Innholdsfortegnelse for January 8, 2018 i Radio Ink Magazine

Welcome to 2018, a year that will not be forgotten in radio. Think of the coming year as a giant roller coaster: pretty intimidating when you walk up to it, moments of anticipation and maybe some fear, moments of thrills and screams of joy, and maybe you're a little wobbly when you step off the ride. But you're safe, in one piece, and better off for the experience. My crystal ball is out of service at the moment, and in reality, even the smartest and best in the business don't really know what this E-ticket ride will be like, but I've got a couple of thoughts about what could be. Bankruptcy and restructure: It's unfortunate that radio has a cloud hanging over it with the two biggest companies, iHeartMedia and…

I applaud Radio Ink's editor, Ed Ryan, for his New Year's effort to uncover and publish testimonials about advertisers that use radio to "drive customers to their stores and dollars to their cash registers." In our radio sales workshops, we often pose the question "Who is the best radio salesperson?" We pause for a moment, then seed the thinking process with a simple "It's not you." After some discussion and debate, we're always successful in persuading radio sales teams that their satisfied customers can be their best salespeople. Nothing is more credible than a business owner or manager sincerely praising radio's role in their success. Not rankers, ratings, a salesperson's claims, research, or any other tool is as powerful as a solid advertiser testimonial or case study. But here is…

Tom Barnard grew up with six brothers and sisters in Minneapolis, in a poor neighborhood with a high crime rate. He quit high school because he had to get a job to help his family. Later, he went to college for one day and quit because he couldn’t find a place to park. While attending a program that talks to poor kids about their ambitions in life, the topic of broadcasting came up. Through that program, Barnard went to Brown Institute — and he was thrown out, seven times. Luckily, he made it through the program eventually and was told about a job opening at a 500-watt daytimer. He took the job nobody else wanted at Country station KDAN-AM. “I don’t sound country. I have a very urban edge to…

The primary focus of Radio Ink has always been to serve the needs of sales, marketing, and management. And as social media has altered the way news is covered and delivered, 24 hours and on the spot, that mission has become even more refined. Radio Ink headlines, which arrive daily via e-mail, cover current news, and our “breaking news” bulletins alert readers to important industry developments as they are happening. The goal of Radio Ink magazine, on the other hand, is to provide fresh and timely, yet evergreen, features and ideas that can be used this week, this month, or even later. Our editorial staff seeks out the best experts and innovative ideas, all aimed at sharing marketing strategies, plans, and success stories. It’s a wealth of information, and a…

At this point, most broadcast stations I know are selling at least some semblance of a digital platform along with their conventional radio or television products. And while some stations have a surprising range of digital components to sell, others are just starting out, with just a product or two. Regardless, as far as I can tell, the Internet is not going away anytime soon. So instead of complaining about your digital quota ("Why are you making us sell this stuff? I feel like it takes up too much of my time. I feel as if I'm just swapping broadcast dollars for digital dimes"), learn to sell it smarter. That starts with keeping things simple. Regardless of how much or little you have in the way of digital sophistication, keep…

For more than a decade, David Field has been searching for a deal that would transform his company into a major player in the industry. Entercom was by no means a minor player before 2017, but Field wanted it to have a large enough footprint in major-market America to allow him to battle head-to-head with other major media companies outside of radio and bring new revenue into the industry. He needed scale. Along the way Field had a shot at ABC Radio and Citadel and decided to pass. More recently, Entercom purchased 15 stations from Lincoln Financial, but it was not at the table when Greater Media was sold. As the years went by, Field was constantly in contact with CBS Corporation COO Joe Ianniello to check on the status…

Chris Kroeger hosts PrimeTime with Chris Kroeger weekday afternoons on Entercom’s WFNZ in Charlotte. OrthoCarolina, a physician-owned private company, is one of the nation’s leading independent academic orthopedics practices, serving North Carolina and the Southeast. And it’s one of WFNZ’s best clients. Each year 160 OrthoCarolina physicians complete about 1 million patient visits and perform over 95,000 procedures. Kroeger and WFNZ have developed an outstanding relationship with this local client that helps keep that business flowing. It’s really a win-win, which is exactly what managers want to see between their stations and clients. One of the many reasons this relationship flourishes is that both the client and the station are big believers in local. There is also natural synergy between the Sports Talk audience and orthopedics and sports medicine, and…

Lee Harris is an air talent on one of the country’s biggest stations, but his experience across other segments of the radio business have inspired a company and products that may just reshape the industry’s future. We got a look at his thought process. Krantz: Lee, you are one of the most respected broadcasters in radio news, but you have this other “little job.” Harris: I’ve been in radio since I was 13: on-air, management, owner/operator. For the last 23 years, I’ve done mornings on 1010 WINS/New York as top-of-the-hour anchor in morning drive. You know, one of those “temporary” jobs that last a quarter of a century. Krantz: You’re a successful anchor and former station owner. When did you see the need for a company like ControlRoomPro? Harris: Well,…

Fifty years ago, an 18-year old songwriter named Laura Nyro asked, “Can you surry? Can you picnic?” Laura Nyro didn’t tell us how to surry. She just asked if we could do it. Then she instructed us to: “Surry down to the stoned soul picnic. There’ll be lots of time and wine, red-yellow honey, sassafras and moonshine. And from the sky come to the Lord and the lightning.” What? What did you say would come from the sky? And “surry” by the way, is a verb that Laura Nyro admitted she made up. Laura’s “Stoned Soul Picnic” became a platinum record for the Fifth Dimension, selling more than a million copies. Do you have the courage to write ads that way? “Eli’s comin’. Hide your heart, girl. Eli’s comin’. Better…

Climbing the management ladder is no easy task. The competition is fierce, and there are only so many jobs in radio management to go around. What's going to make you stand out? Who teaches you the ropes and rules when you are on the way up, so you don't come crashing down before you make it to the top? Mentors do. And nearly every manager we speak to tells us that if it weren't for a mentor, they would not be where they are today. So we reached out to some of Radio Ink's Best Managers from 2017 and asked them this question: Who mentored you, and what did they do to help you succeed? First of all, my parents, who stressed hard work and pursuit of your dream, fully…

February 2, 2017 — Merger Announced The deal to merge the CBS Radio stations into Entercom is announced. The original announcement states the merger will give Entercom 244 stations, including stations in 23 of the top 25 markets. Entercom CEO David Field stated, "These two great companies, with their impressive histories, complementary assets, and premier content and brands, are a perfect strategic and cultural fit." February 3, 2017 — KDND Given to FCC Entercom submits a public filing voluntarily turning in its license to operate KDND in Sacramento to facilitate FCC approvals for the merger. The station's license renewal had been mired in an investigation over a 28-year-old listener who died in a 2007 station contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii."” March 22, 2017 — Schmaeling Named New…

Boondocks is a 9,000-square-foot live music venue and bar in Springfield, IL, and it was recently recognized at the 51st Annual American Country Music awards as Nightclub of the Year. Since the venue opened in 2012, it has used two Neuhoff Media markets consistently to market the venue and advertise both national and local acts. The owners of Boondocks, Carole and Pat Keating, are very smart marketers. In addition to airing commercials on the Neuhoff stations, they have used Neuhoff for e-marketing campaigns, on-air artist interviews, contesting, ticket giveaways, jock appearances, and station event partnerships. They have used radio to the fullest to solidify their business as the premier music venue in Central Illinois. For this advertiser success story, we interview Boondocks co-owner Carole Keating, Neuhoff Media LSM Andrew Harby,…