Blog Archives

Why Gen Y

June 20, 2013
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Why Gen Y

We can throw the 93% number around all we like, but the bottom line is that radio listening levels vary depending on the group you’re looking at. In a recent series of posts, we’ve talked about the concerning radio problem centering on lost youth – specifically, the notion that the medium has lost a generation of listeners over the past decade or so. Some might argue that we’re actually talking about two generations that are simply not as engaged with radio as their parents.  Gen Y – or Millennials – is a case...

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Stupid DJ Tricks

June 19, 2013
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Stupid DJ Tricks

The news that “Mayhem In The Morning” was given the ax by Lincoln Financial’s 790 The Zone/Atlanta wasn’t really news.  And the story really isn’t about whether they should have been suspended, fired, or disciplined. What makes this disaster “news” is that it keeps happening.  Again and again. In case you missed it, this morning team decided it would be funny to mock former NFL player Steve Gleason, who is battling ALS – or Lou Gehrig’s disease (pictured).  And somehow, no one associated with the show apparently waved a...

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All Access

June 18, 2013
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All Access

Radio stations throughout the land have all been fighting a war of attrition these past few years: shrinking marketing budgets. Now if we were a bunch of Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises, we’d be in trouble.  But because we’re radio stations – brands that consumers still are passionate about – we have alternatives, and pretty good ones. That is, if we decide to use them. Just like professional sports teams and rock bands, radio fans are always looking for more.  Other entertainment sectors have mined the behind-the-scenes opportunity, but radio...

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Who’s In Control?

June 17, 2013
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Who’s In Control?

These are the times that truly test some of the core tenets of the media business, and radio is at the epicenter of the debate. Specifically, the issue of control. Who controls the music you hear?  Who selects it?  Who filters it?  And how can the music experience get better at a time when it’s great to be a consumer? All arrows point to the customer being in the driver’s seat – literally – if you attend automotive/telematics conferences – and by all reports, she’s enjoying the ride. From...

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Ch-ch-ch-changes

June 14, 2013
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Ch-ch-ch-changes

It seems like every week, we’re treated to more and more news that our once-predictable, stable, media world is changing yet again.  And fast. Consider that this past week there were more “breaking news” stories coming out of the radio industry trades than on CNN.  (And it appears that the radio coverage was more accurate, too.) Here are just a few of the stories that everyone was talking about this week: Apple announced iTunes Radio MySpace has relaunched (again) and one of their offerings is MyRadio – yes, customized...

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Now Firing

June 13, 2013
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Now Firing

Don’t think for a moment that talk and chatter don’t lead to perceptions. In radio, the talk for the past few weeks (few years?) has been about layoffs in highly visible radio companies. And while cutbacks are still only rumored, smaller employee counts have become the norm in radio.  And it continues to be a part of radio management and corporate conversations.  So while broadcasters pare their payrolls and health care obligations by cutting staff, the competition is moving in a very different direction. And as radio continues to struggle...

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What, Me Worry?

June 12, 2013
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What, Me Worry?

The long-awaited announcement that Apple is now officially playing radio – called iTunes Radio (italics mine) – simply reinforces what has long been happening in the pure-play space: Everyone’s trying to recast, redefine, and reinvent radio – except most radio broadcasters. Pandora’s response to Apple’s new baby sounded a lot like Mad’s goofy poster boy, Alfred E. Newman and his famous quote: “What, me worry?” As Pandora noted, “…we have spent the last 13 years singularly focused on redefining radio and benefit from unrivaled intellectual property, deep experience in delivering personalized...

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Welcome to Detroit!

June 10, 2013
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Welcome to Detroit!

Last week in a suburb of Detroit – Novi, to be exact – Telematics Update held their annual conference, bringing together a growing group of automotive and media professionals to discuss the ongoing hot topic – “the connected car.” Nearly 2,000 professionals made the trip to Metro Detroit.  For Paul and me, it was a quick 13 mile drive to what is a different world than the one we’re used to living in. Joining us from the radio industry were….not many people.  Of course, Dr. Ed Cohen from Arbitron...

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Phone Wars

June 7, 2013
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Phone Wars

So you think radio is a competitive business? Apple is in a war with Samsung, and it’s a bloody one.  Sure, it’s about volume (in radio parlance, ratings), but it’s even more about the cool factor.  And in that dimension, Apple has a challenge on its hands with the Galaxy S4 handsets. This is a similar challenge that radio stations face every day – how to “own” a hill and how to communicate leadership. Radio often chooses a positioning statement (“Favorites of the ‘80s, ‘90s, & Today”) along with the superlative...

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Rev Rev Revenue

June 6, 2013
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Rev Rev Revenue

On the heels of Paul’s excellent post yesterday about mobile revenue – specifically from the local angle – comes today’s entry about media ad spending.  Last week, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers’ killer analyst, Mary Meeker, presented her always amazing Internet Trends 2013 report. It’s 117 of the most remarkable slides you’ll see that synopsizes what’s happening in the digital space and it will impact your business. But for those of us with shorter attention spans, just stop at slide #5: And that sums up the state of the revenue...

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