Home Blog Page 2040

FS1 Boss: Less Debate, More Conversation in New Version of Undisputed

BSM Staff
-
0
FS1 Boss: Less Debate, More Conversation in New Version of Undisputed

What is the future of sports talk television? At FS1, the goal is fewer shouting matches and more conversations.

“It’s not like the debate part of sports television is going away because debate is intrinsic in sports conversations,” the network’s executive vice president of content, Charlie Dixon, told Sports Business Journal. “I just feel like with the audience, and where America is as a consumer right now, there’s enough strife going on in everybody’s day-to-day that doesn’t have to just be debate.”

He says that will even show up in the new era of Undisputed, which returns to the daytime lineup next week. Although there have been reports that some inside of FS1 are not pleased that the show is going to a rotating cast format, Dixon says it is not merely copying First Take’s formula. Host Skip Bayless will have rotating partners instead of rotating opponents.

John Ourand writes that Richard Sherman and Keyshawn Johnson will be part of that rotation this fall. Dixon says finding topics where there is some agreement will give the show a chance to have new, different conversations for daytime sports television.

“It gives us more opportunity to have bigger conversations and go deeper into conversations, versus coming in with an in-the-moment take that is either going to be right or wrong,” he said.

Skip Bayless is a debater in the eyes of most sports tv viewers. Dixon is careful to note that he isn’t trying to eliminate any of his star’s strengths. Debate will still be a core tenant of Undisputed. It just won’t be all the show can do.

“We’re not running from the thing that worked for all these years. The best executives let the talent tell you who they are, and you listen. Over time you start figuring out the best way to support them.”

The list of panelists is long for the new era of Undisputed. Rachel Nichols and Lil’ Wayne have already been announced as regular contributors to the show. Ourand reports FS1 hosts Nick Wright & Emmanuel Acho are likely to make appearances as well.

Newsmax Accused of Demanding Payment for Coverage of Vivek Ramaswamy Campaign

BNM Staff
-
0
Newsmax Accused of Demanding Payment for Coverage of Vivek Ramaswamy Campaign

Vivek Ramaswamy has seen a large uptick in polling numbers, now sitting comfortably in third place in the 2024 Republican presidential race, according to FiveThirtyEight. However, Newsmax reportedly asked the upstart campaign for a large political ad spend before covering his campaign.

A report from Semafor claims the Ramaswamy campaign shared their displeasure with the lack of coverage with Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy. Ruddy, in return, told the campaign to purchase more advertising with the network if it wanted more coverage or interviews in primetime hours.

The network has categorically denied those allegations.

“Newsmax would take an assertion such as that very seriously. There is no correlation between advertising and editorial visibility for any candidate on Newsmax,” said the network’s spokesperson. “If candidates want to reach our audience outside of our programming, then, of course, advertising would be a good way for them to do this.

“That is the basis of all political advertising, whether it be on Newsmax, Fox News, CNN, or MSNBC.”

Ramaswamy has not shied away from using traditional media outlets to further his campaign. Earlier this year, he participated in a town hall event on SiriusXM with Michael Smerconish. He has also held a town hall event with upstart cable outlet NewsNation. The prospective 2024 Republican nominee appeared in Atlanta at Erick Erickson’s The Gathering along with five other potential nominees over the weekend.

New Speakers, Ticket Sale, College Contest, and the Full Schedule Release For The 2023 BNM Summit

Jason Barrett
-
0
New Speakers, Ticket Sale, College Contest, and the Full Schedule Release For The 2023 BNM Summit

After months of conversations, submitting requests, brainstorming ideas, and analyzing feedback, we’ve released the full schedule for the 2023 BNM Summit. If you’re looking to see what’s planned, the schedule appears on the main page under the main image section, just above the full list of speakers. I’ll be emailing all speakers individually this week to make sure they’re aware, and fully prepared.

Additionally, you’ll also see that we are having a special SALE on tickets this week. This will be your last chance to take advantage of lower prices. Individual tickets are $174.99 from Monday to Sunday August 27th. From August 28-September 12 you’ll still be able to buy tickets but they will return to the normal rate of $224.99. Tickets are not available on the days of the conference.

Next, we are announcing a special contest for Tennessee college students. As we’ve done each year at our sports summit, we will give current students a chance to attend the show for free in order to learn from and meet the industry’s best and brightest. To be considered for a free ticket, students must submit a video explaining why they wish to attend the show, and pass along details on what they’ve done or are doing to explore a future in the media industry. It doesn’t matter if the student is at Vanderbilt, Fisk, Tennessee, Belmont, Middle Tennessee State or another university, just that they are currently enrolled and pursuing a path into the broadcasting business.

If that wasn’t enough, we’ve also added a few additional speakers to the lineup. I’m pleased to welcome WCCO 830 Program Director Brad Lane, KOA Newsradio 850/94.1 Program Director Dave Tepper, Guaranty Media Vice President and Market Manager Gordy Rush, and KZRG Program Director and BNM columnist Peter Thiele to this year’s lineup. I may still add another name or two to the schedule as there are a few things still being finalized. Aside from those remaining possibilities, we’re done accepting speaking requests.

For those making the trip and wondering what the plan will be for food/drinks, and travel to/from the Summit, here’s what you need to know.

First, if you’re staying at the Homewood Suites by Hilton, 2400 West End Ave. Nashville, TN, a shuttle will be available to and from the event. Please make sure you’re in line to catch your ride if using the hotel shuttle. If you can’t get on to the bus, the hotel is walking distance of our conference venue, the Student Life Center at Vanderbilt University. You also have the option of using Uber or calling a taxi. Registration opens at 8am on Wednesday.

Secondly, a big thank you to Ramsey Solutions. Thanks to their support we will have the very first BNM Summit Social from 5:30pm-6:30pm on Wednesday September 13th immediately following our Day 1 activities. Free drinks will be provided during the Social at P.F. Changs, 2525 West End Ave. Nashville TN. The restaurant is a 5-6 block walk from the conference. Attendees may also choose to use Uber or a taxi if they don’t prefer to walk. For those looking to eat at the restaurant after the Social, making reservations is recommended. You can do that by calling 615-329-8901.

Lastly, BNM will supply lunch on both days at the show. The only difference is the time of when it is served. On Day 1, lunch is from 12:15-1:15. Attendees have the choice of enjoying a sandwich on site or exiting the building to grab food at one of the nearby restaurants. For Day 2, lunch is part of the BNM Summit After Party, starting at 1:30pm and ending at 3pm, which is when the entire event ends.

Now that those details and the schedule are squared away, the only remaining things on our end are finalizing sponsorships. I want to thank ABC Audio for being the latest group to sign on as an advertising partner with BNM. The deadline to get involved in the Summit is Monday August 28th. We have a lot of partners for our inaugural conference, which is awesome, but we do have a few spots left. If interested, email Stephanie at Sales@BarrettSportsMedia.com.

When I put together a conference, it’s common for participants to want to know what the topics are in advance and will be part of their panel. Though it’d make my life easier to set this up months ahead of time, I believe it’s important to deliver the best event possible. If it means taking longer to post a schedule, making room to accommodate something great or adjusting an idea because another one is better or more relevant, then that’s what we do. It’s all about the final product.

Beyond taking care of our speakers and partners, my main responsibility is making sure we produce the greatest show we can, and providing maximum value for those who make time to join us. If people don’t have a great time and head home with new ideas, information, relationships, and ways to grow their businesses, then we haven’t done our job. That’s why I take my time building these conferences the way I do.

If you work in the News/Talk format and have been thinking about coming but haven’t booked your travel or bought a ticket yet, do it. You will get a lot out of this event. I know there are some in this format still discovering BNM and learning about me. There’s no better way to find out then to be in the room with many others in Nashville next month.

Erick Erickson’s The Gathering Sees Nearly 1,000 Attendees

BNM Staff
-
0
Erick Erickson’s The Gathering Sees Nearly 1,000 Attendees

Erick Erickson’s The Gathering was held on Friday and Saturday. The event saw nearly 1,000 attendees.

Every radio market The Erick Erickson Show is heard in was represented in the crowd during the two-day event.

“Bringing my audience from across America together to be up close with presidential contenders and conservative leaders is something no one else does. This was my tenth time since starting my show on WSB,” said Erickson. “Since going into syndication with Compass Media earlier this year, it just made sense to expand the footprint of the Gathering to all my listeners and online readers nationwide.

“We kept the ticket price very low and relied on sponsors because we didn’t want to burden the audience. The conference isn’t intended to be a profit center. It’s to build lasting relationships with affiliates, listeners, and readers.”

The event featured six 2024 Republican presidential candidates. Additionally, Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Jon Ernst (R-IA), and Governors Brian Kemp (R-GA) and Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) made appearances..

The Glenn Beck Program Returns to Apple Podcasts After Trademark Dispute Settled

BNM Staff
-
0

The Glenn Beck Program was restored on Apple Podcasts five hours after its removal from the platform on Wednesday. 

An Apple spokesperson told Variety that The Glenn Beck Program was removed from Apple Podcasts due to a trademark dispute, but the issue has since been resolved. The spokesperson declined to provide details on the dispute. 

“It’s probably just a glitch, but it’s amazing how we have to have a whole bunch of people point out the ‘glitch’ before the ‘glitch’ is found and [the show is] put back.” He added, “I think the closer and closer we get to [the 2024 presidential] election, the more and more ‘glitches’ are gonna happen.” 

Beck updated on Twitter that Apple restored some episodes of his podcast, but he still lacks clear answers on why it happened. He hopes to have an update on the radio tomorrow. Currently, Apple Podcasts offers 1,914 episodes of The Glenn Beck Program. 

The August 16 episode of The Glenn Beck Program is titled “Trump vs. Biden: Which Is the Crime Family?” The summary compares Glenn’s analysis of Donald Trump’s fourth indictment to the evidence revealed regarding Hunter Biden and President Biden.  

The Glenn Beck Program podcast can be found on BlazeTV, Spotify, YouTube, Google Podcasts, iHeart, Stitcher, and other platforms. 

Beck hosts a popular radio show that provides storytelling, insights, and compelling perspectives on American culture and politics. 

Can Sports Radio Actually Learn Something From a Regional Sports Network?

Demetri Ravanos
-
0
Can Sports Radio Actually Learn Something From a Regional Sports Network?

It’s rare these days to say that another medium can learn something from regional sports networks. It doesn’t matter what company we’re talking about, the model is in serious trouble. Some are in bankruptcy, some are simply being abandoned by their parent companies, and none of them can get the kind of distribution they once enjoyed. The fact that I am writing now about what sports radio can learn from Bally Sports Ohio isn’t just unbelievable. It’s downright mind-boggling, but here we are.

Last week, the RSN announced that it had struck a deal with Bleav to turn some of the company’s podcasts into TV shows. There was room on the schedule, and considering that we live in a time when when 46% of the podcast audience says it wants to consume shows via video, it took very little investment on the network’s part.

Despite my recent forays into social video and video podcasts, I am still a radio guy at heart. As much as the news excited me about what could be possible for my own content, I couldn’t help but wonder why more sports talk stations aren’t embracing this approach to content.

Networks have been buying other people’s content to air for years. On traditional TV, it’s how we got The ManningCast (produced by Omaha Productions and airing on ESPN2). In the streaming world, it is how we got Ted Lasso (a co-production of Warner Bros & Universal that can be found on Apple TV+).Our business should not be afraid of the model. 

Plenty of stations have done the opposite. They use their talent to produce original podcasts. They set up cameras in the studio and use that is captured to create digital video content. There aren’t many radio stations though that are willing to give over airtime to a show they do not totally control – weird given how important network and syndicated programming are to the format.

A relationship like this really could be a win/win. Is there a podcast covering your local teams that shows real promise? Whether it is talented young hosts, or impressive download numbers, licensing the content gives a stations the chance to add new voices that come with a built-in audience.

Think about the number of podcasts out there. The overwhelming majority bring in very little or no income. You wouldn’t have to break the bank to do a deal. Many of them would welcome the chance to make anything at all. A flat per-show rate or a revenue split for a single hour may be enough to seal the deal.

It can be more than weekly specialty shows too. If you hear your future in a podcast host or team, why not discuss some version of expanding the show? The sexiness of radio isn’t really a thing for younger people and creating content is so easy and inexpensive now that plenty of those young talents don’t want to give up something they own and have built to go work for someone else in a medium they don’t value. 

What Cumulus is going through in Dallas and went through in Nashville and Birmingham in the past could be avoided if our industry stops thinking ownership and gets comfortable with partnership. 

Jimmy Pitaro talked about it at the 2022 BSM Summit in New York. Jason Barrett asked him about doing deals with Chris Russo, Bomani Jones and Alex Rodriguez that allowed them to appear on SiriusXM, HBO, and FOX respectively. Pitaro’s position was that if the network recognizes a talent that can provide real value, it is better to have them part of the time than not have them at all. If these talents value their other business relationships, ESPN cannot count on getting what it wants from a “take it or leave it” offer.

Can the podcaster you’re interested in provide a two hour daily show for you that then allows them to move a third, exclusive hour behind a paywall? If they give you two or three hours every weekday, could part of the deal be a minute per hour that they can sell both on air and on their podcast? Would it be enough to enter into a “what’s yours is yours and what’s ours is ours” kind of relationship and allow their terrestrial show not to be distributed digitally if the hosts were willing to produce an original digital show every day?

Bally Sports Ohio faced a common problem for RSNs. When there are no games on, it had very little original content to offer that actually interested people. The network found a solution by getting out of its own way and striking a low-risk/high-reward partnership.

Radio should be able to do the same thing. We don’t always have to be territorial about the content that goes out over our airwaves. There are ways to bring new talent and interesting content under your brand’s umbrella without taking on all the risk just to be able to say the content belongs exclusively to you.

Brandon Kravitz Has a Lot to Juggle in Orlando

Peter Schwartz
-
0
Brandon Kravitz Has a Lot to Juggle in Orlando

To say that one is really busy in life could be construed a couple of different ways. On one hand, being busy could be really good. On the other, having a lot to do could keep you away from things that you love. In the case of Brandon Kravitz, it couldn’t be any more the former.

“It’s definitely a lot to juggle but I enjoy it,” said Kravitz, the host of the afternoon show from 3pm to 6pm on 96.9 The Game in Orlando. “In every aspect of what I do, I’m doing what I love. There are taxing days and I think I’ve found a good balance between everything.” 

Everything includes spending some quality time with his wife Mallorie and his son Owen, who will turn four in October. It was easy to hear during my phone conversation with Kravitz just how much the young man enjoys having dad around when he’s not working.

“There he is,” said Kravitz as Owen tried to talk to him during our phone interview. “Hi buddy! I’m on the phone…hang on.”

As someone who is married with two boys, I can completely understand what life is like for Kravitz balancing a busy work schedule with family time. 

He has found a way to make sure he has all the bases covered.

In addition to the daily radio show, Kravitz is host the pre-game, halftime and post-game shows on the Orlando Magic radio broadcasts, hosts Fantasy Bites, a daily podcast on Rotowire.com and hosts The Fantasy Fix from 10am to 11am on Sundays on iHeartRadio stations in Tampa, Miami and Orlando during the NFL season.

As busy of a schedule as that sounds, a younger Kravitz may have had even more gigs, but he found a way to avoid that.

“I learned how to say no,” said Kravitz, who in addition to his on-air work, also wrote for BSM during 2021 and 2022 . “That’s been a big help for me. I used to say yes to everything and my plate would overflow and now I’ve got a pretty good idea of what I can and can’t do timewise.”

It wasn’t that long ago that Kravitz eliminated something from his schedule that not only took up a lot of his time but also had an effect on his on-air performance.

From late 2019 to the summer of 2021, Kravitz was not only a host for The Game. He was also the station’s Program Director.

“I really didn’t like it,” said Kravitz, who had starting hosting his own show not long before the PD duties were added. “I was still trying to figure out how to be good at (hosting). I felt like I lacked a little bit of credibility being inside the office as far as dictating the way that we should structure our shows. On the air, I was just much more stiff. I’ve really loosened up since I stepped away from that part of the job. At times, I sounded like a manager hosting a show.”

As far as the daily radio show is concerned, Kravitz has done a great job mixing local sports like the Magic and University of Central Florida along with national topics that will keep all of the area’s sports fans engaged. Not everyone who lives in Orlando is from that region so expanding the topics of conversation is essential.

“I love doing sports-talk radio in Orlando,” said Kravitz. “Our audience is so eclectic in their interests that I feel like I can cover pretty much everything and still keep enough people engaged. I can venture off and talk about different teams where, say, in Boston, if you’re spending time on the Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots, you’re probably losing your audience. When I sit down to think of topics. I don’t think if I’m going to be chewed up and spit out by an Orlando sports fan.”

While Kravitz is enjoying life in Orlando, the nature of how he handles a daily radio show certainly can paint a picture of what could lie ahead for him somewhere down the road.

That road is not necessarily going to keep him near I-4.

“I do think about what’s next all the time and for me it’s just about hitting whatever that next level is,” said Kravitz. “Ideally, I would find myself in a bigger market that has more professional sports teams or to move national. I love covering the fantasy and sports betting angle so that’s another area where I would get pretty juiced up about an opportunity to just focus on that.” 

Kravitz began his sports radio career in 2011 as a part-time producer and host so he’s had more than a decade to observe and examine the industry and how it’s evolved. 

The reality is that technology has helped the industry and the talent grow because there are now ways to reach more listeners.

“I think everyone has figured out how to be more digital, to have a better presence in terms of social media, and the importance of that somebody might find you not during your specific time block,” said Kravitz. “You could be discovered via podcast now. It does feel like there’s less of this reliance on you’ve got to listen to me during this time and this time and more about general brand building.”

Kravitz is very much a student of the radio industry and he has a clear understanding of where the business was and where it’s going.

Despite the naysayers that tried to convince him to do something else for a living, Kravitz followed his dream and it’s certainly paid off.

“I was told, when I first got into radio, that this business was dying,” said Kravitz. “If radio was going to go away, it would have already gone away. There are so many options out there now that people are just (saying) this is overwhelming and what’s the easiest thing for me to find? And that’s where radio wins because it’s right there on the dial.”

Life is good for Brandon Kravitz with his family life and a great career in radio. He’s laid the foundation for the future and achieving more of his career goals while continuing to carry a heavy work load in Orlando.

New KMOX Reporter Sean Malone Learned Plenty in a Week With Kevin Killeen

BNM Staff
-
0
New KMOX Reporter Sean Malone Learned Plenty in a Week With Kevin Killeen

At times, KMOX Radio news reporter Sean Malone contemplated leaving the industry. Before his recent breakthrough in St. Louis, he reminisces about his experiences of working part-time while wanting more from his career. Malone’s commitment to both himself and his industry remained unyielding.

He channeled his determination and effort, intensifying his pursuit and sending out resumes to any radio station he could think of. Enduring challenges along the way, he recognizes how not giving up allowed him to land the opportunity of a lifetime working at KMOX. 

Nearly eight years ago, Sean Malone relocated from Connecticut to Farmington, Missouri, a small Midwestern town with a population of just under 19,000. Alpha Media and KTJJ Radio hired him, and he eventually became the program director at KFMO, where he led successful efforts to rebrand the station.

His work paid off when KFMO won the “Station of the Year” award from the Missouri Broadcasters Association. Malone believes that his success at KFMO and the station’s community and state connections contributed to his recognition as a viable candidate for employment at KMOX. 

Sean Malone was looking for a more focused endeavor after programming KFMO. Smaller market stations generally require more time and tasks beyond the assigned role. However, Malone has been chosen to assume the significant responsibilities of Kevin Killeen, a retired veteran KMOX reporter. Killeen worked with Malone last week on stories and engaging with St. Louis newsmakers.

Malone was drawn to radio in the first place because of the significance of building connections with individuals. He understands making connections will serve him well in The Gateway to The West.

Sean Malone recently spoke with Barrett News Media about his transition from program director to a news reporter at KMOX, what he learned from working with Kevin Killeen, and what he believes his responsibility is in restoring integrity and trust back in local news.

Ryan Hedrick: While taking over for KMOX reporter Kevin Killeen, what have you learned from shadowing him? 

Sean Malone: I finished up my first week here, and I got to spend the week following a local legend in Kevin. I’ve been trying to leach off as many connections as he has and absorb as much knowledge and advice from him as I can.  

Shadowing Kevin has been a wonderful learning opportunity. On my first day, I packed myself some breakfast, but I didn’t get to enjoy it because, by 9’clock, I was out on the road with him doing interviews. So KMOX allowed me to hit the ground running and follow someone who I really have, in a short amount of time, been able to learn a lot from. 

The biggest takeaway from this past week with him has been the connections. Every time I would go somewhere with Kevin, people would just start talking [to him], and that makes the job so much easier.

I joked earlier in the week that any person I call, I just might say that I got their number from Kevin because I know it will open them up to talk to me. Having somebody like that that I’ve been able to follow, I’ve made some good connections, and I’m looking forward to making more in the future.  

RH: How has your transition been from being a program director in a small market to a news reporter in a major market?   

SM: It’s almost the inverse. I went from being a program director, the shot caller in a small market, the engine that drives the machine now, to a gear in the machine and a much larger machine at KMOX. It’s interesting because I really don’t have the say over all the programming that I used to at my previous station, but this is something that I thoroughly enjoy, especially working with a station like KMOX. 

It’s not like I’m going to be having any thoughts about what I think they should be doing. They just won another Edward R. Murrow award for newscasts nationally. So, working at a legendary station like this is no problem at all. It’s quite the shift from what I was doing.

RH: What persuaded you to accept the position at KMOX? 

Sean Malone: I’ve felt for a little while now that I am ready for the next challenge in my career, and that’s what I viewed this here at KMOX as. I had a lot of success when I was at KFMO. When I took over programming at that station, it didn’t have much of an identity at that point. I’m very thankful that the ownership trusted in me, someone in their mid-20s, to rebrand that station.

Anyone who’s had to go through a station re-brand, a new logo, liners, a slogan, it’s a labor-intensive process, and it’s in some ways a risk as well because if it doesn’t go right, it’s not something that you can really turn around and back out. You have to be committed and stick to it.  

We made the change in April of 2021, which is when we officially flipped the switch, and we had a lot of success with that. Recently, KFMO was named Station of the Year by the Missouri Broadcasters Association for small markets. This is the first year that they’ve split into multiple markets instead of one award for the entire state. I think that was a real honor how far we came as a station where we were really known for just our sports broadcasting, which was legendary in the area.  

RH: What do you think is your responsibility in restoring integrity and trust, especially in local news? 

SM: Not to take anything away from national news, but the people that you’re seeing on TV, whether it’s Jake Tapper or Sean Hannity, you’re not going to get an opportunity to interact with those people or see what they’re like outside of their one-hour television show or their three-hour radio program.

Local is that opportunity to get that direct interaction, and I think if more people were able to see what our jobs are like, they would know that we weren’t just making stuff up. We are going out and talking to people, asking questions, and getting that story that matters to people out there. If more people could see that, they would realize that it’s not all fake.

National [news] doesn’t really have the opportunity to do that. It is on us in regional and local news to leave that impression on people.  

RH: You achieved early success as a programmer. Will you seek advice from KMOX about future programming opportunities? 

SM: I might. I’ve always enjoyed the on-air aspect of it. Maybe I will get to the point in my on-air career where the on-air aspect is long hours, late nights, weekends, and holidays that you have to work. Maybe I will take a step back from that and get into programming.

But I love the on-air aspect and the strategy behind programming and coming up with new campaigns and rebrands that we did at KFMO; that was an awesome opportunity. I am very grateful that I was given the trust to be able to do that.  

I wanted to find some more focus in my career. Whether it was just doing sports or just doing news. In small radio market radio, you have to wear, and everybody has to wear a lot of hats. My previous job was doing a lot of projects and prepping for games. I had an afternoon shift on our classic hits FM station. Sometimes, I would be filling in on the mornings on our news/talk show. If there was a big breaking news story, I would also jump in to help with that.

RH: What makes St. Louis radio unique to you?  

Sean Malone: This is a passionate market. They care about the local issues that matter to them. They care deeply about the sports teams. Look at how they treated the Rams after they left and how they treated the Battlehawks (XFL) when they came to town.  

Dave Portnoy: Sales People Should be the Highest Paid at Barstool

BSM Staff
-
0

Change is coming to Barstool now that Dave Portnoy owns the company outright once again, and it’s going to start in the media outlet’s sales department.

Portnoy said in a recent Barstool video that now that he’s had a chance to sit down and meet with the sales staff and figure out what things look like, he wants to rewrite how salespeople are paid so that there’s no cap put on their earning potential.

“Their comp plan was f–ked to me,” Portnoy said. “They should be making more money on their comp plan, less base salary. A lot of people may not make it.”

Dave added that he’s felt like there are too many people in the department already and that base salaries are hindering salespeople’s ability to go out and sell Barstool. He doesn’t want a limit on how much anyone working in sales can earn. Perhaps by rewriting the sales compensation plan that will thin out the herd, but he hopes the people that want to do well will be motivated by better commissions.

“Salespeople should be amongst the highest paid people at the company,” he said. “That’s uniform at every company. Salespeople make bank. They go out, they’re driven by money. And we gotta get to that. There should be more upside for them.”

What Will The Next Big Radio Study Reveal and Who Will Pay For It?

Dr. Ed Cohen
-
0
What Will The Next Big Radio Study Reveal and Who Will Pay For It?

If you keep up with the trades, you likely saw a recent story about a radio study conducted by Dentsu (a major agency network, although if you read their description of what they do, you would be hard-pressed to determine whether they have anything to do with advertising). 

The study showed that audio advertising, whether radio, podcasts, or ad-supported streaming music, yields greater attention than other forms of media. The three biggest radio groups (iHeart, Audacy, and Cumulus) all participated as partners in the study.

Obviously, this is great news for the radio business. The fact that the study was conducted under the aegis of a major agency network should lend more credibility and as the economy may be headed toward a recession, major advertisers will demand more bang for their buck.  Radio is a great investment, not only for reach, but now attention as well.

That the three biggest radio groups were directly involved is wonderful and the other participants from the content side were Spotify, SiriusXM, and Amazon Music. Is there one major company missing from this list? Should Nielsen Audio have been involved in at least some sort of supporting role?

During my time at Arbitron, the company funded many industry studies, most of which didn’t give the company a whole lot of credit. I remember Thom Mocarsky, who did a great job of dealing with the press and shareholder relations over many years, fuming over the “Edison studies”. Yes, Larry Rosin and his excellent group at Edison did plenty of solid studies, but Arbitron paid for them and didn’t receive a whole lot of thanks in the industry.

There were also a few very special studies that I was involved in over the years. Two were with Jacobs Media and in Fred’s nimble way of marketing, these were “The Bedroom Project” and “Goin’ Mobile”. Both were unusual because they were ethnographic studies, a technique the industry had not seen before. And they weren’t cheap to do, but I found a way to pull the money out of my budget each time (I had padded the Media Rating Council audit budget just a bit) and now that the statute of limitations is up, I’ll fess up to budget shenanigans on behalf of the industry we served.

Both of these studies were groundbreaking. The Bedroom Project in 2007 was the first time that the industry could watch listeners on video in their own homes speaking out and showing us how they used or didn’t use radio. We wanted to get at a younger group because even 16 years ago, we were concerned about where that potential audience was going. It was also a rare opportunity to see Fred Jacobs in a suit and tie.

Three years later, “Goin’ Mobile” arrived after probably taking a couple of years off of Paul Jacobs’ life due to having to ride around with some of the study’s subjects. Again, the industry received a video glimpse of how people were using radio and audio in their cars as they were on the move. We were given the opportunity to look into the future. 

Fast forward a year and Kevin Wolfson, one of our reps at the time, gave me a call about a problem he was having in the Gainesville, Florida market. Gainesville is unique, not only because it’s the birthplace of both Tom Petty and Don Felder, but because the University of Florida owns a couple of commercial stations they were still running at the time and were Arbitron clients. They wanted to do something with Arbitron, so I was brought in (it always helps to bring a Ph.D. along when you’re meeting with academics). We discussed some ideas, the result being a major study that never had the publicity I felt it deserved, Class of 2015.

Arbitron and eventually Nielsen financed what was probably the first longitudinal (across time) study of its kind. Dr. Sylvia Chan-Olmsted, a UF faculty member, an excellent researcher, and a fellow Michigan State Ph.D., was in charge. We took a sample of 150 incoming UF freshmen in the fall of 2011 and followed them to graduation. Sure, we lost a few over time but saw some amazing trends. 

The final version of the study was presented just once, at the last Nielsen Audio Client conference in December 2015. We knew about the growth of Spotify over Pandora well before the market did and of course, we knew that college students didn’t spend very much time with broadcast radio. 

Because of those results, we weren’t able to go public based on concerns that the negative results may upset some of the company’s clients. We had planned annual update presentations, but only one was ever done at a conference in Berlin, Germany in 2012. The assumption was that the trade press wouldn’t pick up on that presentation.

These were all great studies, but here’s my point: Have we seen any studies of this magnitude in recent years? Has Nielsen spent any money to fund a study or two that might help the industry? Arbitron used to see it as an obligation to radio because if radio grew, Arbitron grew with it. 

To Nielsen’s credit, they did finish up with the Class of 2015, due in no small part due to the fact that Nielsen’s COO at the time was a distinguished alum of, you guessed it, the University of Florida College of Journalism!

If you had the budget today, what do you think would make a great study to help the radio industry better understand where the audience is headed and what to do about it? That’s not to say that nothing has gone on in the meantime. 

Edison has completed a number of studies and Fred and company do regular surveys for the industry, but the demise of the Client Conferences (formerly the Consultant Fly-In) and the NAB Radio Show as a standalone event has limited the opportunity to disseminate a major study in front of a large in-person group.  Zoom can handle thousands of people, but it’s not the same.

Thanks to the Big Three for participating in a study that may well bring more money to the industry. But for programmers, what’s the next great idea, and who will pay to see it come to fruition?

Let’s meet again next week.

1...2,0392,0402,041...2,883Page 2,040 of 2,883