iHeart’s Post-Malone Strategy

INSIDE …

Where this leaves iHeart

  • How Bob Pittman smoked John Malone’s Liberty Media’s attempt to steal debt-heavy iHeart. 
  • What’s changing in the next 4 months now that the threat is gone. 
  • Their new owners are Franklin Advisors – the important way they differ from previous owners Lee & Bain. 
  • Radio is in runoff mode – where iHeart still sees money to be made.
  • And one more time, Liberty is out of the picture, right?

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Samples here

Newstips

Yesterday’s Audacy Stock Crash

INSIDE …

  • It has devolved to two buck chuck even with the Field family buying shares as fast as they can.
  • The real trouble bubbling under Audacy’s surprise demise.
  • Audacy is screaming out what is about to happen next.
  • The major shakeups that were previously off the table.
  • Why investors think 2nd bankruptcy-bound Cumulus ($12) and $6 billion indebted iHeart ($22) are better than $2 Audacy.

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Samples here

Newstips

Defending Against All-Holiday Music Stations

INSIDE …

  • This move will catch your competitor flat-footed.
  • If you’re up against a holiday music station or stations, consider these options.
  • When to flip, how long to stay.
  • What to rename holiday music stations.

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Samples here

Newstips

The Danger of Radio Selling Facebook Ads

INSIDE …

  • Radio will sell anything right now, even sneakers from the back of an SUV.
  • Facebook’s problems are getting ready to blow up in radio’s face.
  • Missed opportunities and new ways to put digital in its place.
  • The one thing that radio has right now that makes it “case closed” against digital.

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Beware of the Advertising Transition to Impressions

INSIDE …

  • Agencies and advertisers are pushing hard for radio to change the way it sells.
  • How the advertiser-promoted move toward impressions will backfire.
  • The secret to getting ahead of this mistake.
  • Some radio groups are considering a better alternative than impression selling.

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Samples here

Newstips

Audacy Picking off Top Talent & Sellers

INSIDE …

  • Their war on talent continues even as some of their stations are diving in the ratings.
  • Sales tactics that are demotivating account execs.
  • Heartbreaking exits from longtime employees.

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Newstips

Audacy’s Year End Blowout

  • David Field recently spent $40 million on a side hustle to essentially return no new revenue to Audacy’s ailing bottom line – here’s a cheaper and better alternative from execs who work for him who can’t speak up.
  • Missed opportunities and changes ahead – what we’re hearing.
  • The continuing saga of their CRO revolving door and the Bob Philips demotion.
  • Did you hear what they’re going to do with Sam Rogers? 
  • Advice to David from some ex-employees on how to stop leaving revenue on the table.

Read the full article here

Newstips

Audacy Swimming in More Debt

Audacy Misses on Revenue, Debt Soars 

  • Wall Street knows this in spite of a third quarter effort to sanitize disappointing financial results – their stock is now less than 25 cents away from being worth $2 – and that’s with the mighty former CBS assets included.
  • Their financial crisis is being covered up by misleading the public comparing 3rd quarter revenue to the weakest comp in the radio industry’s history – the same three months of pandemic last year because when you dig into where they really are you can see the turmoil that is ahead for Audacy.
  • They’ve made some bonehead moves to pump up the real numbers and it’s possible to compute the actual number Audacy has to earn to break even – that’s a number worth studying.

Read the full article here

iHeart Cherry-picking Latest Revenue Results

  • iHeart had a better quarter than Audacy and Cumulus, so why are they doctoring the numbers?
  • How iHeart is misleading the public by burying the truth in their SEC filings.
  • iHeart’s highly touted podcasting grew 184% -- now here’s what they didn’t tell you about that number.
  • Subtract digital, podcasting, live events and other businesses and here’s iHeart’s radio bottom line.

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In Search of Younger Demos

  • How radio had it right 5-10 years (if they only stuck with it).
  • The new younger demo model you won’t see Nielsen pitching.
  • Weaning your station off Nielsen’s (TV news did it).
  • Beware of impressions – here’s why.

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Astroworld Concert Tragedy Impacts Radio

INSIDE …

  • iHeart and Audacy have reason to be concerned after this weekend’s 8 deaths and hundreds of injuries at Travis Scott’s Houston Astroworld fest.
  • Radio had its own wrongful death lawsuits prior.
  • The Astroworld lawsuits have already begun.
  • The future of live events in general and for radio operators.

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Cumulus Revenue Miss Triggers Cutback Concerns

INSIDE … 

  • The chance of further cost reductions (we have their decision in writing).
  • The big changes coming to the way Cumulus does local radio.
  • The road ahead for market managers, programmers, sellers and commissions.

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CHR Red Flags

INSIDE …

  • A major CHR group is now getting their clocks cleaned.
  • Why CHR formats are sinking (only one #1 left in the top ten markets).
  • Their new competition along with some self-inflicted wounds.
  • What’s next to slow the rapid decline.

Read the full article here

Free samples of our work here.

Report Newstips confidentially in our Witness Protection Program here.

Talk to Jerry privately here.

Scroll through a complete list of previous stories here