Why Radio Needs To Reward Moms...
(Wednesday, May 22, 2013)
Results of a new study should give radio another reason to pay more attention to its mom listeners. While the PunchTab research was done specifically about social media, it still applies to radio. One-half of mothers on Facebook say they would share brands’ content on the social network in exchange for rewards – 57% say they would like brands’ pages. Translation: moms like special treatment – something radio should take note of…
PunchTab Chief Marketing Officer Angela Sanfilippo: “Moms are the most critical demographic segment for many brands. They are the primary decision-makers when it comes to household purchases, and they influence $2.4 trillion in spending every year. Everyone wants to engage this audience segment. The question is: what motivates moms to take action? This study offers definitive evidence that providing moms with the right incentives can boost word-of-mouth and drive sales across a company’s entire brand portfolio.” To that, I add this: it works for radio too. In social media rank for moms – Facebook (86%), Pinterest (50%), Instagram (26%) and Twitter (25%)…
Moms interest in financial rewards in rank order: Free products or services (83%), gift cards (82%), discounts or coupons (60%). No need for radio to go back to those cheesy recipe promotions. It’s a lot easier today to include moms in your promotions by just rewarding them…
(Comments about this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Timeline Memories:
1961] Number One on this date: Mother-In-Law - Ernie K-Doe…1966] When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge…1972] Oh Girl – Chi-Lites…
1992] One more for the road: Johnny Carson hosts his final Tonight Show with Bette Midler singing to him. Johnny started hosting the show Oct. 1, 1962…
2002] Body discovered: The remains of Chandra Levy are found in a Washington (DC) park…
2011] Joplin in the crosshairs: An EF5 tornado strikes Joplin (MO) killing 161…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Apolo Ohno (31), Naomi Campbell (43), Mike Breen (52), Bernie Taupin (63), Bernard Shaw (73), Richard Benjamin (75), Peter Nero (79), T.Boone Pickens Jr. (85) & Charles Aznavour (89)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Memorial Day (5) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (17) (6/8), Father’s Day (25) (6/6), Summer (30) (6/21) & Independence Day (43) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Communications Tops Radio's Ad Chart...
(Tuesday, May 21, 2013)
There’s been a change in the number one source of radio advertising. Communications has just replaced the auto industry. Spot spending by Communication/Cellular advertisers has climbed by over 1/3 (36%) for the first quarter to take the ad spending lead over the auto industry. According to new numbers just released by the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), Communication/Cellular tops the ad leader board…
Also up – in rank order based on ad spending were Financial Services (+13%), Department/Discount Stores & Shopping Centers (+58%) and Home Furnishings/Floor Coverings (+6%). Ad volume was flat for TV/Networks/Cable (-3%) and Restaurants (-2%) – those were the categories that ranked #2 and #4 respectively for supplying radio revenue. The big drop was in Auto spending, falling 20% and placing at #3 in ad spending. RAB President/CEO Erica Farber explains: “Major increases in radio advertising by Communications/Cellular and Financial Services went a long way to offset a drop in Automotive spending. Additionally spending is up in the Department/Discount Stores category – reflecting increased confidence among retailers who have experienced radio’s ability to drive traffic and sales.”…
It’s just about every day now that another impressive gain is made by the communications business. Techies have to be pleased when they see the growth made by an industry that still hasn’t met its full potential…
R.I.P. Ray (Doors) Manzarek (1939 - 2013)...
(Comments about this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Timeline Memories:
1927] Touchdown: Charles Lindbergh lands his Spirit of St. Louis near Paris completing the first solo flight across the Atlantic…
1979] Guilty as charged: Former San Francisco Supervisor Dan White is convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of mayor George Moscone & supervisor Harvey Milk…
1994] Number One on this date: I Swear - All-4-One…2011] Rolling In The Deep - Adele…
1999] Emmy fairytale: Susan Lucci of All My Children finally wins her first Daytime Emmy for Best Actress after almost two decades of being nominated. She wins it on her 19th try…
2011] The Rapture has been cancelled: American Christian radio broadcaster Harold Camping predicts the end of the world on this date. God doesn’t get the memo…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Wouter De Backer aka Gotye (33), Lisa Edelstein (47), Lawrence Tero Tureaud aka Mr. T (61), Sen. Al Franken (62), Leo Sayer (65), Ronnie Isley (72) & Coach Ara Parseghian (90)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Memorial Day (6) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (18) (6/8), Father’s Day (26) (6/6), Summer (31) (6/21) & Independence Day (44) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Google Takes On Pandora...
(Monday, May 20, 2013)
Google’s new music subscription service, All Access is not a threat to either terrestrial radio nor Sirius XM. Terrestrial is local, live and free – Sirius XM has hosts for their zillions of radio channels. Google has neither. What All Access does provide is more than 22 genres of music. It combines a user’s personal music list with Google’s. Sound familiar, like maybe Pandora? …
Google is going after Pandora’s jugular. They offer personalized radio stations (?) similar to Pandora. The playlist icon allows users to see and delete tracks in the list. Mediapost reports that Listen Now in All Access provides music and so-called radio stations created by the app supported on Google TV and the web, as well as tablets and smartphones. It will become another revenue stream for Google. The service will give everyone a 30-day free trial. If you sign up before June 30 you’ll get a $2 monthly discount from the $9.99 price. The market for Google’s new service is monumental – more than 147 million people in the U.S. listen to internet radio and streaming music services through apps each month, with about 70 million people in the U.S. expected to listen to music on their phones at least monthly this year. That figure is up from 60.5 million in 2012…
While Pandora has the advantage in number of subscribers, they don’t have the financial wherewithal that Google has. In a knock-down, drag-out war – Google wins, starting the first rumor that Google will buy Pandora. That rumor has just been started by me…
(Comments about this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Timeline Memories:
1927] Taking flight: Charles Lindbergh takes off for Paris from Roosevelt Field on Long Island on the first nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic…1932] Amelia Earhart takes off from Newfoundland to Ireland to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic…1939] Regular trans-Atlantic air service begins as Pan Am takes off from Port Washington (LI) for Europe…
1977] Beatlemania breaks out: The musical Beatlemania opens at the Winter Garden Theater in Manhattan…
1993] Say goodnight Norm: Cheers closes its doors for the final time with 40% of the population or nearly 100 million watching at home…
2012] Death of a Gibb: Robin Gibb, 62, dies from liver and kidney failure – a complication of colorectal cancer…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Tori Spelling (40), David (Bones) Boreanaz (44), Tucker Carlson (44), Janet Jackson (44), Mare Winningham (54), Debra Winger (58), Olga Korbut (58) & Pierce Brosnan (60)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Preakness Stakes (2) (5/18), Memorial Day (11) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (23) (6/8), Father’s Day (31) (6/6), Summer (36) (6/21) & Independence Day (49) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Are Native Ads Coming To Radio???
(Friday, May 17, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
Native ads? Huh? The best definition of the new trend in advertising include Facebook Sponsored Stories, Twitter Promoted Tweets, branded videos and other ads that appear in the content streams of media sites like Forbes.com, BuzzFeed and others. Are “W – - – Sponsored Ads” on their way to radio? Chances are, they are…
EMarketer reports that although business prospects for native advertising are positive, the medium has its detractors. Some media executives and marketers are wary of the blurring of lines between content and advertising that occurs with native ads, especially in the context of news sites. Others question the ROI (return on investment) of these ads, arguing that native ads cannot be tiered for multiple placements. Then there are those that still question defining native advertising. Lots of folks perceive native ads that mimic content in the venues in which they appear. One thing few question is the entertainment and less disruptive factor native ads bring over traditional ads…
This reminds me of the subtle product placement we started seeing in movies over the last several years. That advertising spread to TV (the placement of Coke glasses in front of American Idol judges, etc). BIA/Kelsey estimates that native spending in U.S. social media advertising will climb to $4.57 billion in 2017, from $1.63 billion in 2012. While radio is an audio experience, the inclusion of native ads will have to be less obtrusive but it can be done…
R.I.P. Paul Drew (78). Paul and I recently reconnected and swapped some old radio war stories. Paul was one of the best programmers in radio during his reign. Sadly, another Paul Drew is not waiting in the wings to give us the quality of radio that Paul produced. Here's a video clip of Paul paying tribute to Dr. Don Rose several years ago...
(Your comments on this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1875] And they’re off: The first Kentucky Derby is won by Aristides – 138 years later, it’s Orb (5/17)…
1973] Released on this date: You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder (5/17)…
1973] Scandalous: The Senate begins hearings into the Watergate Scandal (Must-See that summer) (5/17)…
1974] Number One on this date: The Streak – Ray Stevens (5/17)…1983] Let’s Dance – David Bowie (5/17)…
2012] Summer’s gone: Donna Summer dies from lung cancer at 63 (5/17)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (5/17): Kree (American Idol runner-up) Harrison (23), Derek (DWTS) Hough (28), Craig Ferguson (51), Enya (52), Jim Nantz (54), Bob Saget (57), Sugar Ray Leonard (57), Henry St. Clair Fredericks aka Taj Mahal (71)…
1959] Number One on this date: Kansas City – Wilbert Harrison (5/18)…1960] Cathy’s Clown – Everly Brothers (5/18)…1963] If You Wanna Be Happy - Jimmy Soul (5/18)…1969] Get Back – Beatles (5/18)…
1980] Blowing its top: The Mt. St. Helens volcano in Washington State explodes leaving 57 dead or missing (5/18)…
1998] Curtains for Murphy: Murphy Brown starring Candice Bergen ends its 10-year run (5/18)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (5/18): Tina Fey (43), George Strait (61), Rick (Yes) Wakeman (64), Reggie Jackson (67), Albert Hammond (69), Brooks Robinson (76), Dwayne (Dobie Gillis) Hickman (79), Robert (Mad Men) Morse (82), Jack Whitaker (89) & Bill (Maude) Macy (91)…
1958] Released on this date: Splish Splash – Bobby Darin (5/19)…1973] Kodachrome – Paul Simon (5/19)…
1962] A birthday gift from Marilyn: Marilyn Monroe performs a sultry rendition of Happy Birthday for Pres. John F. Kennedy with Jackie by his side at a fund raiser at Madison Sq. Garden (5/19)…
1994] Happy Trails: Former First-Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis passes away from cancer at 64 (5/19)…
2012] Two-for-two: I’ll Have Another wins the Preakness Stakes in Maryland. He also won the Kentucky Derby (5/19)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (5/19) Kevin Garnett (37), Archie Manning (64), Grace Jones (65), Pete Townshend (68), David Hartman (78), Jim Lehrer (79) & Dolph Schayes (85)…
Timeline Countdown for 5/19: Days until: Memorial Day (8) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (20) (6/8), Father’s Day (28) (6/16), Summer (33) (6/21) & Independence Day (46) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch (pdf) CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Country Listeners Knowledge Of Mobile Is High...
(Thursday, May 16, 2013)
Country radio gets a bad rap at times but not from this reporter. For some reason (too many Dukes of Hazzard reruns?) country music radio listeners are labeled as slower than fans of other music formats. Not true, according to the Jacobs Media’s Techsurvey9 study conducted from January 29-February 19, 2013…
Fred Jacobs has been doing webinars about the results of his research and points out that “Country audiences are adopting mobile gadgetry at a high rate of speed.” Jacobs says Country listeners are among the most likely audiences to want to hear back from their favorite stations within a day. Country is right up there with the CHR, AC and Sports Radio fans that want their stations to respond quickly on social matters. Demographically, Generation Y (or Millennials born in the late 70s and later) are more likely to want to be acknowledged the same day. Canadians (eh?) also expect same-day delivery. Jacobs calls this a key finding in his Techsurvey9 because it speaks to some of the inherent strategic and tactical mistakes that many stations continue to make socially…
So, let this be a lesson to those that treat Country Radio fans as dimmer than a 25-watt bulb. If you visualize a picture of Boss Hogg as being the average Country Radio listener, you’re just a bit behind in your thinking…
(Comments about this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Timeline Memories:
1929] Say hello to Oscar: The first Academy Awards are presented during a banquet at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel…
1966] Released on this date: Pet Sounds LP (entire album) – Beach Boys…
2010] Black Gold: Scientists find enormous oil plumes in the Gulf of Mexico, including one as large as 10 miles long in spots. They discover that the leak from the broken undersea well is worse than thought…
2011] Unwanted: The Fox TV network cancels America’s Most Wanted after 23 years on the air and 1151 fugitives captured…
2011] Endeavouring: Space shuttle Endeavour’s last mission is commanded by Mark Kelly, husband of wounded Arizona Rep. Gabby Giffords. The shuttle accomplishes its mission before returning safely…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Tori Spelling (40), David (Bones) Boreanaz (44), Tucker Carlson (44), Janet Jackson (44), Mare Winningham (54), Debra Winger (58), Olga Korbut (58) & Pierce Brosnan (60)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Preakness Stakes (2) (5/18), Memorial Day (11) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (23) (6/8), Father’s Day (31) (6/6), Summer (36) (6/21) & Independence Day (49) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Wireless Ups Ad Support For Radio...
(Wednesday, May 15, 2013)
Radio is getting plenty of ad money lately from the wireless industry. The two industries, related as they are, are not what you would consider best friends. Yet, radio will gladly take ad support from friend and enemy alike – and they are. Although it has been awhile since wireless showed up at the top of the leader board in Media Monitor’s weekly ranker, that industry came close to the top last week…
While Geico continues to top the charts in money spent on radio, both Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless finished in the money. Verizon placed 31,998 radio spots – AT&T came in with 28,110 ads. Entravision Communications CEO Walter Ulloa is pleased with those ad placements: “There’s a category that struggled for quite a while. We started to see some signs of growth in third quarter and then in fourth, and that followed into first – we believe that will continue.” Ulloa is not alone with that line of thinking. Radio needs that to continue on its journey along the path of its mobile learning curve...
The wireless industry is proving that frenemies can co-exist. Radio needs to learn the same lesson as it struggles with that same industry…
(Comments about this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Timeline Memories:
1602] If you’re fond of sand dunes: Bartholomew Gosnold, an English explorer known as “The Columbus Of New England” discovers and names Cape Cod. Gosnold lands in Provincetown Harbor, dyes his hair orange and takes a blanket to the beach…
1930] The first stew: Ellen Church becomes the first head stewardess. Ellen is hired by Boeing Air Transit which morphs into United Airlines. She begins recruiting stewardesses and nurses for the airline.This commercial for AA stewardesses is priceless…
1963] If I had a Grammy: Peter, Paul & Marywin their first Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording forIf I Had A Hammer…
1972] Governor down: Alabama Gov. George Wallace is shot while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination. Wallace is left permanently paralyzed below the waist…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Jamie-Lynn Sigler (32), Emmitt Smith (44), Dan Patrick (57), Chazz Palminteri (61), Lainie Kazan (73), Lenny Welch (75), Trini Lopez (76), Madeleine Albright (76), Anna Maria Alberghetti (77),Ken Venturi (82) & Jasper Johns (83)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Preakness Stakes (3) (5/18), Memorial Day (12) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (24) (6/8), Father’s Day (32) (6/6), Summer (37) (6/21) & Independence Day (50) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Nearly Half Of Radio Listeners "Like" Social Nets...
(Tuesday, May 14, 2013)
Radio is catching up to the rest of the media world in using social networks. While it trails newspapers and TV, radio is making gains. Forty-six percent of radio listeners are active content likers – data supplied by the TVB and Colligent and reported by the Wall Street Journal...
The study joined Nielsen Media Research and Kantar Media data with social media behaviors (not conversation) across Twitter and Facebook to identify the quantity and intensity of behavior for broadcast and cable TV, radio and newspapers – both at the national and local level. The cross-media study analyzed social media behaviors among 167 million Facebook and Twitter users across 4400 television shows, 540 consumer brands, 570 TV stations, 1823 radio stations and 358 local and national newspapers. While radio has 46% of avid content likers, 85% of local TV viewers are more likely to post photos and videos than users of all media. Local newspapers outperform all other media in generating retweets (54% more likely)…
What this and other recent studies show is the vanity and sharing associated with both radio listeners and TV viewers. Listeners and viewers want to be seen as well as heard. It’s up to radio to take advantage of both needs by offering them…
R.I.P. Joyce Brothers (1927-2013)
(Comments about this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Timeline Memories:
1948] Independence Day: Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion proclaims the independent state of Israel as British rule in Palestine comes to an end. Cue the band for Hatikvah…
1964] Recorded on this date: Little Old Lady From Pasadena -Jan & Dean…1968] People Got To Be Free - Rascals…
1970] Released on this date: Ohio - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young…
1998] Say goodnight Gracie: The Seinfeld finale airs to an audience of 76 million viewers. The show about nothing lasts 9 seasons…
1998] He did it his way: Frank Sinatra passes away at 82 following a heart attack…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Mark Zuckerberg (29), Amber Tamblyn (30), Cate Blanchett (44), Suzy Kolber (49), David Byrne (61), George Lucas (69), Jack Bruce (70) & Patrice Munsel (88)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Preakness Stakes (4) (5/18), Memorial Day (13) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (25) (6/8), Father’s Day (33) (6/6), Summer (38) (6/21) & Independence Day (51) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Percentage Of AM/FM Listening Still High...
(Monday, May 13, 2013)
Radio naysayers won’t like the results of a new study showing the medium is not being measured for a coffin just yet. Although Clear Channel commissioned the study, this is about radio as a whole and doesn’t favor CC personally. Relax CC haters. The report by Latitude Research and OpenMind Strategy shows that 92% of Americans regularly tune to AM/FM radio (at least once a week)…
Much of the AM/FM listening happens at or near a place of purchase – radio’s significant and “unique selling proposition” said David Ogilvy while creating the advertising world as we know it. Ogilvy left this world in 1999, but his sell lines (Don’t leave home without it, Schweppervesence) still reverberate. The recent study also shows that 85% of listeners feel radio is more accessible than ever, which demonstrates that digital media has fueled category growth and expanded radio’s accessibility and relevancy. In addition the report shows DJs engage listeners regularly on both digital and broadcast platforms. Pandora and other pure plays would be the exception without a sole behind the mic. One respondent said “It’s gone from calling in to the station to texting to Twitter. It keeps getting easier.” Listeners also revealed that they prefer on-air advertising that is creative, humorous, leverages on-air talent and is generally “more like radio.” …
The presence of DJs is undervalued, especially in smaller and medium sized markets where the host of a 4-hour show becomes part of the family for regular listeners. Surfing social networks proves that and underscores the value of socializing for radio…
(Comments about this or previous Radio Views are welcome at Twitter or Facebook)
Timeline Memories:
1940] Churchillian: Winston Churchill gives his famous “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat” in his first speech as Prime Minister (UK). (Note: The group BST left out “toil”)…
1966] Recorded on this date: Sunny Afternoon - Kinks…1970] No Matter What You Are - Badfinger…
1981] The Pope takes a bullet: Pope John II is shot and seriously wounded in St. Peter’s Square by Turkish assailant Mehmet Ali Agca…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Darius Rucker (47), Sean McDonough (51), Dennis Rodman (52), Bobby Valentine (63), Stevie Wonder (63) & Harvey Keitel (74)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Preakness Stakes (5) (5/18), Memorial Day (14) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (26) (6/8), Father’s Day (34) (6/6), Summer (39) (6/21) & Independence Day (52) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE
Mobile Radio Listening Passes 50%...
(Friday, May 10, 2013) (Mother's Day Weekend Edition)
Online listening has reached a landmark. Mobile listening is now being enjoyed by the majority of consumers. Just a year ago (March 2012), mobile listening accounted for 46% of all audio consumption. According to the March 2013 Online Audio Top 20 Ranker, that percentage has jumped 10 points to 56%…
That figure is based on Triton’s Average Active Sessions or AAS, Monday-Sunday 6a-12a. The ranker has also uncovered Pandora listening slippage since the pure play capped mobile listening at 40 hours per month. There’s been a 3% drop in mobile listening for Pandora during the Monday-Sunday 6a-midnight daypart from March to February. During the same time period, Triton sees a 23% increase in pure play mobile listening and a 5% increase in terrestrial. While 3% may not seem too concerning, Triton notes that they take into account the scale of Pandora’s audience. Triton questions whether other pure plays, like Slacker, which gained 18% during the same period made those gains because of Pandora's mobile capping. Or could it be the fact that mobile audio consumption was Triton’s fastest growing segment in March 2013???
In my view, it’s Pandora’s mobile listening cap. It could it be that Slacker gained the most (18%) because they are more established than other pure plays after Pandora. Triton’s study is measured by Webcast Metrics which uses a proprietary platform to track audience data and convert it to audience metrics that can be easily understood by stations, publishers and advertisers….
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1908] Happy Mother’s Day: The first Mother’s Day observance takes place during church services in Grafton (WV) and Philadelphia (5/10)…
1927] Room with a radio: The Hotel Statler in Boston, becomes the first hotel to install headsets in each of its 1,300 rooms. The Statler is now the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers and provides WiFi (5/10)…
1954] Commercially released on this date: Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley/Comets. The song doesn’t become a hit until one year later when it’s included in Blackboard Jungle. It tops the charts in July 1955 (5/10)…
1974] Recorded on this date: I Shot The Sheriff - Eric Clapton (5/10)…
1982] The day that Musicradio died: At 12noon, Musicradio 77 becomes Talkradio 77. The WABC chime is used for the last time at 11:59:55am. WABC switched to top 40 in December 1960 (5/10)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (5/10): Kenan (SNL) Thompson (35), Paul Newson aka Bono (53), Chris Berman (58), Donovan Leitch (67), Dave Mason (67), Jim Calhoun (71), Wayne Dyer (73), Jim (Mets) Hickman (76) & Gary Owens (77)…
1964] Number One on this date: My Guy - Mary Wells (5/11)…1981] Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes (5/11)…1985] Crazy For You - Madonna (5/11)…
1968] Released on this date: MacArthur Park– Richard Harris (5/11)…1974] Rikki Don’t Lose That Number– Steely Dan (5/11)…
1996] Death in the swamp: An Atlanta-bound ValuJet DC-9 catches fire shortly after takeoff from Miami and crashes into the Florida Everglades. All 110 on board are lost (5/11)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (5/11): Cory (Glee) Monteith (31), Martha Quinn (54), Mike Lupica (61), Dr. Robert Jarvik (67), Eric Burdon (72) & Mort Sahl(86)…
1932] Lindbergh baby: The body of kidnapped son of Charles & Anne Lindbergh is found in a wooded area near Hopewell (NJ) (5/12)…
1965] Recorded on this date: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction - Rolling Stones (5/12)…
1985] Winning the lottery: The New York Knicks win the rights to Patrick Ewing in a special drawing. Many believe this was tainted love for the Knicks (especially Celtic fans) (5/12)…
2011] Justice served: A German court convicts John Demjanjuk of being an accessory to the murder of tens of thousands of Jews as a Nazi death camp guard. He will die in March 2012 at 91 (5/12)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (5/12) Emily (Revenge) Van Camp (27), Emilio Estevez (51), Ving Rhames (54),Gabriel Byrne (63), Steve Winwood (65), Billy Swan (71), Burt Bacharach (85) & Yogi Berra (88)…
Timeline Countdown for 5/12: This weekend: Mother’s Day. Days until: Preakness Stakes (6) (5/18), Memorial Day (15) (5/27), Belmont Stakes (27) (6/8), Father’s Day (35) (6/16), Summer (40) (6/21) & Independence Day (53) (7/4)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch (pdf) CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Pandora Caps Costs To Survive...
(Thursday, May 9, 2013)
With an eye on its bottom line, Pandora has placed a 40-hour monthly limit on mobile users and in addition, has cut music streaming and content costs. So far, this has not affected the size of its audience. The pure play music service leader had a 5.1% drop in streaming from February to March. This is all by design to cut expenses…
CEO Joe Kennedy tells Bloomberg “The decline in hours will be very closely mirrored in content acquisition costs.” Kennedy declined to provide specifics but the world will know soon enough. Pandora reports fiscal 2014 first-quarter results on May 23. Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles scopes it out for us: “The hours are down sequentially. A lot of that has to do with the mobile cap, which chased away some abusive users, but the company will still have some explaining to do.” Wedbush has a neutral rating on Pandora shares. Pandora fell 4.1% to $14.08 in New York Monday declining 6%, the biggest intraday drop in about a month. Before Monday, the stock had climbed 60% this year…
Mobile users are more costly for Pandora because some of the ad inventory goes unused, cutting into revenue while music royalties keep rising. As much as listeners love Pandora, the online giant is far from being out of the fiscal woods…
Timeline Memories:
1958] Rock & Roll Riot: Alan Freed is indicted for inciting unlawful destruction of property as fans riot at the Boston Arena. Many consider this event the beginning of the end for the King of Rock & Roll…
1961] TV wasteland: FCC Chairman Newton N. Minnow condemns TV as a “Vast Wasteland” in a speech to the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)…
1964] Released on this date: World Without Love - Peter & Gordon…1970] Ride Captain Ride - Blues Image (this song always reminds me of WRKO’s Johnny Williams (Bill Todd) who did a great talk up to this song)…
1967] Baseball’s Twilight Zone: Cardinals outfielder Roger Maris (#9) hits his first National League home run on the 9th day of the month. The ball lands in seat 9, section 9. Script by Rod Serling…
1974] Greatest Rock & Roll quote of all-time: Music critic (Boston Phoenix, Real Paper, Rolling Stone) Jon Landau sees Bruce Springsteen perform at the Harvard Square Theater and says “I saw rock & roll’s future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.” Landau starts a new career in management. Guess who his first client is?…
2005] Number One on this date: Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” John Corbett (52), Billy Joel (64), Candice Bergen (67), Tommy Roe (71), Glenda Jackson (77) & Albert Finney (77)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Mother’s Day (3) (5/12), Memorial Day (18) (5/27), Father’s Day (38) (6/6) & Summer (43) (6/21)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Car Buyers Are Loading Up On Tech...
(Wednesday, May 8, 2013)
Car owners are jacked-up when it comes to adding technology to their dash. Seventy-six percent recently told J.D. Power and Associates, they “definitely would” or “probably would” buy an active grille vent before knowing the price. That grille vent would contain a device application link, fuel economy indicator and active shutter grille vents. While fuel economy is important to car owners, they are also more than interested in adding high-tech to their dash. Those are just a couple of findings in Power’s 2013 U.S. Automotive Emerging Technologies Study…
The study showed an almost fanatic adoption of smartphones. More than 67% of owners have a smartphone, while ownership of traditional mobile phones has plummeted to 28% in 2013 from 82% in 2007. Vehicle owners expect their smartphones to easily integrate with the system in their car so they can use the device in-vehicle with the same ease and functionality they’ve become accustomed to outside of their vehicle. Mike VanNieuwkuyk, exec. dir. of global automotive at J.D. Power says “Automakers have an important opportunity to gain a competitive advantage by working side by side with smartphone and application developers to provide a seamless smartphone experience for in-vehicle control of GPS/mapping, music, weather, search tools, travel and more. These connections to smartphone applications need to be robust, affordable and simple to access and use in a vehicle environment.”…
As big a fan of high-tech as I am, I worry about safety in cars. It should be made mandatory for auto manufacturers to supply speaker phones in-car that cancel out everything else while someone is driving that 4,000 pound machine…
Timeline Memories:
1968] Perfecto #7: Jim Catfish Hunter (Oakland) pitches the 7th perfect game against the Minnesota Twins. There have been 14 more since Catfish (Barker, Witt, Browning, D. Martinez, Rogers, Wells, Cone, Johnson, Buehrle, Braden, Halladay, Humber, Cain & F. Hernandez) …
1969] Number One on this date: Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In - 5th Dimension…1977] When I Need You - Leo Sayre…1988] Anything For You - Gloria Estefan/Miami Sound Machine…
1970] Released on this date: Let It Be (LP) (entire album) - Beatles…
1970] Limping to victory: Willis Reed limps out on the court and inspires the Knicks to join the Mets & Jets as world champions of their sport in the same season. Knicks beat the Lakers 113-99 to win the NBA title…
1978] Guilty as charged: David R. Berkowitz aka Son of Sam pleads guilty to 6 murder charges in Brooklyn. He continues to serve a lifetime sentence…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Enrique Iglesias (38), Jack Roberts (39), Harold Childs (39),Melissa Gilbert (49), Philip Bailey (62), Toni Tennille (73), Jerry Moss (78), Don Rickles (87) & David Attenborough (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Mother’s Day (4) (5/12), Memorial Day (19) (5/27), Father’s Day (39) (6/6) & Summer (44) (6/21)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
High-Tech Revolution Rolls On...
(Tuesday, May 7, 2013)
While most radio listeners still opt for AM and FM bands as their preference of choice, digital alternatives continue to grow. According to the new Jacobs Media “Digital Generations” Techsurvey9, radio is making the transition to digital with consumers now accessing station content on digital channels…
When asked to recall their last week’s listening to the station that sent them a Jacobs survey, 14% of all respondents say they tuned in on computer and mobile streams, as well as other digital sources. The younger the generation, the more reliance there is on digital platforms to enjoy broadcast radio. As the survey notes, the “emotional triggers” from 2012′s Techsurvey8 are still strong: people listening to radio at work, listen for mood enhancement, escape and companionship. And consumers continue to demand radio in their new cars, as well as rely on broadcast radio for new music and new artist discovery. Old habits die hard. Other interesting findings: Pandora continues to be the most popular pure-play internet option, more than half of radio listening takes place in-car and the kind of mobile devices listeners prefer: smartphones, tablets and the “digital dashboard.”…
For social media – Facebook is still “big dog” with Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Instagram trailing behind. Techsurvey9 results were collected online from January 29-February 19, 2013. Overall, 264 broadcast stations nationwide and in Canada participated, contributing 78,111 respondents…
Timeline Memories:
1903] The rivalry begins: Boston faces off against New York for the first time. The Pilgrims beat the Highlanders 6-2 in Boston. As you might guess, the Pilgrims become the Red Sox – the Highlanders – the Yankees. Let’s take a trolley to the game…
1977] Slewing the field: Seattle Slew wins the Kentucky Derby on his way to winning the Triple Crown…
1996] Number One on this date: Always Be My Baby - Mariah Carey…
2004] Beheaded: American businessman Nick Berg is beheaded by Islamic militants. The act is recorded on video tape and released on the internet…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Ed Pyle (39), John Gorman (39), Thelma Houston (67),Jimmy Ruffin (74), Babe Parilli (84) & Jim Lowe (86)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Mother’s Day (5) (5/12), Memorial Day (20) (5/27), Father’s Day (40) (6/6) & Summer (45) (6/21)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Amazon Should Be Radio's Role Model...
(Monday, May 6, 2013)
Back in the Drake/Top 40 era’s heyday, McDonald’s was the marketer that every successful radio station emulated. No one marketed their product as well as McDonald’s did. Now that we’re in the digital era, smart radio stations should follow Amazon’s lead. They are simply the best marketer on the planet. It would be hard to find anyone who disagrees…
As Media Post reports: “Amazon is the standard by which all other email marketing programs are judged.” It goes a lot deeper than email marketing. Amazon’s commitment to customer experience is so ingrained, Don Parsons, the company’s director of email, didn’t even mention it in a recent keynote address. Amazon’s focus is on creating a customized email conversation with every customer. Parsons says Amazon goes one step further. “It’s perfectly okay to bring up in a valued email conversation something that is important to you even if it’s not important to the customer. We have algorithms that help us decide how to prioritize the offers and messaging to customers. Sometimes we include promotions that are outside whatever the customer has defined as valuable. The cardinal rule is that the customer always decides. However, there is always value to the customer if we suggest something of value, even if the customer behavior or demographics don’t match perfectly.”…
I don’t know that there is any radio station that can ever reach the reliance that customers have in Amazon. But it’s not a bad company to pattern your station after, is it? Nobody does it better…
Timeline Memories:
1937] Oh the humanities: The hydrogen-filled dirigible Hindenburg crashes and burns in Lakehurst (NJ) killing 36 of the 97 aboard in one of the most vivid scenes ever captured on film…
1954] Run a mile in my shoes: Roger Bannister becomes the first runner to finish a mile in under 4 minutes (3:59:59.4)…
1972] Released on this date: Rocket Man - Elton John…
2004] Friends no more: An estimated 51.1 million viewers watch the final episode of Friends on NBC-TV…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Lindsey Brough (39), Martin Brodeur (41), George Clooney (52), Roma Downey (53), Tom Bergeron (58), Bob Seger (68) & Willie Mays (82)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Mother’s Day (6) (5/12), Memorial Day (21) (5/27), Father’s Day (41) (6/6) & Summer (46) (6/21)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Why Radio Should Love Moms...
(Friday, May 3, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
Mother’s Day is not until next Sunday but everyday should be Mother’s Day for radio. The highly coveted 40-ish female is often a mom and that age group is getting younger. Moms are the chief reason to include social programming in radio. According to a March 2013 study by comScore for online parenting resource Baby Center, more than 90% of U.S. mom internet users reported using social media on a regular basis. Baby Center estimates that 20% more moms used social media in 2013 than did so in 2010, according to eMarketer…
Moms who do not use social media are becoming practically unheard of. Mothers between 18 to 34 were not only more likely to be on social sites, they also spend considerably more time on Facebook than the general population – 24% more time on desktop and factoring in mobile, young moms spent 260% more time than the average user (will this prompt athletes who now give 110% to up that percentage to 260%?) Like most of the socially engaged public, moms use social sites to connect with other moms and friends and family, according to Baby Center. Like we all do, moms discover information and share family (pets included, of course) milestones on Facebook. Getting advice is also an extremely popular reason moms use social media. In addition to being, percentage-wise the largest users of Facebook, they are also engaged on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+…
eMarketer expects the growth in the number of U.S. mom social network users to slow in coming years, given how common the activity already is among this demographic. For now at least, moms should be radio’s number one listener target…
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1937] A classic read: Margaret Mitchell wins a Pulitzer Prize for her masterpiece classic, Gone With The Wind (5/3)…
1964] Debuted on this date: Gerry & the Pacemakers make their U.S. debut on The Ed Sullivan Show, singing Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying (5/3)…
1986] Hello from Dollywood: Dolly Parton’s theme park, Dollywood opens in Pigeon Forge (TN). Dolly also owns WDLY Radio which is on the grounds of the park (5/3)…
2010] Bomber bagged: The Times Square would-be bomber (Faisal Shahzad) is apprehended aboard a flight heading for Dubai…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (5/3): Cheryl (DWTS) Burke (29), Ryan Dempster (36), Christina (Mad Men) Hendricks (38), Christopher Cross (62), Mary Hopkin (63), Greg Gumbel (67), Frankie Valli (79), Ann B. Davis (87) & Pete Seeger (94)…
1626] New York City Minuit: Dutch explorer Peter Minuit lands on what is now Manhattan (5/4)…
1964] Number One on this date: Hello Dolly - Louis Armstrong (5/4)…1977] Hotel California -Eagles (5/4)…1986] West End Girls -Pet Shop Boys (5/4)…
1970] Four dead in O-hi-O: Four people die and 9 others are wounded by Ohio National Guardsmen in the tragedy at Kent State. Mary Ann Vecchio was the woman standing over one of the wounded students in a Pulitzer Prize winning photo by student John Filo (5/4)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (5/4): Lance Bass (34), Randy Travis (54), Pia Zadora (59), George Will (72), Robin Cook (73), Dick Dale (76) & Roberta Peters (83)…
1891] How do you get to this place?: Carnegie Hall (then called Music Hall) opens (5/5)…
1925] What’s the scope?: Dayton (TN) biology teacher John T. Scopes is arrested for teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. Eighty-eight years later it’s still being debated (5/5)…
1961] Reporting from the back window: Alan Shepard makes a 15-minute sub-orbital flight from Cape Canaveral. I reported on the launch from the back window at WKKO Cocoa – a few miles from the launch (5/5)…
1962] Number One on this date: Soldier Boy -Shirelles (5/5)…1970] American Woman - Guess Who (5/5)…1982] Chariots Of Fire - Vangelis (5/5)…
1968] Released on this date: Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival (5/5)…
1973] Greatness rewarded: Secretariat wins the Kentucky Derby in record time (1:59:02). The record still stands, Big Red will go on to win the Triple Crown in ’73 (5/5)…2012] I’ll Have Another wins last year’s Kentucky Derby (5/5). My derby pick for the 2013 race is contained in Timeline Countdown…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (5/5) Adele (Adkins) (25), Brian Williams (54), John (FBI reporter) Miller (55), Michael Palin (70), Ace Cannon (79) & Pat Carroll (86)…
Timeline Countdown for 5/5: This weekend: Kentucky Derby (My pick; Vyjack but I’ll be rooting for Rosie Napravnik (Mylute) to become 1st female jockey to win the race) & Cinco de Mayo. Days until: Mother’s Day (7) (5/12) & Memorial Day (22) (5/27)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch (pdf)CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
When Will Radio Have A Reliable Online Measurement???
(Thursday, May 2, 2013)
If Nielsen can come up with a plan to measure online viewers, why haven’t they or Arbitron figured out how to measure online radio effectively? Nielsen has announced they’ve finally decided to start taking note of the unhealthy amounts of time we watch TV on laptops and other devices, according to Gizmodo…
Apparently the delay in measuring online viewing is that its accuracy is problematic. Unlike TV viewing, there’s no way to track how long someone might be watching a particular show – a major consideration for advertisers. Whether your favorite new show survives or not is pretty much determined on length of viewing. It seems that TV viewing on the internet is a lot more complicated than measuring radio listeners – yet they’ve managed to solve it fairly effectively – or as effectively as possible. Will torrents (file sharing) be measured? How about Netflix which doesn’t run commercials? Since dollars fuel advertising and advertising fuels TV viewing, how will Nielsen handle that?…
Measuring viewing on the internet may not be perfectly accurate, but measuring online radio isn’t even close to being accomplished either accurately or as accurately as possible. Until we start some form of measuring online listening, we’re living in the dark ages…
Timeline Memories:
1939] The streak stops here:Lou Gehrig’s streak of 2,130 consecutive games played is over when the Yankee slugger removes himself from the lineup…
1941] The “O” stands for oats: General Mills begins shipping a new cereal called Cheerioats to 6 test markets. They change the name to Cheerios and the brand flies off the shelves. The arrival of Honey Nut Cheerios made this boy happy…
1966] Number One on this date: Monday, Monday - Mamas & Papas…1976]Welcome Back - John Sebastian…
1982] All weather all the time: The Weather Channel debuts. Why hasn’t anyone tried this on radio?…
1994] Victory in South Africa:Nelson Mandela claims victory in South Africa’s first democratic election…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Jarrod Saltalamacchia (28), Sarah Hughes (28), David Beckham (38), Dwayne Johnson (41), Donatella Versace (58),Christine Baranski (61), Lou (Foreigner) Gramm (63), Lesley Gore (67), Bianca Jagger (68), Engelbert Humperdinck (77) & Theodore Bikel (89)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Kentucky Derby (2)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (3)(5/5), Mother’s Day (10)(5/12) & Memorial Day (25) (5/27)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Katz Disputes Number Of Pandora Listeners...
(Wednesday, May 1, 2013)
So, about those Pandora claims – new Katz Radio Group data says – not so! Pandora says it had 8.05% of total U.S. radio listening in March from 69.5 million active users. If you’re scoring the game at home, that’s an increase from 5.73% a year ago. Katz begs to differ with that claim. Katz, running its own analysis, says “A digital-only ‘music collection’ audio service like Pandora only has 4.4% of total audio listening, even if you assume the Triton measurement of when the service is left on is comparable to the measurement of actual listening that Arbitron does.”…
Mary Beth Garber, EVP/Radio Analysis/Insights/Katz Radio Group, adds: “Even though it is still a relatively small percentage of all listening, we remain excited about the role of digital listening in extending radio listening to new devices, further enhancing radio’s role as the major mobile entertainment and information service to the consumer.” Garber notes that “Broadcast radio is still by far the overwhelming leader in audio listening.” She further adds that “Broadcast radio isn’t losing listeners – in fact just the opposite, which makes it clear that digital listening actually represents incremental listening. So as digital listening (both AM/FM digital and personal music collection digital listening – continues to grow, it is an expansion of broadcast radio listening, additive to it rather than a substitute.”…
Katz announced audio listening trends over the past year, using the most recent RADAR findings which measure national listening behavior from October 2011 to September 2012. Those numbers indicate Broadcast Radio at 243 million persons per week or 92.4% of all listening with Digital representing only 7.6%…
Timeline Memories:
1931] Happy 82nd: Pres. Herbert Hoover presses a button in Washington officially opening the tallest building in NYC and the U.S. The Empire State Building welcomed sightseers for the first time…
1952] Two celebrations in one: Mr. Potato Head is born. The original PH cost 98 cents…1957] Radio’s answer to Mr. Potato Head, Larry King broadcasts his first radio show…
1960] Captured: The Soviet Union shoots down an American U-2 reconnaissance plane in Russia, capturing pilot Francis Gary Powers…
1965] Released on this date: Back In My Arms Again - Supremes…1971] Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones…
1991] Seven zeros: 44-year old Texas pitcher Nolan Ryan pitches his 7th no-hitter vs. Toronto. No pitcher, present or past has ever come close to that – never will…
2011] bin Laden announcement: Barack Obama announces in a special TV broadcast that Osama bin Laden has been killed during a military operation in Pakistan. The anniversary of his death is celebrated May 2 – his actual death date (due to time gap between U.S. & Pakistan.)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Wes Welker (32), Curtis Martin (40),Tim McGraw (46), Steve Cauthen (53), Ray Parker Jr. (59), Rita Coolidge (68), Judy Collins (74), Sonny James (84) & Scott Carpenter (88)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Kentucky Derby (3)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (4)(5/5), Mother’s Day (11)(5/12) & Memorial Day (26) (5/27)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO…The Launch: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…