Sports Apps Steal Thunder From Format...
(Tuesday, April 30, 2013)
Finding the results of sports results has gotten so easy for mobile users that sports radio stations have been forced to focus on bluster. Yakking is back on sports radio. The so-called sports experts are now talking endlessly in order to convince us they know everything about the subjects they cover. We know better. This was all brought about by results of research, including a recent study conducted by Arbiton…
Tech Journal reports that starting the week of March 10, as fans started filling out their NCAA Tourney brackets, use of mobile sports apps has boomed, reaching 13.7% of men 18+ during the week of the Elite 8 and the opening games of the MLB season. While the Arbitron survey didn’t cover NASCAR’s new mobile apps,Tim Clark, director of engagement for NASCAR says its new mobile apps “have been very successful this year.” Sports is a format dominated by male listeners. More than 12% (12.4%) of persons 18+ in the Arbitron Mobile smartphone panel use sports apps – 18.4% of the men 18+ in the panel use mobile sports apps versus only 6.0% of the women 18+. Compared to men, the women who do use sports apps log on for fewer sessions (14.8% per month vs. 32.8 per month) and spend far less time with mobile sports apps (34.4 minutes per month vs. 63.8 minutes per month for men)…
The most avid male users of mobile sports apps fall in the 35-44 age demographic. A highly coveted age group for a format that needs male listeners in order to survive. Get ready for more talking heads on your favorite sports station…
Timeline Memories:
1789] Washington takes NYC: George Washington takes office on Wall Street as the first president of the U.S., answering the question, What city was our first capitol?…
1993] A reason to grunt: Top-ranked women’s tennis player Monica Seles is stabbed in the back by a crazed man who runs onto the court during a match in Hamburg, Germany….
1997] Ellen comes out: ABC airs the Coming Out episode of the sitcom Ellen, in which the title character played by Ellen DeGeneres admits she’s a lesbian. DeGeneres also comes out eventually…
2001] Real-life murder mystery: Washington intern Chandra Levy is seen for the last time at a health club near her apartment. Her remains will be discovered more than a year later in a D.C. park…
2008] Number One on this date: Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Kirsten Dunst (31), Bobby Vee (70), Johnny (Santo & Johnny) Farina (72), Burt Young (73),Willie Nelson (80) & Cloris Leachman (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Kentucky Derby (4)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (5)(5/5), Mother’s Day (12)(5/12) & Memorial Day (27) (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…
New Study Shows Massive Online Penetration...
(Monday, April 29, 2013)
In terms of audience levels, our business leans heavily on P1 listeners. Those are the listeners that carry the most weight. When Arbitron and Edison Research recently conducted the new Infinite Dial 2013 study, they asked respondents, “What one AM or FM radio station do you listen to most?” Each station was then identified and respondents were assigned as P1 to a format. The results of that study showed that 47% of CHR (or Top 40) respondents listened to Online Radio, in the previous week. Bet on that percentage growing in the future…
More than four in ten Public Radio, Rock and Urban P1s also listened to Online Radio in the last week. Online Radio wasn’t the only diversion for respondents studied. One in three Public Radio P1s have listened to audio podcasts in the past month. There were also these interesting results included in the study: CHR (75%), Rock (70%) and Urban (67%) P1s are the format most likely to own a smartphone. In addition, the vast majority of CHR P1s (82%) have a profile on any social network, with nearly half (45%) of these listeners using social media several times a day. “This representative and projectable study looks at how various format P1s use digital platforms, revealing that each format has a unique digital profile. Programmers and brand managers should consider these unique differences when formulating their digital strategies,” says Bill Rose, Sr. VP Marketing at Arbitron…
A total of 2,021 persons were interviewed for this study from January 15 to February 10, 2013. Telephone interviews were conducted with respondents age 12 and older, chosen at random from a national Arbitron survey…
R.I.P. George Jones (1931 - 2013)...
Timeline Memories:
1945] A honeymoon in hell: Adolf Hitler marries his longtime mistress Eva Braun in a Berlin bunker. The couple kills themselves the next day…
1961] Spanning the globe: ABC’s Wide World Of Sports debuts with The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. Its original run ends on August 26, 2006 although it would continue as a special following 2006……
1967] Number One on this date: Respect -Aretha Franklin…
1992] A black eye for L.A.: Deadly rioting breaks out in Los Angeles when a jury in Simi Valley acquits 4 LAPD officers on almost all charges in the beating of Rodney King. Fifty-four deaths and $1 billion in damage are the end results of the rioting…
2011] The wedding of the century: Prince William and Kate Middleton are joined in holy royal matrimony…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Andre Agassi (43), Uma Thurman (43), Carnie Wilson (45), Gary (Mets) Cohen (55), Michelle Pfeiffer (55), Daniel Day-Lewis (56), Jerry Seinfeld (59), Tommy James (66) & Rod McKuen (80)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Kentucky Derby (5)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (6)(5/5), Mother’s Day (13)(5/12) & Memorial Day (28) (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…
Our Obsession With Mobile Devices...
(Friday, April 26, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
Noting
how hooked we are on mobile devices, a new research survey asked
respondents nationwide, if they were given 25% off of a hotel stay, what
would they be willing to give up? While 85% were willing to give up
anything at all – 54% (over age 21) would give up alcohol, but when it
came to giving up digital devices – not so fast. Only about a quarter of
the survey group (26%) said they would give up using their smartphone
or tablet for the hotel discount. A small number (13%) said they would
surrender their camera and the ability to capture the highlights of
their trip…
Mashable reports that the Kelton Research study was conducted in March and it further shows that when it came to social media, 43% were actually willing to stop logging onto social networks for the discount. The reluctance of the 57% who were unwilling could be explained by vacationers’ social-media habits while traveling. Among those surveyed, 29% said they would have been happy to see the number of likes or comments on their vacation photos and posts on social media. The results of the study show that people were willing to go through an alcohol detox but not a mobile one. This mobile fix we all crave is consuming all of us. How do we call a time-out when we need one? If you have the answer to that question, you’re a better person than I am…
The study interviewed 1,048 American adults (18+), across the nation…
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1865] Payback time: John Wilkes Booth, 26-year old assassin of Pres. Abraham Lincoln is surrounded by federal troops and killed (4/26)…
1964] A Celtic 6-pack: The Boston Celtics win their 6th straight NBA title and will extend that championship streak to 8 in 1966. It is the greatest consecutive championship winning streak in professional sports history (4/26)…
1977] Debuted on this date: Studio 54 opens on West 54th Street in Manhattan. If the walls could talk!!! (4/26)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (4/26): Jessica Lynch (30), Channing Tatum (33),Kevin James (48), Bobby Rydell (71), Claudine (Party Lights) Clark (72), Maurice (Stay) Williams (75), Duane Eddy (75) & Carol Burnett (80)…
1947] Farewell Bambino: Over 58,000 fans jam Yankee Stadium to say goodbye to the ailing Babe Ruth. Ruth will die the following summer (4/27)…
1959] Released on this date: Personality- Lloyd Price (4/27)…1968] Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel (4/27)…
1982] Hinckley on trial: John W. Hinckley Jr. goes on trial in Washington (D.C.) for shooting Pres. Ronald Reagan. He will be acquitted by reason of insanity. He remains institutionalized (4/27)…
2011] Debuted on this date: The first edition of Mel Phillips Radio Views. Can it be 2 years already? Radio Views followed my previous posts: Mel Phillips Remembers and Mel Phillips Now & Then (4/27)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (4/27): Sheena Easton (54), Rosanna Scotto (55), Ace (Kiss) Frehley (62), Cuba Gooding Sr. (69), Judy Carne (74) & Casey Kasem (81)…
1789] Mutiny on the Bounty: The crew of the British ship Bounty set Capt. William Bligh and 18 sailors adrift in a launch in the South Pacific. (Good idea for a movie) (4/28)…
1947] Another tall but true tale: A 6-man expedition sailed from Peru aboard a balsa wood raft named the Kon-Tiki on a 101-day journey across the Pacific to Polynesia (4/28)…
1966] Number One on this date: Good Lovin’ - Young Rascals (4/28)…1974] Loco-Motion- Grand Funk (4/28)…1983] Beat It - Michael Jackson (4/28)…2012] Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye/Kimbra (4/28)…
2003] Apple Tunes: Apple Computer Inc. launches the iTunes store (4/28)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (4/28) Jessica Alba (32), Penelope Cruz (39), Mary McDonnell (61), Jay Leno (63), Paul (CSI) Guilfoyle (64) & Ann-Margaret (72) and Happy 6th Anniversary Carolyn & Rick Crowe…
Timeline Countdown for 4/21: Days Until: Kentucky Derby (6) (5/4), Cinco de Mayo (7) (5/5), Mother’s Day (14) (5/12) & Memorial Day (29) (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…
Mobile Devices #1 Purchase For Consumers...
(Thursday, April 25, 2013)
As if radio needed another reason to focus on reaching mobile consumers, they have it anyway. People of all ages are scooping up any form of entertainment they can hold in their hands, including tablets, smartphones and e-readers. They’re also creating wireless mobile hotspots, even if they have to buy them. Radio – are you listening? A new Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) ownership study shows a 17% year-over-year increase in household penetration of tablets, followed by increases in smartphones (12%), e-readers (10%) and wireless mobile hotspots (10%)…
“For the first time in the 15 years we’ve conducted this survey, the top four products making headway in U.S. households are mobile devices,” says Kevin Tillmann, senior research analyst, market research, CEA. “We’re seeing overall household penetration rates for smartphones and tablets at 58% and 39% respectively, and we expect they will continue to dominate the marketplace in the coming year.” Business Wire reports that ownership continues to flourish, with 69 million U.S. households now owning a smartphone. As a result, basic cell phone (non-smartphone) ownership is steadily declining. E-reader ownership increased from 19% in 2012 to 29% in 2013, and wireless mobile hotspot devices nearly doubled in ownership from 11% in 2012 to 21% in 2013. Looking ahead, over the next year, mobility continues with 29% of consumers saying they plan to buy smartphones, second only to the 33% who indicate they are planning to purchase headphones. Other planned purchases include notebook/laptop/netbook computers (22%), tablets (21%) and HDTVs (20%)…
The 15th Annual Household CEA Ownership and Market Potential Study was conducted between January 25-28 and February 1-4, 2013…
Timeline Memories:
1901] You’re so vain: New York becomes the first state to require automobile license tags and they’re all vanity plates, containing initials. The following year, numbers were used…
1967] Recorded on this date: All You Need Is Love - Beatles…
1976] Captain America: Cubs outfielder Rick Monday rescues the American flag from two nut jobs who were about to burn the banner in centerfield. Monday snatches it away and becomes America’s newest hero…
1990] Hubble activated: Discovery astronauts deploy the Hubble Space Telescope in space…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Renee Zellweger (44), Joe Buck (44), Hank Azaria (49),Talia Shire (67), Bjorn (ABBA) Ulvaeus (68), CCR’s Stu Cook (68), Len (DWTS) Goodman (69), Al Pacino (73) and a very specialHappy Birthday to Diane…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (tonight & tomorrow), Kentucky Derby (9)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (10)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (17)(5/12)…
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…
Providing A Solution For ROI Dilemma...
(Wednesday, April 24, 2013)
Are cohorts the answer to getting accurate return on investment (ROI) data on mobile spending? A cohort is a group of users, acquired from a mobile marketing initiative over a certain period of time. Let’s say, one week. Cohort analysis tools follow this group week after week and monitor their return. According to Media Post, this type of analysis offers marketers a tremendous level of insight into users’ lifetime value, improves marketing funnel conversions and helps optimize campaigns directly to revenue generated. Is this a tool that radio can use in selling mobile ads?…
Using a cohort, radio could monitor the rate of return for the first week and set a target, like 25% return on ad spend. Over time, you monitor your return and improve your marketing, which would enable your station to beat your target. By looking at different cohorts, the true performance of your marketing becomes clear – or clearer. When you make a change, it’s represented in that week’s data. You don’t have the performance from a previous week masking the true performance. Over a longer period of time, like 12 weeks, the lifetime value of users gained becomes very easy or easier to understand. You add up the 12 week return of each cohort and compare. Some weekly cohorts will be stronger than others, but an average 12-week trend should emerge once you have collected enough data. Cohorts are also good for spotting weekly, monthly or seasonal trends…
Will cohorts replace focus groups for radio in the future? To begin with you must find accounts that are willing to use cohorting as a means of getting more accurate ROI data. For larger radio groups it’s worth the effort…
Timeline Memories:
1980] Rescue fails: The U.S. launches an abortive attempt to free the American hostages in Iran. Eight U.S. servicemen die in the attempt…
1990] Eye in the sky: Space shuttle Discovery blasts off from Cape Canaveral carrying the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope and a lifetime supply of Windex…
1996] PLO vote: The main assembly of the Palestine Liberation Organization votes to revoke clauses in its charter that calls for an armed struggle to destroy Israel…
2000] Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck: ABC-TV does the Curly Shuffle when they air the TV movie The Three Stoogies. The song will be a moderate hit everywhere except Shea Stadium where it becomes a rally anthem for the home team…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Kelly Clarkson (31), Cedric the Entertainer (49), CCR drummer Doug (Cosmo) Clifford (68), Barbra Streisand (71) & Shirley MacLaine (79)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (1)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (10)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (11)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (18)(5/12)…
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…
Radio Needs A Lesson In Branding...
(Tuesday, April 23, 2013)
Branding is everything. Radio should take a cue from marketers who are shifting to bigger budgets, sounder metrics and a continuing focus on brand advertising. According to the new 2013 Online Advertising Performance Outlook, advertisers are changing how they view the online medium. The report, produced by Nielsen Vizu and the CMO Council notes that marketers are now placing the emphasis on branding in order to shift consumer perception…
Sixty-three percent of marketers project that the dollars allocated to online brand advertising will grow in 2013, and one in five believes the increase will exceed 20%. These numbers are in line with what Vizu saw in marketers’ 2012 projections, demonstrating continued momentum on this front. Roughly half (51%) of marketers also expect spending on direct response to increase in 2013. One in four stated that increase will exceed 20% but 41% say their digital direct response advertising budget will stay the same as last year. While brand marketers are projecting overall growth in brand ad spending in 2013, they are also predicting their spending in particular digital channels will grow faster than others. Nearly three-quarters (70%) of brand marketers plan to increase their use of social media in 2013, followed closely by mobile advertising (69%) and video advertising (64%). Where’s radio?…
While digital is every advertisers’ focus, branding is in a virtual tie with digital in importance. Radio must realize that branding its product is essential to its survival. That doesn’t just mean coming up with a catchy slogan – it means building a lasting profile of a successful product in personality, feel and identity. It also means doing those things with consistency…
R.I.P. Richie Havens (1941 - 2013)...
Timeline Memories:
1963] Recorded on this date: Surf City -Jan & Dean…
1969] Guilty as charged: Sirhan B. Sirhan is sentenced to death for the assassination of New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. The sentence is later reduced to life. He’s serving that term in a prison near Fresno (CA)…
1971] Released on this date: Sticky Fingers LP (entire album) - Rolling Stones…
2005] YouTube goes viral: The first video (Me At The Zoo) is uploaded to YouTube.com…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Phil (my brother-in-law) Vettor (39), Melina Kanakaredes (46), George Lopez (52), Valerie Bertinelli (53), Jan (ex-SNL) Hooks (56), Michael Moore (59), Joyce De Witt (64), Tony (NHL great) Esposito (70), Lee Majors (74) & Shirley Temple (85)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (2)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (11)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (12)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (19)(5/12)…
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…
Twitter Music - A Musician's Best Friend...
(Monday, April 22, 2013)
Most internet users have sampled Twitter Music by now and the feeling is this is not a music streaming service but more like a music discovery service. If it’s similar to anything, it would be Pandora. From what I’ve sampled it would seem to be a welcome service for musicians and new music. Mashable believes Twitter Music might turn out to be a useful service for users but agrees that it might turn out to be an even more important service for musicians…
Twitter Music is described as a service that makes you follow musicians. The more you follow, the better Twitter’s musical suggestions for you will be, and then, going through the “Suggested” section, you’ll follow some more. Should Twitter Music be successful, there will be a major rise in the number of people following musicians on Twitter. Some of the other subtopics available to listeners include “Popular” (Psy is topping that category), “Emerging” (less popular artists on the rise) and the “#Now Playing” section, which are essentially requests – songs tweeted by followers. Will all of this turn into revenue, unlike Pandora? Twitter is currently offering only iTunes previews of songs, with a link to buy the song on iTunes. If you have a Spotify or Rdio subscription, you can listen to entire songs…
If Twitter Music is successful, it will turn Twitter into a music place and create music purchases. Artists make their money on concert appearances but even if Spotify or Rdio subscriptions bring in pennies, the buzz around a band or individual artist, will bring more people to concerts…
Timeline Memories:
1954] Must-See TV: In the U.S. Senate, the Army-McCarthy televised hearings begin…
1966] Released on this date: Wild Thing - Troggs…
1970] Down to earth: The first Earth Day is observed…
2000] Elian snatching: In a pre-dawn raid, armed immigration agents seize Elian Gonzalez from his relatives home in Miami. The 6-year old is reunited with his father and returns to Cuba, where he still lives…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Terry (Tito) Francona (54), Paul (Ace, Squeeze) Carrack (62), Peter Frampton (63), John Waters (67), Mel Carter (74), Jack Nicholson (76), Glen Campbell (77) & Charlotte Rae (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (3)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (12)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (13)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (20)(5/12)…
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…
Radio Is Not Dead Yet...
(Friday, April 19, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
The good news is that the internet hasn’t buried radio. The bad news is contained in the one word continuation of that statement – YET! It’s no secret that the internet has made significant strides against radio for the last 20 years. Research strategist Mark Kassof calls the internet “A seismic force impacting the entire media landscape…y’know, the one we’re still part of.” Kassof’s company has just conducted a new phone survey which should postpone radio’s burial, at least for a while…
Kassof claims that about 90% of Americans are reached by radio, yet he was curious about radio vs. the internet (and other media). In early April, Kassof & Company asked 18-64′s in the U.S. how important the internet and radio are to them, plus TV and newspapers for comparison. Results of that survey were based on 502 telephone interviews. The survey shows that the internet rules over all. Three-fourths rate it a 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1-5). Five would be considered “very important.” After that, radio and TV score about the same with half rating them a 4 or 5. TV does have a small edge in the percentage rating it very important. Newspapers were at the bottom of the scale with little more than a third of the respondents rating them a 1 (“not important”.) Demographically, the internet has its biggest edge over radio and TV at the young end. Highest ranking for the internet was 18-24, 25-34 and 35-44. Radio’s highest ranked demo was 45-54…
Kasoff & Company sum up their study with a warning to radio: “If your station isn’t aggressively working on extending its brand to the internet (and mobile devices) it’s time – no, past time – to get busy!” Sound familiar? …
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1897] Marathon begins: On the 122nd anniversary of the start of the American Revolutionary War, the first Boston Marathon is run (4/19)…
1965] All News All The Time: WINS changes its format from top 40 to All-News (4/19)…
1983] Number One on this date: Come On Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners (4/19)…
1993] Deadly siege: Branch Davidian leader David Koresh and dozens of others are killed when fire destroys their compound near Waco (TX) as the 51-day siege ends (4/19)…
1995] Oklahoma City devastation: The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is destroyed by a bomb. One hundred sixty eight are killed including 19 children. Five hundred are injured. Timothy McVeigh is found guilty of the crime and is executed (4/19)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (4/19): Maria Sharapova (26), James Franco (35), Kate Hudson (34), Riza Vettor (39) (Happy Birthday Sis), Ashley Judd (45), Al Unser Jr. (51), Frank Viola (53), Mark (Turtles) Volman (66), Elinor (Father Knows Best) Donahue (76) & Hugh (Wyatt Earp) O’Brian (88)…
1912] Happy 101: Fenway Park opens with the Red Sox beating the Highlanders (future Yankees) 7-6. Boston Mayor John (Honey Fitz) Fitzgerald throws out the first ball (4/20)
1971] Busing begins: The U.S. Supreme Court upholds the use of busing to achieve racial desegregation in schools (4/20)…
1992] Signed, sealed, delivered: Madonna signs a deal with Time Warner to set up a multimedia company. The deal makes Madonna the highest paid woman in pop music (4/20)…
1999] Columbine massacre: Eric Harris & Dylan Kiebold kill 13 people and injure 24 others before committing suicide at Columbine High School in Colorado (4/20)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (4/20): Joey Lawrence (37), Carmen Electra (41), Jessica Lange (64), Ryan O’Neal (72),Johnny Tillotson (74) & George Takei (76)…
1956] Number One on this date: Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley (4/21)…
1980] Cheater: Rosie Ruiz, the first woman to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon, is disqualified when officials discover she jumped into the race about a mile from the finish (4/21)…
2009] Released on this date: You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift (4/21)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: Andie MacDowell (55), Tony Danza (62), Patti LuPone (64), James Newell Osterberg Jr. aka Iggy Pop (66), Charles Grodin (78), Elaine May (81) & Queen Elizabeth II (LXXXVII) (4/21)…
Timeline Countdown for 4/21: Days Until: NFL Draft (4) (4/25), Kentucky Derby (13) (5/4), Cinco de Mayo (14) (5/5) & Mother’s Day (21) (5/12)…
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…
Another Milestone Reached By Mobile...
(Thursday, April 18, 2013)
The numbers and percentages keep rising for internet revenue. U.S. digital advertising revenue reached $36.6 billion in 2012, up 15.5% from 2011 when revenue totaled $31.7 billion. Those increases were noted in the annual report released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Internet Retailer reports that the fastest growing ad category in 2012 was mobile, which registered its second consecutive year of triple-digit growth. Its revenue increased 112.5% to $3.4 billion from $1.6 billion in 2011…
Further proof that radio needs to hop aboard the mobile express ASAP is provided by noting that mobile ads accounted for 9.3% of total U.S. digital advertising last year, compared with 5% in 2011. Mobile passed cable TV advertising in U.S. ad spending in 2011 and is now the second-largest advertising category after broadcast TV. David Silverman, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which helped compile the report says “When we look at it on a longer-term trajectory, the growth in overall advertising is really being fueled by overall internet spending.” That trend is further apparent in the rise of digital video advertising. The growing use of mobile devices and greater variety and quality of available digital videos have all led to the ad format’s growing popularity…
Search ad revenue leads the way, followed by display ads and email ads. Retailers spent more on digital advertising than any other industry, accounting for 20% of all online ad spending. Financial services came in second with 13% of all online ad spending…
Timeline Memories:
1775] In the midnight hour: Paul Revere & William Dawes set out on their ride from Charlestown to Lexington (MA) to warn the colonists that those nasty Redcoats were coming. This day is commemorated as Patriot’s Day…
1923] Opening day in the Bronx: John Philip Sousa’s band plays the national anthem as Yankee Stadium opens. In the game the Yankees beat the Red Sox 4-1 in the opener…
1965] Number One on this date: I’m Telling You Now - Freddie/Dreamers…1975] Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John…
2012] Death of a legend: Dick Clark dies of a heart attack at 82…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” America Ferrera (29), Kourtney Kardashian (34),Todd (Scott & Todd) Pettengill (47), Conan O’Brien (50), Jane Leeves (52), Eric Roberts (57), Rick Moranis (60), James Woods (66), Hayley Mills (67), Robert Christgau (rock critic) (71) & Barbara (Della Street) Hale (91)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (7)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (16)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (17)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (24)(5/12)…
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…
Sirius XM Personalizes Its Service...
(Wednesday, April 17, 2013)
Sirius XM has joined the crowd of online radio and music services with personalization of its own programming mix. The company line promises to “empower listeners with the fusion of personalization and Sirius XM’s curated commercial-free music and comedy channels to create radio’s best listening experience.” In plain language, listeners will be allowed to create over 100 variations of each of more than 50 Sirius XM channels for unlimited hours of listening…
According to Yahoo! Finance, MySXM will be available at no extra charge to SiriusXM Internet Radio subscribers. Apparently there is already a $4 monthly charge for the service. Users will be able to skip songs and rewind back up to five hours or as little as the start of the current song playing. Scott Greenstein, President/Chief Content Officer, Sirius XM says “MySXM is a personalization feature built to enhance our already well-loved curated commercial-free music and comedy channels and make an already amazing listening experience even more personal.” Greenstein adds “Our experts set the stage giving you the tools to make the channel your own. You decide how involved you want to get and where you want to take your channel.” Spoken in his best Steve Jobs style, Greenstein is obviously high on his new service. You can make up your own mind by registering for a 7-day trial by CLICKING HERE…
On Monday, SIRI stock closed at $3.03 following the announcement, after reaching a high of $3.09. …
R.I.P. Pat Summerall (1930 - 2013)
Timeline Memories:
1951] Good Afternoon Ladies & Gentlemen: Bob Sheppard debuts as Yankee Stadium P.A. announcer. Sheppard would retire on September 5, 2007. He passes away at 99 on July 11, 2010…
1961] Bay of Pigs fiasco: About 1,500 CIA-trained Cuban exiles launch the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in a failed attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro…
1964] Ford goes sporty: The Ford Motor Company unveils the Mustang - yours for just $2,368 without extras…
1998] Paul’s love: Cancer claims the life of Linda McCartney at 56…
2006] Number One on this date: Bad Day - Daniel Powter…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Victoria (Posh Spice) Beckham (39), Jennifer Garner (41), Norman (Boomer) Esiason (52) & Steve (Schmoozer) Somers (WFAN) (66)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (8)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (17)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (18)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (25)(5/12)…
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…
Another Major Music Challenge For Radio...
(Tuesday, April 16, 2013)
Another major player has stepped up with a new music service. As if radio didn’t have enough to worry about with pureplay opponents like Pandora, Spotify and others, here comes another online giant that’s about to give radio fits – Twitter. This follows on the heels of the much-rumored Apple Radio, another stealth music service in the works…
According to the Washington Post, Twitter appears to be getting ready to push into the music space with a service that shows users which artists are trending and features emerging artists. No official word from Twitter yet but the new service is being tested. Twitter has set up a page: @TwitterMusic (Related tweets from around the world) and is about to launch their new music service. Reportedly, users will be able to use the app to listen to clips through third-party services and watch some music videos. Last Thursday, the music service We Are Hunted announced that it had been acquired by Twitter and would be shutting down. The former WAH will allow users to download their data from the site, by submitting an email request. Twitter has been sending messages from @TwitterMusic, now up to 2.4 million followers and has already been active on the TV side with the recent relaunch of their video-sharing service Vine…
YouTube and Facebook are directly in Twitter’s sights but so is radio, which is now facing still another test in its attempt to survive with a music format…
Timeline Memories:
1940] Rapid Robert offers up a donut: The linescore for the Chicago White Sox was 0-0-0 as Bob Feller of Cleveland pitches the first and only opening day no-hitter…
1962] CBS cries “Uncle”: “Uncle” Walter Cronkite succeeds Douglas Edwards as anchor of the CBS Evening News. In 1963 this newscast is stretched from 15 to 30 minutes…
1964] Stones debut: The Rolling Stones (England’s Newest Hitmakers) is the band’s debut album. The U.S. replaces Mona (one of the tracks on the UK LP) with this song…
2003] Mike out: Michael Jordan makes his final NBA appearance as a player as his Washington Wizards end their season with a loss to Philadelphia…
2007] Massacre in Blacksburg: Virginia Tech senior Seung-Hui Cho goes on a shooting rampage resulting in the death of 32. He then takes his own life on campus in Blacksburg…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Jon Cryer (48), Martin Lawrence (48), Ellen Barkin (59), (In) Bill (We Trust) Belichick (61), Kareem Abdul Jabbar (66), Jim Lonborg (71), Bobby Vinton (78) & Former Pope Benedict XVI (LXXXVI)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (9)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (18)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (19)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (26)(5/12)…
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…
The Cloud's The Limit For Social Media...
(Monday, April 15, 2013)
U.S. social media is a multi-billion dollar business that radio is finding hard to cash in on. According to BIA/Kelsey, social media revenues will grow from $4.7 billion in 2012 to $11 billion in 2017, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.6%. Radio should be gearing up for local business, because that’s where the money trail is headed…
BIA/Kelsey expects social advertising’s local penetration to steadily increase as social networks improve the ease of onboarding, local targeting and campaign management for both brands and SMBs (small and medium businesses). Locally targeted social ad revenues will grow at a 26.4 % CAGR from $1.1 billion in 2012 to $3.6 billion in 2017. “Social networks are evolving their ad products and features to improve performance,” says Jed Williams, director of consulting and senior analyst, BIA/Kelsey. “Native social formats, including video and mobile-social advertising will be the principal market growth drivers” adds Williams. Display remains the dominant social ad unit, although native ad formats such as Facebook’s Sponsored Stories and Twitter’s Promoted Tweets require re-thinking of traditional display to optimize social campaigns, especially on mobile platforms. BIA/Kelsey forecasts U.S. native social advertising revenues to grow from $1.6 billion in 2012 to $4.6 billion in 2017 (CAGR: 29.9%)….
If I’m a local sales person, I’m pitching my accounts to advertise both their product and my stations’ call letters on social media. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? It’s not…
R.I.P. Jonathan Winters (1925 - 2013)...
Timeline Memories:
1865] Death of a leader: Pres. Abraham Lincoln dies 9 hours after being shot by John Wilkes Booth. Andrew Johnson becomes the 17th president…
1912] Submerged: The Titanic sinks less than 3 hours after striking an iceberg. About 1,500 die…
1947] Debuted on this date: Jackie Robinson plays first base and goes hitless in 3 ABs for the Brooklyn Dodgers…
2009] Number One on this date: Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Seth Rogen (31),Samantha Fox (47), Emma Thompson (54), Lois Chiles (66), Dave Edmunds (69), Roy Clark (80) & Michael Ansara (91)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (10)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (19)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (20)(5/5) & Mother’s Day (27)(5/12)…
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…
Your Car Radio Gets Company - Lots Of It...
(Friday, April 12, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
Probably the most enlightening panel at the NAB Show was it’s most frightening to the unprepared radio executive. For those who believe in life as usual for in-car listening – it’s time to wake up. At The Digital Dash session, Connected Vehicle Trade Association VP Valerie Shuman sent blood pressures near the boiling point when she said that connectivity is here now thanks to the number of cars with AUX jacks that allow consumers to connect smartphones to their vehicle’s entertainment system…
Shuman explained: “That’s when you can start to bring in lots of content that competes with radio and people are doing just that.” According to Billboard Biz, Shuman advised broadcasters to start thinking of radio in the car as being part of an “in vehicle computing platform,” not as the dominant feature on car dashboards. “Think of it as being on a laptop or smartphone. The old two knobs and dial set up is pretty much gone.” NAB Director of Digital Strategies Skip Pizzi and Sr. Dir. of Technology/Standards for the Consumer Electronics Assoc., Mike Bergman echoed Shuman’s thoughts. Pizzi showed pictures of the presets in connected cars where online and satellite channels were on virtual buttons right next to AM and FM outlets. Bergman noted that “As manufacturers react to internet radio and integrate it more smoothly, expect listening to grow significantly over the next few years.” …
Jon Bucci, Concannon Business Consulting EVP of strategic planning, summed it up appropriately: “Customers want their content when they want it, how they want it, and don’t stand in my way if you are a car company.” …
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1861] Hardly civil: The Civil War begins when confederate forces fire the first shot on Fort Sumter (4/12)…
1877] The tools of ignorance even at Harvard: James Tyng, Harvard catcher wears a modified fencing mask behind the plate. It’s the first catcher’s mask ever used in a baseball game (4/12)…
1924] Wake up Chicago: WLS Radio begins broadcasting (4/12). Here’s WLS in the 60′s…
1966] Number One on this date: (You’re My) Soul And Inspiration - Righteous Brothers (4/12)…2008] Touch My Body - Mariah Carey (4/12)...
1995] Gitchy Gitchy yaya dada: Drew Barrymore jumps on David Letterman’s desk, lifts her sweater (with back toward audience) and gives David an eyeful birthday present (4/12)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (4/12): Claire Danes (34), Vince Gill (56), Andy Garcia (57), David Cassidy (63), Tom Clancy (66), David Letterman (66), Woody (Jets owner) Johnson (66), Ed O’Neill (67), John (Steppenwolf) Kay (69), Herbie Hancock (73) & Happy Anniversary Jimmy & Sherry Brady…
1964] Breaking the color barrier: Sidney Poitier becomes the first African-American actor in a leading role to win an Academy Award (Lillies Of The Field) (4/13)
1971] Number One on this date: Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones (4/13)…
1997] Record breaker: Tiger Woods becomes the youngest golfer to win the Masters. He’s also the youngest person to wear the hideous green jacket (4/13). He’s competing for another Masters this weekend…
1999] Guilty as charged: Jack Kevorkian is sentenced to 10 – 25 years for the second-degree murder of a man whose assisted suicide was shown on “60 Minutes” in 1998. He’s released after serving a few years because of health issues (4/13)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (4/13): Rick Schroeder (43), Peabo Bryson (62), Al Green (67), Bill Conti (71), Paul Sorvino (74) & Lyle Waggoner (78)…
1865] A bad day at the theater: Pres. Abraham Lincoln is shot and mortally wounded by actor John Wilkes Booth while attending the comedy Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theater in Washington (D.C.). He will die from his wounds the following day (4/14)…
1910] Play ball: Pres. William Howard Taft throws out the first ball for the Washington Senators-Philadelphia A’s game in Washington and a tradition is born (4/14)…
1912] Down with the ship:The Titanic, on its maiden voyage hits an iceberg and begins to sink. It will fully submerge at 2:27am on April 15. More than 700 survive but 1,517 are lost at sea (4/14)…
1959] Number One on this date: Come Softly To Me - Fleetwoods (4/14)…1974] TSOP – MFSB (4/14)…1980] Call Me - Blondie (4/14)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (4/14) Ritchie (Deep Purple) Blackmore (68), Pete Rose (72), Julie Christie (72), Frank Serpico (77) & Loretta Lynn (81)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (11) (4/25), Kentucky Derby (20) (5/4), Cinco de Mayo (21) (5/5) & Mother’s Day (28) (5/12)…
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…
Mixed Views On Radio Chips...
(Thursday, April 11, 2013)
The radio industry continues to chip away in an effort to convince the tech industry to provide radio programming on mobile devices. The response to this idea is varied depending on what’s in it for carriers of the service. Sprint is on board because they’ll gain valuable airtime from radio in exchange. Verizon, on the other hand is not sold on providing radio chips at any price…
According to Inside Radio, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam told NAB Show attendees that Sprint’s decision doesn’t increase his company’s interest in activating FM chips, calling it “a very small issue for our customers.” McAdam also mentioned that Verizon already offers some phones with FM receivers. He also believes that “it looks to me as if the trend is among younger folks customizing the station or getting the playlist they want.” McAdam promised to keep an open mind on the issue because, “attracting the youth market is important to Verizon. They (young folks) will be the ones consuming this stuff and we have to be responsive to what they want.” McAdam added that “it’s not going to be a priority until I hear that’s what consumers want.” …
NAB president Gordon Smith told McAdam that the industry “hopes to keep the dialogue open on this.” The feeling here is that without a unanimous and overwhelming public groundswell on smartphone radio chips, the dialogue will be a lengthy one…
R.I.P. Radio programmer George Wilson (Crowell) (1929 - 2013)...
Timeline Memories:
1957] Number One on this date: All Shook Up - Elvis Presley…1982] I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll - Joan Jett/Blackhearts…
1962] Beat the Mets: The NY Mets make their NL debut with an 11-4 loss in St. Louis. There will be 119 more losses before the end of the season…
1973] Radio debuts: Norm N. Nite joins WCBS-FM (Norm now does a Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame show on Sirius XM)…1991] Scott Shannon starts at WPLJ (where he still shares the morning mic with Todd Pettengill)…
2007] Charges dropped: Against 3 former Duke lacrosse players falsely accused of rape…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Joss Stone (26), Jason Varitek (41), Bill Irwin (63), Peter Riegert (66), Louise Lasser (74), Joel Grey (81) & Ethel Kennedy (85)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (14)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (23)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (24) (5/5) & Mother’s Day (31)(5/12)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…WRKO...The Launch (pdf):CLICK HERE...
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE
Why Radio Targets Women...
The reason radio stations target 40-something women can be found in a new Nielsen study which shows that women control the purse strings. Female spending power in America is enormous and growing. Market estimates about their total purchasing prowess varies, ranging anywhere from $5 trillion to $15 trillion annually, according to Media Post…
The Nielsen report indicates that women will control two-thirds of the consumer wealth in the U.S. over the next decade and be the beneficiaries of the largest transference of wealth in our country’s history. In addition to handling the bulk of the purchasing decisions for consumer goods in the U.S., they’re also likely to influence or manage many other big ticket purchases, including homes, autos, appliances, and furniture, as well as a large portion of the clothes, groceries and everyday purchases. Women are the dominant retail shoppers, but men are taking a more active role in the shopping process than they have in the past. Between 2004 and 2012, U.S. women reduced the number of trips they made across most retail channels, while men increased their visits to all outlets except grocery and drug stores. If you’re marketing to females, you should be hitting the big box and dollar stores. Marketing to men means focusing on convenience, gas, grocery and warehouse club outlets…
There’s one other area of female dominance that should not be overlooked. It’s radio listening, especially at-home and at-work. Women are also spending time on the internet, mobile phone and social media. That’s where you’ll find the highly-prized female listeners…
Timeline Memories:
1925] Book it: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is published…
1947] Breaking the color barrier: 28-year old Jackie Robinson becomes the first black player in MLB when he’s signed by Branch Rickey of the Dodgers…
1958] Recorded on this date: Splish, Splash - Bobby Darin…
1967] Number One on this date: Somethin’ Stupid - Frank & Nancy Sinatra…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Haley Joel Osment (25), Peter MacNicol (59), Steven Seagal (62), John Madden (77), Omar Sharif (81) & Max von Sydow (84)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (15)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (24)(5/4), Cinco de Mayo (25) (5/5) & Mother’s Day (32)(5/12)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Erica Sees Sunny Skies At RAIN...
(Tuesday, April 9, 2013)
RKO General alum Erica Farber, current Radio Advertising Bureau CEO/President, has the blueprint for present and future radio efforts: “The only way we can increase radio’s share is to not take from each other, but from our actual competitors.” Farber gave the keynote at the RAIN Summit on Sunday…
As reported by the Radio And Internet Newsletter, Farber noted that TV, cable, magazines, newspapers, and pure-play internet content is radio’s real competition, which includes (vying) for local digital ad dollars. The good news, according to Farber, is that radio is in an excellent position to maintain dominance in an ever-more digital world. Broadcasters can look forward to 30 million mobile phones with an active FM chip over the next three years, with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8. This will be just part of the push from broadcasters to “grow the pie” and expand their digital footprint. Radio will continue to innovate ad opportunities and features, Farber explained, with new levels of interactivity for listeners and new ways to reach them for advertisers…
Farber called radio’s revenue trends “healthy” and “solid” and she pointed out they remain far greater than areas that have the industry looking over its collective shoulder, such as mobile ($2.9 billion) and online video ($2.1 billion). The RAB reports radio’s digital revenue reaching $767 million in 2012, an increase of 60% since digital revenue tracking began in 2009…
R.I.P. Margaret Thatcher (1925 – 2013)…Annette Funicello (1942 – 2013)…
Timeline Memories:
1865] Throwing in the towel: Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrenders his army to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia…
1913] A home for the Bums: Ebbets Field in Brooklyn opens for the first time.
1959] Mercury 7: NASA announces the selection of America’s first 7 astronauts: Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Wally Schirra, Alan Shepard & Donald Slayton…
1966] Released on this date: When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge…1973] My Love - Paul McCartney…
1973] Debuted on this date: Pat St. John starts a 15-year run at WPLJ…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Kristen Stewart (23), Keshia (Cosby Show) Pulliam (34), Cynthia Nixon (47), Jeff Zucker (48), Joe Scarborough (50), Dennis Quaid (59), Peter Gammons (68), Michael (The Waltons) Learned (74) & Hugh Hefner (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NFL Draft (16)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (25)(5/4) & Mother’s Day (33)(5/12)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Smartphone Users Never Sleep...
(Monday, April 8, 2013)
Smartphones are the overwhelmingly most popular mobile device of choice. New figures show that 53% of all Americans aged 12 and up (about 139 million) own a smartphone; three-quarters of 18 to 34s own the devices. Consumers use their smartphones from the time they wake up to the time they hit the pillow. If there were a toothbrush on each device (there’s an app for that) people would brush their teeth with their smartphone…
Proof that people wake up to their smartphone is contained along with a volume of assorted data on the devices in the new Arbitron/Edison Infinite Dial 2013 study. According to the research, twice as many people (30%) wake up in the morning to a cellphone than a clock radio (15%). With use of a smartphone comes lots of listening to online radio/services. Weekly online radio listeners report listening for an average of 11 hours 56 minutes per week. That’s up by more than two hours over last year’s listening levels and nearly double that reported in 2008. During that same span of time, Arbitron’s RADAR service indicates that AM/FM radio has grown to 243 million weekly listeners and time spent listening has remained about two hours a day. As huge as mobile device usage has become (29% now own a tablet), AM/FM radio is an “almost all of the time” or “most of the time” in-car choice for nearly 6 in 10 adults aged 18+. And AM/FM radio is the top source for new music discovery at 78%…
Whether or not AM/FM radio survives in the future will depend on how well it’s received by mobile device users. No challenge is bigger than that to ensure that radio, as we know it, doesn’t become a footnote to history…
Timeline Memories:
1972] Debuted on the charts: Oh Girl - Chi-Lites. It becomes the R&B group’s one and only Number One hit…
1974] A new home run king: Hank Aaron passes Babe Ruth, becoming baseball’s new home run king with his 715th home run off Dodger pitcher Al Downing…
1992] A sad day: Tennis great Arthur Ashe announces at a news conference that he has AIDS…
1994] Death of a rock star: Kurt Cobain of Nirvana is found dead (in Seattle) of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Cobain was 27…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Taylor (Friday Night Lights) Kitsch (32), Patricia Arquette (45), Julian Lennon (50), John Schneider (53), Steve (YES) Howe (66), John Havlicek (73) & Shecky Greene (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NCAA Championship (tonight), NFL Draft (17)(4/25), Kentucky Derby (26)(5/4) & Mother’s Day (34)(5/12)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Mobile Drives Online Listening...
(Friday, April 5, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
The growth of online radio listening is being boosted by the transistor radios of the digital era – mobile devices. Further proof of that growth is seen in the new Triton Digital Online Audio Top 20 Ranker. The reports’ Mobile vs Desktop listening comparison shows the former increasing its AAS (Average Active Sessions) by 43% while desktop’s AAS shows a meager 5% growth. Desktop listening won’t vanish any time soon (having roughly double the number of mobile listeners) but the mobile growth indicated is impressive…
There was a mobile decrease in ATSL (Average Time Spent Listening) from a 46 minute average in February 2012 to a 39 minute average in February 2013. And the ATSL breakout in February 2012 showed mobile to be 33 minutes with desktop at 1:01 hours, but in February 2013 mobile ATSL dropped to 31 minutes, while desktop ATSL rose to 1:05 hours. Triton tells us that this data indicates that “engagement at the desktop is roughly double that of mobile devices but the growth in listening is being driven by shorter listening sessions on mobile devices.” In the February 2013 Domestic Ranker (based on AAS) the top 3 services and or/stations show Pandora, Clear Channel & Cumulus Streaming Network. Pandora continues to dwarf Clear Channel and Cumulus from 6am to 8pm (Monday through Friday) in AAS…
The correlation between transistor radios and mobile devices has become clear. Transistor radios became the most popular electronic communication device in history with billions manufactured during the 60s and 70s. In the ’70s, the death of transistor radios was created by boom boxes and portable cassette players. As mobile devices continue to improve, look for the same thing to happen to every other listening device you can’t hold in your hand…
R.I.P. Roger Ebert (1942 - 2013)...
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1982] Chapter 11 on the charts: Record World Magazine, founded in 1946 as Music Vendor, changing its name to Record World in 1964 – folds (4/5)…
1985] At the count of 3: An estimated 5,000 radio stations simultaneously play We Are The World to raise money to feed those starving in Africa and the U.S. Harvey Mednick considers this one of the proudest moments at R&R for he and Dwight Case (4/5)…
1987] Release the hounds: Fox Broadcasting Co. makes its prime time TV debut with Married With Children &The Tracey Ullman Show (4/5)…
2008] Released on this date:All Summer Long - Kid Rock (4/5)…
2008] Number One on this date: Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis (4/5)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (4/5):Erin Litt(35),Agnetha (ABBA) Faltskog (63), Allan (Hollies) Clarke (71), Michael Moriarty (72), Colin Powell (76) & Billy Bland (81)…
1930] Twinkie munch: Hostess Twinkies are invented by bakery executive James Dewar who washes it down with his scotch (4/6). The new conglomerate that just took over, promises to have Twinkies back on shelves in June (2013)…
1963] On the radio: It’s My Party. Lesley Gore hears her first record on WINS coming home from school (4/6)…
1973] Designated: The Yankees’ Ron Blomberg becomes the American League’s first designated hitter at Fenway Park (4/6). This “experiment” is now 40 years old, but only in the AL. In the NL, pitchers still take a turn at bat…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (4/6): Zach Braff (38),Paul Rudd (44), John Pizzarelli (53), Marilu Henner (61), John Ratzenberger (66), Roy Thinnes (75), Billy Dee Williams (76), Merle Haggard (76) & Andre Previn (84)…
1963] Diaper duffer: At the age of 23,Jack Nicklaus becomes the youngest golfer to win the green jacket at the Masters Tournament (4/7)…
1967] Who’s your daddy?: Tom Donahue begins the progressive aka AOR FM format at KMPX San Francisco. Donahue will become known as the “Father of FM Radio“. Donahue at KSAN (4/7)…
1968] Number One on this date: Honey - Bobby Goldsboro (4/7)…1970] Let It Be - Beatles (4/7)…1974] Bennie & The Jets - Elton John (4/7)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (4/7) Russell Crowe (49), Janis Ian (62), John Oates (69), David Frost (74), Francis Ford Coppola (74),Jerry Brown (75), Wayne Rogers (80), James Garner (85) & Red Sox great Bobby Doerr (95)…
Timeline Countdown: NCAA Championship (4/8), NFL Draft (4/25), Mother’s Day (5/12)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…”WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Apple Polishes Up iRadio For A Summer Launch...
(Thursday, April 4, 2013)
Apple is putting the final pieces in place for a summer launch of its iRadio service. The company has been rumored to be working on a rival to Pandora and Spotify but has had problems negotiating licensing fees with major record labels. Apple is trying to avoid the enormous fees that have been eating away at Pandora’s bottom line. They are determined to avoid the survival dilemma facing Pandora…
Investor Place reports that last month, Apple was demanding licensing fees of 6 cents per 100 songs streamed, roughly half of what Pandora pays. Sources say that Apple has moved closer to an agreement with at least two record labels: Universal and Warner Music Group. If true, Apple’s iRadio service is a lock to launch this year. In Apple related news, the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office has denied the company’s effort to trademark the iPad Mini name, a Forbes source reveals. The patent office has ruled that the word “mini” is simply a “descriptive of a feature of applicant’s product” and therefore can’t be trademarked. The word “iPad” could create a problem for the watchdog office as well. They note that the term “iPad” is descriptive when applied to applicant’s goods because the prefix “i” denotes “internet.” Steve Jobs must be spinning like a lathe, although the patent office did not indicate that it intended to reverse Apple’s trademark on the iPad name – yet…
Should the patent office make Apple change their iPad name, it would set a precedent. If Apple can’t call their product iPad, how can iBiquity call their digital radio service HD, when in fact it deceives people into believing the two letters stand for high definition? They don’t…
Timeline Memories:
1960] Recorded on this date: Are You Lonesome Tonight - Elvis Presley…
1963] Number One on this date: He’s So Fine - Chiffons…1973] The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia – Vicki Lawrence…
1968] MLK gunned down: Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated while standing on the balcony outside his room in Memphis…
1974] Henry ties it up: Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves ties Babe Ruth’s career home run mark by hitting his 714th HR in Cincinnati…
2007] Nappy-headed I-Man: Don Imus makes offensive on-air remarks about the Rutgers women’s basketball team. Despite a subsequent apology, Imus is fired by CBS Radio & MSNBC…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Dick Summer(39), David Blaine (40), Robert Downey Jr. (48), David E. Kelley (57), Former NE Patriot John Hannah (62), Christine Lahti (63), Craig T. Nelson (69), Hugh Masekela (74), Clive Davis (81) & Maya Angelou (85)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NCAA Final (2), NCAA Championship (4), NFL Draft (21), Mother’s Day (38)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
AM/FM A Major Part Of Cross-Listening...
(Wednesday, April 3, 2013)
Just about once a week I receive research data about cross-listenership between the web and traditional radio. The results of another study just received is a good example. New data from USA Touchpoints, compiled by Katz Media Group says 86% of adults aged 18-64 who listen to a streaming music service (iHeartRadio, Pandora, Spotify and others) also listen to AM/FM radio…
According to Inside Radio, the radio numbers are slightly higher among those who listen to CDs, mp3′s and satellite radio. The data also finds AM/FM radio usage to be strong among young digital audio users, as far as cume goes. It shows 85% of adults (18-34) who listen to a streaming music service also listen to broadcast radio. Again, users of CD players, mp3′s and satellite radio turn out for AM/FM radio in similar percentages. Obviously these are active music listeners. Before the internet, these listeners would search for their favorite music on the radio. USA Touchpoints finds AM/FM radio’s share of audio usage remains dominant throughout the day capturing 80% of audio usage from 6am-8am, before slowly tailing off during the day to reach 60% by 8pm. This listening pattern would indicate that the less active (less music searching) audience is elsewhere (hopefully at work)…
Skeptics may not believe the results of this study. After all, Katz Media represents radio stations. But in no way should they be accused of doctoring this study. If it wasn’t favorable for radio, they wouldn’t be using the data...
R.I.P. Former N.E. Patriots Coach Chuck Fairbanks (1933 - 2013)...
Timeline Memories:
1936] Death by electrocution:Bruno Hauptmann dies in the electric chair for the kidnap murder of the Lindbergh baby…
1965] Released on this date: Wooly Bully - Sam The Sham/Pharaoh’s …
1968] The view from the top: Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his mountain top speech to a rally of striking sanitation workers in Memphis. Less than 24 hours later, King is assassinated…
1974] Murray exits:Murray The K leaves WNBC (although I knew Murray I would miss working with him at WNBC by 2 years.) In 1975 Murray went to WLIR and then WKTU. In poor health he leaves NYC for LA where he would die from cancer in 1982 at the age of 60…
2010] Birth of the iPad: Steve Jobs launches the iPad. To date, more than 15 million have been sold. Sales on all 5 generations of iPad are nearing 23 million…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Leona Lewis (28), Picabo Street (42), Eddie Murphy (52), David Hyde Pierce (54), Alec Baldwin (55),Tony Orlando (69), Wayne Newton (71), Marsha Mason (71), Jeff Barry (75), Jane Goodall (79) & Doris Day (91)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NCAA Final (3), NCAA Championship (5), NFL Draft (22), Mother’s Day (39)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
New Internet Metrix Rankings...
(Tuesday, April 2, 2013)
Today, radio is measured against all competition. The biggest radio challenge doesn’t come from other radio signals, it comes from the internet. The recently released comScore Media Metro Top 50 Web Properties Ranker (February 2013) shows the influence of holidays. Valentine’s Day caused a spike of traffic at Flowers, Gifts and Greetings sites. That category grew 35% for a total of 26 million visitors searching for gift ideas and the perfect e-card. That was the biggest gainer among the rankers…
Super Bowl hype and national auto shows had a direct result in the No. 2 category in growth: Auto: GM ranked No. 1 with 7.2 million visitors (up 19%), followed by Toyota with 4.5 million, Ford had 4.1 visitors (up 12%), Honda with 3.3 million and Chrysler with 2.2 million (up 25%). The approaching Tax Day category grew 45% to 36 million to rank as the fastest growing category during the month. The dear old IRS.gov ranked as the fastest growing property for the second consecutive month, up 78% to 22.6 million visitors in February. Google sites ranked as the #1 property in February with 189 million visitors, followed by Yahoo! sites with 186 million. Microsoft sites with 164 million and Facebook with 144 million. ComScore has just introduced Media Metrix Multi-Platform, a next generation product that combines audience and demographic data. The better to track your competition by…
With the exception of a few holidays (Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, etc.) the periods covering sales have blurred so much that most are now year-round (Back-to-School, Halloween, even Christmas). Radio’s biggest challenge is to not lose any more ground to the internet – not an easy task…
Timeline Memories:
1967] Recorded on this date: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonley Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (entire LP)-Beatles…
1968] Getting spacey: The science-fiction movie 2001: A Space Odyssey has its world premiere in Washington, D.C…
1972] Happy Trails: Mets manager Gil Hodges dies of a heart attack while playing golf in Florida two days before his 48th birthday.Yogi Berra replaces Hodges as Mets manager…
1978] Released on this date: Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder– Stevie’s tribute to Duke Ellington…
2012] NCAA champ:Kentucky beats Kansas 67-59 to win the tournament…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Scotty Brink (39), Emmylou Harris (66), Linda Hunt (68), Reggie Smith (68), Leon Russell (71) & Barrett Hansen aka Dr. Demento (71)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NCAA Final (4), NCAA Championship (6), NFL Draft (23), Mother’s Day (40)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Hey Radio - No Fooling...
(Monday, April 1, 2013)
No flying turkeys or phone calls to the hospital for Kate Middleton today if you know what’s good for you. April Fools Day can turn you into a fool or worse if your radio station pulls a prank that results in a hefty fine. David Oxenford of the Broadcast Law Blog, says “April 1 is the day that the broadcaster is most at risk.” …
Oxenford advises us that the FCC’s rule against broadcast hoaxes, Sec. 73.1217 prevents stations from running any information about a “crime or catastrophe” on the air, if the broadcaster (1) knows the information to be false, (2) it is reasonably foreseeable that the broadcast of the material will cause substantial public harm and (3) public harm is in fact caused. Public harm is defined as “direct and actual damage to property or to the health or safety of the general public, or diversion of law enforcement or other public health and safety authorities from their duties.” Even if the prank does not cause any injuries, the mere fact that an on-air report was false and it ties up first-responders, is enough to lead to FCC liability. This rule was adopted in the early 1990s after several incidents that were well publicized in the broadcast industry created bedlam of all sorts…
One final warning: FCC fines are possible on top of any damages that may result from a prank-gone-wrong. APRIL FOOL. HAVE FUN…
R.I.P. Phil Ramone (1941 - 2013). This interview conducted in 2011 was similar to the one he gave me for syndicated radio. In that interview, Phil spoke mostly of Billy Joel,
who he was working with at the time. Phil was a great recording
engineer who produced some of the most classic records of all-time by
artists who include Billy, Paul Simon, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin
and many more. Mention a great artist and chances are Phil produced
them. His loss is ours. He will go down as probably the greatest record
producer of his era...
Timeline Memories:
1976] Released on this date: Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett…
1976] Ripe for picking:Apple Computer is formed by Steve Jobs & Steve Wozniak…
1984] Mercy, mercy me: Marvin Gaye is shot to death by his father in Los Angeles one day before his 45th birthday…
1987] Health scare: Pres. Ronald Reagan tells doctors in Philadelphia: “We’ve declared AIDS public health enemy No. 1″…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Rachel Maddow (40), Susan Boyle (52),Jimmy Cliff (65), Rusty Staub (69), Rudolph Isley (73), Ali MacGraw (74), Debbie Reynolds (81), Jane Powell (84) & Brendan Byrne (89)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NCAA Final (5), NCAA Championship (7), NFL Draft (24), Mother’s Day (41)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Radio Needs To Keep Up With The Economy...
(Friday, March 29, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
While radio takes baby steps in its digital learning curve, the medium is still relevant but not as vibrant as it needs to be. Mark Fratrik, VP/Chief Economist at BIA/Kelsey, on the state of radio: “Overall, the industry is still recognized as an important part of the media mix as it continues to meander around, rising slightly with the rate of inflation but not keeping up with the economy.” …
Fratrik bases his view following an over-the-air revenue report, showing an inching slightly upwards in 2012, increasing to $14.3 billion, a 1.5% change from the the year before. That meager change is due in large part to the sluggish overall economy for 2012 and the increased competition radio faces in the local media market. His company also notes that station revenue mix will continue to shift somewhat and income from online advertising is expected to rise at a rate of about 10.8% annually over the next 5 years versus 2.5% from over-the-air. For 2013, BIA/Kelsey forecasts over-the-air radio revenues should see 2.3% growth, or $14.7 billion, again due to the slightly stronger economy. Fratrik adds: “As the digital marketplace continues to rise in all sectors of advertising, radio is improving its listener engagement online and benefiting from the value of its web and mobile assets.” …
Whether or not radio can get a handle on increasing its revenue flow (trickle?) from digital, mobile and social streams quick enough is the biggest issue facing the medium…
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1957] Number One on this date: Party Doll - Buddy Knox (3/29)…1976] Disco Lady - Johnnie Taylor (3/29)…
1971] Guilty as charged: Lt. William Calley Jr. is found guilty of premeditated murder of at least 22 Vietnamese civilians and is sentenced to life in prison (3/29). Calley wins a court case and is paroled, living free…
1973] Turn out the lights: The last U.S. troops leave South Vietnam ending America’s direct military involvement in the war there (3/29)…
1973] The cover of Rolling Stone: 12 days after The Cover Of Rolling Stone peaks at #6, Dr. Hook/Medicine Show get their wish (3/29)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (3/29): Jennifer Capriati (37), Lara Logan (42), Elle Macpherson (50), Walt Clyde Frazier (68),Terry Jacks (69), Eric Idle (70) & John McLaughlin (86)…
1964] Debuted on this date: The TV game show Jeopardy (3/30)…
1981] Honey, I forgot to duck: Pres. Ronald Reagan is shot by John Hinckley. He makes a complete recovery (3/30)…
1992] Musical call letters: WNSR (105.1) changes call letters to WMXV (The Mix) in NYC. Today Power 105.1 WWPR occupies that frequency (3/30)…
2009] Government issue: Pres. Barack Obama takes unprecedented government control over the auto industry, rejecting GM & Chrysler plans for restructuring (3/30)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (3/30): Norah Jones (34), Celine Dion (45), Piers Morgan (48), Tracy Chapman (49), MC Hammer (51), Paul Reiser (56), Eric Clapton (68), Warren Beatty (76), Rolf Harris (83),John Astin (83), Richard Dysart (84) & Peter Marshall (87)…
1958] Released on this date: Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry (3/31)…
1975] Number One on this date: Lovin You - Minnie Riperton (3/31)…
1992] Premiered on this date: Dateline NBC. Twenty-one years later it’s still on (3/31)…
1999] Murder rap: Four NYC officers are charged with murder for killing Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African immigrant, in a hail of bullets. The officers are acquitted in 2000 (3/31)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (3/31): Sal Selletto (39), Rhea Perlman (65), Al Gore (65), Gabe Kaplan (68), Christopher Walken (70), Herb Alpert (78), Shirley Jones (79), Richard Chamberlain (79) & William Daniels (86)…
Timeline Countdown: Happy Easter/Opening Day, NCAA Final (4/6) & NCAA Championship (4/8)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…”WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Social Drives The New Business Model...
(Thursday, March 28, 2013)
Now that social media has survived for a few years, the business world has realized they can reach that massive audience with their advertising and save money doing it. eMarketer reports that a new Ascend2 (an agency consulting company) survey of marketing professionals around the world (February 2013) tracked how business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumers (B2C) are spending their ad dollars…
With both groups, improving customer engagement is at the top of their list: B2C at 55%, with B2B at 43%. The second and third most important objective of using social media for B2C is increasing website traffic (47%) and increasing sales revenue (39%). B2B has the same second objective: increasing website traffic (37%) but a different third most important objective: increasing content reach (34%). Twenty-nine percent of B2Bs use social to generate better quality leads and 27% sought to get more leads with this tactic. Search engine rankings remain an important part of businesses’ digital strategy and social media plays a role here too. About one quarter of both B2Bs and B2Cs use social media outreach to improve search rank…
It’s interesting to note that B2Cs found advertising on social networks to be a much more effective strategy than B2Bs did. While the business world is still seeking the most bang-for-a-buck magic formula in social media, no savvy business is avoiding the search for it…
Timeline Memories:
1797] It will never work: Nathaniel Briggs of New Hampshire patents a washing machine…
1958] Recorded on this date: Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran…1966] Green Grass - Gary Lewis/Playboys…1967] Brown-Eyed Girl - Van Morrison…
1963] The name game: Sonny Werblin, no doubt inspired by nearby LaGuardia Airport, changes the name of the New York Titans to the Jets just before Shea Stadium becomes a runway for LaGuardia and the new home of the Jets in 1964…
1968] Number One on this date: (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding…1971] Just My Imagination - Temptations…
1979] Life imitates art: A nuclear meltdown starts at Three Mile Island (PA) 12 days after The China Syndrome opens…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Stephani Germanotta aka Lady Gaga (27), Vince Vaughn (43), Chris Myers (54), Reba McEntire (58), Dianne Wiest (65), Gerry House (65), John Records Landecker (66), Ken Howard (69) & Charlie McCoy (72)…
Timeline Countdown: Happy Passover. Days Until: Easter/MLB Opening Day (3), NCAA Final (9) & NCAA Championship (11)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
The Feelgood Format Of Radio...
(Wednesday, March 27, 2013)
Emotions count in the radio business – always have, always will. It doesn’t come as much of a surprise to me that USA TouchPoints conducted a study factoring in emotional data for radio advertisers. The study, in conjunction with the Media Behavior Institute, provides a snapshot of the utility of emotional data as it relates to one particular medium and one content format within it. The format chosen was Adult Contemporary AM/FM radio…
The study measured listening emotion at home, workplace and in-car. The highest percentage of emotions (listed were: Contented, Happy, Confident, Indifferent, Hopeful and Excited) registered 58% (workplace), 54% (in-car) and 47% (at home) in the first category: Contented. In the advertising world in the ’50s, cows were contented. In 2013, people are contented – when they listen to AC radio. The second highest measured emotion across the 3 categories was Happy: 46% (in-car), 42% (workplace) and 39% (at home). The Media Behavior Institute says the fact that emotions for AC radio across all 3 locations is so uniformly positive is “particularly noteworthy, as emotions are frequently inconsistent when analyzed in the context of specific media use. Emotions are influenced by situational factors unrelated to the medium and content: a tough day at work, kids arguing, etc.” …
There’s hope that USA Touch Points and Media Behavior Institute will get into further analysis (dayparts, social settings, narrower audience targets, etc.) and other formats such as sports and talk, other music formats, etc. in the future…
Timeline Memories:
1794] In the Navy:Pres. George Washington & Congress authorize creation of the U.S. Navy. The great-great-great grandparents of the Village People take note of the event…
1884] Red Sox Nation is born:The first long-distance call is made from Boston to NYC. Two people argue the merits of their baseball teams before a shouting match occurs and the phrases Red Sox Nation & Evil Empire are heard, followed by the slamming of the phone…
1939] March madness: The first NCAA Championship Game is won by Oregon 46-33 over Ohio State.The NCAA will dominate the NIT starting in the mid-50′s…
1967] Recorded on this date: Groovin - Young Rascals…1972] Burning Love - Elvis Presley…
1974] Number One on this date: Sunshine On My Shoulders - John Denver…1984] Footloose – Kenny Loggins…
1981] Released on this date: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap - AC/DC…1984] Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Stacy Ferguson aka Fergie (38), Mariah Carey (43), Quentin Tarantino (50), Michael York (71) & Cale Yarborough (74)…
Timeline Countdown: Happy Passover. Days Until: Easter/MLB Opening Day (4), NCAA Final (10) & NCAA Championship (12)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch”(pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Radio Will Meet Its Challenges...
(Tuesday, March 26, 2013)
There have been volumes written about the current state of radio and the challenges it faces in this era of an ever expanding digital universe. USA Today writes about the competitive path that radio faces and how it will ”only get tougher as the new stereo units not only offer satellite or HD radio, but apps that bundle signals from internet radio.” Now for the bad news…
“AM/FM broadcast, as a technology, will be much more under the gun,” according to Thilo Koslowski, a Gartner VP who tracks digital technology in cars. “Content is king. Having a transmitter does not guarantee you’re successful.” Of course, this was true before digital devices attacked. Chris Woodyard (USA Today) mentions the “avalanche of listening choices, hastened by the arrival of internet-based radio that allows shoestring upstarts to compete against big-money broadcasters, much as magazines and newspapers are under assault on the web by bloggers and other content creators.” It should be noted that these challenges are temporary unless there is serious financial backing supporting the challengers. What is pointed out – and rightly so, is that radio hasn’t seen a ratings drop-off, even among younger listeners – a critical point to be recognized…
Arbitron reports nearly 6 of 10 adults listen to AM/FM radio either all or most of the time they are car-bound. This percentage is far ahead of listening to CDs at 15%, portable digital players at 11% or satellite radio at 10%. What keeps traditional radio alive are the intangibles. Local and free leads the way and let’s not discount listener loyalty either…
Timeline Memories:
1979] Peace at hand: The Camp David peace treaty is signed by Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin & Egyptian Pres. Anwar Sadat at the White House…
1997] Cult massacre: The bodies of 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult who had committed suicide are found in Rancho Santa Fe (CA)…
1999] Dr. Death busted: Dr. Jack Kevorkian is convicted of second-degree murder for giving a lethal injection to an ailing man whose death is shown on 60 Minutes…
2001] Released on this date: I’m Already There - Lonestar…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Jennifer Grey (53), Leeza Gibbons (56), Curtis Sliwa (59), Martin Short (63), Vicki Lawrence (64), Steven Tyler (65), Diana Ross (69), Bob Woodward (70), James Caan (73), Nancy Pelosi (73), Fred (Five Satins) Parris (77), Alan Arkin (79), Leonard Nimoy (82), Sandra Day O’Connor (83) & Bob (Bob & Ray) Elliott (90)…
Timeline Countdown: Happy Passover. Days Until: Easter/MLB Opening Day (5), NCAA Final (11) & NCAA Championship (13)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Success Of HD Radio Questioned...
(Monday, March 25, 2013)
Pew Research created a major controversy when it stated that more stations are dropping HD than are adopting it. In the audio section of a study on news (The State of The News Media 2013) Pew’s Acting Director Amy Mitchell cites the firm’s view that “AM/FM’s beleaguered attempt to draw people back to radio through HD did worse than ever.” The report claims that “For the first time since 2004, when HD radio receivers became available at retail, more radio stations dropped their HD signal than adopted the technology.” …
iBiquity, the company that created HD radio disputes Pew’s claim. They say that the number of stations turning on HD is up and integration into vehicles is strong. Contrary to public opinion (and the opinion of sales people at Best Buy) iBiquity’s HD doesn’t stand for high definition. It doesn’t stand for anything. The name “HD Radio” and logo were developed for the company by a public relations firm. iBiquity’s in-band on-channel (IBOC) can operate on both AM and FM either in a digital-only mode or in a “hybrid” digital + analog mode. Most broadcasters are using the hybrid method, giving AM stations FM quality sound (according to iBiquity at least). Let’s get real people – this is not really high definition. Back to Pew’s research: “By December 2012, 2,048 radio stations were broadcasting an HD signal (iBiquity agrees with that figure). Pew claim that figure is down from 2,103 during the same period in 2011, according to BIA (Business Improvement Area) and Pew’s report…
That loss is not drastic and it looks like Pew has a bone to pick with iBiquity, but then so do I. I’m always leery of a clever acronym used to deceive people – in this case, a whole industry…
Timeline Memories:
1911] Up in flames: 148 women are killed at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in Manhattan. The owners of the company are charged with manslaughter when it’s discovered that the factory doors are locked…
1913] Slapstick is born: The Palace Theatre opens in Manhattan. It quickly becomes the home of vaudeville…
1960] Recorded on this date: Only The Lonely - Roy Orbison…
1988] Guilty as charged:Robert E. Chambers Jr. pleads guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the death of 18-year old Jennifer Levin in NYC’s preppie murder case. Chambers is currently serving a 19-year sentence for drug dealing…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Katharine(Smash) McPhee (29), Danica Patrick (31), Sarah Jessica Parker (48), Marcia Cross (51), Brenda Strong (53), Elton John (66), Aretha Franklin (71), Anita Bryant (73), Gloria Steinem (79) & Gene Shalit (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Passover begins at sundown. Days Until: Easter/MLB Opening Day (6), NCAA Final (12) & NCAA Championship (14)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
New Local Promotions Forecast For Radio...
Advertisers are always looking for a bargain – mostly in the form of lower ad rates, whichever medium they choose. But lately advertisers have realized that tapping into promotions is starting to pay off. According to the new Borrell Associates 2013 Local Promotions Forecast, advertisers are using a dozen promotion subcategories to boost the sales of their product…
The categories include: coupons, discounts, promotional products, event marketing, licensing, point-of-purchase, sampling, sponsorships, loyalty/retention programs, specialty printing, games and contests and white paper marketing. While total advertising reached $244 billion last year, promotions spending soared to more than twice that level: $584 billion. Locally, promotion money spent totalled $169 billion, or 81% more than Main Street businesses spent on traditional advertising. This should provide a wakeup call for radio. Radio stations must get more creative with their advertisers. If you can’t come up with a clever promotion, listen to your clients ideas and if they fit with your format, either go for it or modify it to your specifications.
I can remember working for a GM who wanted to give away a cow in order to woo a new yogurt account. While this would have been an ideal promotion for the heartland – sorry, not in the large metropolitan area our station was in. If the promotion doesn’t fit – don’t do it. If it does – go for it. Especially if it’s a big account. Be open minded but keep the best interests of your station in mind…
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1970] Number One on this date: Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel (3/22)…
1990] A slap on the wrist: A jury in Anchorage, Alaska finds former tanker captain Joseph Hazelwood innocent in connection with the Exxon Valdez oil spill, but convicts him of a minor charge (negligent discharge of oil) (3/22)…
1995] Guilty as charged: Colin Ferguson is sentenced to life for the LIRR massacre in which he killed 6 in 1993. He’s in Attica prison in upstate NY (3/22)…
1997] Baby skates: Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest women’s world figure skating champion at age 14 years, 10 months (3/22)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (3/22): Reese Witherspoon (37), Bob Costas (61), Andrew Lloyd Webber (65), Wolf Blitzer (65), George Benson (70), William Shatner (82), Pat Robertson (83) & Allen (USA Today) Neuharth (89)…
1961] Recorded on this date: Can’t Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley (3/23)…
1963] Released on this date: Surfin U.S.A. – Beach Boys (3/23)…
1981] Number One on this date: Rapture - Blondie (3/23)…1985] Uptown Girl - Billy Joel (3/23)…
1983] Real Star Wars: Pres. Ronald Reagan proposes the Strategic Defense Initiative aka Star Wars. It’s not such a crazy idea anymore, is it? (3/23)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (3/23): Perez Hilton (35), Keri Russell (37), Chaka Kahn (60), Ric (Cars) Ocasek (64), Roger Bannister (84) & Marty (“Hello Dere“) Allen (91)…
1958] Elvis has left the draft board: Elvis Presley is inducted into the Army. Although he was drafted the previous December, the Army allowed Elvis to finish filming Kid Creole (3/24)…
1973] Released on this date: Dark Side Of The Moon LP (entire album) - Pink Floyd (3/24)…1978] With A Little Luck - Paul McCartney/Wings (3/24)…
1975] Number One on this date: Lady Marmalade - LaBelle (3/24)…1985] One More Night - Phil Collins (3/24)…
2002] An Oscar first: Halle Berry becomes the first African-American performer to win a Best Actress Oscar for her turn in Monster’s Ball (3/24)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (3/24) Jessica Chastain (36), Lara Flynn Boyle (43), Star Jones (51), Kelly LeBrock (53), Donna Pescow (59), Louie Anderson (60), Tommy Hilfinger (62), Nick Lowe (64) & Bob Mackie (74)…
Timeline Countdown: Passover (3/25), Easter/Opening Day (3/31), NCAA Final (4/6) & NCAA Championship (4/8)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…”WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Arbitron Amends Simulcast Rule...
(Thursday, March 21, 2013)
Used to be that Arbitron required a full 100% simulcast (whether AM/FM, 2 FM’s, AMs & HD, on-air and online) for a station to be designated a simulcast. That included all programming, commercials, sports play-by-play or public service announcements (PSAs). Those designations must be made for measurement purposes, so that radio stations get combined numbers if they’re truly simulcasting. That rule is now being amended…
In 2006, Arbitron put that 100% standard in effect (seen here). Recently those rules were updated because of confusion over what constitutes so-called Total Line Reporting. Arbitron now allows stations in PPM (Portable People Meter) markets to become eligible for TLR for any PPM report month – instead of having to simulcast for an entire quarter to qualify for the combined ratings. There are stations that are fudging the process by masquerading 100% simulcasting although they’re still doing ad insertion but not fully simulcasting. Arbitron “Special Notices” require the reaffirmation of a simulcast every quarter but the rating service doesn’t comb through all simulcast changes to confirm what stations are actually doing. Arbitron leaves that up to the local market to police their own. An Arbitron spokeswoman says “We take it on the good faith that they are doing a full simulcast, and if we’re alerted then we investigate.” …
This is a forewarning to stations that are listed as simulcasting but aren’t. Keep it up and you face the wrath of the broadcasters in your market. If you’re a station that follows the rules and knows of game-playing going on, you should report it to Arbitron…
Timeline Memories:
1952] Rock ‘n’ Riot: A riot breaks out at the Moondog Coronation Ball in Cleveland as Alan (King Of The Moondogs) Freed hosts what many consider the spark that ignited the Rock ‘n’ Roll flame…
1963] This Rock closes: Alcatraz prison in San Francisco Bay is emptied of its last inmates…
1964] Number One on this date: She Loves You - The Beatles…
1965] Marching along: More than 3,000 civil rights demonstrators led by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. begin their march from Selma to Montgomery (AL)…
1970] Released on this date: ABC – Jackson Five (No other station in NYC not called WABC introduced the song by its title)…
2012] Ain’t Saints: New Orleans head coach Sean Payton is suspended for a year (without pay) for his team’s bounty scandal. D-Coordinator Gregg Williams is suspended indefinitely…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Matthew Broderick (51), Rosie O’Donnell (51), Russell (Stylistics)Thompkins Jr. (62), Eddie Money (64) & Timothy Dalton (67)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Passover (4), Easter/MLB Opening Day (10), NCAA Final (16) & NCAA Championship (18)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Radio News Coverage Takes A Hit...
(Wednesday, March 20)
Music stations that have all but abandoned their news coverage are apparently doing the right thing. According to a new study, listeners and viewers are going online to get their dose of daily news. The Pew Research Center’s 10th annual State of the News Media report shows local media is suffering from “shrinking pains” due to staff cutbacks, shorter stories and briefer coverage of politics and government…
The New York Times quotes the report’s author, Amy Mitchell as saying “This adds up to a news industry that is more undermanned and unprepared to uncover stories, dig deep into emerging ones or to question information put into its hands.” The report shows that 31% of respondents say they “have stopped turning to a news outlet because it no longer provided them with the news they were accustomed to getting.” The appetite for news has not diminished though. Digital news sources are now used daily by 50% of Americans, according to the survey. This makes the internet nearly as important a source as television or radio. Mobile phones and tablets were mostly responsible for the surge in digital news consumption. Computers and mobile phones redistribute news from television, radio and newspapers but cutbacks at many of these traditional sources continued in 2012, Pew found…
It’s my belief that when news stations started copying WINS (NYC) and other radio stations that went to a repetitive news top 40 format, it left the door open for better and quicker news service. Enter the internet. Newspapers like the New York Times offer the best in-depth news coverage but tabloids copied a news top 40 format like most news stations. Same problem…
Timeline Memories:
1961] Recorded on this date: Hello Mary Lou - Ricky Nelson…
1967] Released on this date: The Happening - Supremes (they sing the song at a WRKO show at the Boston Arena)…1972] Back Off Boogaloo - Ringo Starr…
1967] Debuted on this date: Brit supermodel Twiggy makes her U.S. debut and WRKO News Director Roger Allan interviews her…
1972] Number One on this date: A Horse With No Name - America…1982] I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll - Joan Jett…
1996] Double guilt: Erik Menendez and his brother Lyle are found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of their parents. Both are serving life terms without parole…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Kathy Ireland (50), Holly Hunter (55), Spike Lee (56), Mike (Sports Pope) Francesa (59),William Hurt (63), Bobby (#4) Orr (65), Hal Linden (82), Carl Reiner (91) & Marian McPartland (95)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Spring has arrived, Passover (5), Easter/MLB Opening Day (11), NCAA Final (17) & NCAA Championship (19)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Local Revenue On Rise - For Digital...
(Tuesday, March 19, 2013)
There’s a new forecast that shows local ad revenue on the rise and ready to reach $148 billion in 2017. That’s a rise of 2.3% annually, according to BIA/Kelsey’s new U.S. Local Media Forecast (2012 – 2017) just released…
That much needed good news is reported in Net News Check and it’s based on revenue from digital media – expected to grow at 12.3% per year to reach $41.1 billion by 2017. BIA/Kelsey predicted digital’s share of the local ad market will rise from 17.4% in 2012 to 27.6% in 2017. Revenue from traditional media – radio, TV, print and yellow pages should be relatively stagnant, slipping at an annual rate of 0.3% from $109.4 billion in 2012 to $107.6 billion in 2017. But national brands are expected to experience growth in the local arena. Mark Fratrik, VP/chief economist for BIA/Kelsey says “Local media has become a key channel, not only for local small businesses, but for regional businesses, national franchises and national brands targetting locally.” Fratrik adds “This is clearly seen in our tracking of market shifts in mobile, social, search, promotions, coupons and deals, native ads and sales transformation.” …
Translation: radio better hop on the digital express and make its presence felt before it’s too late. That time is coming faster than anyone expected…
Timeline Memories:
1953] Oscar goes live: The Academy Awards ceremony is televised for the first time…
1962] Released on this date: Bob Dylan’s self-titled debut LP…
1995] BB stands for basketball Michael: After giving up an attempt to become a major league baseball player, Michael Jordan returns to pro basketball with the Chicago Bulls…
2011] Firestorm on Gadhafi: The U.S. and France target Gadhafi’s forces from the air in support of an uprising…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Bruce Willis (58), Glenn Close (66), Joe Kapp (75), Clarence Frogman Henry (76), Ursula Andress (77), Renee Taylor (80), Philip Roth (80) & Phyllis Newman (80)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NCAA Tournament (starts today), Spring (1), Passover (6), Easter/MLB Opening Day (12), NCAA Final (18) & NCAA Championship (20)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
The Erosion Of Traditional Radio's Ad Spend...
(Monday, March 18, 2013)
There’s more evidence that ad money spent on traditional radio and other older media forms are finding their way to digital. A new Duke University Fuqua School of Business survey finds that the shift from traditional media ad spending to digital continues unabated. According to eMarketer, by February 2012, marketers projected that traditional ad budgets would shrink…
In February 2013 that predicted shrinkage is expected to reach 2.7% over the next 12 months. Meanwhile, digital marketing investment will expand at the expense of traditional spend. The increase in digital ad spending is projected to be most dramatic in the business-to-consumer (B2C) product category, which is expected to see a 14.6% bump over the 12 months following February 2013. B2C and business-to-business (B2B) services were forecast to see similar increases in digital ad spending. B2C services are expected to experience the greatest drop in traditional media ad spending, falling 5.4% over the next year. EMarketer sees continued growth in digital ad spending in the U.S. with budgets totaling $42.5 billion in 2013 and increasing to $60.4 billion in 2017. While growth in digital ad spending will decline over that period, digital will continue to account for an ever-larger portion of total media ad spending…
How badly the erosion of traditional radio ad revenue affects the medium is in doubt. But it can’t be good. Still another reason for traditional radio to come up with a game plan for increasing its digital ad revenue…
Timeline Memories:
1931] Accoustic razors replaced: Schick Inc. markets the first electric razor.This is what they looked like in the 50s…
1959] Aloha:Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower signs the Hawaii statehood bill, giving us Hawaii Five-O…
1963] Number One on this date: Walk Like A Man - Four Seasons…1973] Killing Me Softly With His Song – Roberta Flack…1983] Billie Jean - Michael Jackson…
2005] Removing the tube: Doctors in Florida, on orders of a state judge, remove Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube. Schiavo will die 13 days later…
2011] Deadly warning: Pres. Barack Obama demands that Moammar Gadhafi halt all military attacks on civilians or else. Or else results in Gadhafi’s death in October…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Adam Levine (34),Queen Latifah (43), Bonnie Blair (49), Vanessa Williams (50), Irene Cara (54), Michael Reagan (68), Charlie Pride (75) & John (Kander & Ebb) Kander (86)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: NCAA Tournament (1), Spring (2), Passover (7), Easter/MLB Opening Day (13), NCAA Final (19) & NCAA Championship (21)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Buyers Expect Radios To Be In New Cars...
(Friday, March 15, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
The acid test for car radios remaining in dashboards has been passed. A new study conducted last week shows that new car buyers not only want FM/AM radios – they expect them when purchasing their wheels. When asked to agree or disagree with this statement: If automakers removed FM/AM radios from my next new car, I probably wouldn’t notice, 67.5% disagreed…
The study was performed by Mark Ramsey Media between March 9 and 10, 2013 among a random, balanced, national online study of 1,000 consumers. In the next statement consumers agreed to disagree: It’s okay if automakers remove FM/AM radios from my next car because I could always listen to my favorite stations on my mobile device via the internet. Not so, said 74.5% of respondents. This showed that consumers want their radio when they want it – in this case, in-car. 58.3% agreed with the third and final statement: Even if I could always listen to my favorite stations on my mobile device via the internet, I would be unhappy if automakers remove FM/AM radios from new cars. That’s a bit of a surprise to me. I would’ve thought that agreement percentage would be higher. It might indicate that respondents questioned aren’t planning to buy a new car soon or else they wouldn’t be devastated if radios were removed, although 58.3% is a clear majority…
This study would indicate that FM/AM radios will have a longer shelf life than the small minority of naysayers think they will. Sorry to disappoint you – now live with it…
Weekend Timeline Memories:
44BC] I only have Ides for you: Roman dictator Julius Caesar is assassinated by a group of nobles that include Brutus and Cassius (who will take the Muslim name Muhammad) (3/15)…
1954] Recorded on this date: The single that many believe is the first Rock & Roll record: Sh-boom - The Chords(original version) (3/15)…1955] Ain’t That A Shame - Fats Domino (3/15)…
1972] No refusing this offer: The Godfather, starring Marlon Brando & Al Pacino premieres in NYC (3/15)…
2003] Deadly virus: The World Health Organization issues a worldwide health alert for SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) (3/15)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (3/15): Kevin Youkilis (34), Eva Longoria (38), will.i.am (38), Bret Michaels (50),Terence Trent D’Arby (51), Sly Stone (70), Mike Love (72), Judd Hirsch (78) & Ruth Bader Ginsburg (80)…
1964] Released on this date:Can’t Buy Me Love - Beatles (3/16)…
1968] My Lai, My God: U.S. troops directed by Lt. William L. Calley Jr. destroy a Vietnam village consisting of mostly women and children. Hundreds are killed. Known as the My-Lai Massacre (3/16)…
2005] Dead man walking: A judge in Redwood City (CA) sends Scott Peterson to death row for the slaying of his pregnant wife, Laci (3/16)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (3/16): Lauren Graham (46), Nancy (Heart) Wilson (59), Erik Estrada (64), Chuck Woolery (72) & Jerry Lewis (87)…
0460] Why we celebrate: St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland dies from unknown causes, leading to the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day (3/17)…
1776] No green on Redcoats: British forces evacuate the city of Boston during the Revolutionary War. Doing this on St. Patrick’s Day is really asking for it (3/17)…
1958] Recorded on this date: Yakey Yak - Coasters (3/17)…1967] Comeback When You Grow Up – Bobby Vee (3/17)…
1959] Dalai on the Lam-a: Lhama Dhondrub Tenizin Gayatso aka the Dalai Lama leaves Tibet for India. The Chinese took over Tibet in 1950 and forced the holy one to leave (3/17)…
2012] Number One on this date:We Are Young - fun/Janelle Monae (3/17)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (3/17) Gene Scurti (39), Mia Hamm (Nomah!!!) (41), Rob Lowe (49), Danny Ainge (54), Gary Sinise (58), Kurt Russell (62), John (Lovin’ Spoonful) Sebastian (69), Pattie (Layla) Boyd (69), Paul (Jefferson Airplane) Kantner (72) & Adam Wade (78)…
Timeline Countdown: Happy St. Patrick’s Day (3/17), Spring (3/20), Passover (3/25) & Easter/Opening Day (3/31)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…”WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Today's Top 40 Radio...
(Thursday, March 14, 2013)
There’s no music format hotter than AC. There are two different adult contemporary formats that are not only providing credible rating shares but helping to break new music nationally. There’s plain old AC (but more contemporary than your father’s AC) and there’s Hot AC, which you might call AC on steroids. Both seem to be the format of choice for programmers who are looking for broader numbers than they would get with a contemporary music format…
Both formats are growing. According to Radio Info, both forms of AC are available in some of the nation’s biggest markets. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Boston, Houston, St. Louis, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Tampa, Cleveland and Providence have AC and Hot AC stations. New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Portland, Sacramento and San Jose, have one AC station and Miami has 2. The music industry should be thankful for Hot AC. While AC plays more “compatible” music and recurrents, Hot AC is playing current hits along with their regular AC fare. Recipients of the Hot AC playlist include acts like the Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, fun, Philip Phillips & Ed Sheeran. CBS Radio SVP of programming Greg Strassell calls the Hot AC format “In a great spot. It has a lot of choices for music that it can own.” Strassell predicts that “Hot AC is going to have a strong year.” …
In fashion, blue is the new black. In radio, AC radio is the new top 40. I have a strong feeling that AC will have a longer shelf life…
Timeline Memories:
1743] Meet and greet: The first town meeting in America is held at Faneuil Hall in Boston. Craig Ferguson at the historic hall in 2008…
1958] Gold is struck: Perry Como gets the first official Gold Record Award from the RIAA for Catch A Falling Star. Gold records were awarded for sale of one million singles and 500,000 LPs. The cast album of Oklahoma was the first Gold Album…
1958] Number One on this date: Tequila – Champs…1979] I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor…
1965] Ed’s Pet: Petula Clark makes her American TV debut on The Ed Sullivan Show…
2011] AFLAC quacks up: Gilbert Gottfried is fired as the voice of the AFLAC duck for posting a number of tasteless posts on the Japanese earthquake on Twitter…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Monaco’s Prince Albert (55), Jerry (Ben & Jerry) Greenfield (62), Rick (Disco Duck) Dees (63), Billy Crystal (65), Michael Caine (80), Quincy Jones (80), (former astronaut) Frank Borman (85) & Phil (Sea Of Love) Phillips (Baptiste) (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Saint Patrick’s Day (3), Spring (6), Passover (11) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (17)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Radio Remains In The Dashboard...
(Wednesday, March 13, 2013)
When Eric Rhoads created a firestorm by mentioning that a couple of car manufacturers planned to eliminate terrestrial radio from their dashboards, he wasn’t talking about major auto companies. Based on the frenzy over his remarks, you would think that cars were beginning to eliminate AM and FM radios forever. Not true. Not by a long shot, according to Eric’s main competitor, Inside Radio…
Inside Radio reports that the big three automakers – General Motors, Ford and Chrysler have committed to keep broadcast radio on their dashboards. “We have no plans to get rid of them because of their value for our customers” says Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne. Mayne points out that they’ve just announced plans to begin installing HD Radio as standard on some Dodge Ram pickups. Ditto General Motors: “While we are excited about the possibilities of internet radio services and other emerging services, we understand that AM/FM radio is still a significant source of news and entertainment” – so says chief infotainment officer Phil Abram. Ford follows the other 2 biggies: “There are no plans to ‘disband the AM frequency” says spokesman Alan Hall. Number 4 Toyota VP of advanced technology John Bucci says it’s a sure bet FM/AM radio will remain for the forseeable future…
So to the nervous Nellie’s who believe everything they read – relax. FM/AM radio isn’t leaving your dashboard…
Happy 46th Birthday: WRKO
On March 13, 1967 WRKO was launched and Boston radio would never be the same. Two years ago I wrote “WRKO…The Launch” and have updated it each year since. This year I included a 1966 article written by the Harvard Crimson, praising WRKO-FM, which led to the format change on the AM side on this date, 46 years ago. WRKO may have changed its format, but the station still exists. It’s just not as good as the original station. “WRKO…The Launch” can be accessed in PDF at the following links. Many thanks to Bob Radil and George (Backbone) Capalbo Jr. (the son of our original chief engineer and my lifelong friend) for their technical support. Windows version: http://www.60s70s.org/WRKO-TheLaunch.pdf Apple Tablet version: http://www.backbonehub.com/WRKO-TheLaunch-gnc.pdf …
Timeline Memories:
1852] Symbolic: Uncle Sam makes his debut as a cartoon character in the New York Lantern…
1964] Apothetic: Thirty-eight neighbors ignore the screams of 28 year-old Kitty Genovese being stabbed to death in a Queens neighborhood. No 9-1-1 back then…
1967] WRKO…The Launch: WNAC changes call letters to WRKO and switches format. Boston’s new top 40 giant replaces the Yankee Network Flagship and its personality-driven news/talk format. Arnie “Woo Woo” Ginsburg was one of our original jocks (See my comments above)…
1967] Number One the day WRKO debuted: “Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone” – Supremes…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Johan Santana (34), WRKO (46), Dana Delany (57), William H. Macy (63) & Neil Sedaka (74)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Saint Patrick’s Day (4), Spring (7), Passover (12) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (18)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE… “WRKO…The Launch” (pdf)
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Ad World - Get Rid Of Age Titles...
(Tuesday, March 12, 2013)
America is aging rapidly. “Boomers” are becoming “Seniors”, Gen X is approaching mid-life and on it goes. Is it time to get rid of all age categories and sub-categories? I say yes. I agree with the stance taken by Media Post’s Engage: Boomers post. Stephen Reily writes that Boomers aren’t as old as many marketers seem to think they are. And no one, seems to care…
Reily points out that the youngest Boomer is just turning 49 and the average Boomer is only 55. They are a long way from being old. I’ve never bought into the myth that an age group that covers any age span over 10 years, acts or thinks the same – no matter what age they are. Chances are people the same age – any age – don’t think the same either. So let’s get rid of all these demographic titles which are assigned a clever title for each age group. As Reily notes, marketers will target the consumers they want to target without talking too much about age or category. My guess is that Reily is a Boomer and would like to eliminate that title from the advertising world. I’ll go one step further and say, I’d like all titles related to age banned forever…
The problem with assigning age titles to groups of people is that it’s discriminatory. Not only that – it makes people feel older than they really are. Is anyone old anymore? …
Timeline Memories:
1912] Cookie sale is coming: Juliette Gordon Low founds the Girl Guides which will become the Girl Scouts Of America…
1957] Recorded on this date: Maybe Baby - Crickets/Buddy Holly…
1969] Grammy Gold: Mrs. Robinson (Best Record of 1968) - Simon & Garfunkel…
1980] Guilty as charged: A jury finds John Wayne Gacy Jr. guilty of murdering 33 men and boys. He will be executed in May 1994…
2008] Client #9: New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigns two days after reports surface that he was client #9 in a prostitution ring…
2009] Scammer slammed: Former NASDAQ chairman Bernard Madoff pleads guilty to 11 felonies and admits operating what’s called the largest investor fraud ever committed by an individual. In June he’s sentenced to 150 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $170 billion…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Darryl Strawberry (51), James Taylor (65), Mitt Romney (66), Liza Minelli (67), Sammy The Bull Gravano (68), Al Jarreau (73), Barbara (Agent 99) Feldon (81) & Edward Albee (85)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Saint Patrick’s Day (5), Spring (8), Passover (13) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (19)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
The State Of Terrestrial Mobile Growth...
(Monday, March 11, 2013)
Triton Digital has unearthed some interesting information on internet usage while publishing their latest Audio Top 20 Ranker. Their January 2013 Ranker showed a 80/20 split in favor of listening on desktops, while pureplay publishers (Pandora, etc.) tracked in the opposite direction with a 70/30 split in favor of mobile listening…
While most listeners of internet radio are sticking with desktops, terrestrial publishers saw an 18% increase in mobile listening in January, which was the fastest growing sector of the month. Pureplay desktop and mobile listening remained relatively consistent at a 2% and 3% gain respectively. While Pandora leads the parade by a wide margin in the January Domestic (inside the U.S.) Ranker in all dayparts, Clear Channel leads in the January All Streams (all streams without qualifying where they are being consumed) Ranker in all dayparts. Triton notes that while both December 2012 and January 2013 were 31 days in length, January had two additional weekdays, while December had an extra weekend. This results in a higher variability when comparing January and December listening levels in the Monday through Friday Ranker…
That 18% increase in mobile listening for terrestrial radio indicates a pretty substantial gain. While there are those that would like to see a more significant gain, radio still hasn’t found a handle on making mobile pay off anyway…
Timeline Memories:
1942] Big Mac shall return: With Japanese forces advancing in the Pacific during WWII, Gen. Douglas MacArthur leaves the Philippines for Australia vowing “I Shall Return.” He does…
1970] Released on this date: Deja Vu LP (entire album) - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young…
1997] Call me Sir: Paul McCartney is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. Paul also receives France’s Legion of Honour award…
2011] Deadly earthquake: Over 15,000 will die during and after the Sendai earthquake and tsunami hit Japan…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Johnny (Jackass) Knoxville (42), Terrence Howard (44), Joey Buttafuocco (57), Jimmy Iovine (60), Bobby McFerrin (63), Sam Donaldson (79) & Rupert Murdoch (82)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Saint Patrick’s Day (6), Spring (9), Passover (14) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (20)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE
Radio's Greatest Fear...
(Friday, March 8, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
Radio execs may be positive about radio’s chances of surviving but their universal fear is losing listening dominance in-car. Loss of the dash would be catastrophic for most broadcasters. A new survey of radio general managers, group execs and owners indicates their biggest threat is Internet Access In Cars. A full 41% consider that a “big threat” in a new study conducted by Mark Kassof & Co., and for good reason…
To understand how important in-car listening is to radio takes just a moment to look at two major metropolitan areas: New York City and Washington, D.C. Commuters in the suburban radio markets surrounding New York and Washington spend the most time getting to their jobs each workday, according to Arbitron. Since 84% of all drivers or passengers report use of AM/FM radio in-car, tossing some numbers around, would give you 22.1 million in NYC and 5.6 million in Washington. Population figures for both metros cover the combined statistical area (CSA) and were measured in the 2010 census. Between those 2 metros alone, nearly 30 million people are on the radar screen for radio. And those are only 2 top 10 metropolitan areas in the country…
The format listened to the most in both metros is All News (NYC) and News/Talk (Wash). Demographics used: Persons 18+ (AQH M-F 6AM-10AM). Average daily travel time to work (minutes & seconds): NYC (34.7), Washington (33.6). In both markets, without a dashboard radio to accompany their commute, many bus and subway commuters aren’t available to contribute to morning drive Time Spent Listening (TSL)…
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1968] Expanding east: Bill Graham opens the Fillmore East in Manhattan (Second Ave in the East Village (3/8)…
1970] O solo mio: Diana Ross appears solo for the first time in Framingham (MA) (3/8)…
1971] A sports trilogy begins: Muhammad Ali loses a decision to undefeated heavyweight champ Joe Frazier. In a non-payola gesture, Columbia promotion man Sal Ingemetreats me to the fight at a Boston movie theater (3/8)…
1979] Plenty of interest in this CD: Philips demonstrates the Compact Disc publicly for the first time. Cassettes will soon become obsolete (3/8)…
1997] Number One on this date: Wannabe - Spice Girls (3/8)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (3/8): Freddie Prinze Jr. (37), Lester Holt (54), Jim Rice (60), Peggy March (65), Carole Bayer Sager (66), Randy (Eagles) Meisner (67),Mickey Dolenz (68) & Jim Bouton (74)…
1954] TVs finest hour: On See It Now Edward R. Murrow takes a stand against Sen. Joseph McCarthy and his communist witch hunt with a hard hitting interview of the Wisconsin Senator (3/9)…
1959] Happy Birthday Barbie: Mattel’s Barbie Doll, created by Ruth Handler, makes its public debut at the American International Toy Fair in NYC (3/9)…
1977] Number One on this date : Evergreen – Barbra Streisand (3/9)…1987] Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi (3/9)…
1981] Rather: Dan Rather makies his debut as principal anchorman on The CBS Evening News replacing Walter Cronkite (3/9)…Not: Rather signs off for the last time as principal anchorman of The CBS Evening News in 2005 (3/9)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (3/9): Emanuel Lewis (42), Charlie Gibson (70), Mark Lindsay (71), Marty Ingels (77), Mickey Gilley (77), Lloyd Price (80) & Keely Smith (81)…
1961] Number One on this date: Pony Time - Chubby Checker (3/10)…
1969] Guilty as charged: James Earl Ray pleads guilty to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (3/10)…
1980] Off the diet: Scarsdale Diet guru,Dr. Hyman Tarnower is murdered by his lover, Jean Harris who will be pardoned in 1992 by NY Gov. Mario Cuomo after serving time in a penitentiary (3/10)…
1980] Debuted on this date: Willard Scott debuts as weatherman on The Today Show (3/10)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (3/10) Olivia Wilde (29), Carrie Underwood (30), John Hamm (42), Jasmine Guy (49), Sharon Stone (55), Tom (Boston) Scholz (66), Dean Torrance (73), Chuck Norris (73) & Ralph (Nashville personality) Emery (80)…
Timeline Countdown: Daylight Saving Time (2am Sun. advance clocks ahead 1 hour), St. Patrick’s Day (3/17), Spring (3/20), Passover (3/25) & Easter/Opening Day (3/31)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Pandora's Latest Attempt To Raise Revenue...
(Thursday, March 7, 2013)
With royalty payments bleeding Pandora dry, there’s only one way for them to stay in business and that’s to increase their revenue flow dramatically. Earlier this week the online music service made an attempt to do just that. Pandora confirms that it will integrate its audience data into the Strata and Mediaocean media-buying platforms. This will allow advertisers to compare Pandora’s audience ratings side-by-side with terrestrial radio stations nationwide…
Media Post reports this as a move that could boost Pandora’s ad sales by making it easier for agencies and marketers to plan, buy and process digital radio advertising. Up till now, radio ad buyers using Strata and Mediaocean (both provide online audience numbers) had to manually research Pandora’s audience data. The two ad systems will now import Pandora’s local and national ratings information from Triton Digital into their software platforms. Last month Pandora CEO Joseph Kennedy discussed how integrations would benefit his company. Although not mentioning either Strata or Mediaocean, apparently he was working on the deal. “One – it makes it immediately evident, in comparable terms, the size of the Pandora audience opportunity that we can bring to an advertiser, and second – it makes Pandora as easy to buy as those FM stations.” …
Pandora, which has warned of slower revenue growth in its 4th quarter (ending January 31), will report Q4 earnings today. This teaming of the company with Strata and Mediaocean to simplify ad buying is still another attempt by Pandora to gain much needed revenue…
Timeline Memories:
1876] Can you hear me now?: Alexander Graham Bell receives U.S. Patent No. 174,465 for something called the telephone. 50 years later (1926) the first successful trans-Atlantic radio-telephone conversation takes place between NYC and London…
1965] March to Selma: State troopers and a sheriff’s posse break up a civil rights march in Selma (AL)…
1966] Recorded on this date: The Beach Boys begin recording God Only Knows…
1985] Released on this date: We Are The World - U.S.A. For Africa…
2010] Academy Award first: Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first female to win an Academy Award for best director (The Hurt Locker). The movie wins 6 Oscars, including Best Picture…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Rachel Weisz (43), Wanda Sykes (49), Ernie Isley (61), Lynn Swann (61), Franco Harris (63), Peter (J.Geils Band) Wolf (67), Michael Eisner (71), Daniel (Hill Street Blues) Travanti (73) & Williard Scott (79)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Daylight Saving Time (3), Saint Patrick’s Day (10), Spring (13), Passover (18) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (24)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE
New Radio Research Finds Optimism...
(Wednesday, March 6, 2013)
The radio glass is half-full according to two-thirds of a radio group that was recently asked if they were optimistic or pessimistic about the medium. The study was conducted by Mark Kassof & Co at the end of February, 2013. There were some interesting results that you might want to note…
When asked: Think about traditional, terrestrial radio…FM and AM radio stations. Would you say that you are OPTIMISTIC or PESSIMISTIC about the future viability – audience share and profitability – of traditional radio overall?, more than two-thirds (69%) say they’re optimistic about the future of radio as we’ve known it. Only 17% are pessimistic. The chief reason for the optimism is Radio’s local/community advantage (50%). Surprisingly, only 8% give Free as a response. The second highest percentage of response to a reason for optimism is Other, while 14% say that radio Evolves/Reinvents Itself To Meet Challenges. Other interesting results: 11% say It Can Extend Brands to Digital/New Media and 10% say It Works/Gets Results for Advertisers. Here’s another surprise: only 7% say they’re optimistic about radio because It’s Portable/Mobile/Everywhere…
What should be noted is that this study was conducted among radio execs and owners. If they’re still in radio they would probably tend to favor their own product…
Timeline Memories:
1912] Passing the century mark: The Oreo Cookie Co. (now owned by Nabisco) is founded in Chelsea (Manhattan). David Neevel celebrates Oreo’s 101 anniversary by inventing an Oreo separator…
1959] Recorded on this date: There Goes My Baby - Drifters…
1966] Number One on this date: Ballad Of The Green Berets - S/Sgt Barry Sadler…
1976] Released on this date: Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac…
1981] And that’s the way it is: The words of Walter Cronkite on his final CBS Evening News broadcast, after 19 years…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Cathie Brady (39), Shaquille O’Neal (41), Connie (Nashville) Britton (46), Tom Arnold (54), Rob Reiner (66), John Stossel (66), David (Pink Floyd) Gilmour (67), Mary Wilson (69), Ivan Boesky (76) & Alan Greenspan (87)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Daylight Saving Time (4), Saint Patrick’s Day (11), Spring (14), Passover (19) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (25)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Mobile Users Are Connected But Conflicted...
(Tuesday, March 5, 2013)
Don’t count me as one of those programming experts that believe that radio is dumbing down in order to reach listeners. Radio is changing dramatically in how it reaches its audience today and that’s the only thing that is different. Today’s listeners aren’t any dumber than they were 50 years ago, if anything they’re smarter because of all the electronic devices that give them instantaneous information. And they’re getting younger thinking than ever before…
According to McCann Truth Central, an “intelligence unit” of ad network McCann Worldgroup, we’re all only adolescents when it comes to mobile technology, starting with our overall relationship with mobile – which, for the average person, is about 12 years. Mediapost also reports that an online study found that most people are still figuring out what they want the mobile space to be and who they intend to be inside it. People are conflicted. Sixty-one percent of respondents say what they do on their mobile device has no effect on the people around them, but 52% say it was more tempting to be rude to people who were using their phone in public. Seventy-two percent said mobile devices were a requirement to connecting to someone or something, although a similar percentage worried that our emotional connections to each other are weaker today than they were in the past. Connected but more distant? Conflicted? You bet…
Mobile users may be conflicted, but eventually they’ll figure out how and when to use their devices most effectively. It’s no wonder that radio hasn’t figured out how best to reach mobile users…
Timeline Memories:
1770] The Brits go off: The Boston Massacre takes place as British soldiers, taunted by a crowd of colonists, opens fire, killing 5…
1963] Pieces on the ground: Country artist Patsy Cline dies in a small plane crash in Camden (TN). Patsy, Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins and Patsy’s pilot/manager were also killed…
1982] SNL curse: John Belushi dies of a drug overdose in a Hollywood hotel room. Belushi was only 33. Several other members of the SNL cast will also meet their end at an early age, including Gilda Radner, Phil Hartman & Chris Farley…
2002] Now this is reality: The Osbournes, a reality show following the life of crazed rocker Ozzy Osbourne and his family, premieres on MTV…
2004] Not a good thing: Martha Stewart is convicted of obstructing justice and lying to the government about why she unloaded Imclone stock just before the price dropped…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Nikki Taylor (38), Eva Mendes (39), Penn Jillette (58), Marsha Warfield (59), Eddy Grant (65), Murray Head (67) & Dean Stockwell (77)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Daylight Saving Time (5), Saint Patrick’s Day (12), Spring (15), Passover (20) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (26)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Radio Low Paying? What A Shocker...
(Monday, March 4, 2013)
Forbes confirms something that comes as no surprise to anyone – the legendary financial publication affirms the low-paying status of radio. How low does Forbes rate radio on the salary scale? Radio (and television) is one of the publication’s 13 Surprisingly Low-Paying Jobs - now that’s low…
Forbes says that radio & television personalities earn only $40,510 a year, on average. The mean pay is as little as $17,150 for the bottom 10% of them. You’ll make less than $27,740 working as a radio or television announcer in Wyoming, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Alabama and Kentucky but you’ll earn $84,220 on average in Washington, D.C., the magazine adds. Pay isn’t much better for reporters and correspondents. Those pros gather news by interview, investigation, or observation and share it with the public. Reporting and writing stories for newspapers, magazines, radio, television or other mediums will put $43,640 in your wallet each year, or just $20,000 for the bottom 10%…
The Forbes figures sound a bit low to me, but keep in mind those figures are based on an average. If you ever worked at a combo (AM/FM/TV) station you always envied the TV personalities because you knew they made more money than you. I worked for a few of them. When I programmed WNBC Radio, the late Tom Snyder would see me leave for the day and comment, “You radio people always get to leave early.” I never said it but often thought: If you’d like to swap salaries, Tom, I’d gladly stay later…
R.I.P. Bonnie Franklin (1944 - 2013)
R.I.P. Stanley (The Bottom Line) Snadowsky (1942 - 2013)
Timeline Memories:
1789] Constituted: The U.S. Constitution goes into effect as the first Congress meets in NYC…
1976] Recorded on this date: Rich Girl - Hall & Oates…
1987] An affair to remember: In a live address, Pres. Ronald Reagan acknowledges his overtures to Iran had deteriorated into an arms-for-hostages deal…
1989] Walking down the aisle: Time Inc. and Warner Communications Inc. announce plans to merge. AOL/Time Warner is next in 2000…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday:” Chaz Bono (44), Patricia Heaton (55), Catherine O’Hara (59), Emilio Estefan (60), Bobby Womack (69), Paula Prentiss (75) & Bob(comedy writer) Orben (86)…
Timeline Countdown: Days Until: Daylight Saving Time (6), Saint Patrick’s Day (13), Spring (16), Passover (21) & Easter/MLB Opening Day (27)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The new WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…
Pandora Places Cap On Free Mobile Listening...
(Friday, March 1, 2013) (Weekend Edition)
Feeling the pinch of growing royalty fees and a lack of revenue generated by mobile phones, Pandora is limiting free mobile listening. The music service is imposing a 40-hour monthly limit for listeners to its free service on mobile devices. According to Wall Street Journal Online, the cap on free mobile-listening hours should affect less than 4% of the service’s total monthly users…
Company founder Tim Westergren says the average listener spends just about 20 hours listening to his music service on phones and computers during any given month. Apparently that’s his rationale for capping the free service. This is just another example of the troubling issues that have affected the Oakland (CA) company’s financial results and shaken investors. Ponying up royalties for artists and copyright holders every time a user listens to a song on a computer or phone is seriously taxing the company’s revenues. Another issue addressed with the new limit is the growing numbers of users on mobile phones – a platform where Pandora, like other internet companies, has enjoyed increases in its audience but hasn’t yet been able to make that listening pay off in revenue as much as on traditional desktop computers…
Despite its royalty problems, Pandora had good news to report: third quarter active listeners rose 47%. The bad news? Its so-called content-acquisition costs jumped nearly 75%…
Weekend Timeline Memories:
1932] Kidnapped: The 22-month old son of Charles & Anne Lindbergh is kidnapped from the family house near Hopewell (NJ). The baby’s lifeless body will be found in May (3/1)…
1953] As easy as ABC: WJZ-AM becomes WABC in NYC (3/1)…
1957] Released on this date: School Days - Chuck Berry (3/1)…
1975] Number One on this date: Best Of My Love - Eagles (3/1)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“ (3/1): Joseph Allen Litt (2), Justin Bieber (19), Kesha (26), Javier Bardem (44),Tim (Wings) Daly (57), Ron Howard (59), Roger Daltrey (69), Robert Conrad (78), Dick Asher (81), Harry Belafonte (86) & Robert (Hogan’s Heroes) Clary (87)…
1933] Fay Wray sighting: The original King Kong world premieres at the Roxy & Radio City Music Hall theaters (same ownership) in Manhattan (3/2)…
1962] The century mark: Wilt Chamberlain drops 100 points on (who else) the Knicks (3/2)…
1964] Released on this date : Twist & Shout - Beatles (3/2)…On the same date they start filming A Hard Day’s Night…
2012] Playoff payoff: Major League Baseball expands its playoffs to include 10 teams, starting in 2013 (3/2)…
2012] Not Saints at all: The NFL finds that the New Orleans Saints paid bounties for injuries inflicted on opposing team players. Some serious fines and suspensions are on the way (3/2)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday” (3/2):Chris (Coldplay) Martin (36), Daniel (James Bond) Craig (45), Jon Bon Jovi (51), Lou Reed (71), Mikhail Gorbachev (82),Tom Wolfe (83) & John (Northern Lights) Cullum (83)…
1923] Time has come today: TIME magazine hits the newsstands for the first time (3/3)…
1931] Star spangled: Pres. Herbert Hoover signs into law our first national anthem, Francis Scott Key’s Defense of Fort McHenry aka The Star Spangled Banner (3/3)…
1965] Number One on this date: My Girl - Temptations (3/3)…
1966] Formed on this date: Neil Young,Stephen Stills& Richie Furay form Buffalo Springfield (3/3)…
1991] All hell breaks loose: Motorist Rodney King is severely beaten by LAPD officers in a scene captured on amateur video tape (3/3)…
“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”: (3/3) Jessica Biel (31), James Brady (39), Julie (Modern Family) Bowen (43), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (51),Tim Kazurinsky (63) & Lee Radziwill (80)…
Timeline Countdown: Daylight Saving Time (3/10), St. Patrick’s Day (3/17), Spring (3/20), Passover (3/25) & Easter/Opening Day (3/31)…
The WRKO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WOR/FM/WXLO Alumni Association: CLICK HERE…
The WNBC Radio Alumni Group: CLICK HERE…