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…
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.…
On Tuesday as I was walking into the Lutheran church where I vote, a Republican party worker, who I knew, handed me a Republican “sample” ballot. Next to him was a Democrat worker with that party’s “sample” ballot. I said to her, “Can I have one from you too?” I guess she knew who I…
Have you ever noticed when something is charted and it’s on an upward or downward trajectory, there are always lots of peaks and valleys to the trend average? You see it with the stock markets, in the stats of professional football players and in TV and radio ratings. Whatever is being graphed will have slight…
Doesn’t the F.C.C. or Federal Communication Commission have something better to do like attempt to save the dying AM radio band? Good grief. The late comic George Carlin is rolling in his grave. Remember his “7 Dirty Words You Can’t Say on TV?” That case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. The F.C.C. is now…
FM’s recently taken away in Pittsburgh and Cedar Rapids. His station’s ratings in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago in the tank. And now his name being purged from a station moniker in New Orleans. How much more can Rush Limbaugh’s ego take? I say this as a joke, because once you have a reported…
This week In Buffalo, New York, home to the NFL’s drunkest fans and deservedly so, FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai said it’s time for the FCC “to be on the side of the sports fan” and get rid of the rule forcing the NFL to blackout games that are not sold out in a home team’s…
“Diversity can never be the result of consolidation. It doesn’t work that way.” – Darryl Parks (You can quote me on this) Perry Michael Simon wrote a great piece on All Access.com last Friday explaining how radio would have ended up in the shape it’s in today…consolidation or no consolidation…big companies or little…
A few years ago, a talk host at a very “Big” (hint ONE) radio station told me, “I just want another 20 years.” My reply, “20 years? You’ve got 5.” I’m an optimistic guy by nature. I always think positive, maybe to a fault. I’m also a realist and a competitive son-of-a-bitch who has no…
As I write this on July 7, 2014, I am exactly 2 months from becoming irrelevant. In just 8 weeks I turn 55. I will be leaving the coveted “Persons 25-54” demographic, the age group considered key by most advertisers. Oh well, this aging Baby Boomer did have some fun in the previous 3 plus…
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