On last week’s investor call, Saga CEO Ed Christian gave a (as always) transparent view (as much as possible) of the state of radio – and his company. Ed is famous for substantive analyses of the industry and where it’s headed. He takes the issues head-on, and uses these calls to sound off about what’s good, bad, and otherwise for radio and the media business. It was an off quarter for Saga, and while Ed talked about specific issues facing Saga, he went out of his way to praise...
You’ve probably read Lori Lewis’ great weekly column in All Access called “Merge.” She provides great insights into what’s happening with social and digital media in ways in which everyone in radio can learn something every week. A couple weeks back, her topic was A.J. Clemente, that infamous North Dakota TV anchorman who unwittingly dropped a line of profanity during his first moments on the air. Of course he was fired, and then made the rounds of every talk and entertainment show imaginable. I’m sure that many radio stations had...
You have to hand it to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. While his company went through tough times, Netflix continued to do some amazing things. The release model for House of Cards is a case in point. While we wait patiently for the next episode of Newsroom, Game of Thrones, or Homeland, Netflix released the entire debut season of House of Cards at once. In that way, viewers didn’t have to wait for what Hastings calls “linear TV” in order to watch the series. Instead, they could view it in much the...
As Lori Lewis has reminded Jacobs Media clients and the many readers of her weekly “Merge” column in All Access, you have to understand the various social media platforms in order to benefit from them. This is especially true in the ongoing discussion about Facebook and Twitter. Lori frequently fields questions about the differences between these two platforms, because so many believe that the relative size of each is the determinant of whether stations or personalities use them. When it comes to Twitter, she’ll tell you that all things...
Yesterday, we talked about the impact of the Bubba vs. MJ trial in Tampa on audience and advertiser perceptions of radio DJs. I heard from a lot of you, often expressing some of the same frustration with the behavior of radio hosts and how it affects the industry’s standing. As Josh Potter, personality for WEDG/The Edge in Buffalo, commented, “In a time where talent is fighting to survive, this makes us look like the degenerate stereotype we’ve been trying to shed…” And it also got me thinking about who...
The “December Surprise” – Nielsen purchasing Arbitron – is undoubtedly a game-changer for the media business. And many in radio are hopeful that the sale means good things for the industry. While the devil is always in the details, this move would seem to be a big crossroads moment for radio, media, and measurement – at a time when innovation is necessary. We’re at that point – more and more consumers are turning to multiple screens, digital media, and a bevy of options. And it will all intensify after the...
Some recently released stats about the meteoric rise of DVRs say a lot about where television viewing is headed. It turns out that more and more, consumers are watching TV shows when and where they want – not necessarily when they’re broadcast live. You know this if you own a TiVo or more likely have a DVR as part of your cable or satellite television subscription. Once you get beyond sports and big shows like the Academy Awards, a growing percentage of television consumption is not happening in real...
As the guy who brought Classic Rock to radio, I am frequently asked why Rock has not produced another band of the magnitude of the Beatles. The reasonable answer is that the media world of the ‘60s was so much more simplified and focused than it is today. When you think back on those famous Ed Sullivan shows, the Beatles’ first appearance on February 9, 1964, attracted 73 million viewers. In contrast last month, 60 Minutes came in second for the entire week with nearly 16 million viewers. And that’s in...
Clearly the highlight (or the low point) of last week’s Republican convention in Tampa was the appearance of Clint Eastwood prior to Governor Romney taking the stage for his big acceptance speech. Days after Eastwood’s improv routine with the chair, the Internet is still ablaze with opinions – in both directions – about the effectiveness of the Oscar winning actor/director and former mayor of Carmel’s performance. I’ll bet that most radio PDs, however, saw it differently. We’re accustomed to standing side stage and watching DJs, hosts, and teams do what...
On the one hand, I admire DJs and personalities who have a desire to be in the know when it comes to the ratings. After all, its their report card. But on the other, you have to worry that there’s a tendency to get so caught up in the gyrations of the ratings that it negatively impacts their performance. This ratings roller coaster is on display every Sunday night on HBO’s The Newsroom, the new Aaron Sorkin drama that takes viewers behind the scenes of a TV news show...
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