and Pandora ruling the internet. Consider this - in the May Ando Media webcast ranker, number one Pandora had an average active session (AAS) number of 402,978 with session starts at 43.2 million and average time spent listening (TSL) of 1.62 hours. CBS Radio was second with an AAS of 166,644 and average TSL of .79 hours. In all streams, domestic and international, CBS Radio leads with an AAS of 171,491, session starts at 52.7 million and a TSL of .95 hours. There's a reason CBS is number one in the all-streams ranker, Pandora isn't included in that ranker...
While Pandora's music service dominates the internet, Arbitron's new "Public Radio Today" report shows that News/Talk draws nearly half of public radio listening, making it the most listened-to format. Twelve more public stations adopted the N/T format in 2009. Other popular public radio formats include News/Classical although they lost 13 stations, variety music and News-Triple A...
What's become clear is that music continues to dominate the internet while terrestrial radio lags far behind. News, talk and sports are the only formats that make terrestrial radio different. Give credit to NPR for being inventive. As Arbitron's Chris Meinhardt notes: "The medium plays an important role in today's media landscape by providing important programming not available anywhere else. Public radio is also meeting the challenges of a crowded media landscape by taking full advantage of technological innovations, including podcasting, internet streaming and HD Radio multicasting...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1900] Nipper arrives: RCA Victor registers “His Master’s Voice” aka “Nipper“. The dog looking into the horn of the gramophone machine becomes the symbol of the label (7/10)…Cyndi Lauper hugs Nipper while lip synching...
2.1915] Debuted on this date: 19-year old Babe Ruth makes his major league debut as a pitcher for the Red Sox and picks up his first win…(7/11). In 1918 Ruth moves to the outfield (7/11)…
3.1951] From Big-Band to R&B: Alan Freed starts playing R&B music on WJW Cleveland. After 3 years in Cleveland, Freed moves to WINS New York and becomes the "King of Rock 'n Roll" (7/11)...
4.1971] Curtains: Red Sox slugger Tony Conigliaro, the victim of a horrible beaning in August, 1967 announces his retirement at 25 (7/10). Tony C will try to come back in 1975 but he was never the same. Tony’s starstruck life will end way too soon when he suffers a fatal heart attack in 1990 at 45…
5.1979] Final note: Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler, who led the orchestra for half a century, passes away from natural causes at 84 (7/10)…
6.1989] 'That's All Folks': Mel Blanc who provided the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and countless other WB characters, dies from heart disease at 81 (7/10)…
7.1999] World Cup runneth over: The U.S. women’s soccer team wins the World Cup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena (CA) (7/10)…
8.2000] Lucky #7: Pete Sampras wins his 7th Wimbledon singles title, tying the record for men (7/9)...
9.2002] Kiss your sister: Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig stops play during a rain delay at the All-Star game in Milwaukee ending the 11-inning game in a 2-2 tie, a 1st in All-Star game history. Selig gets booed by the crowd (7/9)…
10.2006] The Dig kills: A section of ceiling in Boston’s Big Dig tunnel collapses, killing a car passenger (7/10)…
Commentary:
Veteran Boston TV newscaster John Henning, who brought a combination of street smarts and stoicism to the anchor desk for more than 25 years at channels 4, 5 and 7, passed away Wednesday night at Massachusetts General Hospital, a few months after being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a precursor to leukemia. John who lived in Boston was predeceased by his wife of 39 years, Betsy Cohen in 2008. Tributes to John have been streaming in from friends and politicians alike. Former mayor Raymond L. Flynn called John "An institution to the city of Boston". Former governor and presidential nominee Michael S. Dukakis called Henning "A presence who you had to be ready for." The Boston Globe called John "a no-nonsense Walter Cronkite figure for Boston viewers during a period when TV news became increasingly glitzy, a trend he abhorred." John was a member of "The Media Gang", a group of mostly ex-radio and TV people that gather twice a year. Henning attended most of the group's luncheons. He will be missed by all his friends and from those viewers that liked their news delivered straight, without fanfare. John was 73...
Music Memories:
•1956] Local debut: Dick Clark makes his 1st appearance as host of "Bandstand" in Philadelphia. One year later the show goes network (7/9)...
•1959] #1 on this date: "Lonely Boy" - Paul Anka (7/11)...1965] "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (7/10)...1969] "In the year 2525" - Zager & Evans (7/11)...1970] "Mama Told Me Not To Come" - Three Dog Night (7/11)...1979] "Bad Girls" - Donna Summer (7/11)...1989] "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Simply Red (7/11)...
•1995] Gratefully done (for a while, anyway): The Grateful Dead play their last concert with Jerry Garcia at Soldier Field (Chicago) (7/9). Garcia will pass away in August...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (7/9) Fred Savage (34), Courtney Love (46), Kelly McGillis (53), Tom Hanks (54), Jimmy Smits (55), John Tesh (58), Brian Dennehy (72), Donald Rumsfeld (78) and Ed Ames (83)...(7/10) Jessica Simpson (30), Arlo Guthrie (63), Mavis Staples (71), David Dinkins (83), Jake LaMotta (89)...
(7/11) Lisa Rinna (47), Suzanne Vega (51), Richie Sambora (51), Sela Ward (54), Leon Spinks (57), Bonnie Pointer (60), Joe McCoy (67), Giorgio Armani (76) and Tab Hunter (80+)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until the MLB All-Star Game & 16 days until NFL camps begin opening...
Benjamin Franklin may have had it wrong about only two things certain in life. Apparently there are 3 things certain in life - death, taxes and Pandora ruling the internet. Consider this - in the May Ando Media webcast ranker, number one Pandora had an average active session (AAS) number of 402,978 with session starts at 43.2 million and average time spent listening (TSL) of 1.62 hours. CBS Radio was second with an AAS of 166,644 and average TSL of .79 hours. In all streams, domestic and international, CBS Radio leads with an AAS of 171,491, session starts at 52.7 million and a TSL of .95 hours. There's a reason CBS is number one in the all-streams ranker, Pandora isn't included in that ranker...
While Pandora's music service dominates the internet, Arbitron's new "Public Radio Today" report shows that News/Talk draws nearly half of public radio listening, making it the most listened-to format. Twelve more public stations adopted the N/T format in 2009. Other popular public radio formats include News/Classical although they lost 13 stations, variety music and News-Triple A...
What's become clear is that music continues to dominate the internet while terrestrial radio lags far behind. News, talk and sports are the only formats that make terrestrial radio different. Give credit to NPR for being inventive. As Arbitron's Chris Meinhardt notes: "The medium plays an important role in today's media landscape by providing important programming not available anywhere else. Public radio is also meeting the challenges of a crowded media landscape by taking full advantage of technological innovations, including podcasting, internet streaming and HD Radio multicasting...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1900] Nipper arrives: RCA Victor registers “His Master’s Voice” aka “Nipper“. The dog looking into the horn of the gramophone machine becomes the symbol of the label (7/10)…Cyndi Lauper hugs Nipper while lip synching...
2.1915] Debuted on this date: 19-year old Babe Ruth makes his major league debut as a pitcher for the Red Sox and picks up his first win…(7/11). In 1918 Ruth moves to the outfield (7/11)…
3.1951] From Big-Band to R&B: Alan Freed starts playing R&B music on WJW Cleveland. After 3 years in Cleveland, Freed moves to WINS New York and becomes the "King of Rock 'n Roll" (7/11)...
4.1971] Curtains: Red Sox slugger Tony Conigliaro, the victim of a horrible beaning in August, 1967 announces his retirement at 25 (7/10). Tony C will try to come back in 1975 but he was never the same. Tony’s starstruck life will end way too soon when he suffers a fatal heart attack in 1990 at 45…
5.1979] Final note: Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler, who led the orchestra for half a century, passes away from natural causes at 84 (7/10)…
6.1989] 'That's All Folks': Mel Blanc who provided the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and countless other WB characters, dies from heart disease at 81 (7/10)…
7.1999] World Cup runneth over: The U.S. women’s soccer team wins the World Cup at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena (CA) (7/10)…
8.2000] Lucky #7: Pete Sampras wins his 7th Wimbledon singles title, tying the record for men (7/9)...
9.2002] Kiss your sister: Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig stops play during a rain delay at the All-Star game in Milwaukee ending the 11-inning game in a 2-2 tie, a 1st in All-Star game history. Selig gets booed by the crowd (7/9)…
10.2006] The Dig kills: A section of ceiling in Boston’s Big Dig tunnel collapses, killing a car passenger (7/10)…
Commentary:
Veteran Boston TV newscaster John Henning, who brought a combination of street smarts and stoicism to the anchor desk for more than 25 years at channels 4, 5 and 7, passed away Wednesday night at Massachusetts General Hospital, a few months after being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a precursor to leukemia. John who lived in Boston was predeceased by his wife of 39 years, Betsy Cohen in 2008. Tributes to John have been streaming in from friends and politicians alike. Former mayor Raymond L. Flynn called John "An institution to the city of Boston". Former governor and presidential nominee Michael S. Dukakis called Henning "A presence who you had to be ready for." The Boston Globe called John "a no-nonsense Walter Cronkite figure for Boston viewers during a period when TV news became increasingly glitzy, a trend he abhorred." John was a member of "The Media Gang", a group of mostly ex-radio and TV people that gather twice a year. Henning attended most of the group's luncheons. He will be missed by all his friends and from those viewers that liked their news delivered straight, without fanfare. John was 73...
Music Memories:
•1956] Local debut: Dick Clark makes his 1st appearance as host of "Bandstand" in Philadelphia. One year later the show goes network (7/9)...
•1959] #1 on this date: "Lonely Boy" - Paul Anka (7/11)...1965] "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (7/10)...1969] "In the year 2525" - Zager & Evans (7/11)...1970] "Mama Told Me Not To Come" - Three Dog Night (7/11)...1979] "Bad Girls" - Donna Summer (7/11)...1989] "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Simply Red (7/11)...
•1995] Gratefully done (for a while, anyway): The Grateful Dead play their last concert with Jerry Garcia at Soldier Field (Chicago) (7/9). Garcia will pass away in August...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday": (7/9) Fred Savage (34), Courtney Love (46), Kelly McGillis (53), Tom Hanks (54), Jimmy Smits (55), John Tesh (58), Brian Dennehy (72), Donald Rumsfeld (78) and Ed Ames (83)...(7/10) Jessica Simpson (30), Arlo Guthrie (63), Mavis Staples (71), David Dinkins (83), Jake LaMotta (89)...
(7/11) Lisa Rinna (47), Suzanne Vega (51), Richie Sambora (51), Sela Ward (54), Leon Spinks (57), Bonnie Pointer (60), Joe McCoy (67), Giorgio Armani (76) and Tab Hunter (80+)...
Timeline Countdown: 4 days until the MLB All-Star Game & 16 days until NFL camps begin opening...
Thursday, July 8, 2010
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:
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...
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...
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...
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Buying & Selling Radio In PPM Era...
Measuring radio has changed dramatically. It has gone from a memory challenge to reality with the advent and employment of Arbitron's Portable People Meter. Charlie Sislen, a partner in Research Director Inc., which has worked for several radio companies including CBS Radio, Clear Channel and Citadel told Media Life Magazine "The very first thing that everyone has to realize, and it sounds so simple but so difficult to grasp is that nothing has changed about real radio listening. The only difference is how Arbitron is measuring it. In the old way they measured a perception. In the new way they measure an exposure. It doesn't matter. If a station was right for you in a diary world, they are right for you in the PPM world." Sound advice that's worthy of noting...
Sislen believes that radio buyers should buy the same way that TV buyers do - seasonally. "If the buy is for August, see who did well last August and where they are now. Certain formats do better at certain times of the year. Christmas is the ultimate example. When you are buying for Christmas next year, you should absolutely be using the Christmas book for last year. It also doesn't make sense to average ratings from February, March and April for a buy in July. Radio listening in February and radio listening in July are nothing alike. Look at Washington's (D.C.) all news WTOP which had a 14 share in February because there was 3 feet of snow on the ground. Should that influence a buy in July?" Sitting here in the northeast with temperatures near or above 100 every day, it's hard to imagine 3 feet of snow, but we get the idea...
Sislen wraps up his message when asked about future trends. "The meter can tell whether a person is listening to a station's terrestrial signal or over the Internet. I believe that very soon we'll start to see some very significant internet numbers for stations. Advertisers have to start thinking about how they can utilize this internet audience and maximize the opportunities there." While this message was for buyers, the sellers of radio air time should have their ears wide open...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1754] The Name Game: Kings College opens in Manhattan. 30 years later, Kings College becomes Columbia. Students will enter on July 17th...
2.1865] Hang 'em High: Four people convicted of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, are hanged in Washington, D.C...
3.1964] All-Stars: Newly opened Shea Stadium hosts the 35th All-Star game, a 7-4 win for the National League...
4.1983] Visiting the curtain: 11-year old Samantha Smith of Manchester (ME) leaves for a visit to the Soviet Union at the invitation of Soviet leader Yuri Andropov who met the girl on a visit to the U.S...
5.1987] Ratting out: Lt. Col. Oliver North begins his public testimony at the Iran-Contra hearing. North tells Congress that he "never carried out a single act", "not one" without authorization...
6.1990] Wimbledon Winner: Martina Navratilova wins a record 9th women's single's title...
7.2003] Gotcha: A federal judge approves a settlement fining WorldCom $750 million for its $11 billion accounting scandal...2004] Former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay, is indicted on criminal charges related to the energy company's collapse. The trial will take everything out of Lay who would have a fatal heart attack before his sentencing in July, 2006 at 64...
8.2005] Terror in the Underground: Terrorist bombings in 3 Underground stations and a double-decker bus kills 52 victims and 4 suicide bombers in the worst attack on London since WWII...
9.2005] Influenced by Live 8, the G8 leaders pledge to double 2004 levels of aid to Africa from $25 to $50 billion by 2010...
10.2006] "Happy Trails": Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett dies from pancreatic cancer at 60...
Music Memories:
•1954] Elvis Airplay: WHBQ (Memphis) DJ Dewey Phillips plays "That's All Right" on his show. It's the 1st Elvis record ever played on the air...
•1965] Recorded on this date: "Respect" - Otis Redding...
•1967] #1 on this date: "Light My Fire" - The Doors...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Ringo Starr (70), Doc Severinsen (83) & Pierre Cardin (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 6 days until the MLB All-Star Game & 18 days before NFL training camps begin opening...
Sislen believes that radio buyers should buy the same way that TV buyers do - seasonally. "If the buy is for August, see who did well last August and where they are now. Certain formats do better at certain times of the year. Christmas is the ultimate example. When you are buying for Christmas next year, you should absolutely be using the Christmas book for last year. It also doesn't make sense to average ratings from February, March and April for a buy in July. Radio listening in February and radio listening in July are nothing alike. Look at Washington's (D.C.) all news WTOP which had a 14 share in February because there was 3 feet of snow on the ground. Should that influence a buy in July?" Sitting here in the northeast with temperatures near or above 100 every day, it's hard to imagine 3 feet of snow, but we get the idea...
Sislen wraps up his message when asked about future trends. "The meter can tell whether a person is listening to a station's terrestrial signal or over the Internet. I believe that very soon we'll start to see some very significant internet numbers for stations. Advertisers have to start thinking about how they can utilize this internet audience and maximize the opportunities there." While this message was for buyers, the sellers of radio air time should have their ears wide open...
10 Timeline Memories:
1.1754] The Name Game: Kings College opens in Manhattan. 30 years later, Kings College becomes Columbia. Students will enter on July 17th...
2.1865] Hang 'em High: Four people convicted of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, are hanged in Washington, D.C...
3.1964] All-Stars: Newly opened Shea Stadium hosts the 35th All-Star game, a 7-4 win for the National League...
4.1983] Visiting the curtain: 11-year old Samantha Smith of Manchester (ME) leaves for a visit to the Soviet Union at the invitation of Soviet leader Yuri Andropov who met the girl on a visit to the U.S...
5.1987] Ratting out: Lt. Col. Oliver North begins his public testimony at the Iran-Contra hearing. North tells Congress that he "never carried out a single act", "not one" without authorization...
6.1990] Wimbledon Winner: Martina Navratilova wins a record 9th women's single's title...
7.2003] Gotcha: A federal judge approves a settlement fining WorldCom $750 million for its $11 billion accounting scandal...2004] Former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay, is indicted on criminal charges related to the energy company's collapse. The trial will take everything out of Lay who would have a fatal heart attack before his sentencing in July, 2006 at 64...
8.2005] Terror in the Underground: Terrorist bombings in 3 Underground stations and a double-decker bus kills 52 victims and 4 suicide bombers in the worst attack on London since WWII...
9.2005] Influenced by Live 8, the G8 leaders pledge to double 2004 levels of aid to Africa from $25 to $50 billion by 2010...
10.2006] "Happy Trails": Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett dies from pancreatic cancer at 60...
Music Memories:
•1954] Elvis Airplay: WHBQ (Memphis) DJ Dewey Phillips plays "That's All Right" on his show. It's the 1st Elvis record ever played on the air...
•1965] Recorded on this date: "Respect" - Otis Redding...
•1967] #1 on this date: "Light My Fire" - The Doors...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Ringo Starr (70), Doc Severinsen (83) & Pierre Cardin (88)...
Timeline Countdown: 6 days until the MLB All-Star Game & 18 days before NFL training camps begin opening...
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