Lew Dickey now wants to be cheaper than his archrival Saga’s Ed Christian.

He’s targeting the large lucrative contracts AP has with Cumulus and is ready to dump his traffic services to go with a cheaper vendor.

The other shoe is about ready to drop.

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1.  Who the new Cumulus traffic provider will be and approximately when that bombshell will hit.

2.  Next target:  Associated Press.  How Cumulus expects to save and the two leading candidates to replace AP.

3.  The former Clear Channel employee that was recruited at the time of the Citadel takeover under the radar by the Dickeys to cut news expenses across the group.

4.  Once a deal is in place, the strategy Cumulus will implement to guarantee that the costs continue to go down. 

5.  And, ironically, how former Citadel CEO Farid Suleman actually made it possible for Lew Dickey to completely gut his news agreements and start over at a lower rate.

The answers begin here.

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I’m hearing a scenario where Lew Dickey winds up with all the radio networks he needs to compete against Clear Channel’s Premiere.

It’s a fascinating play.

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1.  How Dickey lost out on buying Westwood One that he could have merged with Citadel Media.

2.  Which venture capital group actually screwed him out of buying Westwood One.

3.  Which investment group is willing to put Westwood One and Dial Global in Dickey’s hands.

4.  Cumulus is the hottest radio stock in the industry – at a mere $3.57!  What insiders know that outsiders don’t know.

5.  The new double standard on Wall Street for media deals that allows bankers to compete with investors and then sell them assets in return for a bigger share of the company.

The answers begin here.

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I’ve got a big one for you today.

I am going to identify the company I think is on track to buy Clear Channel.

It’s not a radio company.

They don’t even own a single radio station, yet you will soon see how this helps explain the erratic behavior lately of CEO Bob Pittman.

Print and save it but don’t bet against it.

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1.  I’ll name the company you probably would never name that I’m betting Bob Pittman is wooing right now to acquire Clear Channel. 

2.  The time frame – not this year but not that far off, either.  There are certain things Pittman must do that will prepare Clear Channel to be acquired.  If radio must suffer, so be it. Here’s how.

3.  Why everyone is misreading Pittman’s appointment of John Hogan to a promotion! Pittman is grooming Clear Channel to be purchased by this company and is changing it right before our very eyes to fit their needs not Clear Channel’s. 

4.  Evidence that Hogan will not be running Clear Channel radio soon – maybe within six months although no announcements will ever be made.  And you’ll see who Hogan’s replacement will be because sources close to Clear Channel say he is already “in the house” and going on station sales calls.  Now.

5.  Hint:  Mel Karmazin tried to buy CBS Radio from Viacom’s Sumner Redstone and Redstone bought Infinity and then hired Mel to run it all.  I’ll tell you what Bob Pittman likes about Mel’s strategy and why he may borrow it.

The answers begin here.

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Big trouble is brewing within Cox Radio.

Cumulus and Clear Channel open their big mouths and even brag about firing people, but Cox has kept it all on the down low.

Until now.

Through my confidential newstip network I’ve got 12 credible examples of why things are beginning to trend the wrong way at a formerly excellent radio group.

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1. All the details on the latest cost cutting right down to which market and what the estimated savings were.

2.  Examples of Cumulus-type cutbacks.  That’s right, at Cox!

3.  The almost unthinkable post-Bob Neil serial cutback of program directors and where it is likely to lead next.  Market manager/station manager cutbacks, too.

4.  How Cox is pissing all over Bob Neil’s 8 units per hour commercial dictum.

5.  The vanishing research and consultation arm of Cox Radio.

6.  The answer to whose watching the store.  Neil had been the “ground stop”, but this story will show how decisions are being made fast and furious no matter what the implications.

7.  The next Cox cluster likely to get a “haircut”.

8.  And heartbreaking stories from within the company to show alleged shoddy treatment of loyal employees that will make you wonder whether we’re talking about Cox or Cumulus. 

The answers begin here.

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Next Media Solutions Lab is January 30-31, 2013 at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, AZ.

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Everything CEO Bob Pittman has been doing lately is painting a picture of where Clear Channel is headed and it may not be where you think.

Why would Clear Channel extend once again the contract of the inept John Hogan to run its radio stations if they were serious about being in the radio business?

Hell, they’d hire a Dan Mason type.

The end is in sight for Clear Channel as you know it and hate it.

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1.  How long before Bob Pittman exits?  I’ll tell you the number of years he and his minions have.

2.  What is now the end game for Lee and Bain, the investment bank owners of Clear Channel.  You’ll see it more clearly after this.

3.  Is all this iHeartRadio stuff really serious or just a distraction?  And what’s up with that ad they bought for iHeartRadio on the CBS Evening News the other night?  Is that where their concert going audience now spends their time?

4.  Madonna’s flop that Clear Channel played at the top of each hour – and why Pittman’s partnership act has a limited life – very limited.

5.  Debt and Acquisitions.  Can Pittman refi $18 billion in debt?  Will they buy something?  What will it be?  Or sell the entire company.  Hint: I’m now convinced they are looking to sell the entire company and I’ll tell you when.

6.  Losing key people.  Clear Channel is keeping it quiet but I’ve got news for you about major personnel defections in a little market named New York and you’ll split your sides laughing when you hear who they went to work for.  Don’t even try – you’ll never guess.

The answers begin here.

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Notice how quiet it is out there in radioland?

Not for long.

Clear Channel, Cumulus and one other radio group is hell bent to thin out their workforce even more and put more programming on autopilot.

Here’s what people on the ground are telling me about reductions in workforce at two serial offenders and one new perpetrator.

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1.  If you’re in this size Clear Channel market, look out!

2.  My sources close to the action tell me there are big changes ahead for Cumulus clusters and I’ve got them for you right here.  And, by the way, is something up with Jan Jeffries?

3.  Believe it or not – one radio group is starting to head in the wrong direction.  I’ll tell you how and who it is so you can be warned in advance.

4.  The two big radio groups that are – so far, anyway – refusing to do any more major downsizing.  If you work for them, you can feel safe.  And believe me, I don’t use those words very much.

5.  The radio group once on the radar screen but lost in space that actually has a chance at a comeback.  No promises, but this would be major.

The answers begin here.

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Spoken word is not the salvation of FM.

Even Randy Michaels can’t make it work.

Only the radio brands that have paid attention and protected their flanks will survive the future.

But here are 5 formats that I’m saying will work on radio.

First one in – wins.

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1.  No format radio.  I’ve got the blueprint for how to do it and where the cash streams come flowing in.

2.  Music discovery.  You won’t do regular hit radio even if PPM blesses it once you hear this version of the hit music station listeners will crave.

3.  Daypart radio.  How to build one 4-6 hour station with great local content and then what to do with it that keeps costs so low even Lew Dickey would love it.  Okay, I’m lying about the Lew Dickey part.  The rest – all true.

4.  Radio as a mobile online sampler.  You’ve never heard this idea.  If you’ve got an open mind you can beat your competition to it.  Radio’s future right here.

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Cumulus is spitting in the face of Clear Channel now.

Lew Dickey is pulling Rush Limbaugh off his air no matter how good the ratings and revenue to save more money.

And now Bob Pittman is stuck with a talker who is used to getting paid licensing fees just to be on the air.

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1.  The real strategy behind Cumulus replacing the highly rated Limbaugh with the lower rated Huckabee.

2.  What happens if the ratings decline once Limbaugh is off.

3.  The new model we’re now seeing at Cumulus inspired by the people who will help them buy one or more of these three radio groups I am about to name.

4.  Clear Channel’s dilemma.  Cumulus pulling Limbaugh isn’t just a programming change, it upsets the kind of money Clear Channel can get for its expensive talk star.  Here are the gory details.

5.  Guess who may turn out to be the big winner.  Not Rush.  Not Huckabee.  You’ll never guess.

6.  What both Cumulus and Clear Channel can’t see coming directly at them from left field.  But you will and you may want to use it to your advantage.

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January 30-31, 2013 at The Phoenician in Scottsdale.  It’s time that you save the dates and make plans to attend what those who do say is the best media conference of all.

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There is growing evidence that Merlin Media head Randy Michaels is plotting the second launch of his failed Merlin Media news stations.

Key people are following former COO Walter Sabo out the door and Michaels is surrounding himself with familiar faces who understand what he does.

The second foray against CBS is about to begin.

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1.  The new go-to person for Randy Michaels now that he has forced Walter Sabo out.  And it’s not John Gehron.

2.  How Merlin hopes to develop a flagship station and replicate it in other markets.  And no, that flagship station will not be in New York.

3.  Don’t bet that Merlin sticks with its all-news imitation of 1010 WINS.  Here’s a better bet.

4.  The gaping hole in Merlin’s model that won’t get fixed even if the ratings go up.

5. Randy isn’t going to buy another big market station next, right?

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Changes are anticipated at CBS Radio.

They have big decisions to make not only about protecting a few more revenue producing AM brands but what to do with FM music in the era of Pandora.

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1.  The next sports and/or news AM stations that CBS needs to protect by sacrificing an existing FM outlet.

2.  The changing view of music FM stations at CBS.

3.  Why is CBS waiting so long in New York to protect 1010 WINS?

4.  A surprising, highly-rated and profitable FM station that someday may have to become a simulcast to protect a profitable AM brand.  The toughest call of all.

5.  The safest CBS FM music station.

6.  What happened to CBS President Les Moonves’ assertion that he’s open to selling some smaller markets.  An update.

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Cumulus is poised to strike again and I wanted to bring you up to date on the repercussions and give you a sense of time frame.

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1.  It appears a major broadcast group has just put itself into play and Cumulus wants it.  I’ll tell you who.

2.  Telltale signs that this group is getting itself ready for market.

3.  Nerves are getting frayed at this fairly well run radio group because the rumors are getting louder that Cumulus wants to buy them.  If you work in radio, you’ll want to know which group is being targeted by Lew Dickey.

4.  The one radio group that stands the most to lose if Cumulus adds another 200 stations this year, which is not only possible but also likely.

5.  Time frame.

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Join me at The Big Ideas Breakfast the morning after my February 9^th Media Solutions Lab.  Tons of opportunities to pounce on plus 99 tools and strategies to give you the edge in the year ahead.

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