Monthly Archives: August 2023

Thursday, August 31, 2023

Radio’s Fate Hangs in the Balance: 4th Quarter Pivotal for Survival

INSIDE …

  • One radio group is outperforming their peers this year by stealing revenue from these competitors – and that group is …
  • Audacy auditors were forced to issue a not “going concern” alert this year that plunged it into bankruptcy mode – the groups most likely to be in trouble now.
  • Fact: sellers selling radio AND digital produce less revenue than AEs who sell only radio – what changes are coming.
  • Radio’s digital future should pattern what Mark Thompson, named CNN CEO yesterday, did to turnaround The New York Times.

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Music Radio’s Secret Weapon Against Streamers
How Consolidators Plan to Change Ad Sales
The End of the Market Manager
Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans
Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR

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Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Music Radio’s Secret Weapon Against Streamers

INSIDE …

  • There’s lots of news among younger demographics lately who prefer streaming music services like Spotify and Apple Music over terrestrial radio – both have weaknesses but now radio has a way to regain listeners glued to their AirPods.
  • It’s something that Spotify can’t do (they still think they need to be more like radio!).
  • Nielsen stands in the way, but there is a workaround.
  • Evidence that young music loving audiences would turn the radio back on for this new approach to music programming.
  • There’s even a way for big consolidators to get in on this but don’t make the mistake they are sure to make.

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How Consolidators Plan to Change Ad Sales
The End of the Market Manager
Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans
Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR
Bottom Feeder Buying Cumulus, Audacy Debt

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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

How Consolidators Plan to Change Ad Sales

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  • Disruptive changes to how account execs will sell. 
  • Where the size of station sales forces is headed – smaller to save compensation or larger to boost revenue? 
  • Cleaning up collections. 
  • Questionable sales practices for iHeart, Audacy and Cumulus that could easily become accepted everywhere.
  • Solutions for redefining the role of sales manager and how to get maximum revenue from salespeople.

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Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Monday, August 28, 2023

Field in Denial About the End

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  • Only two outcomes are possible.

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Click to read: The End of the Market Manager … Bottom Feeder Buying Cumulus, Audacy Debt … The Audacy Reorganization Talks …. Shockers Ahead from iHeart, Audacy … What’s for Sale at Audacy … Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans …Airplay and Attention Span … Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster… What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR …

You may also like: The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio… Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Friday, August 18, 2023

The End of the Market Manager

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  • Scripps reportedly fired many of their local TV GMs making radio salivate at the potential savings.
  • The new “glorified” sales manager.
  • The radio groups most likely to fire market managers in favor of regional execs.
  • The ones most likely to consider regional market managers.
  • The safest radio groups to be a market manager (by group and size).

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Click to read: Bottom Feeder Buying Cumulus, Audacy Debt … The Audacy Reorganization Talks …. Shockers Ahead from iHeart, Audacy … What’s for Sale at Audacy … Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans …Airplay and Attention Span … Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster … What to Expect from 2ndQuarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future …

You may also like: Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio … Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Bottom Feeder Buying Cumulus, Audacy Debt

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  • Just when you think Audacy and Cumulus have nothing left to sell, they’ve come up with this.
  • Why investors are willing to throw millions at radio groups that have emerged from bankruptcy or are ready to go into it.
  • Detailed: The riskiest new investment in radio since John Malone tried to take over iHeart.
  • What speculators see in radio that shareholders do not.

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Click to read: The Audacy Reorganization Talks …. Shockers Ahead from iHeart, Audacy … What’s for Sale at Audacy … Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans …Airplay and Attention Span … Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster … What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus …

You may also like: The Race to Rebrand Radio … Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio… Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media… Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

The Audacy Reorganization Talks

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  • The two likeliest outcomes.
  • What’s the holdup – one issue seems insurmountable.
  • How their podcasting business is getting in the way.
  • Who gets screwed most – Audacy, bondholders or lenders.
  • At stake: a voluntary reorganization or a balls on bankruptcy.

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Click to read: Shockers Ahead from iHeart, Audacy … What’s for Sale at Audacy … Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans …Airplay and Attention Span … Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster … What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio …

You may also like: Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Monday, August 14, 2023

Shockers Ahead from iHeart, Audacy

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  • Why Audacy is not cutting expenses faster given their financial problems.
  • How iHeart is taking market share from competitors even as their own revenue declines.
  • iHeart fuzzy math about a 4th quarter turnaround clarified.
  • Bob Pittman caught speaking candidly about his radio group’s future.
  • It’s what iHeart and Audacy are NOT saying that is concerning – two examples.

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Newstips

Click to read: What’s for Sale at Audacy ... Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans …Airplay and Attention Span … Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster … What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio… Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio …

You may also like: Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets … Threads, Twitter & Radio

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Friday, August 11, 2023

What’s for Sale at Audacy

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  • Will Audacy stations be sold in Boston and Phoenix?
  • The other assets that could be sold off within a year.
  • The coming benefits dump.
  • The one competitor that is singlehandedly preventing Audacy’s revenue from rising forcing asset sales.

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Newstips

Click to read: Audacy to Renege on Pension Plans …Airplay and Attention Span … Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster … What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio… Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not …

You may also like: The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets … Threads, Twitter & Radio … Breaking Down Audacy’s 1-for3- Reverse Stock Split

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Audacy To Renege on Pension Plans

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  • The employees that will be most affected by this decision – an estimated number, kind of money being lost.
  • Is this the approach other bankrupt radio groups will now use?
  • How a few lucky Audacy employees saw this coming and what they did to protect their nest egg.
  • The option to quit their jobs and take their chances outlined here.

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Newstips

Click to read: Airplay and Attention Span … Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster … What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio … Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed …

You may also like: Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets … Threads, Twitter & Radio … Breaking Down Audacy’s 1-for3- Reverse Stock Split… AI’s Projected Impact on the Music Business

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Airplay and Attention Span

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  • Forget the metric that goldfish have a longer attention span than humans – it just got worse.
  • What percentage of Spotify songs get skipped in the first 5 seconds.
  • A look at changes in the way records are being made.
  • 8 attention span solutions (The average listener retains only 25% of what they hear).
  • TikTok is the new YouTube – what we can learn from them.

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Newstips

Click to read: Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster … What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio … Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem…

You may also like: The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets … Threads, Twitter & Radio … Breaking Down Audacy’s 1-for3- Reverse Stock Split… AI’s Projected Impact on the Music Business … Not That Format Hot Clock, This One

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Monday, August 7, 2023

Bankruptcy Talks Accelerate After Audacy 2Q Earnings Disaster

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  • How angry bondholders may force Audacy into bankruptcy court wiping out everyone’s equity.
  • Behind-the-scenes negotiations -- details.
  • Do lenders want Field out as a condition?
  • The new pivot Field is selling to save his job (succeeding digital and podcasting).
  • Ominous sign the end is near: retirement plans.

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Newstips

Click to read: What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue … Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio … Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning…

You may also like: Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets … Threads, Twitter & Radio … Breaking Down Audacy’s 1-for3- Reverse Stock Split… AI’s Projected Impact on the Music Business … Not That Format Hot Clock, This One … iHeart’s Misleading AI Goals

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Friday, August 4, 2023

What to Expect from 2nd Quarter Revenue

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  • WHAT RECESSION? There’s no recession, so why is radio having one?
  • IGNORING TRENDS -- Like “connected audiences” – what they are and why they work.
  • SPOTIFY -- The mistake of trying to compete with Spotify which is the new hit radio – here’s a better idea to take them on.
  • DIGITAL -- Trouble ahead in digital that radio groups increasingly depend on.

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Newstips

Click to read: Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR … The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio … Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem… The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy …

You may also like: The Rise of Unions in Media … Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets … Threads, Twitter & Radio … Breaking Down Audacy’s 1-for3- Reverse Stock Split… AI’s Projected Impact on the Music Business … Not That Format Hot Clock, This One … iHeart’s Misleading AI Goals … Cash-Strapped Audacy Paying Millions to Retain Execs

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Record Labels Confirm the Decline of CHR

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  • CHR audiences have been eroding for years in ratings and ability to break new acts, but the straw that broke the camel’s back happened early this year.
  • BUT WAIT, there is still good news for 3 other radio genres.
  • Why these 3 formats are now more valued by labels than CHR.
  • The coming new very different role for hit radio as the labels see it so you can get ahead of it now.
  • CHR’s decline and what happened at All Access.

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Newstips

Click to read: The Big Consolidators Plan for the Future … Chaos at Cumulus … The Race to Rebrand Radio … Listeners Paying Streaming Rate Hikes Rather Than Free Radio … Religion is Soaring, Salem is Not … The Core Needs of Listeners Have Changed … Satellite has a Radio Problem … The Golden Bachelor Warning… Audacy’s Screwed Up Bankruptcy … The Rise of Unions in Media …

You may also like: Spillover Effects of a Disney TV Sale … The Projected Outcome of the Audacy Bankruptcy Talks … Audacy Hedges Its Bets … Threads, Twitter & Radio … Breaking Down Audacy’s 1-for3- Reverse Stock Split… AI’s Projected Impact on the Music Business … Not That Format Hot Clock, This One … iHeart’s Misleading AI Goals … Cash-Strapped Audacy Paying Millions to Retain Execs … Radio’s Streaming Mistakes

Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed.  Everything else is just public relations --  George Orwell