So, let’s get this right.

Bob Pittman has started a Black Lives Matters radio network as a front to cut jobs initially from 15 stations with more to come.

Hiding these firings behind a movement that aims to attack systemic racism only emphasizes it more.

This is an example of pandering that only a white dominated media company like iHeart  could try to get away with.

Their new Black Information Network’s flaws are already exposed and what’s worse, you can almost smell how iHeart and the lemmings who follow them are going to jump on the BLM movement to advance their own goals.

Details on iHeart’s plan for BIN are downright embarrassing and may draw the kind of ire against the entire radio industry as an unintended consequence.

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Newstips  

Stations have been floating their best advertisers during COVID.

When they return as paid sponsors, it will all be different in at least two important ways.

Some of radio’s misguided practices from the past will unfortunately resurface but there is one radio group that has been using the downtime to build campaigns that advertisers need and will pay for in a timely manner.

There are collection problems ahead making the full-fledged return of radio ads moot to the bottom line.

And Black Lives Matter – I guarantee you 100% of the nation’s radio stations don’t see the destabilizing effect of a potential BLM boycott and there is no industry that is more vulnerable to it than radio.

iHeart is also hoping to flip formats on 15 stations to a black “our voices will be heard” format – firing more people and creating a radio syndication under the cover of commercializing the issue of racial injustice – but will advertisers support a gratuitous effort that will seem like pandering from a group of white execs and a predominantly white board of directors?

Radio believes the new normal is to reopen and advertisers in radio and in social media are hitting pause – which is it?

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Newstips  

Now, would be a good time.

But it looks like David Field is slow to wake up and take note of the reality as clear as the Nielsen’s under his nose.

A pandemic, racial strife we haven’t seen since the 1960’s, and a divisive election year. It’s an ongoing news cycle that should be drawing new ears to the Entercom all-news stations.

If, listeners could find them.

He’s got the FM stations to make the switch and simulcast AM news, but why is Field so reluctant when news accounts for a great deal of revenue from Entercom’s CBS Radio merger.

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Newstips  

When did you ever see David Field give money back to employees? 

He’s not known to be the radio industry’s “Discover Card” giving cash back to surviving employees.  He’s got plans to pay for yesterday’s grand salary cut restoration with more firings as we reported yesterday. More developments on firing all live air talent with very few exceptions.  It’s not if but when and there’s more on the timetable now.  And what Field did not say yesterday when he suddenly announced the end of the 20% pay cut that is just as important.  What happens with big talent contracts many of which expire at the end of the year.  Any chance that Field will change his mind?

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