Innholdsfortegnelse for November 13, 2023 i Radio Ink Magazine

DPARENTI@STREAMLINEPUBLISHING.COM It used to be that you could pause and reflect as the clock ticked away the hours, days, and months. And you could be assured that change, while always in the offing and sure to materialize, still allowed for an opportunity to digest events and their impact before the “newness” wore off. Not so today. While many topics and ideas discussed at last year’s Forecast exploded into headline issues, some have seemingly taken our entire industry by surprise since the start of the New Year. For example… Artificial Intelligence Two weeks to the day after Forecast 2023, ChatGPT was released to an unsuspecting public, and the artificial intelligence revolution simmering behind the scenes for so long finally took center stage. Now AI is playing an equally important and controversial…

I’ve been fortunate to be in this radio broadcast business for more years than many of you have been on this earth, and I’ve worked for some amazing managers and leaders. I can show you the impact of mentoring by telling you about some of my own best mentors. ED BOUCHELLE GM, WTCQ-FM (98Q)/Vidalia, GA Lesson: How to build a team Ed was my first supervisor who habitually got the staff out for various events like barbecues, swim parties, and picnics. We were all able to get to know each other. The atmosphere carried over to the office, and the camaraderie was excellent. Lots of collaboration within departments. Lots of fun and success. That was 40-some years ago, and I still stay in touch with several of the folks from…

“Leaders lead from the front.” That’s a military reference — military leaders are where the action is, enabling them to see firsthand what is happening in real time and react. But the location of “the front” has changed for the military, and for business. Is the concept of “leading from the front” really still applicable today? I spoke to several well-known media executives about their leadership approaches and influences, and their advice for others who aspire to be at the front in this industry. Beasley Broadcast Group CEO Caroline Beasley believes the approach “is more applicable than ever before.” She says, “It’s hard to know what is happening on the front lines when you are not there. We make regular market visits throughout the company to hear directly from our…

ROY@WIZARDOFADS.COM Portals are openings that lead from one place to another. The best screenwriters, novelists, poets, and ad writers use portals when they want their viewers, readers, or listeners to follow them to a new and different place. Portals make it easier for people to go with you to the place you are trying to take them. Portals can be visual, auditory, or literary. Visual Portals Windows, doors, and tunnels are visual portals used by painters, photographers, and graphic artists to show you one reality on this side of the opening, and an entirely different reality on the other. When a visual portal is included in an image, we instinctively look through that opening to see what is on the other side. We see a kitchen, with people sitting at…

PAT@PATBRYSON.COM A friend taught me a valuable lesson early in my career: love the “No.” He kept a jar on his desk labeled “No.” Every time he heard a no, he put a slip of paper in the jar. He knew his numbers, and that he had to get so many no’s to get a yes. So each no got him closer to that yes. It made me appreciate hearing no a lot more. I’ve learned another lesson about no. You can sell a no. You can’t sell an “I want to think about it.” We need to take it to no, and then we need to find out why. For every no we get, we need to go CSI and do a forensic analysis on why we got that…

Any radio seller wants to increase their share of an advertiser’s wallet. One way to do this is by combining your linear proposals with third-party digital tactics. And CTV (connected TV) advertising is one great tactic to consider. Knowing what it is and how to sell it alongside radio will be a winning combination for you and your advertisers. CTV is a type of digital video advertising where an unskippable ad is delivered over streaming services to a smart TV or via connected devices like Roku or Fire TV sticks. In its June 2023 forecast, BIA Advisory Services projects that local CTV will generate $2.1 billion in advertising revenue next year. But some misconceptions are holding sellers back from selling it, and holding advertisers back from prioritizing it. Let’s address…

Planning for a new year always includes a consideration of finances and investing. With a major election coming up, ongoing labor disputes, and a full slate of FCC commissioners, what kind of changes and challenges can the radio industry expect? We asked analysts Jim Goss, Managing Director of Barrington Research, and Daniel Day of B. Riley Financial to offer their candid perspectives on a range of issues that impact the radio business, including political advertising in a presidential election year, the impact of a workers’ strike on the automotive industry, the methods by which a station’s value is computed, how regulation affects investment in radio, buyer interest in AM radio, and what a full FCC commission might offer to investors and owners in the way of regulatory relief. We’ve heard…

In this issue’s FCC feature, we asked our broadcast attorney panel about creating a culture of regulatory compliance within radio stations. Their answers reflect the seriousness of the issue: radio is regulated at multiple levels, and violations threaten a station or company’s revenue, reputation, or ability to continue operating. Because stations operate in a complex environment, it’s impossible to silo compliance to one division or individual. Everyone needs to be on board. Unfortunately, there may be a lack of awareness about the importance of compliance. As David Oxenford of Broadcast Law Blog and Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP states: “As the industry has grown, and some of the day-to-day petty regulation has been eliminated, there is not that same widespread awareness of FCC regulation throughout station staff — even though there…

Everyone is checking calendars this time of year, and not just to see what they have planned for tomorrow or next week. People are looking ahead into the next year, planning trips, checking when the school year ends and begins again, and setting deadlines for their New Year’s resolutions. It’s also time for radio sales professionals to check their calendars and forecast potential opportunities. Local businesses plan multiple promotions around the winter holidays that your listeners need to know about. (As for those businesses that don’t plan promotions: that’s where your sales department can be of service to current and prospective clients by offering timely ideas for marketing to the community!) An example of this “calendar thinking” was recently found in an article at RadioInk.com, which cited a survey predicting…

MATTSUNSHINE@CSSCENTER.COM The new year brings new opportunities and challenges for driving revenue growth. With 2023 drawing to a close, companies are setting their sights on 2024 and creating strategies to maximize sales and profitability. It’s essential to pinpoint the key areas impacting revenue performance in 2024. Rather than getting bogged down in a laundry list of nice-to-have capabilities, you must zero in on the priorities determining sales success next year. Elissa Nauful, Director of Sales at the Center for Sales Strategy, advises leaders to ask: What do you want to achieve in the new year? How many new customers do you want? How much revenue do you want to generate? She notes, “Once you clearly understand your goals, you can develop a plan to achieve them.” When setting goals and…

GELLERMEDIA.COM We asked a group of broadcasters to list things managers could rectify at no cost — if they wanted to. (This is not a scientific study, but rather a survey from a recent group session. No names.) What’s Wrong With Your Management? • They don’t like or listen to the station • They don’t talk to us in the elevator • They don’t talk to us, period • Fake, phony niceness • When they out-and-out lie or BS • They call us into meetings for no reason • They don’t like us • Second-guessing or micromanaging • Giving bad news via e-mail • Don’t understand the younger generation or how we work • Sending e-mails about picky, unimportant things • All criticism, no praise • No one-on-one feedback •…

When I worked in radio, building dealer groups was a major part of our success. I learned a lot and can share three simple steps to help you close deals that are significantly larger than average local direct orders. 1. Connect with regional sales managers. Manufactured products for sale in your market are slotted into retail by regional sales managers, also known as trade marketing managers. Regional managers have money to spend, including trade marketing dollars earmarked for increasing sales and obtaining additional display space. Regional managers work directly for the manufacturer or a distributor and most likely live and work in your ADI (area of dominant influence). Ask your clients to introduce you to their favorite reps. If they ask why, tell them you have ideas that can help…

It’s happened. Finally. After several years and countless hearings, with the swearing-in of Anna Gomez, the FCC now has a full panel of commissioners. It also has a full slate of issues and tasks to handle, many impacting the radio industry. There’s a lot at stake, and we’ve assembled a panel of top broadcast attorneys to weigh in on what they expect from the FCC over the coming months. Our panel: Aleksandra Cuprys, Latino Media Network Rick Kaplan, National Association of Broadcasters Richard Lara, Spanish Broadcasting System Frank Montero, Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth David Oxenford, Broadcast Law Blog, Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP Do you believe a full FCC will prioritize the completion of the 2018 and 2022 Quadrennial Reviews? Do you predict a loosening of ownership rules and caps as a result? Aleksandra Cuprys: I…

In our October 2023 issue, we announced the honorees for year’s Best Managers in Radio. The feature inadvertently left out two honorees, Tim Huelsing of Midwest Communications and Paul Kelly of Longport Media. We regret the error and include below their responses to this year’s questions about radio management. Congratulations, Tim and Paul, on being named to this year’s list! Tim Huelsing Vice President/Market Manager Midwest Communications Evansville and Terre Haute, IN 41 years in radio, 34 years in management On developing strong workplace relationships: I encourage empathy. When you understand your co-workers’ challenges, it goes a long way in creating mutual respect. Most importantly, never take things too seriously. On maximizing radio’s strengths: Radio is all about community. Build a connection with your community, and you will always be…