Much of the commentary written and opined about radio today is by someone like me, no longer an idealistic college student looking toward the future, but one who, for better and worse, knows of, remembers, and is jaded by a past. My past and yours may no longer be important. But, there are those whose opinions carry a lot of relevancy for the future.
The two largest radio companies in America, Cumulus and iHeart Media are BANKRUPT. This means they don’t make enough or have the money to pay their bills and cannot or will not honor their financial commitments.
It’s all very exciting. Each fall, old white guys in ill fitting suits, wrinkled button down collar shirts, unpolished shoes and ties fashionable in 1986, American radio broadcasters if you will, gather in a different city to discuss what’s right and wrong with the radio industry, discuss theories, drink a few beers and return home…
As I predicted in last week’s blog, (Rush Limbaugh) he won’t quit. But, I do have a question for everyone to answer. Where was he going to go?
Translation: If you’re going down, you might as well go down in a memorable way. Donald Trump sure is memorable and the same could have been said about talk radio some 20 years ago. Conservative talk radio and the Republican party are connected, once again trying to energize their common “base.” Each are equally disconnected…
February 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. There are no planned celebrations. No parades. No planned parties. You’d think someone, somewhere would have popped open a bottle of Dom Perignon by now. But, nothing. Not even from those who lined their pockets and are clearly to blame for tearing the…
The immutable “Rule #1 – It’s about ratings and revenue.” If you don’t accept this, you’re doomed. Each fall, the big media companies go through budgeting for the new year. The companies look to see who they can fire even at their successful stations. A standard exercise is being asked to “rank” employees. Thinking managers…
You know what they say, “If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Generally speaking this phrase, from America’s south, means a “family” looks to Momma to keep it organized and functioning. If someone gets out of line, Momma will not be pleased. For iHeart Media, two of their “Momma’s” are investment bank Goldman Sachs and a…
It’s been almost 20 years ago since the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.), the National Association of Broadcasters (N.A.B.), Congress and then President Bill Clinton all teamed up to reinvent broadcasting with the historic Telecommunications Act of 1996, the first major rewrite of regulations since the 1930’s. With this combined brain power and political and business…
You can imagine my surprise last Friday night when the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) announced it was moving forward with its plan to help AM radio survive. “Ratchet Rule?” Marconi must have come up with that. Change it. Transmitters that decrease carrier levels when low or no audio is present to save electricity? Sign us…
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