Clear Channel has just issued an edict to at least five of their stations that they must carry a 30 minute infomercial every morning at 5 am for the next 13 weeks.

The hell with consulting the stations' program directors or for that matter -- local management. Clear Channel is the mother of all consolidators and it manages from headquarters -- not where the individual radio licenses were issued.

The infomercial will be for "gold" -- I guess the value of buying gold in a bad economy. Hell, Mark Mays ought to go on and provide a testimonial of how valuable gold is compared to the stock of public radio companies.

But&hellip

Clear Channel has just issued an edict to at least five of their stations that they must carry a 30 minute infomercial every morning at 5 am for the next 13 weeks.

The hell with consulting the stations' program directors or for that matter -- local management. Clear Channel is the mother of all consolidators and it manages from headquarters -- not where the individual radio licenses were issued.

The infomercial will be for "gold" -- I guess the value of buying gold in a bad economy. Hell, Mark Mays ought to go on and provide a testimonial of how valuable gold is compared to the stock of public radio companies.

But&hellip

Springsteen has it right.

This is Radio Nowhere.

"Is there anybody alive out there?"

The current movement by consolidators to fire their local live talent and move to a nationally syndicated Repeater Radio platform of phantom stations appears to be the final blow to a troubled industry.

We get that consolidators have really had it their way since the enabling legislation was passed in 1996 to deregulate radio ownership.

It's been a virtual monopoly ever since.

Consolidators had carte blanche for almost 13&hellip

Springsteen has it right.

This is Radio Nowhere.

"Is there anybody alive out there?"

The current movement by consolidators to fire their local live talent and move to a nationally syndicated Repeater Radio platform of phantom stations appears to be the final blow to a troubled industry.

We get that consolidators have really had it their way since the enabling legislation was passed in 1996 to deregulate radio ownership.

It's been a virtual monopoly ever since.

Consolidators had carte blanche for almost 13&hellip

My friend, the great radio programmer, George Johns once wrote to remind me that now is an excellent time to be competing against operators who are cutting back and taking their focus off their listeners.

Indeed, George is right.

Unfortunately, it seems a day doesn't go by that a radio CEO makes another stupid move that hurts their shareholders, staff and listeners.

So imagine -- while Clear Channel is moving toward nationally-produced local programming (or as I call it Repeater Radio on phantom stations), their non-consolidated competitors could be kicking their asses.

Could be.

Because many of them have&hellip

My friend, the great radio programmer, George Johns once wrote to remind me that now is an excellent time to be competing against operators who are cutting back and taking their focus off their listeners.

Indeed, George is right.

Unfortunately, it seems a day doesn't go by that a radio CEO makes another stupid move that hurts their shareholders, staff and listeners.

So imagine -- while Clear Channel is moving toward nationally-produced local programming (or as I call it Repeater Radio on phantom stations), their non-consolidated competitors could be kicking their asses.

Could be.

Because many of them have&hellip

The RIAA is still trying to stop music piracy.

Even after it swore that the days of filing lawsuits against consumers was over, they have managed to enlist the support of two more Internet Service Providers (ISP) in waging their continued war on copyright terror.

AT&T and Comcast have now joined Cox to become pen pals with customers the RIAA might accuse of uploading music to unauthorized P2P networks.

Don't worry. Nothing bad is going to happen.

AT&T and Comcast would then send the targeted users a notice informing them their account could be deactivated unless they stop.

See, nothing to worry&hellip

The RIAA is still trying to stop music piracy.

Even after it swore that the days of filing lawsuits against consumers was over, they have managed to enlist the support of two more Internet Service Providers (ISP) in waging their continued war on copyright terror.

AT&T and Comcast have now joined Cox to become pen pals with customers the RIAA might accuse of uploading music to unauthorized P2P networks.

Don't worry. Nothing bad is going to happen.

AT&T and Comcast would then send the targeted users a notice informing them their account could be deactivated unless they stop.

See, nothing to worry&hellip

It has been my belief that the end game for Clear Channel (and eventually the other lesser consolidated radio groups) is to run phantom radio stations.

Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media overpaid for the once mighty radio and outdoor company fully expecting that they could initiate economies of scale and eventually turn the properties around for a nice profit.

Without a Plan B, Lee & Bain are initiating one of the largest and perhaps deadliest cutback plans that promises to reshape the radio industry.

Last week, the other shoe dropped.

While you were being fed happy talk about the gigantic size of the&hellip

It has been my belief that the end game for Clear Channel (and eventually the other lesser consolidated radio groups) is to run phantom radio stations.

Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media overpaid for the once mighty radio and outdoor company fully expecting that they could initiate economies of scale and eventually turn the properties around for a nice profit.

Without a Plan B, Lee & Bain are initiating one of the largest and perhaps deadliest cutback plans that promises to reshape the radio industry.

Last week, the other shoe dropped.

While you were being fed happy talk about the gigantic size of the&hellip

Here we go again.

The record industry still has no answers about the digital future and is just as clueless as ever.

And you can't only blame the big four labels.

Look at some of the non-starter ideas that major artists are coming up with. One can only conclude that no one wants to give up selling plastic CDs even though consumers got over them years ago.

Take Prince.

His new three-CD "album" called LOtUSFLOW3R (WHAT! You expected better spelling on a Prince album?) is the latest example of how lost artists are without their record labels.

And we already know how lost the record labels&hellip

Here we go again.

The record industry still has no answers about the digital future and is just as clueless as ever.

And you can't only blame the big four labels.

Look at some of the non-starter ideas that major artists are coming up with. One can only conclude that no one wants to give up selling plastic CDs even though consumers got over them years ago.

Take Prince.

His new three-CD "album" called LOtUSFLOW3R (WHAT! You expected better spelling on a Prince album?) is the latest example of how lost artists are without their record labels.

And we already know how lost the record labels&hellip

In spite of the fact that radio consolidators think voice tracked programming is just as good as local programming, you still can't fool a listener.

Oh, well -- maybe some listeners don't know or don't care about the local jock. That's unfortunate. It's in radio's interest that they should.

But the future of Repeater Radio is going to be built around the grandiose ideas of underachievers like Clear Channel's John Slogan Hogan and his proposition that local radio is so -- Nineties.

We already know what happened five years ago in Minot, North Dakota when the toxic spill from a railroad car derailment occurred and no&hellip

In spite of the fact that radio consolidators think voice tracked programming is just as good as local programming, you still can't fool a listener.

Oh, well -- maybe some listeners don't know or don't care about the local jock. That's unfortunate. It's in radio's interest that they should.

But the future of Repeater Radio is going to be built around the grandiose ideas of underachievers like Clear Channel's John Slogan Hogan and his proposition that local radio is so -- Nineties.

We already know what happened five years ago in Minot, North Dakota when the toxic spill from a railroad car derailment occurred and no&hellip

The stock market has already spoken.

Citadel stock is worth four cents -- and less than a dollar for long enough to be booted off the New York Stock Exchange.

Because the market has already priced in for the worst case scenario, the situation for equity holders is no doubt a lost cause.

The market is saying Citadel stock is worthless.

The NYSE gave up on them.

Now Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman has departed from his earlier optimism as his mismanaged company filed an 8-K form with the SEC quietly on Monday in effect admitting the risk of violating its debt covenants.

It sounds like Fagreed knows&hellip

The stock market has already spoken.

Citadel stock is worth four cents -- and less than a dollar for long enough to be booted off the New York Stock Exchange.

Because the market has already priced in for the worst case scenario, the situation for equity holders is no doubt a lost cause.

The market is saying Citadel stock is worthless.

The NYSE gave up on them.

Now Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman has departed from his earlier optimism as his mismanaged company filed an 8-K form with the SEC quietly on Monday in effect admitting the risk of violating its debt covenants.

It sounds like Fagreed knows&hellip

Daily, we hear about the usual solutions to the radio industry's problems.

Cutting expenses.

Staying positive (or as I call it, drinking the Kool-Aid).

Waiting for the economic downturn to end.

Unfortunately, you never hear the word innovate as it pertains to radio.

Of course, I am speaking of the people who control the business. The CEOs, their lemmings and the industry lobby and trade groups that they prop up.

You may not know that when Cumulus shut down its interactive department, John Dickey moved like lightning to squash innovation. He wasn't the only group executive to do so. That's how&hellip

Daily, we hear about the usual solutions to the radio industry's problems.

Cutting expenses.

Staying positive (or as I call it, drinking the Kool-Aid).

Waiting for the economic downturn to end.

Unfortunately, you never hear the word innovate as it pertains to radio.

Of course, I am speaking of the people who control the business. The CEOs, their lemmings and the industry lobby and trade groups that they prop up.

You may not know that when Cumulus shut down its interactive department, John Dickey moved like lightning to squash innovation. He wasn't the only group executive to do so. That's how&hellip

Okay... okay.

AIG took government aid and then paid $165 million to a handful of executives to retain them -- eleven left anyway. Great use of taxpayer money as the government props up the financial sector.

But Cumulus (and other consolidators) took their shareholder's money, delivered sub-par results, ran the stock into the ground ($1.02 as it closed yesterday) and -- continues to pay its top executives for failing.

If that's not a great example of radio's AIG, then I have another one for you.

Citadel.

Or Clear Channel, Regent, Radio One, Entercom -- the list is seemingly endless.

Morningstar, the&hellip

Okay... okay.

AIG took government aid and then paid $165 million to a handful of executives to retain them -- eleven left anyway. Great use of taxpayer money as the government props up the financial sector.

But Cumulus (and other consolidators) took their shareholder's money, delivered sub-par results, ran the stock into the ground ($1.02 as it closed yesterday) and -- continues to pay its top executives for failing.

If that's not a great example of radio's AIG, then I have another one for you.

Citadel.

Or Clear Channel, Regent, Radio One, Entercom -- the list is seemingly endless.

Morningstar, the&hellip

Clear Channel is bragging again about how popular its iheartradio Apple iPhone application is.

One million downloads so far -- and growing by 13% per week.

You've gotta love a business of spinmeisters who can make a dying industry seem like the digital future.

Take a look around and watch people under 25 years old.

They are not "hearting" radio.

They are texting and talking. But if the radio industry feels better saying that this isn't so, go right ahead.

The business is still dead -- and they killed it.

Take the latest RADAR report on radio's national audience. You know what RADAR time is?&hellip

Clear Channel is bragging again about how popular its iheartradio Apple iPhone application is.

One million downloads so far -- and growing by 13% per week.

You've gotta love a business of spinmeisters who can make a dying industry seem like the digital future.

Take a look around and watch people under 25 years old.

They are not "hearting" radio.

They are texting and talking. But if the radio industry feels better saying that this isn't so, go right ahead.

The business is still dead -- and they killed it.

Take the latest RADAR report on radio's national audience. You know what RADAR time is?&hellip

Over the weekend, WBEB-FM, Philadelphia owner Jerry Lee pulled the plug on his station's
Internet stream and in doing so he became among the first to stand up to the music industry.

Lee had about enough when the new Internet royalty rates were most recently announced.

Lee's big issue is that the industry has absolutely no bargaining leverage in setting rates. In 2015 and beyond the rates will likely just keep increasing.

But he also has issues with Internet streaming for terrestrial broadcasters: "If we have helped our listeners migrate to streaming, radio will become a very bad business".

Your first&hellip

Over the weekend, WBEB-FM, Philadelphia owner Jerry Lee pulled the plug on his station's
Internet stream and in doing so he became among the first to stand up to the music industry.

Lee had about enough when the new Internet royalty rates were most recently announced.

Lee's big issue is that the industry has absolutely no bargaining leverage in setting rates. In 2015 and beyond the rates will likely just keep increasing.

But he also has issues with Internet streaming for terrestrial broadcasters: "If we have helped our listeners migrate to streaming, radio will become a very bad business".

Your first&hellip

When I was 11, my father got me my first client -- for mowing lawns -- back in Springfield, Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia.

Being Italian, my father insisted on price controls.

It was a flat $1.25 per lawn -- after all, they were neighbors and they got a discount!

Hey, at that price -- I soon had two lawns to cut. When I tried to raise the price in ensuing years (inflation?), my dad made me give back the increase. And, I mowed these lawns until I moved out and got married.

For $1.25 lawn. No kidding.

I used the money to buy my first tape recorder (a Webcor) and mike so I could practice&hellip

When I was 11, my father got me my first client -- for mowing lawns -- back in Springfield, Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia.

Being Italian, my father insisted on price controls.

It was a flat $1.25 per lawn -- after all, they were neighbors and they got a discount!

Hey, at that price -- I soon had two lawns to cut. When I tried to raise the price in ensuing years (inflation?), my dad made me give back the increase. And, I mowed these lawns until I moved out and got married.

For $1.25 lawn. No kidding.

I used the money to buy my first tape recorder (a Webcor) and mike so I could practice&hellip

One thing I heard loud and clear from my brilliant young USC students while I was sitting out my Inside Radio non-compete was the importance of social networking.

In the music-related media business, we don't seem to understand it and when we do, we don't like it.

What's not to like?

This next generation -- the one the radio and record businesses have alienated -- has given us a gift.

But in radio, few understand the real significance of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or the many other niche social networks that have cropped up while it was consolidating.

Let me put it plainly.

Consolidated radio is&hellip

One thing I heard loud and clear from my brilliant young USC students while I was sitting out my Inside Radio non-compete was the importance of social networking.

In the music-related media business, we don't seem to understand it and when we do, we don't like it.

What's not to like?

This next generation -- the one the radio and record businesses have alienated -- has given us a gift.

But in radio, few understand the real significance of Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or the many other niche social networks that have cropped up while it was consolidating.

Let me put it plainly.

Consolidated radio is&hellip

Today, CBS Radio will dump a poorly-rated format on WXRK-FM, New York to play the hits on 92.3 Now.

CBS is making a move toward younger demographics.

A few weeks ago AMP Radio debuted in Los Angeles.

Prior to that Hot 95.7 in Houston and 101.5 Jamz in Phoenix. CBS also returned B94 to Pittsburgh.

CBS is looking for younger demos -- and in New York and LA -- they want some of the audience that Clear Channel has at Z100 and KIIS-FM.

Plus CBS is going to delve into more social networking -- something radio stations have been slow to do. With 160 million people on Facebook -- and "over 30" being the biggest&hellip

Today, CBS Radio will dump a poorly-rated format on WXRK-FM, New York to play the hits on 92.3 Now.

CBS is making a move toward younger demographics.

A few weeks ago AMP Radio debuted in Los Angeles.

Prior to that Hot 95.7 in Houston and 101.5 Jamz in Phoenix. CBS also returned B94 to Pittsburgh.

CBS is looking for younger demos -- and in New York and LA -- they want some of the audience that Clear Channel has at Z100 and KIIS-FM.

Plus CBS is going to delve into more social networking -- something radio stations have been slow to do. With 160 million people on Facebook -- and "over 30" being the biggest&hellip

It's one thing to trash the radio industry, fire its employees and offer the audience less is more, but apparently the people doing the firing either think the rest of us are "stoopid" (as we say in Philly) or they are.

The trades reported the comments of Judy Ellis, corporate "wife" of Citadel CEO Fagreed Suleman at the Country Radio Seminar.

This is the same Citadel that has been screwing up their good stations through the fine art of mismanagement.

You'd better sit down.

It's one thing to trash the radio industry, fire its employees and offer the audience less is more, but apparently the people doing the firing either think the rest of us are "stoopid" (as we say in Philly) or they are.

The trades reported the comments of Judy Ellis, corporate "wife" of Citadel CEO Fagreed Suleman at the Country Radio Seminar.

This is the same Citadel that has been screwing up their good stations through the fine art of mismanagement.

You'd better sit down.

Facebook is exploding.

In an era where everything seems to be on the decline, Facebook is picking up millions of new users every day.

It is not only just the fascination of Millennials. It is becoming addictive to Gen X and baby boomers as well.

It's simple and complicated at the same time, but I think it's worth a discussion.

How big is the social network Facebook?

Over 175 million active users.

The fastest growing demographic is 30 years and older.

The average user has 120 friends on their site.

There are 3.5 million new&hellip

Facebook is exploding.

In an era where everything seems to be on the decline, Facebook is picking up millions of new users every day.

It is not only just the fascination of Millennials. It is becoming addictive to Gen X and baby boomers as well.

It's simple and complicated at the same time, but I think it's worth a discussion.

How big is the social network Facebook?

Over 175 million active users.

The fastest growing demographic is 30 years and older.

The average user has 120 friends on their site.

There are 3.5 million new&hellip

Just one day ahead of being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, Citadel Broadcasting's stock slipped to one cent.

Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman deserves all the credit for presiding over a company that a year ago was worth $10 a share and even higher before that.

Some radio people were willing to cut Fagreed some slack because of the faltering advertising market and the recession, but at just a penny -- with a market cap of under $3 million -- even they are reluctantly pinning this one on Teddy Forstmann's golden bean counter.

Fagreed is the $11 million dollar (tax free) man.

You'd expect more of&hellip

Just one day ahead of being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, Citadel Broadcasting's stock slipped to one cent.

Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman deserves all the credit for presiding over a company that a year ago was worth $10 a share and even higher before that.

Some radio people were willing to cut Fagreed some slack because of the faltering advertising market and the recession, but at just a penny -- with a market cap of under $3 million -- even they are reluctantly pinning this one on Teddy Forstmann's golden bean counter.

Fagreed is the $11 million dollar (tax free) man.

You'd expect more of&hellip

Is satellite radio better than terrestrial radio?

Is the programming better on one rather than the other?

Which business has the best chance of survival in the digital age and through economic upheaval?

Have you heard Sirius XM since the merger?

It sure sounds like the opponents every fear has come true. The new satellite company is being pruned down to the basics. Mel Karmazin fired a whole lot of XM and Sirius staffers. He combined the programming to a large extent making it basically the same service fed over two satellite technologies.

It

Is satellite radio better than terrestrial radio?

Is the programming better on one rather than the other?

Which business has the best chance of survival in the digital age and through economic upheaval?

Have you heard Sirius XM since the merger?

It sure sounds like the opponents every fear has come true. The new satellite company is being pruned down to the basics. Mel Karmazin fired a whole lot of XM and Sirius staffers. He combined the programming to a large extent making it basically the same service fed over two satellite technologies.

It

Radio is no longer just radio.

It is online streams or do-it-yourself music downloading.

TV is no longer just TV.

It

Radio is no longer just radio.

It is online streams or do-it-yourself music downloading.

TV is no longer just TV.

It

This is how the radio industry loses its way.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is honoring Lowry Mays -- yes, that Lowry Mays -- as one of the recipients of their Ward L. Quaal Pioneer Awards April 22 in the beautiful Monet Ballroom of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Broadcasters Foundation Chair Phil Lombardo made an ass of himself when he approved a news release that has him quoted as saying, "Once again we are privileged to honor an esteemed group of broadcasters who have left a permanent legacy of commitment to the betterment of the radio and television industry."

Okay, let's put a stop to this bull right&hellip

This is how the radio industry loses its way.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America is honoring Lowry Mays -- yes, that Lowry Mays -- as one of the recipients of their Ward L. Quaal Pioneer Awards April 22 in the beautiful Monet Ballroom of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Broadcasters Foundation Chair Phil Lombardo made an ass of himself when he approved a news release that has him quoted as saying, "Once again we are privileged to honor an esteemed group of broadcasters who have left a permanent legacy of commitment to the betterment of the radio and television industry."

Okay, let's put a stop to this bull right&hellip

Paul Harvey in his long and distinguished career represented all that is good in America --and radio.

He touched the audience with his delivery, writing, subject matter and ability to report the news that other shows neglected.

The ABC Radio star would never have lasted this long had he not been doing something very well. And, had it not been for the recent death of his beloved wife "Angel" and his own declining health, Paul Harvey could have gone on almost forever.

That's the way his audience would have wanted it.

That's the way his advertisers wanted it.

This man, born in 1918, understood how to sell&hellip

Paul Harvey in his long and distinguished career represented all that is good in America --and radio.

He touched the audience with his delivery, writing, subject matter and ability to report the news that other shows neglected.

The ABC Radio star would never have lasted this long had he not been doing something very well. And, had it not been for the recent death of his beloved wife "Angel" and his own declining health, Paul Harvey could have gone on almost forever.

That's the way his audience would have wanted it.

That's the way his advertisers wanted it.

This man, born in 1918, understood how to sell&hellip