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…
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…
I’m sure you’ve read the media trades where consultants and experts say listeners, viewers and readers want authenticity, they want “real.” The unbelievable claims of being “the best” or “the most” doesn’t cut it with media savvy consumers anymore. But, radio? It just keeps on keeping on, ignoring consumer needs, wants and demands and continues…
After news broke about the Rush Limbaugh Show getting kicked to the curb by WRKO-AM in Boston, Nielsen radio market #10, I received about a dozen emails asking when I was going to comment. So, here goes. First, understand the “business of business is business” and the “business of money is money.” And it’s money…
I’ve been reading a lot about the Telos/25-7 Systems’ Voltair “black box” that some claim gives an unfair advantage to radio stations trying to game Nielsen’s PPM methodology. The box allegedly increases the chances the embedded PPM “watermark” on a station’s signal will be detected on a panelist’s meter. Is the Voltair unfair? I guess…
Mark Twain, the legendary American writer and humorist said, “Buy land, they’re not making anymore.” History has shown the wealthiest in the world today and throughout history gained significant wealth by acquiring land. The world’s royalty have wealth because of large land holdings. Many commoners today and in history gained and held their wealth through…
The following is a repost of a column I recently wrote for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Click Here for their latest newsletter. You’re to think of the recent “net neutrality” ruling as freedom through regulation. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, a government regulatory agency regulated and regulators, as you know, will regulate. Yes.…
Days before Jim Scott announced his retirement my telephone rang. On the other end of the telephone was that friendly and commanding voice. “Darryl! It’s Jim Scott!” That’s the way his calls always began. He called to tell me he was retiring and wanted me to know before I found out through others. We spoke…
In reality I’m a humble sort and “not that kind of guy.” So… Today’s talk radio, as we know it, is fast fading into the sunset because of a format stuck with 1990’s rhetoric, each day addressing topics few care about. A constant right-wing political drumbeat that no longer resonates. A format where its practitioners…
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