A Wonderful Opportunity

Tom Taylor's Radio-Info.Com column reported this morning:

“Centralizing” looks to be one of the big words of 2009.

If “consolidation” was a buzz word starting with the 1996 Telecommunications Act, then “centralization” may succeed it in 2009 – because owners now have to pay for all the “consolidation.”

It does appear increasingly likely that several companies.....are looking extra-hard at locally -produced airshifts outside of drivetimes. (Ironic, given how strong middays look in the PPM.)

Think real hard about "local" and the opportunities these moves present to a well-focused competitor.

Busy day. More later.

PPM Lessons for Smaller Markets + More Spring Books

61° - clear/sunny at 8:17am

Why PPM matters. Even in non-PPM markets. I've been commenting on this blog for some time now that lessons learned from PPM can make a difference in non-PPM markets.

Tom Taylor - in his Radio-Info.Com Newsletter this morning relays a call he received from consultant Bob Taylor:

He says “in small markets, they’re thinking ‘this doesn’t apply to us’, but it doesn’t make a difference: tuneout is tuneout.” He started applying the early PPM lessons from Houston and Philly when he was programming in Binghamton and says “I saw that when we took that stuff off the air, like the jock saying ‘be right back’, we saw the Time Spent Listening go up in the diary world.” He kept picking away at “the stuff in between the songs, like how long the breaks were, and we re the breaks focused on the listener, not what you did last weekend.” The music’s got to be right, of course. But Bob says “This makes a difference in any market, like what you say going into breaks. The competition didn’t get what we were doing in Binghamton, but it’s like going into Starbucks – it’s not just the coffee, it’s the experience, on a minute-by-minute basis.” Bob says that’s what the People Meter rules – like those 20 that T-R-I ran on Monday from the Boot Camp session that included Rick Cummings – can do for every market. He says it’s dangerous to keep using “1996 rules…and then we scratch our heads and ask why the TSL is dropping” on a diary-measured station.

Tom's daily newsletter - a must-read - is offered as a free subscription here.

Spring Arbitrons - more classic rock winners: A big time win for WLAV/Grand Rapids. The station up almost 2-1/2 points and #2 12+. In Oklahoma City, KRXO up over a point and a half - good for #3 12+. KKFM/Colorado Springs also up a point and a half, good for a tie at #2 12+.

In Portland, KGON up a half point. WSFL/Greenville-New Bern up almost a full point - good for #3 12+. WIMZ/Knoxville up just over a point. And in Nashville, WNRQ is up a half point. All stations to spend some time with on the web with pen and notepad.

Added Advisory: This could be sitting in your Outlook in-box. Watch for emails with the subject line "CNN.com Daily Top 10". Clicking on a link in the email will invite a victim to install a video codec which simply installs some nasty malware on the victim's PC.

Yesterday I spent a good few hours removing such from a co-worker's desktop. Nasty stuff. Your IT people and co-workers should be aware. Read more here.

Headed north to Michigan's beautiful Traverse City today. More tomorrow.

Wednesday Blogs

43° - clear at 8:37am; left: downtown Lansing this morning. Current Image

Hello from Sunny Michigan.

Good Read: Yesterday's piece by Dave Martin on how radio appears to devalue 41% of its inventory. He's referring to nights and overnights, suggesting that its "perhaps the most undervalued asset in radio". Dave writes:

"Being #1 at night too often viewed as a Pyrrhic victory - "So what, we can't sell it!" This is the same logic frequently used in walking away from renewal of sports rights - "We can no longer make the math work." While it may indeed be easier to save a dollar than to bring a dollar in, that's no way to build or grow a business."

"The dirty little secret here is nobody likes live sports programming at night or overnight but the listeners. They never got the memo giving them the heads up that all the good stuff happens between 5a and 7p."

Read Dave's complete post here. Good things can happen on music radio between 7pm and 5am too. One I miss dearly is the late Alan Stagg doing overnights (classic rock) in Chicago. Alan just fit the daypart so well.

Speaking of. I read Tuesday in Tom Taylor's newsletter that Premiere was offering Bob & Tom for overnights. From the affiliate website it appears so. Don't get me wrong - I'm a big Bob & Tom fan and have been for years. But does a morning drive show have the right "feel" for overnights? Just asking...

Follow-up file: Yesterday I mentioned WGRF/Buffalo and its Memorial Day Top 500.

Late yesterday, I received a listener email from the station mentioning the "debate" going on regarding the number one song and inviting me to join the discussion on the station's message board. Very clever and very cool.

Only in Santa Fe. And I say that as a former resident of the "City Different". Read here.

Pondering. How many "social networks" can one person manage? Rarely does a week go by where I haven't been invited to join yet another online social network - or asked if "I'm on social network X".

And these are from people I'm already connected with through another social network. "But I already know you from (fill in the blank)!

I'd like to think that its an age/generation thing. But those invitations are coming from my own peers. What are the burn and churn rates? Hmmm....

Am I just getting old and cranky????

Doing AC? Hire this guy: Chris Reynolds. Chris released yesterday after 7+ highly successful years programming WFMK/Lansing - which has consistently lead its target demos and often the entire market during Chris' tenure.

Prior to Lansing, Chris had stops in Flint, Saginaw, Detroit, and San Antonio. He's great and he gets it.

I'd be pleased to pass on contact information. And if you're looking for a classic rock PD, I can help with that too.....

Wednesday Blogs

44° - overcast at 7:40am. Above: a boring airport photo from my wife's cellphone as she sat on the runway for three hours in Atlanta last night.

Joy of Air Travel. Over the last 12 hours I've been exchanging emails and text messages with my wife and her Blackberry as she tries to return home from a trip to Atlanta. Bad weather meant a 3-hour sit on the tarmac; which meant missing a connecting flight, resulting in an unplanned overnight stay in Minneapolis.

Listening: This morning to one of Jay Mitchell's recorded Teleseminars at his Killer Jock website. Drinking coffee this morning while Jay, Kipper McGee, Patrick Davis and Van Harden talk shop. Too cool!

A great resource - listen here.

Remembering Keeve Berman. My only exposure to Mr. Berman was listening to him on the ABC Radio Network many years ago. One of many great voices in an era gone by.

Dave Martin writes about his early-career contact with Keeve Berman here - and shares the philosophy of taking the call and making a positive first impression.

Careful. Folks still complaining to the FCC. An example from South Bend here.

Congrats to Tom Taylor; his daily industry newsletter celebrating its first anniversary today.

Added: Wi-Fi/Wi-Max. I've written here before that radio isn't about towers and transmitters anymore, but about content and distribution channels. Over-the-air, HD...and broadband. Especially wireless broadband. Like Wi-Fi....and Wi-Max.

Current Wi-Fi routers typically serve an area of 30-50 feet. With Wi-Max, it can be almost 30 miles from a transmission point.

And I read two pieces on the topic today.

Originally posted a little over a week ago - Triple A Radio's Mike Lyons wrote here about Sprint/Nextel's merger with Clearwire to form a new Wi-Max venture under the Clearwire name. And Mike mentioned a test a friend of his did in Hawaii:

"One of my oldest friends, Brock Whaley, who runs a station group in Honolulu owned by Vision Related Entertainment (including rocker KPOI), told me today that since Clearwire is a major wi-fi provider on Oahu, he ran his own test for a drive around the island. He rigged a system together in his car and was stunned at how solid the stereo signal was as he listened to KNX Los Angeles, WDRV in Chicago and the BBC as he rolled around the island through the mountains without barely a signal dropout at all. And this is with Clearwire now!"

Too cool! Also took note of the legendary John Rook - who wrote about the internet and Wi-Fi on his blog:

"No longer am I saddled with fewer than a dozen “local” radio stations, that in reality are no longer “local” but distributors of nationally syndicated programming."

"WiFi, with its delivery of thousands of radio stations and hundreds of internet offerings, has really greatly expanded my radio menu. Given the limited number of “local” stations available to me, I had mistakenly considered radio hardly worth turning on. Not true with my discovery of WiFi."

"I keep tellin' ya...the future for radio is WiFi."

What a future! Have a good night.

Saga's Ed Christian (via Tom Taylor)

50° - heavy rain at 6:45am

From Tom Taylor's Newsletter this morning:

What’s Important? Saga’s Ed Christian says “Pride.”

Tom writes: I’m getting long answers and short answers to this ongoing “What’s Important” question, and Ed fires off the shortest one yet. But I like it:

“What’s important is ‘Restore our pride.’ Our industry reminds me of a ragtag group of sailors who are lying on the deck, afraid to fight. Where is the courage of [naval commander] John Paul Jones when we need it? We are quickly becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Thank you Ed. And thank you Tom.

KBZT: Its More Than The Music

Cool move in San Diego. Inside Radio reported yesterday:

"Lincoln Financial dropped alternative programming on KBZT and turned over the 94.9 signal to the news team at NPR affiliate KPBS, after they lost their transmitter in the fire overnight. Before handing over their airwaves to KBZT jock Tommy Hough told listeners "These are extraordinary times and this is an extraordinary situation. It's in everyone's best interest to hand over our airwaves to KPBS"

I've read elsewhere that KPBS has the largest radio news staff in San Diego. And now without a transmitter. Translation: a brilliant move (on at least a couple levels) by the folks at KBZT. Tom Taylor in his Radio-Info.Com Newsletter adds:

"LFM corporate programmer John Dimick says KBZT programmer Garett Michaels called him early yesterday morning and proposed a lifeline for KPBS – letting it borrow the KBZT 94.9 frequency. They got it done quickly and it’s a terrific arrangement. Dimick tells me they figure on continuing it for another 48-72 hours, “until we’re sure that everybody who could be helped by the information on KPBS is out of danger.”

Kudos to Garett Michaels, John Dimick and everyone at Lincoln Financial Media. Added - Fred Jacobs writes: Sometimes its NOT about the music:

"If you got into this business to make a difference, know that you do, every day. Sometimes it's by playing a favorite song or making people laugh. And sometimes it's by doing what's least expected but most needed."

Read Fred's entire post on KBZT here.

Inside Radio reports this morning that Clear Channel is simulcasting its news/talk KOGO on all seven of their San Diego signals, including classic rock KGB-FM.

Listening this morning to the "Clear Channel San Diego Radio Network" via KGB's stream. An excellent job (its overnight on the West Coast as I listen and write) by The Clear Channel staff.

Another proud moment for radio. Thank you.

Classic Rock Promotion Update

58° - overcast at 8:10am
Left: KRFX/Denver promoting AMD show podcasts Great photo!

Good Morning!

More summer ARB: In his Newsletter this morning, Tom Taylor writes: "I’ve now talked to several people who’ve peeked at the hush-hush pre-pre-currency People Meter numbers for New York, and they just smile when you ask about how well WCBS-FM could do in electronic measurement."

I gotta believe that many of Clear Channel's New York stations will benefit too - if what format-specific PPM performance demonstrated so far in the Houston and Philadelphia holds up.

Back to Tom Taylor - he notes Opie & Anthony didn't have a good summer book in NYC - the other WXRK dayparts outperforming the morning show. I keep asking: where is this show pulling any big numbers?

More cool promotions from classic rock radio:

Hottest Mom. WAXQ/New York has five grand for the hottest mom. A promotion that will drive traffic to the station website to submit and vote on pics submitted by listeners. Presented female-friendly (avoiding a "MILF" twist); check it out here.

Who Are You? We've written before here (and later here) about this web-based promotion that lets the listeners share their personal stories with other listeners.

Now WCSX/Detroit is joining WGRF/Buffalo (where we first saw this) and KZOK/Seattle with this great promotion - one your sales department can benefit from too (think "listener profile").

Speaking of WGRF/Buffalo - here's something I think I've seen before. Great ideas are meant to be "borrowed" !!!

See PD John Hagar's version of this promotion here. WGRF/97 Rock certainly has the market heritage to pull this off.

Personal note: Read that WVIC/Lansing-Jackson, MI PD/PMD talent Joe Thomas is out after a late Monday format change. WVIC dropped "classic hits" in favor of "soft rock". "soft AC"

Joe was my cross-town competition when I programmed here; and one of the first to shoot me a kind email after the budget axe cost me my job earlier this year.

Joe's a class act - and I wish him and the others affected from WVIC the best of luck in securing a new gig.

The Weekend Classic Rock FM

70° - scattered clouds at 10:10am
left: busboard for WXRT/Chicago - more on 'XRT below.

Its been some time since we wrote about PPM on this board. Yesterday the trades reported on the NYC Arbitron breakfast - formally introducing the meter in the nation's largest radio market.

First "pre-currency" PPM data from The Big Apple is scheduled for release on November 7th. Many taking a deep breath November 6th.

PPM Wisdom. From Paragon Media's Larry Johnson regarding the immediate feedback opportunity with PPM:

"...we need to keep perspective of what we’re observing. For example, it takes about a year for a new morning show to settle in and reach its potential. Guard against trying to cut off a new morning show’s head when PPM panelists register discontent when their favorite morning show has been displaced."

Yep. More insights on PPM from the Paragon blog here.

PPM Rulebook. From Tom Taylor's newsletter this morning - two more PPM programming and marketing "rules" - contributed by Chris Conley - former WBEB/Philadelphia programmer (now with McVay Media):

• Afternoon drive programming is just as important as morning drive.
• Brand strategy marketing is more important than hit-and-miss marketing games.

Its my take that much of the PPM Rulebook applies just the same to all markets. Any market can take advantage of the insights and listener knowledge thats coming out of the metered markets.

Very cool campaign. From one-time progressive rocker - now AAA WXRT/Chicago:

Lewis Lazare of The Chicago Sun-Times writes:

"WXRT's new interactive ad campaign, supported via a heavy round of advertising on taxi tops, buses and billboards, was developed in-house and designed by Brainforest/Chicago. It encourages fans of the station to post on the radio station's web site....how they would complete the thought "Chicago without 'XRT would be..."

A very cool promotion and marketing campaign that only a heritage station like 'XRT could pull off. A station that has not only had the time - but has taken the time to cultivate a bond and long-term relationship with its listeners. Something any station could start working on today.

Read the Sun-Times article here. See the campaign on the 'XRT website here. Have a great weekend.

Wednesday Blogs & Programming Notes

57° - overcast at 10:52am

Welcome to Wednesday. From my blogosphere:

This morning Dave Martin reminds the class that there's only nine days until the fall semester begins. Well...the fall book. And this morning he offers nine ways to get your talent performing at their best. A better report card. And it starts with calling in sick. Read here. And thank you Dave!

Dave Lange. Dave blogs today on "TSL Realities for PPM and Diaries". Part 3 of his series on The realities from PPM that apply to everyone. Dave offers some excellent suggestions on increasing TSL. Read here.

Defending our turf. Fred Jacobs writes here this morning on how radio continues to be strong despite the "over-hype" of new media; and suggests that "radio needs to start doing a little "hyping" of its own".

"Radio still has an incredibly powerful story to tell."

Tom Taylor. In his newsletter this morning - Tom writes about the reaction he's getting over a new Radio Shack spot running on network radio. The copy: "Turn off the radio commercials and come to Sirius."

Consultant Kevin Robinson is quoted: “I heard this spot on a client station and nearly choked on my eggs."

One station operator justifies carrying the ads: "Sirius is a perfectly legal product. Radio Shack wants to spend money, so why should that money be refused? Oh, because people might not listen to our station any more? They could change their minds for any of a number of other reasons."

Fair enough. I guess he wouldn't refuse a buy from a crosstown terrestrial competitor either.

And while we're on the subject: why does a lot of radio carry advertising for products and services that are the subject of many consumer complaints? Yes, rhetorical.

There's spots I hear that resemble the get-rich schemes often posted on Craig's List. Or ones that prey on consumers with poor credit. These are primarily national ads.

Quoting Dennis Miller: "Now, I don't want to get off on a rant here..but..."

I've been at stations that have run 'em. And I've always dreaded the occasional listener phone complaint about getting ripped off. In the category of "things that shouldn't happen."

Yes - its a buyer beware world - but shouldn't we be an advocate for the listener? Before the fact?

Just asking. Yes, I know decisions to run such are usually out of the hands of PDs; but worthy of discussion. Stepping off my milk crate now.

And yes, I feel better.

The Weekend Classic Rock FM

70° - sunny at 10am
Left: old bridge just up the road here

Welcome to the weekend. A busy one for our family - shopping for the kids - clothes, school supplies.

School resumes here on Tuesday.

PPM. Arbitron's Gary Marince writes in this week's FMQB: "WARNING: While learning about programming through PPM, resist the temptation to form hasty conclusions."

Gary continues with some observations on the PPM increases by male-dominated formats - especially rock:

"If you think about it . . . the majority of the workforce is male dominated. And someone who works is more likely to be out-and-about either working or coming to-and-from work. Often, the unemployed, which includes everyone not working, spends more time with TV than radio. More simply stated, there is a greater likelihood that an employed male is using radio – they have more listening occasions with radio."

There's lot more here - read Gary's complete piece here.

Meanwhile - Mark Ramsey "Seduces PPM" with a presentation at this year's NAB Radio Show.

Mark writes: "We looked at several months of PPM ratings across both Houston and Philadelphia with specific attention focused on what stations did from a marketing and programming standpoint, whether or not it worked, and how it worked."

More on the presentation here.

Big wow in Albuquerque. Its only a trend - but classic rock KIOT jumps from 12 to 6 in rank 12+. Congrats.

This blog is pretty low key on criticism - but KIOT really needs to fix their web presence. There's no (apparent) strategy. Someone doesn't get it - big time.

Say goodbye to KIOL/Houston. Radio-Info's Tom Taylor reports that the station will trade classic rock this morning for Jack. This move likely to benefit classic rock KKRW.

Enjoy the last weekend of summer.

The Weekend Classic Rock FM

87° - cloudy & humid at 9am; more rain likely today. Left: eastern sky here this am

Happy Friday. Last night we caught just the northern edge of the storm that did damage in Chicago after it moved across the lake.

Springsteen: Been told that a certain New York City AC station spun the new Bruce/E Street Band single ("Radio Nowhere") this morning. Perhaps more than once. Later: more "leaks" detected around the country. Update: I just heard it. It rocks; what a song!

Added: The search engine buzz on this record is very strong - judging by this pings this blog has had via search engines with a post about The Boss days ago. Its great to see the excitement over new music from an important artist in classic rock. Added: Listen to the song here (via Hype Machine).

"The Workforce" drives numbers. We knew that - but PPM really shows it. Give me a live body on the air after morning drive to talk to (and bond with) at-work listeners on-air, on the phone and via email.

Points from yesterday's Arbitron's consultant fly-in - via Tom Taylor's Newsletter:

“I can’t emphasize it enough, that working persons drive radio listening.”

"...they’re the ones who turn out to be the star class of radio users – partly because they punch in their favorite stations while they commute to and form work, and because they may well be listening at work. In fact “working persons have 66% more radio listening.”

"(Arbitron's) John Snyder says part of the PPM success of stations like WMMR, Philadelphia is that men – its natural core audience – are more likely to be in the workforce."

More: Paragon Media Strategies posts about the "Major Differences Between Diary and PPM Results" Read here.

Lee Arnold: Lee with a great post about the most significant music album ever - released 40 years ago yesterday.

Read Here.

Have a great weekend; more here Sunday.

The Weekend Classic Rock FM

75° - sunny & windy at 10am

Happy Friday from Okemos

New Bruce. Via Underground Garage affiliate guy Mark Felsot: a new CD from Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - titled "Magic" - is scheduled for an October 2nd release.

Longtime Springsteen producer Jon Landau labels the album as a "high energy rock CD". More here.

This (hopefully) means an album more radio-friendly than "The Seger Sessions" - and is likely a release classic rock radio should embrace and celebrate. Consider it as part of your fall programming plans.

Mike Bettelli. Yesterday, this blog suggested spending a day outside the station listening to both your own station and the competition. In this week's FMQB, The Jones Radio programmer/consultant writes:

"A critical part of the job of programming is to know and understand the competition. How much inventory do they air every hour? Are the other morning shows in your market more entertaining, relevant, or higher rated than yours? Maybe you’ll need more resources to level the playing field – especially with regard to talent. It is also possible that your talent can be improved with a little coaching and more tools."

Read Mike's entire piece here.

Tom Taylor: "One last thing about Yankee broadcaster Phil Rizzuto, who died this week at 89: His contribution to Meat Loaf’s epic “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” about young love (or lust) helped make the song the overblown (and perfect) production that’s a staple of classic rock."

Sign up for "Taylor on Radio-Info" - for free here.

More here Sunday Morning. Have a good weekend.

Spring Book, PPM and Special Programming

73° - partly cloudy at 10:20am

Spring Arbitron: Yesterday's New York City numbers showed classic rock WAXQ flat 12+ from winter - but dropping #4 to #6 A25-54 and from #1 to #2 M25-54; likely affected by revived rocker WXRK.

David Martin noted on his blog that the "new" WXRK moved from #14 to #5 A25-54. PPM hits NYC starting with the fall survey - should benefit both WAXQ and WXRK.

Added: Will classic rocker WAXQ soon feel the squeeze from the other side? Tom Taylor rightfully speculates "that the new classic hits/oldies incarnation of CBS-FM will be the most-watched station of the current Summer Arbitron." Read Tom's newsletter here.

Added: (Speaking of CBS-FM) - Sean Ross emails a link to his latest piece - talking 80s with oldies - classic rock - and even AC/Hot AC. Read here.

Back to Monday Arbitrons:

In Allentown - classic hits WODE maintained a solid #2 position 12+. In Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - classic rock combo WEZX/WPZX jumps from #4 to #2 12+. More markets released today include Chicago, Milwaukee, LA - after 5pm in the usual places.

More special programming: Fred Jacobs writes today about PPM and programming - and why things like "Top 500" countdowns continue to pull for radio - even though "many programmers have come to dislike these "evergreen events" because they often sound essentially the same year after year."

Fred offers some thoughts on keeping them fresh.

Yours truly has been (and continues to be) a fan of these programming staples. They seldom fail - and I believe the audience comes to expect them as part of the "classic rock experience".

Not long ago I stumbled across an on-line discussion room - archived from Memorial Day Weekend 2006 - where listeners were discussing the countdown that was on my station - arguing over the rankings of various songs. They were so into it. Very cool to read - even a year later!

Fred also notes that "people love lists" and "A look at VH-1 shows you the importance of "List Programming". Fred's entire piece is a great read - here.

Meanwhile - a few months back I compiled a "list of lists" from various CR outlets; perhaps this can be the start of some brainstorming at your station. Find that here.