It

I like Jay Leno.

But Jay Leno stripped at 10 pm is bombing.

Local NBC affiliates are taking the hit with Leno as their late news lead-in and when you lose audience at bedtime, the TV station is not on your channel for the lucrative morning news and fluff shows that permeate television.

Television is acting like radio.

In the past 13 years of consolidation the good and solid programs, formats and personalities that audiences and advertisers loved have given way to Repeater Radio, networked shows to save money and God-awful voice tracking that may sound live but isn

While the radio industry is doing everything it can to turn its stations into iPods, Apple

When Terry Gross interviewed Joshua Kosman, author of "The Buyout of America: How Private Equity Will Cause the Next Great Credit Crisis" on NPR

One of the reasons my January Media Solutions Lab seminar is going to delve into reinventing radio is because simply turning back the hands of time (as Tyrone Davis would have us do) will no longer work.

That

The first quarter sales package has arrived at Clear Channel

Did you see over the weekend that Jay Leno is losing his audience not to other television networks but to

Six weeks and counting until January 15th

If radio had human rights violations, the government would eventually be forced to investigate Clear Channel, Citadel and perhaps the worst offender of all, Cumulus.

These three radio consolidators

I want to show you the future of radio

The three major consolidators

Clear Channel

If you

The World Intellectual Property Organization says that 40 billion music files were shared illegally in 2008

Recently Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey proved once again why he has earned his nickname

Even in ice hockey, there is sportsmanship.

At the end of each playoff round, after tough competition in which sticks come up high and bodies take a beating, the players line up and shake hands

Citadel CEO Farid

You want good news?

I

If you haven

January 28, 2010
Westin Kierland, Scottsdale AZ

This Media Solutions Lab will help you master the rapidly evolving changes in today

Farid Suleman is out of the closet on bankruptcy.

Federal rules required his company file its 10-Q report as all publicly-traded companies must.

There is a reason Suleman filed it on Friday evening just ahead of the weekend because it would be better if no one knew the blunt terms Citadel had to use to assess the prospect for bankruptcy.

The parade of shareholder destruction continues.

Among the revelations right from Suleman

CBS Radio has announced that it will be offering its very successful WFAN sports radio station in New York and KROQ

According to a new survey, four out of five people say they never leave home without their cell phones.

Think for a minute.

Do you know many people who go out without their cell or smart phones?

The advantage of observing human behavior makes research most meaningful.

In fact, over 23% of the respondents including 504 in the U.S. say they are likely to own two cell phones.

The survey is fascinating and I thought you

The radio industry is getting shellacked by the recession but worse than that, it is being compromised by its inability to hold rates.

These

Well, Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey may be accomplishing his main mission in life after all

Entercom's

It appears we have the first signs of an uprising by abused radio employees protesting the increasingly pervasive hostile working environments they are being forced to tolerate.

In the past I have heard rumblings from workers at Citadel complaining about Chief Bottle Washer Judy Ellis, at Cumulus directed at John (Other Brother) Dickey and Gary Pizzati (The Terminator) and, of course, Clear Channel where lack of a solid example at the top has spawned little dictators terrorizing perfectly good clusters.

Now, it is about to get uglier.

Employees are speaking up and some are even retaining lawyers to stand up to&hellip

Sheryl Crow was wrong.

The first cut isn

Somehow you just get the feeling that record industry executives who haven't been able to shoot straight for the last ten years are getting ready to reload and fire.

Duck.

They are set to go beyond the obvious cockamamie ideas, like Interscope/Geffen/A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovine

Yesterday, Randall Mays stepped down, fell down or was brought down from the in-over-his-head position as CFO of Clear Channel.

That

It happened again yesterday.

Emmis pulled another fan favorite off the air at KIHT, St. Louis to become more music intensive or, in non-coded language, to pander to Arbitron

I

If you want to know how Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman is going to avoid filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy January 15th when he can't pay $150 million in debt, here's the answer.

It appears the fix is on right now to emerge with a pre-packaged bankruptcy for Citadel.

That is, it happens fast.

Everything is predictable because it has been negotiated in advance and it's kind of like having the honeymoon before the wedding.

Without this maneuver, Citadel throws its fate into the hands of a bankruptcy judge who is likely to appoint caretakers to preside over Citadel while a plan is drawn up to emerge from&hellip

Prius, the part electric, part gas powered automobile, has been a successful model for Toyota in a changing world of high gasoline prices and concerns about the environment.

Other companies have responded to Toyota

The radio industry knows a lot about dealmaking.

Don

If Citadel is so close to bankruptcy, then why is CEO Farid Suleman continuing to fire employees?

Can Farid fire enough people to save the $150 million that is due to lenders in January

We tend to judge radio CEO

So what my Italian mother would have done -- and perhaps yours as well -- is to drag both parties by the ear and make them apologize to each other.

This is getting out of hand now between the record labels and the radio groups.

The labels have SoundExchange to ably lead their fight and radio has the NAB.

It's getting nasty.

This week, the labels had two major victories in their misguided attempt to get a radio station performance tax.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved its version of a performance royalty bill for terrestrial radio and, like the already approved House measure, it will require radio&hellip

Walt Disney Company has been the concept model for snagging the youth market for decades now.

Kids love Snow White. Mickey Mouse and Bambi.

They love to visit Disney World. Then buy Disney-branded products. Go back to a Disney theme park a second or third time. Watch Jungle Book and Wall-E. And watch Hanna Montana on Disney's cable channel. See High School Musical at the theater.

And on and on for generations.

What eventually happens is that the Disney kids grow up, have kids of their own and become big kids themselves -- all while continuing to consume Disney products.

Disney has been textbook about&hellip

To listen to the music industry, you'd think that unrestricted file sharing by consumers is killing them.

If so, I wonder if the major record labels can explain why Rosanne Cash just about gave away every cut in her new album "The List" and it wound up being number one -- in sales.

Time to get real with the worn out and ineffective music industry argument that they "wuz" robbed by file sharers.

Some six weeks ago, Rosanne Cash did what amounted to a 7-minute stint on NPR and sang one of the big tunes from her album "The List" entitled "Sea of Heartbreak", her duet with Bruce Springsteen.

Cash talked about it on&hellip

If you've been watching NBC Universal's 10 pm experiment in which it strips Jay Leno's imitation Tonight Show weeknights, then I'm sure you are seeing the similarities to what's happening in radio.

An excellent piece in The New York Times laid it all out a few days ago.

NBC wants to save money by eliminating the huge production costs of underwriting a new dramatic series (you know, the CSI-type) by going cheap.

An hour of Leno is chump change by TV production standards and yet the network is hopeful that a consistent 1.5&hellip

You've no doubt heard the rumors about Bonneville possibly buying one or more of Citadel's ABC stations to bolster its stable and steal them from a company that can't afford to pay the debt on the stations.

Whether that happens or not is hard to know as Citadel will be the first of the major consolidators to bite the big one come January if it cannot come up with a whopping $150 million debt payment.

Few on Wall Street think they will find the money -- of course, they could always sell some stations, but who could pay cash in this climate?

That brings me to Bonneville -- the best run radio group in the country and&hellip

In less than three months, we'll be ten years into the 21st century and I'm getting the feeling that the media business is at least ten years back into the 20th century.

So I thought I'd give a little pop quiz this morning to test our readiness for the next decade.

Here's the question for media industry execs: what will your biggest competitor be over the next decade?

The Internet?

Well, ten years ago the Internet was around but it wasn't so much of a factor that Viacom or Clear Channel had to worry about it. Remember when Clear Channel demoted its CEO, Randy Michaels and concocted an Internet job for a radio&hellip

While I was back in New Jersey I almost forgot how great it was to pull into a gas station and have an attendant pump the gas.

In fact, while I was at the Jersey shore, I saw t-shirts that said, "Jersey Girls Don't Pump Gas".

It got me to thinking how radio stations are becoming like gas stations in many ways.

The petroleum industry made a big deal out of how much money consumers could save by pumping their own gas and yet in the state of New Jersey, where law prohibits individuals from pumping their own -- prices have been among the lowest in the entire United States (see chart

While I was back in New Jersey I almost forgot how great it was to pull into a gas station and have an attendant pump the gas.

In fact, while I was at the Jersey shore, I saw t-shirts that said, "Jersey Girls Don't Pump Gas".

It got me to thinking how radio stations are becoming like gas stations in many ways.

The petroleum industry made a big deal out of how much money consumers could save by pumping their own gas and yet in the state of New Jersey, where law prohibits individuals from pumping their own -- prices have been among the lowest in the entire United States (see chart

Radio broadcasters are caught in a changing world that is increasingly turning to on-demand media.

Few among us do not rely on cell phones, smart phones, laptops and online communication to get us through the day.

What started out as an evolution from traditional media to new mobile content driven by the next generation has become a revolution that broadcasters must come to understand.

To put it bluntly, consumers find themselves needing less broadcasting -- that is, distributing content from one tower to many consumers 24 hours a day seven days a week.

When radio was invented, the technology dictated that the&hellip

Radio broadcasters are caught in a changing world that is increasingly turning to on-demand media.

Few among us do not rely on cell phones, smart phones, laptops and online communication to get us through the day.

What started out as an evolution from traditional media to new mobile content driven by the next generation has become a revolution that broadcasters must come to understand.

To put it bluntly, consumers find themselves needing less broadcasting -- that is, distributing content from one tower to many consumers 24 hours a day seven days a week.

When radio was invented, the technology dictated that the&hellip

I have been fascinated to watch the dust up over comments made by Edison Research's Larry Rosin at the NAB Radio Show in which folks -- especially the trade press -- seem to think he's calling for new blood at the expense of old blood.

Rosin told Tom Taylor,

I have been fascinated to watch the dust up over comments made by Edison Research's Larry Rosin at the NAB Radio Show in which folks -- especially the trade press -- seem to think he's calling for new blood at the expense of old blood.

Rosin told Tom Taylor,

Another local radio legend has died -- Jim Nettleton, who acquired the name "Diamond" Jim during his days in Philadelphia, succumbed to lung cancer three weeks after being diagnosed.

Nettleton was a gentleman -- a great guy -- who I came to know when I was in college. By luck, I wound up at WFIL in Philadelphia before consultant Mike Joseph came in and introduced what he called "The Pop Explosion".

Joseph was an interesting guy -- secretive, thorough and he had an ear for hiring future young talent. The stable of nobodies who became somebodies included Chuck Browning, Jay Cook, Nettleton, George Michael, Dave Parks and&hellip

Another local radio legend has died -- Jim Nettleton, who acquired the name "Diamond" Jim during his days in Philadelphia, succumbed to lung cancer three weeks after being diagnosed.

Nettleton was a gentleman -- a great guy -- who I came to know when I was in college. By luck, I wound up at WFIL in Philadelphia before consultant Mike Joseph came in and introduced what he called "The Pop Explosion".

Joseph was an interesting guy -- secretive, thorough and he had an ear for hiring future young talent. The stable of nobodies who became somebodies included Chuck Browning, Jay Cook, Nettleton, George Michael, Dave Parks and&hellip

Don't look now but the big media grab is underway.

Wall Street banks are getting ready to trade debt for equity as several of the big consolidators find themselves unable to make their loan payments.

The Wall Street Journal says lenders are running into federal media-ownership rules as they find themselves the unexpected owners of bankrupt media companies.

In radio, Citadel is proposing to senior lenders whom they owe $2 billion that J.P. Morgan Chase, GE Capital and ING take ownership instead of the debt payment Citadel cannot make.

I hear the talks are ongoing but I don't see too many other options available&hellip

Don't look now but the big media grab is underway.

Wall Street banks are getting ready to trade debt for equity as several of the big consolidators find themselves unable to make their loan payments.

The Wall Street Journal says lenders are running into federal media-ownership rules as they find themselves the unexpected owners of bankrupt media companies.

In radio, Citadel is proposing to senior lenders whom they owe $2 billion that J.P. Morgan Chase, GE Capital and ING take ownership instead of the debt payment Citadel cannot make.

I hear the talks are ongoing but I don't see too many other options available&hellip

What would you think of a radio CEO who called a meeting of his or her employees to float this idea?

What if everyone took a pay cut to keep everyone else working?

No layoffs (the consolidation term for firing).

Stay with me here -- I know this sounds like sheer fantasy but I have a surprise for you.

The CEO acknowledges the importance of the traffic directors, secretaries, program directors, managers, sales executives and sales people -- stating that the company would just not operate right without everyone working at their jobs.

Bet you think this couldn't happen in radio, an industry troubled by a&hellip

What would you think of a radio CEO who called a meeting of his or her employees to float this idea?

What if everyone took a pay cut to keep everyone else working?

No layoffs (the consolidation term for firing).

Stay with me here -- I know this sounds like sheer fantasy but I have a surprise for you.

The CEO acknowledges the importance of the traffic directors, secretaries, program directors, managers, sales executives and sales people -- stating that the company would just not operate right without everyone working at their jobs.

Bet you think this couldn't happen in radio, an industry troubled by a&hellip

I am so damn proud of Philadelphia broadcasters and my mentor Jerry Lee who, if it were not for him, I would not be in radio today.

So, Mark Mays, Lew Dickey and Farid Suleman -- blame him!

Seriously, the latest reason I am proud of Philly radio people is because they are banding together to do some positive things that I think you should take a close look at.

Led by WBEB (B-101) owner and pioneer Jerry Lee they are going to use what's called facial coding to test radio commercials and hopefully make the medium more compelling to buyers. In fact, the participating Philly stations will use new technology to rate the&hellip

I am so damn proud of Philadelphia broadcasters and my mentor Jerry Lee who, if it were not for him, I would not be in radio today.

So, Mark Mays, Lew Dickey and Farid Suleman -- blame him!

Seriously, the latest reason I am proud of Philly radio people is because they are banding together to do some positive things that I think you should take a close look at.

Led by WBEB (B-101) owner and pioneer Jerry Lee they are going to use what's called facial coding to test radio commercials and hopefully make the medium more compelling to buyers. In fact, the participating Philly stations will use new technology to rate the&hellip

I ran into Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey when I first arrived at the recent NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia -- dare I say this during a recession -- at the Four Seasons Hotel.

It turned into a knock-down, drag out fight -- The Thrilla in Philla.

Lew threw a left punch.

I counter punched.

He bloodied my face.

I broke his nose.

We wrestled each other to the marble floor.

Okay ... it may not actually be the Thriller in Manilla that Ali and Frazier fought -- it's just my programmer's imagination trying to live up to your expectations of the Thrilla in Philla on the eve of the NAB Radio Show.

What&hellip

I ran into Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey when I first arrived at the recent NAB Radio Show in Philadelphia -- dare I say this during a recession -- at the Four Seasons Hotel.

It turned into a knock-down, drag out fight -- The Thrilla in Philla.

Lew threw a left punch.

I counter punched.

He bloodied my face.

I broke his nose.

We wrestled each other to the marble floor.

Okay ... it may not actually be the Thriller in Manilla that Ali and Frazier fought -- it's just my programmer's imagination trying to live up to your expectations of the Thrilla in Philla on the eve of the NAB Radio Show.

What&hellip

The trades tell us the just-concluded NAB Radio Show in Philly was brimming with optimism and for the life of me I couldn't find one person other than the owners who would agree with that.

It was so surreal -- you know, with a serious industry crisis going on and people running around telling you how good things are going to be -- that I got to thinking on my flight back to Phoenix --what would website and cast your vote for the best and worst radio group. It's on the right hand side.

We've been having a little fun here with the radio convention concept but it is fair&hellip

The trades tell us the just-concluded NAB Radio Show in Philly was brimming with optimism and for the life of me I couldn't find one person other than the owners who would agree with that.

It was so surreal -- you know, with a serious industry crisis going on and people running around telling you how good things are going to be -- that I got to thinking on my flight back to Phoenix --what would website and cast your vote for the best and worst radio group. It's on the right hand side.

We've been having a little fun here with the radio convention concept but it is fair&hellip

The attendees at this year's NAB radio gathering in Philadelphia heard over and over again that new media is accounting for more and more of their advertising revenue.

No one seems to know how much of radio's ad pie new media will eventually eat and it appears to me very few of the big bosses (the only ones who are attending this conclave among the major consolidators) care.

Avoiding bankruptcy -- sure, they care.

Reinventing the wheel -- absolutely, they are into it.

Meanwhile, the companies that pander to the radio industry (I could have said sell things to the radio industry), are cranking out happy horseshit&hellip

The attendees at this year's NAB radio gathering in Philadelphia heard over and over again that new media is accounting for more and more of their advertising revenue.

No one seems to know how much of radio's ad pie new media will eventually eat and it appears to me very few of the big bosses (the only ones who are attending this conclave among the major consolidators) care.

Avoiding bankruptcy -- sure, they care.

Reinventing the wheel -- absolutely, they are into it.

Meanwhile, the companies that pander to the radio industry (I could have said sell things to the radio industry), are cranking out happy horseshit&hellip

(Shown between "Doc" Fuller, left and Barry O'Brien at the Philly NAB Radio Show)

The NAB Radio Show now in progress in Philadelphia is like an old Italian wake -- it lasts three days and is very depressing.

Not that the NAB isn't trying to put on a good show or that those in attendance wouldn't like to hear better news, but this convention is grim this year.

The linchpin for the entire gathering was the Dickstein Shapiro breakfast bright and early in the morning on day one.

The usual suspects were on the panel and the usual listeners were hearing that in essence no one knows what is going to happen.

Radio&hellip

(Shown between "Doc" Fuller, left and Barry O'Brien at the Philly NAB Radio Show)

The NAB Radio Show now in progress in Philadelphia is like an old Italian wake -- it lasts three days and is very depressing.

Not that the NAB isn't trying to put on a good show or that those in attendance wouldn't like to hear better news, but this convention is grim this year.

The linchpin for the entire gathering was the Dickstein Shapiro breakfast bright and early in the morning on day one.

The usual suspects were on the panel and the usual listeners were hearing that in essence no one knows what is going to happen.

Radio&hellip

I never for even one minute thought radio consolidation would work right from the get go.

But, even I didn't believe radio consolidation would have turned out this bad.

Citadel is negotiating its debt covenant to avoid bankruptcy again even as I write this. Clear Channel's solvency is no slam dunk. And Cumulus, the other one of the big three consolidators, has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.

It didn't have to be this way.

All the power didn't have to wind up in the hands of a few radio execs worshiping at the feet of Wall Street bankers. There could have been a "Plan B" just in case&hellip

I never for even one minute thought radio consolidation would work right from the get go.

But, even I didn't believe radio consolidation would have turned out this bad.

Citadel is negotiating its debt covenant to avoid bankruptcy again even as I write this. Clear Channel's solvency is no slam dunk. And Cumulus, the other one of the big three consolidators, has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.

It didn't have to be this way.

All the power didn't have to wind up in the hands of a few radio execs worshiping at the feet of Wall Street bankers. There could have been a "Plan B" just in case&hellip

It used to be that when I went to the beach I saw -- and heard -- boom boxes blaring local radio stations. And those stations were great! Young DJs having fun on the radio.

Each year it is becoming harder to find a visible radio on the beach owned by anyone -- of any age.

The world is changing and I wonder sometimes whether the people running the radio industry are as interested in this important fact as they are trying to save their own necks.

As I warned a long time ago, Citadel seems on the brink of some type of bankruptcy reorganization despite the fact that it made a minor debt payment last week and held off&hellip

It used to be that when I went to the beach I saw -- and heard -- boom boxes blaring local radio stations. And those stations were great! Young DJs having fun on the radio.

Each year it is becoming harder to find a visible radio on the beach owned by anyone -- of any age.

The world is changing and I wonder sometimes whether the people running the radio industry are as interested in this important fact as they are trying to save their own necks.

As I warned a long time ago, Citadel seems on the brink of some type of bankruptcy reorganization despite the fact that it made a minor debt payment last week and held off&hellip

The new National Association of Broadcasters CEO is going to be introduced to his constituents this week at the NAB's annual Radio Show in Philadelphia.

There is little time to waste righting the ship from the ravages of radio consolidation.

I know what you know about Gordon Smith, a former Republican senator from Oregon but if Bonneville's Bruce Reese had an influence in this choice -- after all, Reese headed the search committee -- then I am willing to cut Smith some slack and wish him the best of luck.

At the same time, I've got some suggestions for Smith -- a man whose roots are in radio -- that his new agenda at&hellip

The new National Association of Broadcasters CEO is going to be introduced to his constituents this week at the NAB's annual Radio Show in Philadelphia.

There is little time to waste righting the ship from the ravages of radio consolidation.

I know what you know about Gordon Smith, a former Republican senator from Oregon but if Bonneville's Bruce Reese had an influence in this choice -- after all, Reese headed the search committee -- then I am willing to cut Smith some slack and wish him the best of luck.

At the same time, I've got some suggestions for Smith -- a man whose roots are in radio -- that his new agenda at&hellip

One of the great things about living in this country and being broadcasters is that we have freedom of expression.

And since the Internet has come along, we have seen so many diverse views on almost everything that it takes Google to help us search all the content.

Here in this space, I have written about my love for the radio industry and its people, disdain for consolidation and its mismanagers

One of the great things about living in this country and being broadcasters is that we have freedom of expression.

And since the Internet has come along, we have seen so many diverse views on almost everything that it takes Google to help us search all the content.

Here in this space, I have written about my love for the radio industry and its people, disdain for consolidation and its mismanagers

Okay, I'm supposed to be on vacation at the Jersey shore just before the NAB Radio Show in Philly but everything reminds me of the state that radio is in.

Take this sign commemorating the massacre at Long Beach Island in 1782.

Makes me think of the massacre at Clear Channel, Cumulus and Citadel that has ruined the lives of thousands of good and talented people while depriving loyal listeners of the excellent local product we know we can offer them.

Back in 1782, the sign says, "That night while sleeping on the beach, Steelman (a patriot militiaman who captured a British vessel) and his men were massacred by Tory&hellip

Okay, I'm supposed to be on vacation at the Jersey shore just before the NAB Radio Show in Philly but everything reminds me of the state that radio is in.

Take this sign commemorating the massacre at Long Beach Island in 1782.

Makes me think of the massacre at Clear Channel, Cumulus and Citadel that has ruined the lives of thousands of good and talented people while depriving loyal listeners of the excellent local product we know we can offer them.

Back in 1782, the sign says, "That night while sleeping on the beach, Steelman (a patriot militiaman who captured a British vessel) and his men were massacred by Tory&hellip

The Dickey Dynasty is at it again

The Dickey Dynasty is at it again

You're asking, okay Jerry -- if Lew Dickey is really screwing up at Cumulus right now making it the Worst Radio Group -- tell me how he could do better.

Or at least, how I can avoid being like Cumulus.

Okay.

The good news is that there is a better way to motivate, stimulate and operate -- a fairer way that would ensure that the radio industry would be up to the challenge of new technology and changing generational needs.

This morning, I'd like to share with you the "Power of Incentives" inspired by Dan Pink, author of books on changing the world of&hellip

You're asking, okay Jerry -- if Lew Dickey is really screwing up at Cumulus right now making it the Worst Radio Group -- tell me how he could do better.

Or at least, how I can avoid being like Cumulus.

Okay.

The good news is that there is a better way to motivate, stimulate and operate -- a fairer way that would ensure that the radio industry would be up to the challenge of new technology and changing generational needs.

This morning, I'd like to share with you the "Power of Incentives" inspired by Dan Pink, author of books on changing the world of&hellip

Putting aside socialism, the health care debate or fracas as it is turning into or how you feel about President Obama radio is in need of the "public option".

The public option is referred to in the current health care debate as a government run alternative to private health insurance to -- in essence -- keep the private sector honest.

One side doesn't care if it is socialism (after all we have two giant socialist programs -- Medicare and Social Security -- that few are declining to accept).

On the other, interests that either like the status quo as it is or with less radical changes. Some argue to make no changes&hellip

Putting aside socialism, the health care debate or fracas as it is turning into or how you feel about President Obama radio is in need of the "public option".

The public option is referred to in the current health care debate as a government run alternative to private health insurance to -- in essence -- keep the private sector honest.

One side doesn't care if it is socialism (after all we have two giant socialist programs -- Medicare and Social Security -- that few are declining to accept).

On the other, interests that either like the status quo as it is or with less radical changes. Some argue to make no changes&hellip

One of my "Repeater Reporters" pointed out that Clear Channel's recent job posting for a Chicago/Cleveland producer for the syndicated Valentine in the Morning Show read like a repudiation of President John Slogan Hogan's much-proclaimed Audacity of Localism.

That's what Hogan thinks is his bold initiative to embrace local programming while simultaneously deconstructing local radio one market at a time.

I realize that this job description is for network producer of a Clear Channel syndicated show, but let's look at the language in the posting to get a feel for what their audacity really is.

Audacity is defined as "the&hellip

One of my "Repeater Reporters" pointed out that Clear Channel's recent job posting for a Chicago/Cleveland producer for the syndicated Valentine in the Morning Show read like a repudiation of President John Slogan Hogan's much-proclaimed Audacity of Localism.

That's what Hogan thinks is his bold initiative to embrace local programming while simultaneously deconstructing local radio one market at a time.

I realize that this job description is for network producer of a Clear Channel syndicated show, but let's look at the language in the posting to get a feel for what their audacity really is.

Audacity is defined as "the&hellip

The radio industry finally got what it wanted from Apple yesterday -- an iPod with FM capabilities.

That's what it figured would bring radio into the mobile future -- into the hands of young people -- cooler than a radio and wrapped in the cachet of the iPod.

Well, better be careful what you wish for.

None other than Apple CEO Steve Jobs himself helped usher the iPod Nano into the marketplace. He looked as slim as the Nano at yesterday's unveiling.

The new iPod Nano FM comes with Live Pause
as well as iTunes Tagging that Apple's own ad claims will "... make listening to the radio nothing like listening to&hellip

The radio industry finally got what it wanted from Apple yesterday -- an iPod with FM capabilities.

That's what it figured would bring radio into the mobile future -- into the hands of young people -- cooler than a radio and wrapped in the cachet of the iPod.

Well, better be careful what you wish for.

None other than Apple CEO Steve Jobs himself helped usher the iPod Nano into the marketplace. He looked as slim as the Nano at yesterday's unveiling.

The new iPod Nano FM comes with Live Pause
as well as iTunes Tagging that Apple's own ad claims will "... make listening to the radio nothing like listening to&hellip

In the U.S. it is unfortunate that the perception of all the good radio can offer listeners is dominated by three of the biggest consolidated companies -- Clear Channel, Cumulus and Citadel.

That's the problem -- these three industry leaders are bereft of ideas.

Across the big pond as radio icon Hy Lit used to call the Atlantic Ocean, the United Kingdom is, in my opinion, doing the best it can to anticipate generational forces that may eventually doom terrestrial radio.

They are holding their own.

The remarkable thing is that the UK isn't exactly loaded with broadcast competition, either. Recalling their&hellip

In the U.S. it is unfortunate that the perception of all the good radio can offer listeners is dominated by three of the biggest consolidated companies -- Clear Channel, Cumulus and Citadel.

That's the problem -- these three industry leaders are bereft of ideas.

Across the big pond as radio icon Hy Lit used to call the Atlantic Ocean, the United Kingdom is, in my opinion, doing the best it can to anticipate generational forces that may eventually doom terrestrial radio.

They are holding their own.

The remarkable thing is that the UK isn't exactly loaded with broadcast competition, either. Recalling their&hellip

Social media is everything today.

Bigger than the Internet or the computer it was built upon. It looms larger than any form of traditional media in scope or impact.

Yet, traditional media companies, still the the richest and most powerful, think social media is a mere flirtation to appease the desirable and crucial next generation that they must attract.

An add on, if you will.

These companies must think so because they are doing nothing, actually, to pioneer growth initiatives in such a potentially lucrative market.

When Rupert Murdoch bought MySpace a number of years ago before social networking took&hellip

Social media is everything today.

Bigger than the Internet or the computer it was built upon. It looms larger than any form of traditional media in scope or impact.

Yet, traditional media companies, still the the richest and most powerful, think social media is a mere flirtation to appease the desirable and crucial next generation that they must attract.

An add on, if you will.

These companies must think so because they are doing nothing, actually, to pioneer growth initiatives in such a potentially lucrative market.

When Rupert Murdoch bought MySpace a number of years ago before social networking took&hellip

On this Labor Day weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the human asset that is often lost in the "business" of radio.

Radio people.

I've been on the outs with consolidators from the very beginning because I sensed that they coveted franchises more than the people who built them. And I said it loud and proud when I owned Inside Radio for many years.

In fairness, at the beginning, I was a "lonely boy" -- to borrow a phrase from Andrew Gold.

The can-do spirit of radio people kicked into high gear even from the beginning when consolidators made promises to them that they couldn't keep. They&hellip

On this Labor Day weekend, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on the human asset that is often lost in the "business" of radio.

Radio people.

I've been on the outs with consolidators from the very beginning because I sensed that they coveted franchises more than the people who built them. And I said it loud and proud when I owned Inside Radio for many years.

In fairness, at the beginning, I was a "lonely boy" -- to borrow a phrase from Andrew Gold.

The can-do spirit of radio people kicked into high gear even from the beginning when consolidators made promises to them that they couldn't keep. They&hellip

I was in Los Angeles for a few days and everyone was talking about the wildfire disaster that has been threatening Mt. Wilson -- home of the famous observatory and, oh yes -- the broadcast towers for just about every radio and television station.

With all that public interest, you'd think the media would jump to attention.

"Jump" may not be an accurate word to describe it.

The television stations in LA are being blasted for their insufficient coverage of a natural news story. Some in the local press accusing TV stations of devoting more time and attention to the burial of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy than the&hellip

I was in Los Angeles for a few days and everyone was talking about the wildfire disaster that has been threatening Mt. Wilson -- home of the famous observatory and, oh yes -- the broadcast towers for just about every radio and television station.

With all that public interest, you'd think the media would jump to attention.

"Jump" may not be an accurate word to describe it.

The television stations in LA are being blasted for their insufficient coverage of a natural news story. Some in the local press accusing TV stations of devoting more time and attention to the burial of Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy than the&hellip

Ten years after the music industry went on the ultimate Atkins Diet it has lost about half of its girth -- if you adjust sales for inflation since 1999.

And as The New York Times Op-Ed page contributor Charles M. Blow observed recently, "At that rate the industry could be decimated before Madonna's 60th birthday".

Tell that to Live Nation who signed Madonna to a lucrative ten-year contract.

But this isn't about Madonna but may be news to the general public -- not to the industry.

The music industry died from self-inflicted wounds a long time ago.

Failing to take Napster out when it reared its pirate's&hellip

Ten years after the music industry went on the ultimate Atkins Diet it has lost about half of its girth -- if you adjust sales for inflation since 1999.

And as The New York Times Op-Ed page contributor Charles M. Blow observed recently, "At that rate the industry could be decimated before Madonna's 60th birthday".

Tell that to Live Nation who signed Madonna to a lucrative ten-year contract.

But this isn't about Madonna but may be news to the general public -- not to the industry.

The music industry died from self-inflicted wounds a long time ago.

Failing to take Napster out when it reared its pirate's&hellip

I didn't want to believe it, but apparently Cumulus has taken their brand of mean management to another level.

You may remember those furloughs that Cumulus forced upon all but their sales people earlier in the year?

Well, turns out these folks were really not forced furloughs at all.

At least that's what we are being told is the argument Cumulus is using to defend against numerous unemployment claims made by employees for the one week they were told not to come to work.

Apparently they are forced furloughs when Cumulus issues the order and "voluntary" when Cumulus tries to get the one-week unemployment&hellip

I didn't want to believe it, but apparently Cumulus has taken their brand of mean management to another level.

You may remember those furloughs that Cumulus forced upon all but their sales people earlier in the year?

Well, turns out these folks were really not forced furloughs at all.

At least that's what we are being told is the argument Cumulus is using to defend against numerous unemployment claims made by employees for the one week they were told not to come to work.

Apparently they are forced furloughs when Cumulus issues the order and "voluntary" when Cumulus tries to get the one-week unemployment&hellip

The big three bumbling consolidators are screwing up radio even more these days what with high anxiety management, totally irrelevant priorities, potentially illegal recruitment tactics and contradictory policies.

Yes, certified "stoopid" ways to get in your talented employees' way while they are trying to save your bacon.

Incredible stories of death, destruction and self-immolation by or at the hands of the three most dangerous companies owning radio stations -- Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus.

And, a programming note -- Cumulus has far surpassed Clear Channel as "Radio's Worst Group" -- virtually impossible&hellip

The big three bumbling consolidators are screwing up radio even more these days what with high anxiety management, totally irrelevant priorities, potentially illegal recruitment tactics and contradictory policies.

Yes, certified "stoopid" ways to get in your talented employees' way while they are trying to save your bacon.

Incredible stories of death, destruction and self-immolation by or at the hands of the three most dangerous companies owning radio stations -- Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus.

And, a programming note -- Cumulus has far surpassed Clear Channel as "Radio's Worst Group" -- virtually impossible&hellip

Video streaming has been growing in popularity especially in the last six months.

There is a new research study out from Ipsos MediaCT's MOTION that is picking up on a trend that radio people should consider and understand.

Americans with access to the Internet are now streaming more TV shows and movies than at any previous time in history -- 26% streaming a full-length TV show and 14% a movie within the last 30 days alone (an increase of

Video streaming has been growing in popularity especially in the last six months.

There is a new research study out from Ipsos MediaCT's MOTION that is picking up on a trend that radio people should consider and understand.

Americans with access to the Internet are now streaming more TV shows and movies than at any previous time in history -- 26% streaming a full-length TV show and 14% a movie within the last 30 days alone (an increase of

Years ago when I was publishing Inside Radio, I received a phone call from one of my advertisers who said they were going to go out of business.

The economy was good.

The advertiser was very solid -- certainly as far as how they paid my invoices.

But, they still had the majority of a $60,00o signed contract to fulfill.

To my delight and surprise, the advertiser said "we'll keep paying your bills until we have paid for the contract in full". They just didn't want me to run any ads since they decided to close down their syndication division.

That client -- the one that could have just said, "too bad, you're&hellip

Years ago when I was publishing Inside Radio, I received a phone call from one of my advertisers who said they were going to go out of business.

The economy was good.

The advertiser was very solid -- certainly as far as how they paid my invoices.

But, they still had the majority of a $60,00o signed contract to fulfill.

To my delight and surprise, the advertiser said "we'll keep paying your bills until we have paid for the contract in full". They just didn't want me to run any ads since they decided to close down their syndication division.

That client -- the one that could have just said, "too bad, you're&hellip

Terry Teachout wrote an excellent article recently in The Wall Street Journal about lessons the media industry can learn from the last big technological and sociological revolution when television replaced radio.

In The New-Media Crisis of 1949 the author accurately framed the debate over what to do with the Internet, mobile space and social networking. Just as important, by inference he was giving us a view of what not to do.

My purpose in bringing this up is to add some additional content to the issue specifically targeting radio, music and new media.

Ironically, networks played a role in the previous technological&hellip

Terry Teachout wrote an excellent article recently in The Wall Street Journal about lessons the media industry can learn from the last big technological and sociological revolution when television replaced radio.

In The New-Media Crisis of 1949 the author accurately framed the debate over what to do with the Internet, mobile space and social networking. Just as important, by inference he was giving us a view of what not to do.

My purpose in bringing this up is to add some additional content to the issue specifically targeting radio, music and new media.

Ironically, networks played a role in the previous technological&hellip

Citadel is on the brink of bankruptcy.

It could happen within the next six months if CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman cannot win another stay of execution with anxious lenders.

That raises the question of what happens to Citadel stations if the company winds up in the hands of a bankruptcy court -- specifically, what's the fate of its most valuable component -- ABC?

Citadel paid sucker money to Walt Disney Company to the tune of about a billion dollars for ABC and the ABC Radio networks several years ago in what was a highly touted but little understood maneuver called a Reverse Morris Trust, (RMT).

It was all a&hellip

Citadel is on the brink of bankruptcy.

It could happen within the next six months if CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman cannot win another stay of execution with anxious lenders.

That raises the question of what happens to Citadel stations if the company winds up in the hands of a bankruptcy court -- specifically, what's the fate of its most valuable component -- ABC?

Citadel paid sucker money to Walt Disney Company to the tune of about a billion dollars for ABC and the ABC Radio networks several years ago in what was a highly touted but little understood maneuver called a Reverse Morris Trust, (RMT).

It was all a&hellip

Remember what we used to do when a radio station started losing its audience?

That's right -- The New 92.

The same old thing packaged like we've fixed everything listeners came to dislike about the station.

I think of this sometimes when I think of Cumulus CEO Lew "Don't Call Me Tricky" Dickey, Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman and Clear Channel Radio President John "Slogan" Hogan.

These three blind mice haven't come up with one good idea in 13 years!

I dare you, name one.

See.

None of them is dumb -- in fact, they all well educated and bright. True, they may have sold their souls and their&hellip

Remember what we used to do when a radio station started losing its audience?

That's right -- The New 92.

The same old thing packaged like we've fixed everything listeners came to dislike about the station.

I think of this sometimes when I think of Cumulus CEO Lew "Don't Call Me Tricky" Dickey, Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman and Clear Channel Radio President John "Slogan" Hogan.

These three blind mice haven't come up with one good idea in 13 years!

I dare you, name one.

See.

None of them is dumb -- in fact, they all well educated and bright. True, they may have sold their souls and their&hellip

For decades, radio stations relentlessly pursued quarter hour listening dominance.

We sold advertisers and agencies on the importance of buying commercials in a setting where listeners listened longer.

That was, until now.

Until Arbitron's Portable People Meter came along and changed everything. Or should I say, the radio industry changed everything based on its understanding or misunderstanding of this new technology.

Some context is needed.

I'm sure old timers (that's is anyone who was hired one year ago or longer) remember that we swept across the quarter hours with music to -- all together now --&hellip

For decades, radio stations relentlessly pursued quarter hour listening dominance.

We sold advertisers and agencies on the importance of buying commercials in a setting where listeners listened longer.

That was, until now.

Until Arbitron's Portable People Meter came along and changed everything. Or should I say, the radio industry changed everything based on its understanding or misunderstanding of this new technology.

Some context is needed.

I'm sure old timers (that's is anyone who was hired one year ago or longer) remember that we swept across the quarter hours with music to -- all together now --&hellip

You think Sam Zell has problems with his bankrupt Tribune Company?

Citadel is on the fast track for disaster by the end of January and what you may be seeing in the next few months is their admission that things are hopeless.

For example, Radio-Info's Tom Taylor has been all over rumors that Citadel may be selling its ABC stations to raise cash.

Bonneville is the name Tom keeps hearing.

And as usual, Tom's nose for news is outstanding.

There are several scenarios emerging -- one worse than the other -- for the financially pressed Citadel. Perhaps you've not heard much from them lately. There's nothing&hellip

You think Sam Zell has problems with his bankrupt Tribune Company?

Citadel is on the fast track for disaster by the end of January and what you may be seeing in the next few months is their admission that things are hopeless.

For example, Radio-Info's Tom Taylor has been all over rumors that Citadel may be selling its ABC stations to raise cash.

Bonneville is the name Tom keeps hearing.

And as usual, Tom's nose for news is outstanding.

There are several scenarios emerging -- one worse than the other -- for the financially pressed Citadel. Perhaps you've not heard much from them lately. There's nothing&hellip

CBS is doing commercial free Mondays in Washington at Fresh 94.7.

This is nuts.

Here's how they put it:

We agree - the other stations in town play too many commercials. Wouldn't it be nice to hear music when you're at work without all the commercials? It would. That's why we're giving you Commercial Free Mondays on 94.7 Fresh FM.

Every Monday, from 8AM to 6PM, you'll hear all of Today's Fresh Music without the commercials. Zero...nada...NO COMMERCIALS AT ALL! Share the news with your friends & co-workers and change that office radio station to The&hellip

CBS is doing commercial free Mondays in Washington at Fresh 94.7.

This is nuts.

Here's how they put it:

We agree - the other stations in town play too many commercials. Wouldn't it be nice to hear music when you're at work without all the commercials? It would. That's why we're giving you Commercial Free Mondays on 94.7 Fresh FM.

Every Monday, from 8AM to 6PM, you'll hear all of Today's Fresh Music without the commercials. Zero...nada...NO COMMERCIALS AT ALL! Share the news with your friends & co-workers and change that office radio station to The&hellip

CBS is doing commercial free Mondays in Washington at Fresh 94.7.

This is nuts.

Here's how they put it:

We agree - the other stations in town play too many commercials. Wouldn't it be nice to hear music when you're at work without all the commercials? It would. That's why we're giving you Commercial Free Mondays on 94.7 Fresh FM.

Every Monday, from 8AM to 6PM, you'll hear all of Today's Fresh Music without the commercials. Zero...nada...NO COMMERCIALS AT ALL! Share the news with your friends & co-workers and change that office radio station to The&hellip

Apple is up to something and it could spell even more trouble for a radio industry that is firmly entrenched in the past.

About five months or so ago I discussed the potential of an Apple tablet device that could be almost everything an Internet and mobile generation could ask for.

Now there is growing evidence amid many rumors that possibly as soon as September or by year's end, Apple will introduce a mobile device that is larger than its iPod Touch and smaller than its smallest laptop.

But this time there is finally some credibility added to the possibility as the highly respected Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster&hellip

Apple is up to something and it could spell even more trouble for a radio industry that is firmly entrenched in the past.

About five months or so ago I discussed the potential of an Apple tablet device that could be almost everything an Internet and mobile generation could ask for.

Now there is growing evidence amid many rumors that possibly as soon as September or by year's end, Apple will introduce a mobile device that is larger than its iPod Touch and smaller than its smallest laptop.

But this time there is finally some credibility added to the possibility as the highly respected Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster&hellip

Apple is up to something and it could spell even more trouble for a radio industry that is firmly entrenched in the past.

About five months or so ago I discussed the potential of an Apple tablet device that could be almost everything an Internet and mobile generation could ask for.

Now there is growing evidence amid many rumors that possibly as soon as September or by year's end, Apple will introduce a mobile device that is larger than its iPod Touch and smaller than its smallest laptop.

But this time there is finally some credibility added to the possibility as the highly respected Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster&hellip

I don't know if you ever heard of or remember The Smothers Brothers -- Tom and Dick -- who made a career of arguing on television about who mom loved more.

According to Wiki: Tommy's signature line was, "Mom always liked you best!" Tommy (the elder of the two) acted "slow," and Dick, the straight man, acted "superior." Here's a taste.

Why am I getting the feeling that the destruction of Cumulus Media, now the worst radio group in the world according to our ongoing poll, is all about "Dad liked you best"?

I&hellip

I don't know if you ever heard of or remember The Smothers Brothers -- Tom and Dick -- who made a career of arguing on television about who mom loved more.

According to Wiki: Tommy's signature line was, "Mom always liked you best!" Tommy (the elder of the two) acted "slow," and Dick, the straight man, acted "superior." Here's a taste.

Why am I getting the feeling that the destruction of Cumulus Media, now the worst radio group in the world according to our ongoing poll, is all about "Dad liked you best"?

I&hellip

I don't know if you ever heard of or remember The Smothers Brothers -- Tom and Dick -- who made a career of arguing on television about who mom loved more.

According to Wiki: Tommy's signature line was, "Mom always liked you best!" Tommy (the elder of the two) acted "slow," and Dick, the straight man, acted "superior." Here's a taste.

Why am I getting the feeling that the destruction of Cumulus Media, now the worst radio group in the world according to our ongoing poll, is all about "Dad liked you best"?

I&hellip

The Less Is More people have done it again.

The latest twist from Albert Einstein Hogan is: advertisers making less, get to pay Clear Channel more.

Here's what one of my Clear Channel Repeater Reporters said in a recent email:

"Don't know if you know this but - CC raised spot rates in THIS economy - it was mandatory. Now, I am well aware this company was the cause of eroding spot rates all over the country (and why smaller companies hated us so much - they had to do the same to compete), but I'd like to know when they're going to stop treating every group/market in a one-size-fits-all way".

Well, I can&hellip

The Less Is More people have done it again.

The latest twist from Albert Einstein Hogan is: advertisers making less, get to pay Clear Channel more.

Here's what one of my Clear Channel Repeater Reporters said in a recent email:

"Don't know if you know this but - CC raised spot rates in THIS economy - it was mandatory. Now, I am well aware this company was the cause of eroding spot rates all over the country (and why smaller companies hated us so much - they had to do the same to compete), but I'd like to know when they're going to stop treating every group/market in a one-size-fits-all way".

Well, I can&hellip

The Less Is More people have done it again.

The latest twist from Albert Einstein Hogan is: advertisers making less, get to pay Clear Channel more.

Here's what one of my Clear Channel Repeater Reporters said in a recent email:

"Don't know if you know this but - CC raised spot rates in THIS economy - it was mandatory. Now, I am well aware this company was the cause of eroding spot rates all over the country (and why smaller companies hated us so much - they had to do the same to compete), but I'd like to know when they're going to stop treating every group/market in a one-size-fits-all way".

Well, I can&hellip

Now that there is a little bright light at the end of the economic rainbow, we will likely enter an era where consolidated radio groups -- hopelessly burdened with debt -- will be able to sell some of their stations.

It's happening already -- as witnessed by Larry Wilson's deal to steal the four-station Portland cluster from CBS Radio for $40 million to add to the two he acquired from Paul Allen for $11 million there.

Wilson, you may remember, founded Citadel and sold it to Forstmann Little, the people who then brought you Fagreed Suleman and the billion dollar acquisition of ABC which he then proceeded to run into the&hellip

Now that there is a little bright light at the end of the economic rainbow, we will likely enter an era where consolidated radio groups -- hopelessly burdened with debt -- will be able to sell some of their stations.

It's happening already -- as witnessed by Larry Wilson's deal to steal the four-station Portland cluster from CBS Radio for $40 million to add to the two he acquired from Paul Allen for $11 million there.

Wilson, you may remember, founded Citadel and sold it to Forstmann Little, the people who then brought you Fagreed Suleman and the billion dollar acquisition of ABC which he then proceeded to run into the&hellip

Now that there is a little bright light at the end of the economic rainbow, we will likely enter an era where consolidated radio groups -- hopelessly burdened with debt -- will be able to sell some of their stations.

It's happening already -- as witnessed by Larry Wilson's deal to steal the four-station Portland cluster from CBS Radio for $40 million to add to the two he acquired from Paul Allen for $11 million there.

Wilson, you may remember, founded Citadel and sold it to Forstmann Little, the people who then brought you Fagreed Suleman and the billion dollar acquisition of ABC which he then proceeded to run into the&hellip

Many of you have asked me to keep you posted on the remarkable journey of my podcasting clients -- Dave Jagger and Geri Jarvis, who after 18 years with top ratings as a Grand Rapids morning show duo were laid off by consolidators.

This is a time when corporate cutbacks are sacrificing a lot of good talent and with all the stupid news from consolidators who are pillaging the industry's talent banks, there is also some great news for any aggrieved personality looking for a new media future.

ther advertiser's commercials -- their words).

What's more fascinating is that Dave & Geri are doing their own "sales" --&hellip

Many of you have asked me to keep you posted on the remarkable journey of my podcasting clients -- Dave Jagger and Geri Jarvis, who after 18 years with top ratings as a Grand Rapids morning show duo were laid off by consolidators.

This is a time when corporate cutbacks are sacrificing a lot of good talent and with all the stupid news from consolidators who are pillaging the industry's talent banks, there is also some great news for any aggrieved personality looking for a new media future.

ther advertiser's commercials -- their words).

What's more fascinating is that Dave & Geri are doing their own "sales" --&hellip

Many of you have asked me to keep you posted on the remarkable journey of my podcasting clients -- Dave Jagger and Geri Jarvis, who after 18 years with top ratings as a Grand Rapids morning show duo were laid off by consolidators.

This is a time when corporate cutbacks are sacrificing a lot of good talent and with all the stupid news from consolidators who are pillaging the industry's talent banks, there is also some great news for any aggrieved personality looking for a new media future.

ther advertiser's commercials -- their words).

What's more fascinating is that Dave & Geri are doing their own "sales" --&hellip

What's happening to radio employees at the hands of the three biggest consolidators is bad enough, but now we get evidence that at least one of them is getting mean.

And one former Cumulus employee is going on record about it.

Darren Tandy was fired by Cumulus in Indianapolis -- or should we say "laid off" because they were cutting the budget.

But when he landed on his feet and got another job in the market, the mean gene reappeared in the Dickey Dynasty.

Let me let Darren tell it:

"After a sixteen-year run at WFMS/Indianapolis, I was laid-off permanently "without cause" by&hellip

What's happening to radio employees at the hands of the three biggest consolidators is bad enough, but now we get evidence that at least one of them is getting mean.

And one former Cumulus employee is going on record about it.

Darren Tandy was fired by Cumulus in Indianapolis -- or should we say "laid off" because they were cutting the budget.

But when he landed on his feet and got another job in the market, the mean gene reappeared in the Dickey Dynasty.

Let me let Darren tell it:

"After a sixteen-year run at WFMS/Indianapolis, I was laid-off permanently "without cause" by&hellip

What's happening to radio employees at the hands of the three biggest consolidators is bad enough, but now we get evidence that at least one of them is getting mean.

And one former Cumulus employee is going on record about it.

Darren Tandy was fired by Cumulus in Indianapolis -- or should we say "laid off" because they were cutting the budget.

But when he landed on his feet and got another job in the market, the mean gene reappeared in the Dickey Dynasty.

Let me let Darren tell it:

"After a sixteen-year run at WFMS/Indianapolis, I was laid-off permanently "without cause" by&hellip

Here's another reason why Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey has earned the nickname "Tricky".

When he revealed Cumulus cash revenue is off 21% for the quarter, he waxed eloquent about all the reduced operating expenses.

By turning attention to EBITDA, he

Here's another reason why Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey has earned the nickname "Tricky".

When he revealed Cumulus cash revenue is off 21% for the quarter, he waxed eloquent about all the reduced operating expenses.

By turning attention to EBITDA, he

Here's another reason why Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey has earned the nickname "Tricky".

When he revealed Cumulus cash revenue is off 21% for the quarter, he waxed eloquent about all the reduced operating expenses.

By turning attention to EBITDA, he

The radio industry is about to do it again -- ready, aim, fire -- shoot itself in the foot.

For an industry that used to do research and presumably knew how to read it, many radio groups are now overreacting to Portable People Meter (PPM) dynamics by cutting the talk and playing more music.

It's never wrong to play a lot of music.

But when there are iPods and cell phones, laptops and WiFi why is radio trying to do less personality?

Two reasons:

1. It's cheaper (music played with voice tracking is downright cheap and boring radio). When was the last time anyone ever&hellip

The radio industry is about to do it again -- ready, aim, fire -- shoot itself in the foot.

For an industry that used to do research and presumably knew how to read it, many radio groups are now overreacting to Portable People Meter (PPM) dynamics by cutting the talk and playing more music.

It's never wrong to play a lot of music.

But when there are iPods and cell phones, laptops and WiFi why is radio trying to do less personality?

Two reasons:

1. It's cheaper (music played with voice tracking is downright cheap and boring radio). When was the last time anyone ever&hellip

The radio industry is about to do it again -- ready, aim, fire -- shoot itself in the foot.

For an industry that used to do research and presumably knew how to read it, many radio groups are now overreacting to Portable People Meter (PPM) dynamics by cutting the talk and playing more music.

It's never wrong to play a lot of music.

But when there are iPods and cell phones, laptops and WiFi why is radio trying to do less personality?

Two reasons:

1. It's cheaper (music played with voice tracking is downright cheap and boring radio). When was the last time anyone ever&hellip

Looks like the folks who run Radio Shack have all of a sudden inherited the terrestrial radio dumb-dumb gene some of the "C" list consolidators have.

They are going to drop "Radio" from their name -- making them known as simply "The Shack".

This all happened after a new ad agency got its hands on the Radio Shack account and decided to make the brand more now sounding.

He's a bunch of bullshit:

The Chief Marketing Officer Greg Stern was quoted in Inside Radio yesterday as saying,

Looks like the folks who run Radio Shack have all of a sudden inherited the terrestrial radio dumb-dumb gene some of the "C" list consolidators have.

They are going to drop "Radio" from their name -- making them known as simply "The Shack".

This all happened after a new ad agency got its hands on the Radio Shack account and decided to make the brand more now sounding.

He's a bunch of bullshit:

The Chief Marketing Officer Greg Stern was quoted in Inside Radio yesterday as saying,

Looks like the folks who run Radio Shack have all of a sudden inherited the terrestrial radio dumb-dumb gene some of the "C" list consolidators have.

They are going to drop "Radio" from their name -- making them known as simply "The Shack".

This all happened after a new ad agency got its hands on the Radio Shack account and decided to make the brand more now sounding.

He's a bunch of bullshit:

The Chief Marketing Officer Greg Stern was quoted in Inside Radio yesterday as saying,

Have you seen JK's Wedding Entrance on YouTube?

In an odd way, it is the most dramatic proof of the kind of thing it will take to turn around the record business.

The video, recorded at a real live wedding, is not your usual "Always and Forever" marriage ceremony.

Instead, the wedding party gets down like a dog and -- well, they dance down the aisle of the church (that's right -- church) to Chris Brown's "Forever".

Get a flavor of it here and then return if you will to my wake-up call for the record labels and the RIAA.

As my reader pointed out,&hellip

Have you seen JK's Wedding Entrance on YouTube?

In an odd way, it is the most dramatic proof of the kind of thing it will take to turn around the record business.

The video, recorded at a real live wedding, is not your usual "Always and Forever" marriage ceremony.

Instead, the wedding party gets down like a dog and -- well, they dance down the aisle of the church (that's right -- church) to Chris Brown's "Forever".

Get a flavor of it here and then return if you will to my wake-up call for the record labels and the RIAA.

As my reader pointed out,&hellip

Have you seen JK's Wedding Entrance on YouTube?

In an odd way, it is the most dramatic proof of the kind of thing it will take to turn around the record business.

The video, recorded at a real live wedding, is not your usual "Always and Forever" marriage ceremony.

Instead, the wedding party gets down like a dog and -- well, they dance down the aisle of the church (that's right -- church) to Chris Brown's "Forever".

Get a flavor of it here and then return if you will to my wake-up call for the record labels and the RIAA.

As my reader pointed out,&hellip

I've been polling my readers for the past week or so to get their thinking on which radio group is the best and which is the worst.

The voting has been ongoing -- and will continue until the end of the year.

You see, unlike New Jersey, Chicago and Florida, you get to vote only once here.

I'm kidding -- I'm kidding.

But unlike those places, my readers can change their votes based on current events.

Unfortunately current events in radio fail to bring any good news.

For context here, we pulled our candidates from the BIA list that is readily available on the&hellip

I've been polling my readers for the past week or so to get their thinking on which radio group is the best and which is the worst.

The voting has been ongoing -- and will continue until the end of the year.

You see, unlike New Jersey, Chicago and Florida, you get to vote only once here.

I'm kidding -- I'm kidding.

But unlike those places, my readers can change their votes based on current events.

Unfortunately current events in radio fail to bring any good news.

For context here, we pulled our candidates from the BIA list that is readily available on the&hellip

I've been polling my readers for the past week or so to get their thinking on which radio group is the best and which is the worst.

The voting has been ongoing -- and will continue until the end of the year.

You see, unlike New Jersey, Chicago and Florida, you get to vote only once here.

I'm kidding -- I'm kidding.

But unlike those places, my readers can change their votes based on current events.

Unfortunately current events in radio fail to bring any good news.

For context here, we pulled our candidates from the BIA list that is readily available on the&hellip

Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey called me yesterday to say why don't you write about Clear Channel once in a while -- after all, they are more evil than we are.

Alright, I'm lying.

Dickey didn't call but I'll bet you he's praying we write about some other consolidator's evil actions today after all the apparent misery Cumulus is causing its loyal employees.

In fact, things have been so intense at Cumulus lately that in our ongoing Inside Music Media poll of Radio's Best and Worst Groups, Cumulus has pulled ahead of Clear Channel (see for yourself by clicking here and&hellip

Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey called me yesterday to say why don't you write about Clear Channel once in a while -- after all, they are more evil than we are.

Alright, I'm lying.

Dickey didn't call but I'll bet you he's praying we write about some other consolidator's evil actions today after all the apparent misery Cumulus is causing its loyal employees.

In fact, things have been so intense at Cumulus lately that in our ongoing Inside Music Media poll of Radio's Best and Worst Groups, Cumulus has pulled ahead of Clear Channel (see for yourself by clicking here and&hellip

Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey called me yesterday to say why don't you write about Clear Channel once in a while -- after all, they are more evil than we are.

Alright, I'm lying.

Dickey didn't call but I'll bet you he's praying we write about some other consolidator's evil actions today after all the apparent misery Cumulus is causing its loyal employees.

In fact, things have been so intense at Cumulus lately that in our ongoing Inside Music Media poll of Radio's Best and Worst Groups, Cumulus has pulled ahead of Clear Channel (see for yourself by clicking here and&hellip

I thought you might be interested in what Morgan Stanley did recently in the UK.

They offered a two-week internship to a 15-year old to critique the media business and write a report called How Teenagers Consume Media. In it, Matthew Robson believes he is speaking for over 200 other teens.

And if he is, we may want to listen up.

First, he proclaims Twitter for old people.

Stop and think about it. My young friends and former students are not all that enamored of Twitter. My older friends are in love with it.

Maybe Matthew is right.

And we know that only about 9% of the people who have Twitter&hellip

I thought you might be interested in what Morgan Stanley did recently in the UK.

They offered a two-week internship to a 15-year old to critique the media business and write a report called How Teenagers Consume Media. In it, Matthew Robson believes he is speaking for over 200 other teens.

And if he is, we may want to listen up.

First, he proclaims Twitter for old people.

Stop and think about it. My young friends and former students are not all that enamored of Twitter. My older friends are in love with it.

Maybe Matthew is right.

And we know that only about 9% of the people who have Twitter&hellip

I thought you might be interested in what Morgan Stanley did recently in the UK.

They offered a two-week internship to a 15-year old to critique the media business and write a report called How Teenagers Consume Media. In it, Matthew Robson believes he is speaking for over 200 other teens.

And if he is, we may want to listen up.

First, he proclaims Twitter for old people.

Stop and think about it. My young friends and former students are not all that enamored of Twitter. My older friends are in love with it.

Maybe Matthew is right.

And we know that only about 9% of the people who have Twitter&hellip

Citadel and Cumulus, your market leaders on bankruptcy potential, have fired a lot of talent in the past year -- including valuable sales people.

Now, they are apparently hiring again.

No, not hiring back.

Hiring new.

And to listen to the way they are selling the open positions, you'd think Capital Cities/ABC had come back from the dead to run these help wanted programs.

So, let me set the stage.

Among Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus alone -- not to mention the bottom feeder consolidators -- there are enough so-called "laid off" account execs ready to work again to help these bumbling radio&hellip

Citadel and Cumulus, your market leaders on bankruptcy potential, have fired a lot of talent in the past year -- including valuable sales people.

Now, they are apparently hiring again.

No, not hiring back.

Hiring new.

And to listen to the way they are selling the open positions, you'd think Capital Cities/ABC had come back from the dead to run these help wanted programs.

So, let me set the stage.

Among Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus alone -- not to mention the bottom feeder consolidators -- there are enough so-called "laid off" account execs ready to work again to help these bumbling radio&hellip

Citadel and Cumulus, your market leaders on bankruptcy potential, have fired a lot of talent in the past year -- including valuable sales people.

Now, they are apparently hiring again.

No, not hiring back.

Hiring new.

And to listen to the way they are selling the open positions, you'd think Capital Cities/ABC had come back from the dead to run these help wanted programs.

So, let me set the stage.

Among Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus alone -- not to mention the bottom feeder consolidators -- there are enough so-called "laid off" account execs ready to work again to help these bumbling radio&hellip

Don't worry, Clear Channel is still the "Evil Empire".

But Cumulus under the leadership of the Dickey boys is more like the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the fictional Marvel Comics super villain team devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans.

Of course I am poking fun at the Dickey brothers because as they have been tightening the noose on their talented and able Cumulus employees, they have also been tightening the noose on themselves.

It is unthinkable that a radio group could spy on employees using cameras installed at their stations, punish salespeople who can't meet corporate goals in a brutal recession&hellip

Don't worry, Clear Channel is still the "Evil Empire".

But Cumulus under the leadership of the Dickey boys is more like the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the fictional Marvel Comics super villain team devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans.

Of course I am poking fun at the Dickey brothers because as they have been tightening the noose on their talented and able Cumulus employees, they have also been tightening the noose on themselves.

It is unthinkable that a radio group could spy on employees using cameras installed at their stations, punish salespeople who can't meet corporate goals in a brutal recession&hellip

Don't worry, Clear Channel is still the "Evil Empire".

But Cumulus under the leadership of the Dickey boys is more like the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, the fictional Marvel Comics super villain team devoted to mutant superiority over normal humans.

Of course I am poking fun at the Dickey brothers because as they have been tightening the noose on their talented and able Cumulus employees, they have also been tightening the noose on themselves.

It is unthinkable that a radio group could spy on employees using cameras installed at their stations, punish salespeople who can't meet corporate goals in a brutal recession&hellip

Disney's ESPN is up to something big that radio and new media interests should keep a close eye on because they are about to steal local listeners away from radio and move them to the Internet.

A number of months ago ESPN the sports giant (television, radio, publishing, online, mobile) began testing a concept that is reminiscent of local radio when radio was in fact local.

Three months ago in Chicago, the test site, ESPN began digging down deep into local communities in an effort to create total domination of all things sports. In Chicago, ESPN is up against Randy Michaels and Tribune. So far ESPN is leading the race for&hellip

Disney's ESPN is up to something big that radio and new media interests should keep a close eye on because they are about to steal local listeners away from radio and move them to the Internet.

A number of months ago ESPN the sports giant (television, radio, publishing, online, mobile) began testing a concept that is reminiscent of local radio when radio was in fact local.

Three months ago in Chicago, the test site, ESPN began digging down deep into local communities in an effort to create total domination of all things sports. In Chicago, ESPN is up against Randy Michaels and Tribune. So far ESPN is leading the race for&hellip

Disney's ESPN is up to something big that radio and new media interests should keep a close eye on because they are about to steal local listeners away from radio and move them to the Internet.

A number of months ago ESPN the sports giant (television, radio, publishing, online, mobile) began testing a concept that is reminiscent of local radio when radio was in fact local.

Three months ago in Chicago, the test site, ESPN began digging down deep into local communities in an effort to create total domination of all things sports. In Chicago, ESPN is up against Randy Michaels and Tribune. So far ESPN is leading the race for&hellip

Cumulus Media -- the 64 cent stock is all Harvard grad Lew Dickey, Jr. has to show for 13 consolidated years of radio -- is at war with itself.

This is my opinion.

When a company has to revert to tactics that inhibit productivity at a crucial time and dissipate the good will of their employees, it can only be due to desperation.

Cumulus is in free fall.

The stock price is in the toilet. The value of the company worth less than ever. The future mortgaged by overspending and now the employees in a sense pistol whipped because they need their jobs and the ruling Dickey family needs cheap labor.

It's not&hellip

Cumulus Media -- the 64 cent stock is all Harvard grad Lew Dickey, Jr. has to show for 13 consolidated years of radio -- is at war with itself.

This is my opinion.

When a company has to revert to tactics that inhibit productivity at a crucial time and dissipate the good will of their employees, it can only be due to desperation.

Cumulus is in free fall.

The stock price is in the toilet. The value of the company worth less than ever. The future mortgaged by overspending and now the employees in a sense pistol whipped because they need their jobs and the ruling Dickey family needs cheap labor.

It's not&hellip

Cumulus Media -- the 64 cent stock is all Harvard grad Lew Dickey, Jr. has to show for 13 consolidated years of radio -- is at war with itself.

This is my opinion.

When a company has to revert to tactics that inhibit productivity at a crucial time and dissipate the good will of their employees, it can only be due to desperation.

Cumulus is in free fall.

The stock price is in the toilet. The value of the company worth less than ever. The future mortgaged by overspending and now the employees in a sense pistol whipped because they need their jobs and the ruling Dickey family needs cheap labor.

It's not&hellip

It doesn't take long to conclude that the radio industry has a big problem.

Not the recession.

Or owing too much debt to repay it.

The listener problem.

Radio groups find themselves in an impossible position these days -- a sad situation of their own making.

You might argue that there was nothing they could do about the Internet, iPods, social networking, music discovery through bit torrent sites or the popularity of cell phones and text messaging.

Then again, radio CEOs could have seen these new technological and sociological trends as opportunities.

Nonetheless, the question of what shall&hellip

It doesn't take long to conclude that the radio industry has a big problem.

Not the recession.

Or owing too much debt to repay it.

The listener problem.

Radio groups find themselves in an impossible position these days -- a sad situation of their own making.

You might argue that there was nothing they could do about the Internet, iPods, social networking, music discovery through bit torrent sites or the popularity of cell phones and text messaging.

Then again, radio CEOs could have seen these new technological and sociological trends as opportunities.

Nonetheless, the question of what shall&hellip

It doesn't take long to conclude that the radio industry has a big problem.

Not the recession.

Or owing too much debt to repay it.

The listener problem.

Radio groups find themselves in an impossible position these days -- a sad situation of their own making.

You might argue that there was nothing they could do about the Internet, iPods, social networking, music discovery through bit torrent sites or the popularity of cell phones and text messaging.

Then again, radio CEOs could have seen these new technological and sociological trends as opportunities.

Nonetheless, the question of what shall&hellip

According to Greek mythology, Pandora opened a jar referred to as "Pandora's box", releasing all the evils of mankind.

But recently, Pandora Radio released all the evils of the music industry upon the radio industry.

Pandora Radio CEO Tim Westergren surprisingly opened Pandora Radio's box for his competitors in terrestrial radio when he came out publicly for the repeal of radio's performance tax exemption.

The record industry is pushing for the ability to tax radio further for helping them sell music. Go figure.

I have known Westergren to be a good man and he's a musician so you can tell where his sympathies&hellip

According to Greek mythology, Pandora opened a jar referred to as "Pandora's box", releasing all the evils of mankind.

But recently, Pandora Radio released all the evils of the music industry upon the radio industry.

Pandora Radio CEO Tim Westergren surprisingly opened Pandora Radio's box for his competitors in terrestrial radio when he came out publicly for the repeal of radio's performance tax exemption.

The record industry is pushing for the ability to tax radio further for helping them sell music. Go figure.

I have known Westergren to be a good man and he's a musician so you can tell where his sympathies&hellip

According to Greek mythology, Pandora opened a jar referred to as "Pandora's box", releasing all the evils of mankind.

But recently, Pandora Radio released all the evils of the music industry upon the radio industry.

Pandora Radio CEO Tim Westergren surprisingly opened Pandora Radio's box for his competitors in terrestrial radio when he came out publicly for the repeal of radio's performance tax exemption.

The record industry is pushing for the ability to tax radio further for helping them sell music. Go figure.

I have known Westergren to be a good man and he's a musician so you can tell where his sympathies&hellip

It is disturbing to know in these difficult times that Clear Channel is treating some of its listeners no better than it has been treating its employees.

For example, take those 1,100 or so poor souls who got their cars stuck at the Ionia Fairgrounds concert staged by the very popular Clear Channel country station B93 in Grand Rapids.

Clear Channel's hapless Radio President John Slogan Hogan has single-handedly undone the bond this fine radio station has built up over the years with his corporate policies -- that's my judgment, but you decide.

What happened as some may remember is that B93 had its annual outdoor&hellip

It is disturbing to know in these difficult times that Clear Channel is treating some of its listeners no better than it has been treating its employees.

For example, take those 1,100 or so poor souls who got their cars stuck at the Ionia Fairgrounds concert staged by the very popular Clear Channel country station B93 in Grand Rapids.

Clear Channel's hapless Radio President John Slogan Hogan has single-handedly undone the bond this fine radio station has built up over the years with his corporate policies -- that's my judgment, but you decide.

What happened as some may remember is that B93 had its annual outdoor&hellip

It is disturbing to know in these difficult times that Clear Channel is treating some of its listeners no better than it has been treating its employees.

For example, take those 1,100 or so poor souls who got their cars stuck at the Ionia Fairgrounds concert staged by the very popular Clear Channel country station B93 in Grand Rapids.

Clear Channel's hapless Radio President John Slogan Hogan has single-handedly undone the bond this fine radio station has built up over the years with his corporate policies -- that's my judgment, but you decide.

What happened as some may remember is that B93 had its annual outdoor&hellip

Recently, I wrote a piece called "The Dickey Ding Dong School of Management" in which I commented on a memo they issued to employees that seemed to me to be disingenuous at best and abusive at worst.

Then, I heard from a reader who said he worked for Cumulus and that at a subsequent half-hour corporate sales meeting (more commonly called a spy session) using cameras and Skype, a loyal foot soldier from Dickeydom supposedly addressed my comments one by one.

I have no way of knowing for sure because Lew Dickey has yet to wire my house or office for spy cameras. But he sure as hell has given new meaning to the term "Big&hellip

Recently, I wrote a piece called "The Dickey Ding Dong School of Management" in which I commented on a memo they issued to employees that seemed to me to be disingenuous at best and abusive at worst.

Then, I heard from a reader who said he worked for Cumulus and that at a subsequent half-hour corporate sales meeting (more commonly called a spy session) using cameras and Skype, a loyal foot soldier from Dickeydom supposedly addressed my comments one by one.

I have no way of knowing for sure because Lew Dickey has yet to wire my house or office for spy cameras. But he sure as hell has given new meaning to the term "Big&hellip

Recently, I wrote a piece called "The Dickey Ding Dong School of Management" in which I commented on a memo they issued to employees that seemed to me to be disingenuous at best and abusive at worst.

Then, I heard from a reader who said he worked for Cumulus and that at a subsequent half-hour corporate sales meeting (more commonly called a spy session) using cameras and Skype, a loyal foot soldier from Dickeydom supposedly addressed my comments one by one.

I have no way of knowing for sure because Lew Dickey has yet to wire my house or office for spy cameras. But he sure as hell has given new meaning to the term "Big&hellip

What do you get when you fire most of your local employees, revert to using voice tracking or cheap outside programming, manage from corporate headquarters, spy on stations and treat engineers like they are not necessary?Thanks for forwarding my pieces to your friends and linking to your websites and boards.

What do you get when you fire most of your local employees, revert to using voice tracking or cheap outside programming, manage from corporate headquarters, spy on stations and treat engineers like they are not necessary?Thanks for forwarding my pieces to your friends and linking to your websites and boards.

What do you get when you fire most of your local employees, revert to using voice tracking or cheap outside programming, manage from corporate headquarters, spy on stations and treat engineers like they are not necessary?Thanks for forwarding my pieces to your friends and linking to your websites and boards.

So let me get this right.

Michael Jackson dies -- the music industry's Black Elvis -- and Sony Music ships 8 million CDs worldwide. Some 800,000 were sold in the U.S. alone.

That

So let me get this right.

Michael Jackson dies -- the music industry's Black Elvis -- and Sony Music ships 8 million CDs worldwide. Some 800,000 were sold in the U.S. alone.

That

So let me get this right.

Michael Jackson dies -- the music industry's Black Elvis -- and Sony Music ships 8 million CDs worldwide. Some 800,000 were sold in the U.S. alone.

That

Yesterday I wrote about Radio's Lost Generation -- how they are so different sociologically and technologically speaking.

But there also remains the issue of available radio listeners.

You know, the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who want to listen to radio programming and like it.

They are also being misunderstood and it might be worthwhile to take a look-see as to what can be done to keep them.

Traditional wisdom is that Gen X and Baby Boomers will always be radio listeners.

Then again, radio CEOs thought the same thing about Gen Y -- and they let them get away.

So much for traditional&hellip

Yesterday I wrote about Radio's Lost Generation -- how they are so different sociologically and technologically speaking.

But there also remains the issue of available radio listeners.

You know, the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who want to listen to radio programming and like it.

They are also being misunderstood and it might be worthwhile to take a look-see as to what can be done to keep them.

Traditional wisdom is that Gen X and Baby Boomers will always be radio listeners.

Then again, radio CEOs thought the same thing about Gen Y -- and they let them get away.

So much for traditional&hellip

Yesterday I wrote about Radio's Lost Generation -- how they are so different sociologically and technologically speaking.

But there also remains the issue of available radio listeners.

You know, the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who want to listen to radio programming and like it.

They are also being misunderstood and it might be worthwhile to take a look-see as to what can be done to keep them.

Traditional wisdom is that Gen X and Baby Boomers will always be radio listeners.

Then again, radio CEOs thought the same thing about Gen Y -- and they let them get away.

So much for traditional&hellip

Do you set an alarm clock to wake up in the morning?

Maybe have the radio come on to wake you up?

The next generation doesn't.

They tend to use their cell phones as alarm clocks. After all, many sleep with their phones right by their beds.

Now some of my radio friends would see this as an opportunity to get Gen Y to wake up with their smart phones and instantly hear a terrestrial radio station.

That works in fantasy but not reality.

The first thing this generation does is check their text messages, mail and what's happening.

If you need music, there is always your iPod.

A longtime&hellip

Do you set an alarm clock to wake up in the morning?

Maybe have the radio come on to wake you up?

The next generation doesn't.

They tend to use their cell phones as alarm clocks. After all, many sleep with their phones right by their beds.

Now some of my radio friends would see this as an opportunity to get Gen Y to wake up with their smart phones and instantly hear a terrestrial radio station.

That works in fantasy but not reality.

The first thing this generation does is check their text messages, mail and what's happening.

If you need music, there is always your iPod.

A longtime&hellip

Do you set an alarm clock to wake up in the morning?

Maybe have the radio come on to wake you up?

The next generation doesn't.

They tend to use their cell phones as alarm clocks. After all, many sleep with their phones right by their beds.

Now some of my radio friends would see this as an opportunity to get Gen Y to wake up with their smart phones and instantly hear a terrestrial radio station.

That works in fantasy but not reality.

The first thing this generation does is check their text messages, mail and what's happening.

If you need music, there is always your iPod.

A longtime&hellip

I've come to believe that Cumulus is a mean-spirited manager of employees.

Sorry to say, because I always liked Lew Dickey. He's smarter than he is acting and tougher than he looks.

That's my opinion and nothing more than that, but in light of some of desperate things Cumulus is now doing to squeeze blood from their employees, it's serves as a poignant example of how not to motivate good people.

Where Cumulus once had a cluster full of FM stations with live morning shows and live airshifts right through to midnight, they now have as few as three salaried jocks for all those stations.

We already know that&hellip

I've come to believe that Cumulus is a mean-spirited manager of employees.

Sorry to say, because I always liked Lew Dickey. He's smarter than he is acting and tougher than he looks.

That's my opinion and nothing more than that, but in light of some of desperate things Cumulus is now doing to squeeze blood from their employees, it's serves as a poignant example of how not to motivate good people.

Where Cumulus once had a cluster full of FM stations with live morning shows and live airshifts right through to midnight, they now have as few as three salaried jocks for all those stations.

We already know that&hellip

I've come to believe that Cumulus is a mean-spirited manager of employees.

Sorry to say, because I always liked Lew Dickey. He's smarter than he is acting and tougher than he looks.

That's my opinion and nothing more than that, but in light of some of desperate things Cumulus is now doing to squeeze blood from their employees, it's serves as a poignant example of how not to motivate good people.

Where Cumulus once had a cluster full of FM stations with live morning shows and live airshifts right through to midnight, they now have as few as three salaried jocks for all those stations.

We already know that&hellip

There are times when I can't tell which radio consolidator will go bankrupt first.

Clear Channel or Citadel.

Just recently Clear Channel's lenders were talking tough about letting the company go into Chapter 11. If that happened, the creditors would be making only pennies on the dollar.

Unfortunately, that may be their best deal. Pennies are better than nothing.

Now Citadel, the Fagreed Suleman radio group has dropped one shoe on the ground -- and you know what they say about the other one.

Now Citadel is covering its butt just in case they have bankruptcy on their mind.

After all, Citadel retained&hellip

There are times when I can't tell which radio consolidator will go bankrupt first.

Clear Channel or Citadel.

Just recently Clear Channel's lenders were talking tough about letting the company go into Chapter 11. If that happened, the creditors would be making only pennies on the dollar.

Unfortunately, that may be their best deal. Pennies are better than nothing.

Now Citadel, the Fagreed Suleman radio group has dropped one shoe on the ground -- and you know what they say about the other one.

Now Citadel is covering its butt just in case they have bankruptcy on their mind.

After all, Citadel retained&hellip

There are times when I can't tell which radio consolidator will go bankrupt first.

Clear Channel or Citadel.

Just recently Clear Channel's lenders were talking tough about letting the company go into Chapter 11. If that happened, the creditors would be making only pennies on the dollar.

Unfortunately, that may be their best deal. Pennies are better than nothing.

Now Citadel, the Fagreed Suleman radio group has dropped one shoe on the ground -- and you know what they say about the other one.

Now Citadel is covering its butt just in case they have bankruptcy on their mind.

After all, Citadel retained&hellip

Radio is unprepared for a news story of the magnitude of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

The increasingly non-local industry could barely report the death of pop icon Michael Jackson two weeks ago almost as if it was caught off guard and buried in automated programming.

Frustrated program directors were stuck in voice tracking or syndication hell

Radio is unprepared for a news story of the magnitude of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

The increasingly non-local industry could barely report the death of pop icon Michael Jackson two weeks ago almost as if it was caught off guard and buried in automated programming.

Frustrated program directors were stuck in voice tracking or syndication hell

Radio is unprepared for a news story of the magnitude of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

The increasingly non-local industry could barely report the death of pop icon Michael Jackson two weeks ago almost as if it was caught off guard and buried in automated programming.

Frustrated program directors were stuck in voice tracking or syndication hell

SoundExchange, negotiating for the record labels, and webcasters struck a compromise announced yesterday that defines more reasonable royalty payments for a longer period of time -- 2006 (retroactively) to 2015.

There's no doubt that the compromise is better than the Copyright Royalty Board's initial verdict that would have seen webcasters paying the labels virtually 100% of their revenue or more.

Hey, that kind of makes 25% -- one quarter -- look good, right?

Not so fast.

If webcasters were dead with the last iteration of SoundExchange's taxation, they are only half dead now.

Dead nonetheless. Life in&hellip

SoundExchange, negotiating for the record labels, and webcasters struck a compromise announced yesterday that defines more reasonable royalty payments for a longer period of time -- 2006 (retroactively) to 2015.

There's no doubt that the compromise is better than the Copyright Royalty Board's initial verdict that would have seen webcasters paying the labels virtually 100% of their revenue or more.

Hey, that kind of makes 25% -- one quarter -- look good, right?

Not so fast.

If webcasters were dead with the last iteration of SoundExchange's taxation, they are only half dead now.

Dead nonetheless. Life in&hellip

SoundExchange, negotiating for the record labels, and webcasters struck a compromise announced yesterday that defines more reasonable royalty payments for a longer period of time -- 2006 (retroactively) to 2015.

There's no doubt that the compromise is better than the Copyright Royalty Board's initial verdict that would have seen webcasters paying the labels virtually 100% of their revenue or more.

Hey, that kind of makes 25% -- one quarter -- look good, right?

Not so fast.

If webcasters were dead with the last iteration of SoundExchange's taxation, they are only half dead now.

Dead nonetheless. Life in&hellip

One cannot help draw comparisons between the death of the King of Pop, the music industry that created him and the radio stations that made him a star.

First of all, there would be no MTV videos, no world tours, no enormous record sales without radio stations playing Michael Jackson's music.

In fact, without radio there would likely be no Michael Jackson.

Those of my programming brethren who, like me, played plenty of Michael Jackson hits (and catalog items disguised as recurrents and oldies) know this for sure.

The music industry, busy lobbying Congress for the repeal of radio's performance tax exemption, would&hellip

One cannot help draw comparisons between the death of the King of Pop, the music industry that created him and the radio stations that made him a star.

First of all, there would be no MTV videos, no world tours, no enormous record sales without radio stations playing Michael Jackson's music.

In fact, without radio there would likely be no Michael Jackson.

Those of my programming brethren who, like me, played plenty of Michael Jackson hits (and catalog items disguised as recurrents and oldies) know this for sure.

The music industry, busy lobbying Congress for the repeal of radio's performance tax exemption, would&hellip

One cannot help draw comparisons between the death of the King of Pop, the music industry that created him and the radio stations that made him a star.

First of all, there would be no MTV videos, no world tours, no enormous record sales without radio stations playing Michael Jackson's music.

In fact, without radio there would likely be no Michael Jackson.

Those of my programming brethren who, like me, played plenty of Michael Jackson hits (and catalog items disguised as recurrents and oldies) know this for sure.

The music industry, busy lobbying Congress for the repeal of radio's performance tax exemption, would&hellip

Question:

How do you get rich in radio?

Answer:

Be born into Cumulus' Dickey family.

Or be the children of Clear Channel founder Lowry Mays.

Or the adopted "son" of Citadel's Teddy Forstmann as it appears Farid "Fagreed" Suleman is.

Or the biological son of a New York cab driver like Mel Karmazin.

Okay, that was wrong. Mel earned his wealth. He wasn't born into it. But the others ...

I mention all of this for two reasons.

One, it was just the Fourth of July and hot dogs were on the menu this past weekend.

And, two -- don't choke on one when you see what's going to happen&hellip

Question:

How do you get rich in radio?

Answer:

Be born into Cumulus' Dickey family.

Or be the children of Clear Channel founder Lowry Mays.

Or the adopted "son" of Citadel's Teddy Forstmann as it appears Farid "Fagreed" Suleman is.

Or the biological son of a New York cab driver like Mel Karmazin.

Okay, that was wrong. Mel earned his wealth. He wasn't born into it. But the others ...

I mention all of this for two reasons.

One, it was just the Fourth of July and hot dogs were on the menu this past weekend.

And, two -- don't choke on one when you see what's going to happen&hellip

Question:

How do you get rich in radio?

Answer:

Be born into Cumulus' Dickey family.

Or be the children of Clear Channel founder Lowry Mays.

Or the adopted "son" of Citadel's Teddy Forstmann as it appears Farid "Fagreed" Suleman is.

Or the biological son of a New York cab driver like Mel Karmazin.

Okay, that was wrong. Mel earned his wealth. He wasn't born into it. But the others ...

I mention all of this for two reasons.

One, it was just the Fourth of July and hot dogs were on the menu this past weekend.

And, two -- don't choke on one when you see what's going to happen&hellip

Radio program directors will readily admit that Arbitron's diary recall system for audience ratings was imperfect if not inferior.

We always knew that respondents were not carrying diaries around all day to accurately record their radio listening.

We all knew to pull every trick we could to get diary keepers to write down more listening than they actually did.

In fact, we programmers were very comfortable with that fallible system because to paraphrase former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld,

Radio program directors will readily admit that Arbitron's diary recall system for audience ratings was imperfect if not inferior.

We always knew that respondents were not carrying diaries around all day to accurately record their radio listening.

We all knew to pull every trick we could to get diary keepers to write down more listening than they actually did.

In fact, we programmers were very comfortable with that fallible system because to paraphrase former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld,

Radio program directors will readily admit that Arbitron's diary recall system for audience ratings was imperfect if not inferior.

We always knew that respondents were not carrying diaries around all day to accurately record their radio listening.

We all knew to pull every trick we could to get diary keepers to write down more listening than they actually did.

In fact, we programmers were very comfortable with that fallible system because to paraphrase former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld,

A few weekends back B93, the Clear Channel number two station in Grand Rapids staged their annual Birthday Bash at nearby Ionia

A few weekends back B93, the Clear Channel number two station in Grand Rapids staged their annual Birthday Bash at nearby Ionia

A few weekends back B93, the Clear Channel number two station in Grand Rapids staged their annual Birthday Bash at nearby Ionia

Many of you have asked me to tell you when the podcasting client I have been writing about goes "live" with their new age approach to morning

Many of you have asked me to tell you when the podcasting client I have been writing about goes "live" with their new age approach to morning

Many of you have asked me to tell you when the podcasting client I have been writing about goes "live" with their new age approach to morning

Michael Jackson is still dead and radio is still voice tracking.

Back to reality this morning.

Late last week when Michael Jackson died suddenly at his Los Angeles home, the radio industry was caught with its pants down and voice tracking up.

This is not to say that some stations did not respond -- the ones programmed by real live individuals and/or those who actually had control of their company's voice tracking did the right thing for their listeners.

For too many, radio was caught sleeping while new media was feeding the need of the public to know, mourn publicly and appreciate the talents of this great&hellip

Michael Jackson is still dead and radio is still voice tracking.

Back to reality this morning.

Late last week when Michael Jackson died suddenly at his Los Angeles home, the radio industry was caught with its pants down and voice tracking up.

This is not to say that some stations did not respond -- the ones programmed by real live individuals and/or those who actually had control of their company's voice tracking did the right thing for their listeners.

For too many, radio was caught sleeping while new media was feeding the need of the public to know, mourn publicly and appreciate the talents of this great&hellip

Michael Jackson is still dead and radio is still voice tracking.

Back to reality this morning.

Late last week when Michael Jackson died suddenly at his Los Angeles home, the radio industry was caught with its pants down and voice tracking up.

This is not to say that some stations did not respond -- the ones programmed by real live individuals and/or those who actually had control of their company's voice tracking did the right thing for their listeners.

For too many, radio was caught sleeping while new media was feeding the need of the public to know, mourn publicly and appreciate the talents of this great&hellip

The music industry lost an icon Thursday.

A very big one.

Apparently Clear Channel

The music industry lost an icon Thursday.

A very big one.

Apparently Clear Channel

The music industry lost an icon Thursday.

A very big one.

Apparently Clear Channel

Radio consolidators are lining up for their long goodbye.

Clear Channel is teetering on the brink with lenders who are standing up to The Evil Empire

Radio consolidators are lining up for their long goodbye.

Clear Channel is teetering on the brink with lenders who are standing up to The Evil Empire

Radio consolidators are lining up for their long goodbye.

Clear Channel is teetering on the brink with lenders who are standing up to The Evil Empire

CBS Radio is doing an interesting experiment at KITS-FM in San Francisco with the help of a user-controlled web service called Jelli.

I

CBS Radio is doing an interesting experiment at KITS-FM in San Francisco with the help of a user-controlled web service called Jelli.

I

CBS Radio is doing an interesting experiment at KITS-FM in San Francisco with the help of a user-controlled web service called Jelli.

I

I taught the Dale Carnegie Course for 11 years and one of the requirements for instructors was that they go through a refresher

I taught the Dale Carnegie Course for 11 years and one of the requirements for instructors was that they go through a refresher

I taught the Dale Carnegie Course for 11 years and one of the requirements for instructors was that they go through a refresher

Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise that deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims.

What a perfect way to introduce Radio

Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise that deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims.

What a perfect way to introduce Radio

Ripley's Believe It or Not! is a franchise that deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims.

What a perfect way to introduce Radio

I am happy to announce that Barry O'Brien will be joining Inside Music Media.

Effective this morning, Barry O'Brien & Company will be handling all sales opportunities offered by our company which will initially include one-day Brainstorming Seminars, training and advertising opportunities.

We're planning to do a one-day Media Solutions Lab -- the first of which will be held in Scottsdale, AZ. He'll work with sponsors for very unique opportunities -- after all, you know me.

Barry will also handle my private brainstorming seminars that are offered for radio groups, entrepreneurs, new media and music companies or&hellip

I am happy to announce that Barry O'Brien will be joining Inside Music Media.

Effective this morning, Barry O'Brien & Company will be handling all sales opportunities offered by our company which will initially include one-day Brainstorming Seminars, training and advertising opportunities.

We're planning to do a one-day Media Solutions Lab -- the first of which will be held in Scottsdale, AZ. He'll work with sponsors for very unique opportunities -- after all, you know me.

Barry will also handle my private brainstorming seminars that are offered for radio groups, entrepreneurs, new media and music companies or&hellip

I am happy to announce that Barry O'Brien will be joining Inside Music Media.

Effective this morning, Barry O'Brien & Company will be handling all sales opportunities offered by our company which will initially include one-day Brainstorming Seminars, training and advertising opportunities.

We're planning to do a one-day Media Solutions Lab -- the first of which will be held in Scottsdale, AZ. He'll work with sponsors for very unique opportunities -- after all, you know me.

Barry will also handle my private brainstorming seminars that are offered for radio groups, entrepreneurs, new media and music companies or&hellip

The Recording Industry Association of America lost its $2 million lawsuit in a retrial against Jammie Thomas-Rasset even though a jury handed them the verdict they wanted.

Guilty.

The RIAA originally won a $222,000 verdict several years ago but the judge in the first case called a mistrial. Rather than settle as over 30,000 others have done, the defendant then known as Jammie Thomas went back to court.

This jury didn

The Recording Industry Association of America lost its $2 million lawsuit in a retrial against Jammie Thomas-Rasset even though a jury handed them the verdict they wanted.

Guilty.

The RIAA originally won a $222,000 verdict several years ago but the judge in the first case called a mistrial. Rather than settle as over 30,000 others have done, the defendant then known as Jammie Thomas went back to court.

This jury didn

The Recording Industry Association of America lost its $2 million lawsuit in a retrial against Jammie Thomas-Rasset even though a jury handed them the verdict they wanted.

Guilty.

The RIAA originally won a $222,000 verdict several years ago but the judge in the first case called a mistrial. Rather than settle as over 30,000 others have done, the defendant then known as Jammie Thomas went back to court.

This jury didn

I don't know how radio CEOs can be so wrong so often.

It is about to happen again as Sirius XM is set to launch an Apple app that they hope will revolutionize satellite radio.

Oh really?

Here's the latest misread of the media consumer.

You'll be able to get Sirius XM on your iPhone for free.

That is, of course, if you subscribed to the webcast feature.

It's $3 a month for everyone else.

Look, did anyone tell Mel that he's not the only one having a recession? Can't he see that people are not lined up to pay for satellite radio that is arguably not much better than what they can hear for free on&hellip

I don't know how radio CEOs can be so wrong so often.

It is about to happen again as Sirius XM is set to launch an Apple app that they hope will revolutionize satellite radio.

Oh really?

Here's the latest misread of the media consumer.

You'll be able to get Sirius XM on your iPhone for free.

That is, of course, if you subscribed to the webcast feature.

It's $3 a month for everyone else.

Look, did anyone tell Mel that he's not the only one having a recession? Can't he see that people are not lined up to pay for satellite radio that is arguably not much better than what they can hear for free on&hellip

I don't know how radio CEOs can be so wrong so often.

It is about to happen again as Sirius XM is set to launch an Apple app that they hope will revolutionize satellite radio.

Oh really?

Here's the latest misread of the media consumer.

You'll be able to get Sirius XM on your iPhone for free.

That is, of course, if you subscribed to the webcast feature.

It's $3 a month for everyone else.

Look, did anyone tell Mel that he's not the only one having a recession? Can't he see that people are not lined up to pay for satellite radio that is arguably not much better than what they can hear for free on&hellip

I was at dinner recently with an ad agency executive who got me thinking about whether advertisers really need the media business in the coming digital age.

I know what you

I was at dinner recently with an ad agency executive who got me thinking about whether advertisers really need the media business in the coming digital age.

I know what you

I was at dinner recently with an ad agency executive who got me thinking about whether advertisers really need the media business in the coming digital age.

I know what you

The amusement park Six Flags went belly up over the weekend.

One of my readers immediately sent me a very thoughtful narrative of how the fate of Six Flags and the radio industry parallel each other.

For example

The amusement park Six Flags went belly up over the weekend.

One of my readers immediately sent me a very thoughtful narrative of how the fate of Six Flags and the radio industry parallel each other.

For example

The amusement park Six Flags went belly up over the weekend.

One of my readers immediately sent me a very thoughtful narrative of how the fate of Six Flags and the radio industry parallel each other.

For example

In the 12 years that Steve Jobs has been back running Apple, the company revolutionized the computer business, created the mobile device market and attacked traditional media as effectively as anyone ever has.

Apple did eight great things in that time span that not only affected the geek end of their business but redefined the ego driven entertainment side.

Obviously, while record companies and radio groups slept, Apple was busy at work.

The return of Steve Jobs was in and of itself a remarkable feat. He was kicked out of the company he co-founded and Apple had a near death experience at the hands of CEO Gil&hellip

In the 12 years that Steve Jobs has been back running Apple, the company revolutionized the computer business, created the mobile device market and attacked traditional media as effectively as anyone ever has.

Apple did eight great things in that time span that not only affected the geek end of their business but redefined the ego driven entertainment side.

Obviously, while record companies and radio groups slept, Apple was busy at work.

The return of Steve Jobs was in and of itself a remarkable feat. He was kicked out of the company he co-founded and Apple had a near death experience at the hands of CEO Gil&hellip

In the 12 years that Steve Jobs has been back running Apple, the company revolutionized the computer business, created the mobile device market and attacked traditional media as effectively as anyone ever has.

Apple did eight great things in that time span that not only affected the geek end of their business but redefined the ego driven entertainment side.

Obviously, while record companies and radio groups slept, Apple was busy at work.

The return of Steve Jobs was in and of itself a remarkable feat. He was kicked out of the company he co-founded and Apple had a near death experience at the hands of CEO Gil&hellip

What came first, the decline of radio or the decline of the music industry?

And what will come next?

The music business began its decline around the turn of the century when Napster tweaked the egos of the major labels. The labels overreacted by suing the pants off those kids and eventually put Napster out of business.

In hindsight, the label execs should have swallowed their pride and bought Napster out, harnessed the technology and prevented the filesharing and pirating movement from turning into a revolution before they owned a piece of it.

The radio industry's decline arguably started around 2002 even&hellip

What came first, the decline of radio or the decline of the music industry?

And what will come next?

The music business began its decline around the turn of the century when Napster tweaked the egos of the major labels. The labels overreacted by suing the pants off those kids and eventually put Napster out of business.

In hindsight, the label execs should have swallowed their pride and bought Napster out, harnessed the technology and prevented the filesharing and pirating movement from turning into a revolution before they owned a piece of it.

The radio industry's decline arguably started around 2002 even&hellip

What came first, the decline of radio or the decline of the music industry?

And what will come next?

The music business began its decline around the turn of the century when Napster tweaked the egos of the major labels. The labels overreacted by suing the pants off those kids and eventually put Napster out of business.

In hindsight, the label execs should have swallowed their pride and bought Napster out, harnessed the technology and prevented the filesharing and pirating movement from turning into a revolution before they owned a piece of it.

The radio industry's decline arguably started around 2002 even&hellip

Clear Channel is done.

The next six to nine months will constitute what I believe will be their swan song as a consolidated radio company. None of us can take any joy in this.

The economy isn

Clear Channel is done.

The next six to nine months will constitute what I believe will be their swan song as a consolidated radio company. None of us can take any joy in this.

The economy isn

Clear Channel is done.

The next six to nine months will constitute what I believe will be their swan song as a consolidated radio company. None of us can take any joy in this.

The economy isn

There is growing evidence that radio consolidators are moving to expand virtual voice tracking as a way of continuing to cut costs.

Voice tracking, of course, is the process of using one voice to record many pieces of content to make radio sound live.

Once the weather forecast says

There is growing evidence that radio consolidators are moving to expand virtual voice tracking as a way of continuing to cut costs.

Voice tracking, of course, is the process of using one voice to record many pieces of content to make radio sound live.

Once the weather forecast says

There is growing evidence that radio consolidators are moving to expand virtual voice tracking as a way of continuing to cut costs.

Voice tracking, of course, is the process of using one voice to record many pieces of content to make radio sound live.

Once the weather forecast says

New iPhone -- No FM was the headline that appeared in an Inside Radio email yesterday after Apple announced its next iPhone.

Inside Radio was just reporting the news but perhaps you remember those fanatical die-hards who swore they would be able to convince Apple CEO Steve Jobs to add an FM radio link to its popular smart phone.

Fat chance.

The radio industry doesn

New iPhone -- No FM was the headline that appeared in an Inside Radio email yesterday after Apple announced its next iPhone.

Inside Radio was just reporting the news but perhaps you remember those fanatical die-hards who swore they would be able to convince Apple CEO Steve Jobs to add an FM radio link to its popular smart phone.

Fat chance.

The radio industry doesn

New iPhone -- No FM was the headline that appeared in an Inside Radio email yesterday after Apple announced its next iPhone.

Inside Radio was just reporting the news but perhaps you remember those fanatical die-hards who swore they would be able to convince Apple CEO Steve Jobs to add an FM radio link to its popular smart phone.

Fat chance.

The radio industry doesn

The radio morning show at one point in time used to account for between 40-60% of an entire radio station

The radio morning show at one point in time used to account for between 40-60% of an entire radio station

The radio morning show at one point in time used to account for between 40-60% of an entire radio station

No matter how bad it gets, radio consolidators are going to continue to "fix it" their way.

Cutbacks.

Firings.

Less local programming.

No Internet or mobile strategy.

The usual.

It's way past trying to operate the stations.

Now, owners just want to cut their losses.

That can be the only explanation for an industry where all the major consolidators -- led by, but not limited to Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus -- have given up on doing the right thing and opted for doing the cheap thing.

As these "leaders" lose control of their fate, they seem to be closing the grip of death on&hellip

No matter how bad it gets, radio consolidators are going to continue to "fix it" their way.

Cutbacks.

Firings.

Less local programming.

No Internet or mobile strategy.

The usual.

It's way past trying to operate the stations.

Now, owners just want to cut their losses.

That can be the only explanation for an industry where all the major consolidators -- led by, but not limited to Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus -- have given up on doing the right thing and opted for doing the cheap thing.

As these "leaders" lose control of their fate, they seem to be closing the grip of death on&hellip

No matter how bad it gets, radio consolidators are going to continue to "fix it" their way.

Cutbacks.

Firings.

Less local programming.

No Internet or mobile strategy.

The usual.

It's way past trying to operate the stations.

Now, owners just want to cut their losses.

That can be the only explanation for an industry where all the major consolidators -- led by, but not limited to Clear Channel, Citadel and Cumulus -- have given up on doing the right thing and opted for doing the cheap thing.

As these "leaders" lose control of their fate, they seem to be closing the grip of death on&hellip

Nielsen stopped the presses on Radio & Records yesterday.

Some had been expecting it. Others hoping against hope. In all, 40 people lost their jobs and the radio industry lost a great and proud trade publication.

How weird it was to be having breakfast yesterday with Barry O'Brien, the former Vice President of Sales for Radio & Records. We got the news of R&R's demise separately and at the same time on our iPhones.

Nielsen bought R&R from Perry Partners a few years ago. The paper has been sold several times in its history but R&R has always been blessed with great managers, editors and&hellip

Nielsen stopped the presses on Radio & Records yesterday.

Some had been expecting it. Others hoping against hope. In all, 40 people lost their jobs and the radio industry lost a great and proud trade publication.

How weird it was to be having breakfast yesterday with Barry O'Brien, the former Vice President of Sales for Radio & Records. We got the news of R&R's demise separately and at the same time on our iPhones.

Nielsen bought R&R from Perry Partners a few years ago. The paper has been sold several times in its history but R&R has always been blessed with great managers, editors and&hellip

Nielsen stopped the presses on Radio & Records yesterday.

Some had been expecting it. Others hoping against hope. In all, 40 people lost their jobs and the radio industry lost a great and proud trade publication.

How weird it was to be having breakfast yesterday with Barry O'Brien, the former Vice President of Sales for Radio & Records. We got the news of R&R's demise separately and at the same time on our iPhones.

Nielsen bought R&R from Perry Partners a few years ago. The paper has been sold several times in its history but R&R has always been blessed with great managers, editors and&hellip

Just because satellite radio's business model is having a hard time finding profitability doesn't mean that paid terrestrial radio content can't be viable.

This space is all about ideas and one that I'd like you to consider is the possibility of offering radio content -- or streaming/podcasting content -- for a price.

There is precedent for this micro payment approach.

It is called Apple apps.

And there is a company called Peepcode that sells $9 screen casts and even more expensive subscriptions to people who want to learn website development.

You can also get a paid&hellip

Just because satellite radio's business model is having a hard time finding profitability doesn't mean that paid terrestrial radio content can't be viable.

This space is all about ideas and one that I'd like you to consider is the possibility of offering radio content -- or streaming/podcasting content -- for a price.

There is precedent for this micro payment approach.

It is called Apple apps.

And there is a company called Peepcode that sells $9 screen casts and even more expensive subscriptions to people who want to learn website development.

You can also get a paid&hellip

Just because satellite radio's business model is having a hard time finding profitability doesn't mean that paid terrestrial radio content can't be viable.

This space is all about ideas and one that I'd like you to consider is the possibility of offering radio content -- or streaming/podcasting content -- for a price.

There is precedent for this micro payment approach.

It is called Apple apps.

And there is a company called Peepcode that sells $9 screen casts and even more expensive subscriptions to people who want to learn website development.

You can also get a paid&hellip

The big four labels are at it again.

They

The big four labels are at it again.

They

The big four labels are at it again.

They

By now you may have seen or heard of the reality show Jon & Kate Plus Eight on TLC.

It's about Jon and Kate Gosselin and their eight children

By now you may have seen or heard of the reality show Jon & Kate Plus Eight on TLC.

It's about Jon and Kate Gosselin and their eight children

By now you may have seen or heard of the reality show Jon & Kate Plus Eight on TLC.

It's about Jon and Kate Gosselin and their eight children

In case you've heard it all when it comes to stupid consolidation tricks, here's one I'll bet you missed.

Cumulus is installing cameras at some -- possibly all -- of their local stations so Big Brother can watch the daily sales meetings from Atlanta.

One indentured Cumulus slave wrote:

"The 'official' reason is to allow the executives to 'participate' in sales training - even the Execs who have never sold a commercial in their lives. The real reason is that some of the managers were preempting or rescheduling sales training sessions to allow their sellers more time on the streets, or changing department head&hellip

In case you've heard it all when it comes to stupid consolidation tricks, here's one I'll bet you missed.

Cumulus is installing cameras at some -- possibly all -- of their local stations so Big Brother can watch the daily sales meetings from Atlanta.

One indentured Cumulus slave wrote:

"The 'official' reason is to allow the executives to 'participate' in sales training - even the Execs who have never sold a commercial in their lives. The real reason is that some of the managers were preempting or rescheduling sales training sessions to allow their sellers more time on the streets, or changing department head&hellip

In case you've heard it all when it comes to stupid consolidation tricks, here's one I'll bet you missed.

Cumulus is installing cameras at some -- possibly all -- of their local stations so Big Brother can watch the daily sales meetings from Atlanta.

One indentured Cumulus slave wrote:

"The 'official' reason is to allow the executives to 'participate' in sales training - even the Execs who have never sold a commercial in their lives. The real reason is that some of the managers were preempting or rescheduling sales training sessions to allow their sellers more time on the streets, or changing department head&hellip

<

br />Guess how many text messages the average American teenager sends and receives each month?

No, I'm not going to make you go to the end of this piece and turn your screen upside down to see the answer.

How does 2,272 sound?

Probably a little low if you are a parent or teacher as the next generation's addiction to text messaging is beginning to have consequences -- like declining grades, poor health and sleep problems, sore fingers and joints, anti-social behavior -- to mention a few.

Maybe you saw this coming but most people thought text messaging was just a diversion that came with a cell&hellip

<

br />Guess how many text messages the average American teenager sends and receives each month?

No, I'm not going to make you go to the end of this piece and turn your screen upside down to see the answer.

How does 2,272 sound?

Probably a little low if you are a parent or teacher as the next generation's addiction to text messaging is beginning to have consequences -- like declining grades, poor health and sleep problems, sore fingers and joints, anti-social behavior -- to mention a few.

Maybe you saw this coming but most people thought text messaging was just a diversion that came with a cell&hellip

<

br />Guess how many text messages the average American teenager sends and receives each month?

No, I'm not going to make you go to the end of this piece and turn your screen upside down to see the answer.

How does 2,272 sound?

Probably a little low if you are a parent or teacher as the next generation's addiction to text messaging is beginning to have consequences -- like declining grades, poor health and sleep problems, sore fingers and joints, anti-social behavior -- to mention a few.

Maybe you saw this coming but most people thought text messaging was just a diversion that came with a cell&hellip

I have been reading The New York Times since I was 12 years old (15 years ago).

Seriously, I don't think I have ever not had a subscription to the paper and I don't consider it Sunday without pasta and Sunday "gravy" on the stove and The New York Times in the house.

So you can imagine how upset I was -- a loyal, longtime reader -- to see The New York Times pull a Clear Channel on me.

You know the concept -- national radio instead of local.

The Times stuffed a white sheet of paper in the newspaper last week to tell me they were raising my subscription price again.

I'm sorry that The Times is having&hellip

I have been reading The New York Times since I was 12 years old (15 years ago).

Seriously, I don't think I have ever not had a subscription to the paper and I don't consider it Sunday without pasta and Sunday "gravy" on the stove and The New York Times in the house.

So you can imagine how upset I was -- a loyal, longtime reader -- to see The New York Times pull a Clear Channel on me.

You know the concept -- national radio instead of local.

The Times stuffed a white sheet of paper in the newspaper last week to tell me they were raising my subscription price again.

I'm sorry that The Times is having&hellip

I have been reading The New York Times since I was 12 years old (15 years ago).

Seriously, I don't think I have ever not had a subscription to the paper and I don't consider it Sunday without pasta and Sunday "gravy" on the stove and The New York Times in the house.

So you can imagine how upset I was -- a loyal, longtime reader -- to see The New York Times pull a Clear Channel on me.

You know the concept -- national radio instead of local.

The Times stuffed a white sheet of paper in the newspaper last week to tell me they were raising my subscription price again.

I'm sorry that The Times is having&hellip

Radio is losing touch with its audience at an alarming pace.

I'm not just talking about the youth audience that radio all but ignored during the past 13 years of consolidation.

Even older folks -- yes, baby boomers who are trying new media and liking it.

Facebook, once the bastion of Millennials, is experiencing its greatest growth from over 30's.

Baby boomers are using Facebook to find old flames, high school and college buddies, friends lost while life was happening.

Twitter is engaging radio users -- not to learn what the next song is that radio stations are playing, but as a way to have immediate&hellip

Radio is losing touch with its audience at an alarming pace.

I'm not just talking about the youth audience that radio all but ignored during the past 13 years of consolidation.

Even older folks -- yes, baby boomers who are trying new media and liking it.

Facebook, once the bastion of Millennials, is experiencing its greatest growth from over 30's.

Baby boomers are using Facebook to find old flames, high school and college buddies, friends lost while life was happening.

Twitter is engaging radio users -- not to learn what the next song is that radio stations are playing, but as a way to have immediate&hellip

Radio is losing touch with its audience at an alarming pace.

I'm not just talking about the youth audience that radio all but ignored during the past 13 years of consolidation.

Even older folks -- yes, baby boomers who are trying new media and liking it.

Facebook, once the bastion of Millennials, is experiencing its greatest growth from over 30's.

Baby boomers are using Facebook to find old flames, high school and college buddies, friends lost while life was happening.

Twitter is engaging radio users -- not to learn what the next song is that radio stations are playing, but as a way to have immediate&hellip

In the past, radio was the best and only way to get "immediate" or at least timely information about world news. There was no CNN. No email to communicate with loved ones. Radio was a lifeline.

Today, radio is defined by ...

Scaled down workforces.

"Local" programming from out of town -- out of state and across the nation.

"Local" news from regional newsrooms to save money.

"Local" decisions made by corporate officers somewhere else.

No Internet strategy.

No mobile content plan.

No fun. No focus. No future.

That's radio today as consolidators are changing the face of&hellip

In the past, radio was the best and only way to get "immediate" or at least timely information about world news. There was no CNN. No email to communicate with loved ones. Radio was a lifeline.

Today, radio is defined by ...

Scaled down workforces.

"Local" programming from out of town -- out of state and across the nation.

"Local" news from regional newsrooms to save money.

"Local" decisions made by corporate officers somewhere else.

No Internet strategy.

No mobile content plan.

No fun. No focus. No future.

That's radio today as consolidators are changing the face of&hellip

In the past, radio was the best and only way to get "immediate" or at least timely information about world news. There was no CNN. No email to communicate with loved ones. Radio was a lifeline.

Today, radio is defined by ...

Scaled down workforces.

"Local" programming from out of town -- out of state and across the nation.

"Local" news from regional newsrooms to save money.

"Local" decisions made by corporate officers somewhere else.

No Internet strategy.

No mobile content plan.

No fun. No focus. No future.

That's radio today as consolidators are changing the face of&hellip

I don't know about you but I wouldn't advise a child to take candy from a stranger.

And I also wouldn't tell radio listeners to find a job from Clear Channel President John Slogan Hogan.

Since yesterday when Clear Channel announced that it is going to help five unemployed in each of 21 of their markets find a job each week, my email, Facebook and text messages have been on fire.

That's one station per market -- not all stations -- and we're talking about hard hit places like Detroit.

And they're not giving away a job, just a chance that some lucky listener might be hired by someone other than Clear&hellip

I don't know about you but I wouldn't advise a child to take candy from a stranger.

And I also wouldn't tell radio listeners to find a job from Clear Channel President John Slogan Hogan.

Since yesterday when Clear Channel announced that it is going to help five unemployed in each of 21 of their markets find a job each week, my email, Facebook and text messages have been on fire.

That's one station per market -- not all stations -- and we're talking about hard hit places like Detroit.

And they're not giving away a job, just a chance that some lucky listener might be hired by someone other than Clear&hellip

I don't know about you but I wouldn't advise a child to take candy from a stranger.

And I also wouldn't tell radio listeners to find a job from Clear Channel President John Slogan Hogan.

Since yesterday when Clear Channel announced that it is going to help five unemployed in each of 21 of their markets find a job each week, my email, Facebook and text messages have been on fire.

That's one station per market -- not all stations -- and we're talking about hard hit places like Detroit.

And they're not giving away a job, just a chance that some lucky listener might be hired by someone other than Clear&hellip

Radio had already staked its claim to fame on being mobile media long before cell phones and iPods.

Once the family stopped sitting around the radio together and went to watching TV instead, the radio industry reinvented itself to survive the TV challenge.

To accomplish this, the radio industry had to lay claim on the car as its main receiver.

As automobiles proliferated -- two family cars and then cars for the teens -- radio was the one constant.

A built-in, ready-made -- always accessible audience.

Keep in mind that in the 1970's, FM radio could not grow and prosper until automakers decided to make FM&hellip

Radio had already staked its claim to fame on being mobile media long before cell phones and iPods.

Once the family stopped sitting around the radio together and went to watching TV instead, the radio industry reinvented itself to survive the TV challenge.

To accomplish this, the radio industry had to lay claim on the car as its main receiver.

As automobiles proliferated -- two family cars and then cars for the teens -- radio was the one constant.

A built-in, ready-made -- always accessible audience.

Keep in mind that in the 1970's, FM radio could not grow and prosper until automakers decided to make FM&hellip

Radio had already staked its claim to fame on being mobile media long before cell phones and iPods.

Once the family stopped sitting around the radio together and went to watching TV instead, the radio industry reinvented itself to survive the TV challenge.

To accomplish this, the radio industry had to lay claim on the car as its main receiver.

As automobiles proliferated -- two family cars and then cars for the teens -- radio was the one constant.

A built-in, ready-made -- always accessible audience.

Keep in mind that in the 1970's, FM radio could not grow and prosper until automakers decided to make FM&hellip

Louis: This is it! This is the sign!

Janine Melnitz: Yeah, it's a sign, all right - "Going out of business".

-- From Ghostbusters

Sooner or later it had to happen.

Citadel, Clear Channel, Cumulus and the other big consolidators weren't just driving down their share prices. They were also killing the value of radio stations.

Of course, we really haven't been able to know just how low prices were really going to sink because so few stations have been sold in this bad economy.

We had the CBS Denver sale -- three stations to Wilkes Broadcasting for $19.5 million. The multiple on that deal was about&hellip

Louis: This is it! This is the sign!

Janine Melnitz: Yeah, it's a sign, all right - "Going out of business".

-- From Ghostbusters

Sooner or later it had to happen.

Citadel, Clear Channel, Cumulus and the other big consolidators weren't just driving down their share prices. They were also killing the value of radio stations.

Of course, we really haven't been able to know just how low prices were really going to sink because so few stations have been sold in this bad economy.

We had the CBS Denver sale -- three stations to Wilkes Broadcasting for $19.5 million. The multiple on that deal was about&hellip

Louis: This is it! This is the sign!

Janine Melnitz: Yeah, it's a sign, all right - "Going out of business".

-- From Ghostbusters

Sooner or later it had to happen.

Citadel, Clear Channel, Cumulus and the other big consolidators weren't just driving down their share prices. They were also killing the value of radio stations.

Of course, we really haven't been able to know just how low prices were really going to sink because so few stations have been sold in this bad economy.

We had the CBS Denver sale -- three stations to Wilkes Broadcasting for $19.5 million. The multiple on that deal was about&hellip

Citadel won't make it past the serious problem of renegotiating its new debt agreement by the end of this year.

Citadel may not even make it to the end of the year.

Yesterday, Citadel went silent on financial info.

No more press releases or conference calls. They're just going through the motions now because there is no longer an upside to the radio industry and in particular, their stock.

Bankruptcy is inevitable.

The best they can do from here on in is more of the same or worse. The economy is killing the part of radio that bad debt management and poor decision making hasn't already done&hellip

Citadel won't make it past the serious problem of renegotiating its new debt agreement by the end of this year.

Citadel may not even make it to the end of the year.

Yesterday, Citadel went silent on financial info.

No more press releases or conference calls. They're just going through the motions now because there is no longer an upside to the radio industry and in particular, their stock.

Bankruptcy is inevitable.

The best they can do from here on in is more of the same or worse. The economy is killing the part of radio that bad debt management and poor decision making hasn't already done&hellip

Citadel won't make it past the serious problem of renegotiating its new debt agreement by the end of this year.

Citadel may not even make it to the end of the year.

Yesterday, Citadel went silent on financial info.

No more press releases or conference calls. They're just going through the motions now because there is no longer an upside to the radio industry and in particular, their stock.

Bankruptcy is inevitable.

The best they can do from here on in is more of the same or worse. The economy is killing the part of radio that bad debt management and poor decision making hasn't already done&hellip

There's iPod, iPhone, social networking, YouTube, Hulu, texting, smart phones, filesharing.

Now -- there is something on the horizon that may be coming along within months -- certainly within the year -- that will pose a new threat to traditional media -- radio, television and the music industry.

It's a product that Apple is said to be working on right now.

Of course, Apple is tight lipped about anything in its pipeline, but the huge Apple underground says this product is most certainly on the way.

Maybe in June -- or the other traditional Apple product intro dates such as September or January.

So, I'd&hellip

There's iPod, iPhone, social networking, YouTube, Hulu, texting, smart phones, filesharing.

Now -- there is something on the horizon that may be coming along within months -- certainly within the year -- that will pose a new threat to traditional media -- radio, television and the music industry.

It's a product that Apple is said to be working on right now.

Of course, Apple is tight lipped about anything in its pipeline, but the huge Apple underground says this product is most certainly on the way.

Maybe in June -- or the other traditional Apple product intro dates such as September or January.

So, I'd&hellip

There's iPod, iPhone, social networking, YouTube, Hulu, texting, smart phones, filesharing.

Now -- there is something on the horizon that may be coming along within months -- certainly within the year -- that will pose a new threat to traditional media -- radio, television and the music industry.

It's a product that Apple is said to be working on right now.

Of course, Apple is tight lipped about anything in its pipeline, but the huge Apple underground says this product is most certainly on the way.

Maybe in June -- or the other traditional Apple product intro dates such as September or January.

So, I'd&hellip

What happens when you start charging more than 99 cents for a legal download on iTunes?

Well, if you're a record label you are convinced that it will make you a lot more money.

In theory, the big hits sell for more and the catalog items get a boost on the other side -- lower prices, more volume.

If you are Apple CEO Steve Jobs, you know that the 99 cent threshold is holy and cannot be breached but you eventually let the labels get their way after stonewalling them for years. After all, Jobs knows that most music is stolen not purchased and his company is going to continue to sell iPods, iTouches and iPhones no matter&hellip

What happens when you start charging more than 99 cents for a legal download on iTunes?

Well, if you're a record label you are convinced that it will make you a lot more money.

In theory, the big hits sell for more and the catalog items get a boost on the other side -- lower prices, more volume.

If you are Apple CEO Steve Jobs, you know that the 99 cent threshold is holy and cannot be breached but you eventually let the labels get their way after stonewalling them for years. After all, Jobs knows that most music is stolen not purchased and his company is going to continue to sell iPods, iTouches and iPhones no matter&hellip

What happens when you start charging more than 99 cents for a legal download on iTunes?

Well, if you're a record label you are convinced that it will make you a lot more money.

In theory, the big hits sell for more and the catalog items get a boost on the other side -- lower prices, more volume.

If you are Apple CEO Steve Jobs, you know that the 99 cent threshold is holy and cannot be breached but you eventually let the labels get their way after stonewalling them for years. After all, Jobs knows that most music is stolen not purchased and his company is going to continue to sell iPods, iTouches and iPhones no matter&hellip

The original say one thing and do exactly the opposite is being implemented with a passion at Clear Channel.

Publicly, President John Slogan Hogan is saying the company is all about local radio while he spearheads its replacement with nationally syndicated Repeater Radio.

Publicly, Hogan says local management gets to opt in to Repeater Radio ("Premium Choice") but there is no evidence these decisions are being made locally.

Publicly, Clear Channel has made a holy war out of promoting its "Less Is More" concept of fewer commercials, more music and better rates while secretly mandating its FM stations carry up to a&hellip

The original say one thing and do exactly the opposite is being implemented with a passion at Clear Channel.

Publicly, President John Slogan Hogan is saying the company is all about local radio while he spearheads its replacement with nationally syndicated Repeater Radio.

Publicly, Hogan says local management gets to opt in to Repeater Radio ("Premium Choice") but there is no evidence these decisions are being made locally.

Publicly, Clear Channel has made a holy war out of promoting its "Less Is More" concept of fewer commercials, more music and better rates while secretly mandating its FM stations carry up to a&hellip

The original say one thing and do exactly the opposite is being implemented with a passion at Clear Channel.

Publicly, President John Slogan Hogan is saying the company is all about local radio while he spearheads its replacement with nationally syndicated Repeater Radio.

Publicly, Hogan says local management gets to opt in to Repeater Radio ("Premium Choice") but there is no evidence these decisions are being made locally.

Publicly, Clear Channel has made a holy war out of promoting its "Less Is More" concept of fewer commercials, more music and better rates while secretly mandating its FM stations carry up to a&hellip

Perhaps they do this in your state, but where I live they put these signs up adjacent to highway construction projects that say "Your Highway Taxes At Work".

In some states they even fill in a time line to let you know how everything is progressing.

I got to thinking that radio consolidators ought to adopt the same practice to let the whole world know how their many cutbacks and firings are affecting the radio industry.

Of course, they would never do that.

But I would.

So, here is some of the residue of the slicing and dicing that has thinned the ranks of talented radio people and introduced such economies&hellip

Perhaps they do this in your state, but where I live they put these signs up adjacent to highway construction projects that say "Your Highway Taxes At Work".

In some states they even fill in a time line to let you know how everything is progressing.

I got to thinking that radio consolidators ought to adopt the same practice to let the whole world know how their many cutbacks and firings are affecting the radio industry.

Of course, they would never do that.

But I would.

So, here is some of the residue of the slicing and dicing that has thinned the ranks of talented radio people and introduced such economies&hellip

Perhaps they do this in your state, but where I live they put these signs up adjacent to highway construction projects that say "Your Highway Taxes At Work".

In some states they even fill in a time line to let you know how everything is progressing.

I got to thinking that radio consolidators ought to adopt the same practice to let the whole world know how their many cutbacks and firings are affecting the radio industry.

Of course, they would never do that.

But I would.

So, here is some of the residue of the slicing and dicing that has thinned the ranks of talented radio people and introduced such economies&hellip

If you had any doubts that radio is going to lose its long-standing music royalty exemption, consider this.

National Association of Broadcasters CEO David Rehr resigned yesterday.

Yes, that David Rehr -- who heads the lobby group that represents radio broadcasters.

The David Rehr who is fighting for truth, justice and the no-way-we-pay battle to preserve radio's exemption.

For the record, radio pays enough fees to musicians and publishers.

It is absolutely ridiculous that the music industry is demanding more. Yes, I know they are in a bad way. But so is radio. And the fact remains, without the radio&hellip

If you had any doubts that radio is going to lose its long-standing music royalty exemption, consider this.

National Association of Broadcasters CEO David Rehr resigned yesterday.

Yes, that David Rehr -- who heads the lobby group that represents radio broadcasters.

The David Rehr who is fighting for truth, justice and the no-way-we-pay battle to preserve radio's exemption.

For the record, radio pays enough fees to musicians and publishers.

It is absolutely ridiculous that the music industry is demanding more. Yes, I know they are in a bad way. But so is radio. And the fact remains, without the radio&hellip

If you had any doubts that radio is going to lose its long-standing music royalty exemption, consider this.

National Association of Broadcasters CEO David Rehr resigned yesterday.

Yes, that David Rehr -- who heads the lobby group that represents radio broadcasters.

The David Rehr who is fighting for truth, justice and the no-way-we-pay battle to preserve radio's exemption.

For the record, radio pays enough fees to musicians and publishers.

It is absolutely ridiculous that the music industry is demanding more. Yes, I know they are in a bad way. But so is radio. And the fact remains, without the radio&hellip

Back in the days when this picture was taken, I had already had the good fortune of meeting three gentlemen that would have an influence on my career.

There was Phil Stout and Marlin Taylor and, of course, Jerry Lee the then general manager of a shitty little FM signal at 101.1 on the dial that was not WCBS-FM.

They broadcasted from the Germantown Bank Building at Germantown and Chelten -- the studio/offices were so small the mice were hunchback.

The station was called WDVR -- strings and things instrumental music station and along with its engineer-owner, the late Dave Kurtz, went on to be one of the most prolific&hellip

Back in the days when this picture was taken, I had already had the good fortune of meeting three gentlemen that would have an influence on my career.

There was Phil Stout and Marlin Taylor and, of course, Jerry Lee the then general manager of a shitty little FM signal at 101.1 on the dial that was not WCBS-FM.

They broadcasted from the Germantown Bank Building at Germantown and Chelten -- the studio/offices were so small the mice were hunchback.

The station was called WDVR -- strings and things instrumental music station and along with its engineer-owner, the late Dave Kurtz, went on to be one of the most prolific&hellip

Back in the days when this picture was taken, I had already had the good fortune of meeting three gentlemen that would have an influence on my career.

There was Phil Stout and Marlin Taylor and, of course, Jerry Lee the then general manager of a shitty little FM signal at 101.1 on the dial that was not WCBS-FM.

They broadcasted from the Germantown Bank Building at Germantown and Chelten -- the studio/offices were so small the mice were hunchback.

The station was called WDVR -- strings and things instrumental music station and along with its engineer-owner, the late Dave Kurtz, went on to be one of the most prolific&hellip

As if the radio industry doesn't have enough trouble -- mostly of its own making -- here comes more trouble it never asked for.

Two patent holders in Tyler, TX are alleging that 13 radio groups have infringed upon their patent that provides the technology to insert different commercials in radio's otherwise similar terrestrial streams when aired on the Internet.

This technology was reportedly being marketed by Ando Media out of Quincy, MA.

Interestingly enough, Ando is not mentioned in this massive lawsuit.

Instead, there are two Texas lawyers (Danny L. Williams and J. Mike Amerson) who have decided to go after&hellip

As if the radio industry doesn't have enough trouble -- mostly of its own making -- here comes more trouble it never asked for.

Two patent holders in Tyler, TX are alleging that 13 radio groups have infringed upon their patent that provides the technology to insert different commercials in radio's otherwise similar terrestrial streams when aired on the Internet.

This technology was reportedly being marketed by Ando Media out of Quincy, MA.

Interestingly enough, Ando is not mentioned in this massive lawsuit.

Instead, there are two Texas lawyers (Danny L. Williams and J. Mike Amerson) who have decided to go after&hellip

As if the radio industry doesn't have enough trouble -- mostly of its own making -- here comes more trouble it never asked for.

Two patent holders in Tyler, TX are alleging that 13 radio groups have infringed upon their patent that provides the technology to insert different commercials in radio's otherwise similar terrestrial streams when aired on the Internet.

This technology was reportedly being marketed by Ando Media out of Quincy, MA.

Interestingly enough, Ando is not mentioned in this massive lawsuit.

Instead, there are two Texas lawyers (Danny L. Williams and J. Mike Amerson) who have decided to go after&hellip

Chrysler is doing it.

Why not Clear Channel?

You heard last week that Chrysler was nudged into bankruptcy by the Obama Administration so it can pursue a do-or-die alliance with the Italian automaker, Fiat.

In essence the plan allows the United Auto Workers (the union) through their retirement plan to take control of Chrysler with Fiat and the U.S. government as minority partners.

The government will lend another $4 billion to Chrysler to ease the transition (above the original $8 billion). It's a no lose for the autoworkers who now have their pension guaranteed by the government.

The employees are&hellip

Chrysler is doing it.

Why not Clear Channel?

You heard last week that Chrysler was nudged into bankruptcy by the Obama Administration so it can pursue a do-or-die alliance with the Italian automaker, Fiat.

In essence the plan allows the United Auto Workers (the union) through their retirement plan to take control of Chrysler with Fiat and the U.S. government as minority partners.

The government will lend another $4 billion to Chrysler to ease the transition (above the original $8 billion). It's a no lose for the autoworkers who now have their pension guaranteed by the government.

The employees are&hellip

Chrysler is doing it.

Why not Clear Channel?

You heard last week that Chrysler was nudged into bankruptcy by the Obama Administration so it can pursue a do-or-die alliance with the Italian automaker, Fiat.

In essence the plan allows the United Auto Workers (the union) through their retirement plan to take control of Chrysler with Fiat and the U.S. government as minority partners.

The government will lend another $4 billion to Chrysler to ease the transition (above the original $8 billion). It's a no lose for the autoworkers who now have their pension guaranteed by the government.

The employees are&hellip

It seems that almost daily we witness another miscalculation by the CEOs running the radio industry (into the ground).

And, another missed opportunity.

The New York Times Thursday reminded the business world that radio's largest consolidator, Clear Channel, has a critical cash flow issue. And the article deals with whether Lee & Bain should have spent $20 billion for the company in the first place.

Now I'm thinking that we have at least two tragedies here.

One, that so many talented people in many radio companies have been let go or compromised (more work than they can handle).

And the other is, the&hellip

It seems that almost daily we witness another miscalculation by the CEOs running the radio industry (into the ground).

And, another missed opportunity.

The New York Times Thursday reminded the business world that radio's largest consolidator, Clear Channel, has a critical cash flow issue. And the article deals with whether Lee & Bain should have spent $20 billion for the company in the first place.

Now I'm thinking that we have at least two tragedies here.

One, that so many talented people in many radio companies have been let go or compromised (more work than they can handle).

And the other is, the&hellip

It seems that almost daily we witness another miscalculation by the CEOs running the radio industry (into the ground).

And, another missed opportunity.

The New York Times Thursday reminded the business world that radio's largest consolidator, Clear Channel, has a critical cash flow issue. And the article deals with whether Lee & Bain should have spent $20 billion for the company in the first place.

Now I'm thinking that we have at least two tragedies here.

One, that so many talented people in many radio companies have been let go or compromised (more work than they can handle).

And the other is, the&hellip

I have long suspected that this week's latest round of "layoffs" formerly known as firings would not end with the 590 victims Clear Channel claimed.

Now, I'm sure of it.

I'm told Chief Execution Officer John Hogan in a Clear Channel webinar said this is the end of the firings. The good company man that he is -- Hogan said they did their due diligence and this should take care of the personnel cutbacks.

That's why I am convinced there will be more -- because Hogan says there won't be.

But no matter what, the cutbacks and firings are proving to be not enough to save consolidated radio companies.

Clear&hellip

I have long suspected that this week's latest round of "layoffs" formerly known as firings would not end with the 590 victims Clear Channel claimed.

Now, I'm sure of it.

I'm told Chief Execution Officer John Hogan in a Clear Channel webinar said this is the end of the firings. The good company man that he is -- Hogan said they did their due diligence and this should take care of the personnel cutbacks.

That's why I am convinced there will be more -- because Hogan says there won't be.

But no matter what, the cutbacks and firings are proving to be not enough to save consolidated radio companies.

Clear&hellip

I have long suspected that this week's latest round of "layoffs" formerly known as firings would not end with the 590 victims Clear Channel claimed.

Now, I'm sure of it.

I'm told Chief Execution Officer John Hogan in a Clear Channel webinar said this is the end of the firings. The good company man that he is -- Hogan said they did their due diligence and this should take care of the personnel cutbacks.

That's why I am convinced there will be more -- because Hogan says there won't be.

But no matter what, the cutbacks and firings are proving to be not enough to save consolidated radio companies.

Clear&hellip

Clear Channel President and CEO John "The Chiropractor" Hogan has now completed an adjustment on his patient.

In one day (yesterday) -- 590 people were fired from Clear Channel. Add this to the 1,800 or so that were cleared out in January and all the "little firings" in between and you can see why Hogan has become the CEO (Chief Execution Officer).

And the term "adjustment" is exactly how Hogan described this mass execution of radio talent to the surviving employees in a company letter:

"In January, we took the first steps to adjust our business to the realities that all media companies face this year. Those actions&hellip

Clear Channel President and CEO John "The Chiropractor" Hogan has now completed an adjustment on his patient.

In one day (yesterday) -- 590 people were fired from Clear Channel. Add this to the 1,800 or so that were cleared out in January and all the "little firings" in between and you can see why Hogan has become the CEO (Chief Execution Officer).

And the term "adjustment" is exactly how Hogan described this mass execution of radio talent to the surviving employees in a company letter:

"In January, we took the first steps to adjust our business to the realities that all media companies face this year. Those actions&hellip

Clear Channel President and CEO John "The Chiropractor" Hogan has now completed an adjustment on his patient.

In one day (yesterday) -- 590 people were fired from Clear Channel. Add this to the 1,800 or so that were cleared out in January and all the "little firings" in between and you can see why Hogan has become the CEO (Chief Execution Officer).

And the term "adjustment" is exactly how Hogan described this mass execution of radio talent to the surviving employees in a company letter:

"In January, we took the first steps to adjust our business to the realities that all media companies face this year. Those actions&hellip

On the eve of the next round of "layoffs" at Clear Channel, information is beginning to emerge of who may be let go.

There is no way to know for sure, but lately the way Clear Channel works is to follow a well thought out plan.

I'm hearing that some program directors may be in line for unemployment soon -- especially off-air PDs.

That, as one reader told me, "the smaller markets are about to lose their engineers although disguised as an emergency operations center in the event of an emergency it will be an engineering national operations center dispatching contract engineers when needed".

There is some thinking&hellip

On the eve of the next round of "layoffs" at Clear Channel, information is beginning to emerge of who may be let go.

There is no way to know for sure, but lately the way Clear Channel works is to follow a well thought out plan.

I'm hearing that some program directors may be in line for unemployment soon -- especially off-air PDs.

That, as one reader told me, "the smaller markets are about to lose their engineers although disguised as an emergency operations center in the event of an emergency it will be an engineering national operations center dispatching contract engineers when needed".

There is some thinking&hellip

On the eve of the next round of "layoffs" at Clear Channel, information is beginning to emerge of who may be let go.

There is no way to know for sure, but lately the way Clear Channel works is to follow a well thought out plan.

I'm hearing that some program directors may be in line for unemployment soon -- especially off-air PDs.

That, as one reader told me, "the smaller markets are about to lose their engineers although disguised as an emergency operations center in the event of an emergency it will be an engineering national operations center dispatching contract engineers when needed".

There is some thinking&hellip

I guess Clear Channel CEO John Slogan Hogan thinks he's got everyone buffaloed over his companies disingenuous localism initiative.

Hogan somehow thinks if he keeps saying the word localism while doing everything in his power to reduce it at Clear Channel stations that perception will once again trump reality.

It usually does -- as many researchers will tell you.

But this time, I don't think he's going to pull it off. Let me tell you why.

Of course you already know that the main reason Clear Channel is firing local talent is to save money. And that they need to save money because of the recession -- not&hellip

I guess Clear Channel CEO John Slogan Hogan thinks he's got everyone buffaloed over his companies disingenuous localism initiative.

Hogan somehow thinks if he keeps saying the word localism while doing everything in his power to reduce it at Clear Channel stations that perception will once again trump reality.

It usually does -- as many researchers will tell you.

But this time, I don't think he's going to pull it off. Let me tell you why.

Of course you already know that the main reason Clear Channel is firing local talent is to save money. And that they need to save money because of the recession -- not&hellip

I guess Clear Channel CEO John Slogan Hogan thinks he's got everyone buffaloed over his companies disingenuous localism initiative.

Hogan somehow thinks if he keeps saying the word localism while doing everything in his power to reduce it at Clear Channel stations that perception will once again trump reality.

It usually does -- as many researchers will tell you.

But this time, I don't think he's going to pull it off. Let me tell you why.

Of course you already know that the main reason Clear Channel is firing local talent is to save money. And that they need to save money because of the recession -- not&hellip

Many if not most of my readers are progressive thinkers based on the contact I have had with them since I have been writing in this space.

People who love radio.

Passionate about the music industry and a shared fascination about new media and the role of differing generational traits that drive today

Many if not most of my readers are progressive thinkers based on the contact I have had with them since I have been writing in this space.

People who love radio.

Passionate about the music industry and a shared fascination about new media and the role of differing generational traits that drive today

Many if not most of my readers are progressive thinkers based on the contact I have had with them since I have been writing in this space.

People who love radio.

Passionate about the music industry and a shared fascination about new media and the role of differing generational traits that drive today

Edison Research and Arbitron did a survey recently in which 17% of the respondents said they listened to online radio in the survey week.

That

Edison Research and Arbitron did a survey recently in which 17% of the respondents said they listened to online radio in the survey week.

That

Edison Research and Arbitron did a survey recently in which 17% of the respondents said they listened to online radio in the survey week.

That

The number one obsession of young people nationwide is text messaging.

We are beginning to see some significant trends that are worth keeping an eye on:

1. Text messaging continues to grow at a rapid pace. Texting is the Holy Grail for Gen Y. Nothing is more a part of their lives. Most would even do without an iPod before a cell phone because of its texting capabilities. Radio is not heard here.

2. While Facebook growth is slowing among young people (after all, they are already there), it is growing rapidly among the over 30 crowd. You know that because some of you have only recently taken the Facebook&hellip

The number one obsession of young people nationwide is text messaging.

We are beginning to see some significant trends that are worth keeping an eye on:

1. Text messaging continues to grow at a rapid pace. Texting is the Holy Grail for Gen Y. Nothing is more a part of their lives. Most would even do without an iPod before a cell phone because of its texting capabilities. Radio is not heard here.

2. While Facebook growth is slowing among young people (after all, they are already there), it is growing rapidly among the over 30 crowd. You know that because some of you have only recently taken the Facebook&hellip

The number one obsession of young people nationwide is text messaging.

We are beginning to see some significant trends that are worth keeping an eye on:

1. Text messaging continues to grow at a rapid pace. Texting is the Holy Grail for Gen Y. Nothing is more a part of their lives. Most would even do without an iPod before a cell phone because of its texting capabilities. Radio is not heard here.

2. While Facebook growth is slowing among young people (after all, they are already there), it is growing rapidly among the over 30 crowd. You know that because some of you have only recently taken the Facebook&hellip

You know the radio industry really has it wrong when it doesn't even know what time it is -- that is to say, what time it gets its largest audience.

It appears new People Meter results show that 3-4 pm is actually radio

You know the radio industry really has it wrong when it doesn't even know what time it is -- that is to say, what time it gets its largest audience.

It appears new People Meter results show that 3-4 pm is actually radio

You know the radio industry really has it wrong when it doesn't even know what time it is -- that is to say, what time it gets its largest audience.

It appears new People Meter results show that 3-4 pm is actually radio

If you take a close look at the style and substance of how Clear Channel rolled out its Repeater Radio platform last week, you

If you take a close look at the style and substance of how Clear Channel rolled out its Repeater Radio platform last week, you

If you take a close look at the style and substance of how Clear Channel rolled out its Repeater Radio platform last week, you

The other day I heard that a very small AM station here in Scottsdale was going silent.

The owner apparently would rather pull the plug than sell the license to his employees and didn

The other day I heard that a very small AM station here in Scottsdale was going silent.

The owner apparently would rather pull the plug than sell the license to his employees and didn

The other day I heard that a very small AM station here in Scottsdale was going silent.

The owner apparently would rather pull the plug than sell the license to his employees and didn

Clear Channel's latest managers meeting has produced the industry's biggest bait-and-switch plan to nationalize and regionalize its programming to save money.

The company is burning through cash at a record pace and the largest radio consolidator, now owned by Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media, has resorted to selling snake oil to the public, federal regulators and lawmakers.

Under the guise of producing better radio, Clear Channel has announced a quality improvement plan.

As Inside Radio put it, "CC PD's to Focus on Quality".

That's really odd because Clear Channel PDs had no problem focusing on quality&hellip

Clear Channel's latest managers meeting has produced the industry's biggest bait-and-switch plan to nationalize and regionalize its programming to save money.

The company is burning through cash at a record pace and the largest radio consolidator, now owned by Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media, has resorted to selling snake oil to the public, federal regulators and lawmakers.

Under the guise of producing better radio, Clear Channel has announced a quality improvement plan.

As Inside Radio put it, "CC PD's to Focus on Quality".

That's really odd because Clear Channel PDs had no problem focusing on quality&hellip

Clear Channel's latest managers meeting has produced the industry's biggest bait-and-switch plan to nationalize and regionalize its programming to save money.

The company is burning through cash at a record pace and the largest radio consolidator, now owned by Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media, has resorted to selling snake oil to the public, federal regulators and lawmakers.

Under the guise of producing better radio, Clear Channel has announced a quality improvement plan.

As Inside Radio put it, "CC PD's to Focus on Quality".

That's really odd because Clear Channel PDs had no problem focusing on quality&hellip

A day hardly goes by without news reports from radio groups that their business is tanking faster than anyone ever anticipated.

Take Cox and Emmis.

Both good companies. Run by solid radio execs.

Their quarterly revenues are down by a fourth.

Emmis is not far away from being in violation of its loan covenants

A day hardly goes by without news reports from radio groups that their business is tanking faster than anyone ever anticipated.

Take Cox and Emmis.

Both good companies. Run by solid radio execs.

Their quarterly revenues are down by a fourth.

Emmis is not far away from being in violation of its loan covenants

A day hardly goes by without news reports from radio groups that their business is tanking faster than anyone ever anticipated.

Take Cox and Emmis.

Both good companies. Run by solid radio execs.

Their quarterly revenues are down by a fourth.

Emmis is not far away from being in violation of its loan covenants

Yesterday I was talking about how important it will be for the radio industry to do more than port their terrestrial signals over to new media.

There are so many options beginning to open up and yet the radio industry continues to ignore them.

I understand that most radio CEOs have enough trouble just surviving until tomorrow because of all the debt they accumulated in good times.

They refused to look ahead to the future.

Refused to budget for the future.

At no point did any public group assign even as little as 5% of their annual operating budget to new media. No wonder as traditional terrestrial&hellip

Yesterday I was talking about how important it will be for the radio industry to do more than port their terrestrial signals over to new media.

There are so many options beginning to open up and yet the radio industry continues to ignore them.

I understand that most radio CEOs have enough trouble just surviving until tomorrow because of all the debt they accumulated in good times.

They refused to look ahead to the future.

Refused to budget for the future.

At no point did any public group assign even as little as 5% of their annual operating budget to new media. No wonder as traditional terrestrial&hellip

Yesterday I was talking about how important it will be for the radio industry to do more than port their terrestrial signals over to new media.

There are so many options beginning to open up and yet the radio industry continues to ignore them.

I understand that most radio CEOs have enough trouble just surviving until tomorrow because of all the debt they accumulated in good times.

They refused to look ahead to the future.

Refused to budget for the future.

At no point did any public group assign even as little as 5% of their annual operating budget to new media. No wonder as traditional terrestrial&hellip

(Clockwise from JD in blue -- Bruce St. James, Ken Dowe, Jim Taszarek and Todd Wallace at a recent Scottsdale Study Group lunch)

The other day Major League Baseball announced a blockbuster initiative that could give new meaning to the term Internet streaming.

MLB's At Bat Apple application makes it possible for users of iPhones or iPod Touch devices to receive streams of broadcasts for every major league baseball game in 2009 for a one-time fee of $9.99.

As of yesterday, At Bat was the fourth best selling application for the iPhone and it is one of the most expensive apps even at a reasonable $9.99.

That's still&hellip

(Clockwise from JD in blue -- Bruce St. James, Ken Dowe, Jim Taszarek and Todd Wallace at a recent Scottsdale Study Group lunch)

The other day Major League Baseball announced a blockbuster initiative that could give new meaning to the term Internet streaming.

MLB's At Bat Apple application makes it possible for users of iPhones or iPod Touch devices to receive streams of broadcasts for every major league baseball game in 2009 for a one-time fee of $9.99.

As of yesterday, At Bat was the fourth best selling application for the iPhone and it is one of the most expensive apps even at a reasonable $9.99.

That's still&hellip

Since consolidation the radio industry has always depended on ample advertising revenue to pump free cash into paying debt.

As long as the major groups could keep the money coming in, they could make payments on the massive debt they accrued by acquiring stations at unrealistically high prices.

Now, many of the major consolidators are in danger of defaulting on their loans.

Unlike in better times, they can't get banks to simply refinance the debt at favorable rates (to the banks!).

Of course, the banks also have a problem.

If they cause a default, they could drive the radio group into bankruptcy and risk&hellip

Since consolidation the radio industry has always depended on ample advertising revenue to pump free cash into paying debt.

As long as the major groups could keep the money coming in, they could make payments on the massive debt they accrued by acquiring stations at unrealistically high prices.

Now, many of the major consolidators are in danger of defaulting on their loans.

Unlike in better times, they can't get banks to simply refinance the debt at favorable rates (to the banks!).

Of course, the banks also have a problem.

If they cause a default, they could drive the radio group into bankruptcy and risk&hellip

Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman's income for last year was announced yesterday and it appears he's taking a big hit on compensation.

The $11 million man in 2007 -- and $17 million dollar man from 2006 made only $1,262,248 to the penny last year.

He voluntarily gave up stock options -- you know, with Teddy Forstmann holding a gun to his head. (Okay, I kid Fagreed).

Actually, he did take a pass on compensation. This is what the proxy revealed:

"Stock award compensation of $4,819,642 is comprised of $3,440,000 related to 2,000,000 shares of restricted stock with solely time-based vesting conditions and&hellip

Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman's income for last year was announced yesterday and it appears he's taking a big hit on compensation.

The $11 million man in 2007 -- and $17 million dollar man from 2006 made only $1,262,248 to the penny last year.

He voluntarily gave up stock options -- you know, with Teddy Forstmann holding a gun to his head. (Okay, I kid Fagreed).

Actually, he did take a pass on compensation. This is what the proxy revealed:

"Stock award compensation of $4,819,642 is comprised of $3,440,000 related to 2,000,000 shares of restricted stock with solely time-based vesting conditions and&hellip

Apple yesterday pulled off another masterful move to get consenting adults to pay for music that they otherwise could own for free.

And, they made the record labels think they finally won a round by instituting variable pricing on iTunes.

As I've often said, be careful what you wish for.

The new DRM-free music library allows you to buy music for 69 cents, 99 cents or the low, low price of $1.29 for some cuts.

Lots of luck.

You're not going to find a lot of 69 cent songs -- it's just a slight of hand for the $1.29 cent downloads. In reality, most everything else remains as it was -- 99&hellip

Apple yesterday pulled off another masterful move to get consenting adults to pay for music that they otherwise could own for free.

And, they made the record labels think they finally won a round by instituting variable pricing on iTunes.

As I've often said, be careful what you wish for.

The new DRM-free music library allows you to buy music for 69 cents, 99 cents or the low, low price of $1.29 for some cuts.

Lots of luck.

You're not going to find a lot of 69 cent songs -- it's just a slight of hand for the $1.29 cent downloads. In reality, most everything else remains as it was -- 99&hellip

1. No sooner than Twitter takes the world by storm, Google (the Clear Channel of the Internet) tries to buy it.

The speculation is that Twitter's founders sell for about $250 million and move on. After all, the same group sold Blogger to Google five years ago.

Action Step: Outsource for creativity. Big companies are woefully insufficient in coming up with big ideas. Clear Channel and major record labels, this means&hellip

1. No sooner than Twitter takes the world by storm, Google (the Clear Channel of the Internet) tries to buy it.

The speculation is that Twitter's founders sell for about $250 million and move on. After all, the same group sold Blogger to Google five years ago.

Action Step: Outsource for creativity. Big companies are woefully insufficient in coming up with big ideas. Clear Channel and major record labels, this means&hellip

Did you see what Emmis did late last week?

They gave up on their Not Movin' format to enter into a deal with Grupo Radio Centro out of Mexico City to turn over the KMVN-FM 93.9 frequency so Grupo can operate a Mexican station in LA.

I love this.

And there are lots of repercussions for radio -- most of them good -- if we'll allow them to be.

More on that in a second.

Here's the Emmis deal that outsources a good radio facility to Mexico.

It's a long-term LMA (Local Marketing Agreement) with a powerful Mexican broadcaster. The LMA starts April 15th. Emmis gets $7 million a year for seven years&hellip

Did you see what Emmis did late last week?

They gave up on their Not Movin' format to enter into a deal with Grupo Radio Centro out of Mexico City to turn over the KMVN-FM 93.9 frequency so Grupo can operate a Mexican station in LA.

I love this.

And there are lots of repercussions for radio -- most of them good -- if we'll allow them to be.

More on that in a second.

Here's the Emmis deal that outsources a good radio facility to Mexico.

It's a long-term LMA (Local Marketing Agreement) with a powerful Mexican broadcaster. The LMA starts April 15th. Emmis gets $7 million a year for seven years&hellip

The radio industry is beginning to get the idea that its future is on the Internet.

The best way to deliver that message is when it comes at a financial conference such as the Kagan event in New York City. (For some reason programmers and creative people who have been saying this for years have previously been ignored).

Kurt Hanson and Paul Maloney who write Radio And Internet Newsletter provide some context:

TargetSpot CEO Doug Perlson said on a panel,

The radio industry is beginning to get the idea that its future is on the Internet.

The best way to deliver that message is when it comes at a financial conference such as the Kagan event in New York City. (For some reason programmers and creative people who have been saying this for years have previously been ignored).

Kurt Hanson and Paul Maloney who write Radio And Internet Newsletter provide some context:

TargetSpot CEO Doug Perlson said on a panel,

Citadel just bought itself a little more time to avoid bankruptcy by renegotiating deals with lenders.

It isn't pretty.

May not even be doable.

Both the lenders and Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman have no choice. Bankruptcy is the likely end of Citadel and bankruptcy is absolutely the end for the lenders.

That's why both sides keep dancing with each other. They may not like their partners. May step on each other's toes, but they're all they've got right now.

Here's the latest:

1. For the fourth time in 12 months, Citadel has changed its finance agreements with lenders (the other times being&hellip

Citadel just bought itself a little more time to avoid bankruptcy by renegotiating deals with lenders.

It isn't pretty.

May not even be doable.

Both the lenders and Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman have no choice. Bankruptcy is the likely end of Citadel and bankruptcy is absolutely the end for the lenders.

That's why both sides keep dancing with each other. They may not like their partners. May step on each other's toes, but they're all they've got right now.

Here's the latest:

1. For the fourth time in 12 months, Citadel has changed its finance agreements with lenders (the other times being&hellip

(With my daughter, the Facebook "consultant" and son who uses Facebook to communicate with fans of his Home Theater Review website).

Facebook, the Gen Y social networking site that older generations are now beginning to embrace, is ready to count its 200 millionth user sometime this week.

200 million Facebook users!

Talk about rapid growth.

In August, just seven months ago, Facebook users hit 100 million.

Mark Zuckerberg, the 24 year old Harvard dropout, only started Facebook about five years ago. First at Harvard, then a few other schools before opening it up to every university.

Facebook is&hellip

(With my daughter, the Facebook "consultant" and son who uses Facebook to communicate with fans of his Home Theater Review website).

Facebook, the Gen Y social networking site that older generations are now beginning to embrace, is ready to count its 200 millionth user sometime this week.

200 million Facebook users!

Talk about rapid growth.

In August, just seven months ago, Facebook users hit 100 million.

Mark Zuckerberg, the 24 year old Harvard dropout, only started Facebook about five years ago. First at Harvard, then a few other schools before opening it up to every university.

Facebook is&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

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

Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman will become a D-lister on March 6th.

That's when The New York Stock Exchange will delist Citadel and basically relegate it to some type of over-the-counter trading.

This is major.

If you're a Citadel shareholder, my sympathies. What took you so long to realize what has been unfolding for years?

The big question for everyone else is -- what will happen to Citadel now.

Just a little context -- first.

Citadel was warned by the NYSE that it faced delisting after its stock dropped to below the $1 per share threshold last Fall. The NYSE does not condone penny stocks&hellip

Citadel CEO Farid "Fagreed" Suleman will become a D-lister on March 6th.

That's when The New York Stock Exchange will delist Citadel and basically relegate it to some type of over-the-counter trading.

This is major.

If you're a Citadel shareholder, my sympathies. What took you so long to realize what has been unfolding for years?

The big question for everyone else is -- what will happen to Citadel now.

Just a little context -- first.

Citadel was warned by the NYSE that it faced delisting after its stock dropped to below the $1 per share threshold last Fall. The NYSE does not condone penny stocks&hellip

The other night while President Obama was speaking to the nation before a joint session of Congress about the troubled U.S. economy, he praised a corporate executive for his unselfishness.

Listen up Fagreed, Marky Mark Mays, Slogan Hogan, Tricky Dickey, David Field and the other CEOs who make up the big eight Octobombs we call radio consolidators.

In his speech, President Obama gave praise to a corporate executive who shared his multi-million dollar bonuses with his employees and former employees.

Can you imagine anyone in radio sharing even a $50 bill with a present or past employee?

That got me to thinking&hellip

The other night while President Obama was speaking to the nation before a joint session of Congress about the troubled U.S. economy, he praised a corporate executive for his unselfishness.

Listen up Fagreed, Marky Mark Mays, Slogan Hogan, Tricky Dickey, David Field and the other CEOs who make up the big eight Octobombs we call radio consolidators.

In his speech, President Obama gave praise to a corporate executive who shared his multi-million dollar bonuses with his employees and former employees.

Can you imagine anyone in radio sharing even a $50 bill with a present or past employee?

That got me to thinking&hellip

There is disturbing new research out that confirms what we have all feared -- that as consolidators move away from purely local radio, listeners become more dissatisfied.

I say disturbing because the study I am about to mention was taken before the recent move by radio consolidators to further blur the line between local personalities, shows and news and national syndication ("Repeater Radio").

Michael Saffran, one of our radio brethren and an adjunct professor at Rochester Institute of Technology conducted the research with 830 in-tab respondents in Binghamton,&hellip

There is disturbing new research out that confirms what we have all feared -- that as consolidators move away from purely local radio, listeners become more dissatisfied.

I say disturbing because the study I am about to mention was taken before the recent move by radio consolidators to further blur the line between local personalities, shows and news and national syndication ("Repeater Radio").

Michael Saffran, one of our radio brethren and an adjunct professor at Rochester Institute of Technology conducted the research with 830 in-tab respondents in Binghamton,&hellip

As Morningstar stock rating service puts it "We think Cumulus' debt burden leaves shareholders at risk of total loss".

The rating service gives Cumulus one star (out of five) -- their worst rating.

But Cumulus isn't the only radio consolidator standing at the great abyss.

Most of them are.

The question is not whether these groups will go bankrupt because they are already trading as a bankrupt stock.

What's of interest is -- can they avoid dissolution?

Can consolidators find a way out in the worst economy since the Great Depression?

How much more collateral damage will there be as far as&hellip

As Morningstar stock rating service puts it "We think Cumulus' debt burden leaves shareholders at risk of total loss".

The rating service gives Cumulus one star (out of five) -- their worst rating.

But Cumulus isn't the only radio consolidator standing at the great abyss.

Most of them are.

The question is not whether these groups will go bankrupt because they are already trading as a bankrupt stock.

What's of interest is -- can they avoid dissolution?

Can consolidators find a way out in the worst economy since the Great Depression?

How much more collateral damage will there be as far as&hellip

Radio

Radio

Last week I mentioned an idea that, in my opinion, could save the radio industry from itself.

I have since run it past all types of radio people who have encouraged me to put it out there publicly.

S0, I'd like to share it with my readers not only in the U.S. but around the world to get your input and see if you would like to hitchhike on the parts you like.

At the onset let me say that I am not at all trying to be arrogant when I use the headline "How To Save Radio". There are lots of ways. Good local radio is one. Listening to your quite capable employees is another.

But unfortunately none of the good ideas&hellip

Last week I mentioned an idea that, in my opinion, could save the radio industry from itself.

I have since run it past all types of radio people who have encouraged me to put it out there publicly.

S0, I'd like to share it with my readers not only in the U.S. but around the world to get your input and see if you would like to hitchhike on the parts you like.

At the onset let me say that I am not at all trying to be arrogant when I use the headline "How To Save Radio". There are lots of ways. Good local radio is one. Listening to your quite capable employees is another.

But unfortunately none of the good ideas&hellip

Clear Channel is getting ready for phase two of its employee firing scheme.

Rumor is -- Friday.

If the first one had been code-named Hiroshima, the next one will be Nagasaki -- a detonation that will continue to obliterate radio's talented population.

But don't let the way Clear Channel works distract you from what is going on with the rest of the consolidators.

Cumulus wiped out 12 people in one cluster alone just recently. Since Cumulus is not of the magnitude of Clear Channel, those firings were under the radar and didn't get the same attention -- unless you were one of the fired.

Citadel is hanging&hellip

Clear Channel is getting ready for phase two of its employee firing scheme.

Rumor is -- Friday.

If the first one had been code-named Hiroshima, the next one will be Nagasaki -- a detonation that will continue to obliterate radio's talented population.

But don't let the way Clear Channel works distract you from what is going on with the rest of the consolidators.

Cumulus wiped out 12 people in one cluster alone just recently. Since Cumulus is not of the magnitude of Clear Channel, those firings were under the radar and didn't get the same attention -- unless you were one of the fired.

Citadel is hanging&hellip

Radio advertisers have begun to start eating their dead.

Anheuser-Busch is now dictating a new payment policy for their Budweiser radio commercials.

120 days.

That's four months after the spots have run -- assuming the client decides to pay the stations "on time" -- if you can call net 120 days on time.

Radio stations just have until the end of this month to protest the new terms or they become automatic. Of course, for the stations that opt out, don't expect any Budweiser business.

Anheuser-Busch's new owners, the Belgian/Brazilian mega firm Anheuser-Busch InBev is dictating the new rules. Seems like&hellip

Radio advertisers have begun to start eating their dead.

Anheuser-Busch is now dictating a new payment policy for their Budweiser radio commercials.

120 days.

That's four months after the spots have run -- assuming the client decides to pay the stations "on time" -- if you can call net 120 days on time.

Radio stations just have until the end of this month to protest the new terms or they become automatic. Of course, for the stations that opt out, don't expect any Budweiser business.

Anheuser-Busch's new owners, the Belgian/Brazilian mega firm Anheuser-Busch InBev is dictating the new rules. Seems like&hellip

Yesterday, it appeared Mel Karmazin was about to get rescued by Liberty Media's John Malone, the Mel Karmazin of the cable TV business.

And on the same day, terrestrial radio was rescued from the record labels when it struck an agreement with SoundExchange (representing the music industry) to pay rates more favorable than the ones webcasters are faced with.

What's going on here?

Can we call a spade -- a spade.

The one industry that should be helped is webcasting. It is part of the digital future that has real growth written all over it.

Meanwhile, Sirius XM needs to be rescued from itself because it&hellip

Yesterday, it appeared Mel Karmazin was about to get rescued by Liberty Media's John Malone, the Mel Karmazin of the cable TV business.

And on the same day, terrestrial radio was rescued from the record labels when it struck an agreement with SoundExchange (representing the music industry) to pay rates more favorable than the ones webcasters are faced with.

What's going on here?

Can we call a spade -- a spade.

The one industry that should be helped is webcasting. It is part of the digital future that has real growth written all over it.

Meanwhile, Sirius XM needs to be rescued from itself because it&hellip

The readers of this space could have saved The Mighty Google lots of time and money.

Google in its infinite wisdom about all things sales, thought they could automate radio selling and eliminate lots of expenses -- like sales people and the expenses they incur including health benefits.

Sounds like Google's plan was made in heaven for a bunch of radio consolidators who still can't tell local radio from Ryan Seacrest.

So, when first I went nuts about this outrage -- on day one -- most of you agreed that even Google can't force a square peg into a round hole.

Translated that means: even though Google can sell&hellip

The readers of this space could have saved The Mighty Google lots of time and money.

Google in its infinite wisdom about all things sales, thought they could automate radio selling and eliminate lots of expenses -- like sales people and the expenses they incur including health benefits.

Sounds like Google's plan was made in heaven for a bunch of radio consolidators who still can't tell local radio from Ryan Seacrest.

So, when first I went nuts about this outrage -- on day one -- most of you agreed that even Google can't force a square peg into a round hole.

Translated that means: even though Google can sell&hellip

Katy Perry may have kissed a girl but the music industry just kissed a toad and there

Katy Perry may have kissed a girl but the music industry just kissed a toad and there

Maybe the NAB is snickering and Ed Christian is high-fiving someone (although that's a tough picture to conjure up) because ding, dong satellite radio is dead.

Sirius XM is days away from hiding behind Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to stall its $1 billion in debt payments due in the year ahead -- and keep Echostar (the TV people) from making a hostile takeover.

Well, wipe that smirk off your face -- terrestrial radio is next.

As I've been warning, the unthinkable is about to happen because radio CEOs have run their companies into the ground.

Just yesterday, Clear Channel drew down a mere $1.6 billion dollars&hellip

Maybe the NAB is snickering and Ed Christian is high-fiving someone (although that's a tough picture to conjure up) because ding, dong satellite radio is dead.

Sirius XM is days away from hiding behind Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to stall its $1 billion in debt payments due in the year ahead -- and keep Echostar (the TV people) from making a hostile takeover.

Well, wipe that smirk off your face -- terrestrial radio is next.

As I've been warning, the unthinkable is about to happen because radio CEOs have run their companies into the ground.

Just yesterday, Clear Channel drew down a mere $1.6 billion dollars&hellip

Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey is not disappointing anyone who predicted he would use Clear Channel's recent assassination of 1,850 careers as cover to do the same to his employees.

Now, his dying company -- $1.87 a share (down 13 cents just yesterday alone) -- is following the Lee & Bain playbook for Clear Channel and trashing their assets.

Dickey initiated mass firings Friday when he wasted several dozen great and loyal employees.

According to Tom Taylor "the most likely to be riffed were midday personalities, nighttime jocks and morning co-hosts. But also office managers, some GSMs and AEs. There even are reports out&hellip

Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey is not disappointing anyone who predicted he would use Clear Channel's recent assassination of 1,850 careers as cover to do the same to his employees.

Now, his dying company -- $1.87 a share (down 13 cents just yesterday alone) -- is following the Lee & Bain playbook for Clear Channel and trashing their assets.

Dickey initiated mass firings Friday when he wasted several dozen great and loyal employees.

According to Tom Taylor "the most likely to be riffed were midday personalities, nighttime jocks and morning co-hosts. But also office managers, some GSMs and AEs. There even are reports out&hellip

You have no doubt been following the Einsteins of radio from the time they got their hands onto their mini-monopolies until the time that they realized their stock was worth $1 or less.

So how have the massive firings

You have no doubt been following the Einsteins of radio from the time they got their hands onto their mini-monopolies until the time that they realized their stock was worth $1 or less.

So how have the massive firings

You have to feel for radio people who are stuck working for consolidated radio companies that don't seem to know what to do next.

Some readers write to tell me that they want to remain positive and do the best that they can -- and I think that's probably a smart move.

But if you're still scratching your head wondering what these group CEOs are doing, maybe I can shed some light on it.

They never intended to be operating radio groups 12 years after consolidation began.

Period.

They were in it to make their money and sell out -- at a profit, of course.

For a time, they believed that further&hellip

You have to feel for radio people who are stuck working for consolidated radio companies that don't seem to know what to do next.

Some readers write to tell me that they want to remain positive and do the best that they can -- and I think that's probably a smart move.

But if you're still scratching your head wondering what these group CEOs are doing, maybe I can shed some light on it.

They never intended to be operating radio groups 12 years after consolidation began.

Period.

They were in it to make their money and sell out -- at a profit, of course.

For a time, they believed that further&hellip

Don't fall off your chair -- Clear Channel is hiring again just as its president, John Slogan Hogan promised.

You see, 1,850 firings were nothing even though we're told there are more mass firings on the way. Some Clear Channel people refer to that eventuality as "round two" and "round three".

Nonetheless, forget all of that -- let's look at how a private equity firm that runs the largest radio group can transform the business.

Now, after all those firings, Clear Channel is looking for a few good "revenue managers" and "yield managers".

Doesn't that sound better than general sales manager or GSM?

So&hellip

Don't fall off your chair -- Clear Channel is hiring again just as its president, John Slogan Hogan promised.

You see, 1,850 firings were nothing even though we're told there are more mass firings on the way. Some Clear Channel people refer to that eventuality as "round two" and "round three".

Nonetheless, forget all of that -- let's look at how a private equity firm that runs the largest radio group can transform the business.

Now, after all those firings, Clear Channel is looking for a few good "revenue managers" and "yield managers".

Doesn't that sound better than general sales manager or GSM?

So&hellip

Have you noticed what young consumers are doing with their cell phones?

If you're a baby boomer or Gen Xer, your cell phone could be in your pocket or briefcase until you need it.

But Millennials hold their phones in the palm of their hands -- all the time. Ready to send and receive text messages and stay connected with their social circle.

Look around. You'll see.

Understanding the importance of this is major if you're in the music or media business.

We know that cell phones are probably the single most important device to the next generation.

Even more critical than an iPod.

Certainly more&hellip

Have you noticed what young consumers are doing with their cell phones?

If you're a baby boomer or Gen Xer, your cell phone could be in your pocket or briefcase until you need it.

But Millennials hold their phones in the palm of their hands -- all the time. Ready to send and receive text messages and stay connected with their social circle.

Look around. You'll see.

Understanding the importance of this is major if you're in the music or media business.

We know that cell phones are probably the single most important device to the next generation.

Even more critical than an iPod.

Certainly more&hellip

Radio is broke.

But there is no way to know for certain.

The market cap on publicly-traded radio groups is so startlingly low as to be useless. The cap for Citadel, for example -- is around $54 million dollars. And that includes all those major market ABC properties. That can't be right.

So Wall Street's own litmus test of value doesn't really work for radio.

Very little Wall Street does works for radio. The local radio business was a victim of investment bank greed during the heady times of the Nineties.

No radio station was ever really worth $100 million.

No multiple of streaming cash flow or&hellip

Radio is broke.

But there is no way to know for certain.

The market cap on publicly-traded radio groups is so startlingly low as to be useless. The cap for Citadel, for example -- is around $54 million dollars. And that includes all those major market ABC properties. That can't be right.

So Wall Street's own litmus test of value doesn't really work for radio.

Very little Wall Street does works for radio. The local radio business was a victim of investment bank greed during the heady times of the Nineties.

No radio station was ever really worth $100 million.

No multiple of streaming cash flow or&hellip

There's a fight going on right now -- and about escalate -- over music royalties.

I hope the lawyers are making a lot of money because no one wins this battle.

The NAB is claiming victory in the second round of Greedy Record Labels vs. Clueless Radio Operators.

The NAB says it has enough votes to prevent repeal -- at least 219 co-sponsors for the Local Radio Freedom Act which opposes requiring AM and FM stations to pay any performance fee to record companies and artists.

Nice name, eh?

Local Radio Freedom Act.

What b.s.!

Local radio is rapidly morphing into national radio thanks to Clear&hellip

There's a fight going on right now -- and about escalate -- over music royalties.

I hope the lawyers are making a lot of money because no one wins this battle.

The NAB is claiming victory in the second round of Greedy Record Labels vs. Clueless Radio Operators.

The NAB says it has enough votes to prevent repeal -- at least 219 co-sponsors for the Local Radio Freedom Act which opposes requiring AM and FM stations to pay any performance fee to record companies and artists.

Nice name, eh?

Local Radio Freedom Act.

What b.s.!

Local radio is rapidly morphing into national radio thanks to Clear&hellip

Clear Channel President John Hogan says radio as we know it is in the toilet.

Quoted in Inside Radio, Hogan is conceding failure for today's radio industry.

Clear Channel President John Hogan says radio as we know it is in the toilet.

Quoted in Inside Radio, Hogan is conceding failure for today's radio industry.

Turnabout is fair play.

Consolidators have screwed employees out of their jobs.

Now, advertisers are screwing radio stations out of previously agreed upon rates.

What do you expect when there is only one rep firm for the entire radio business?

And that rep firm is owned by Clear Channel, the largest radio group.

And Clear Channel is owned by a group of clueless private equity companies named Lee & Bain.

What you get is radio advertising anarchy.

And that's what is happening -- chaos, disorder. Perhaps you've seen or heard.

GEICO, one of the largest radio advertisers, negotiates its&hellip

Turnabout is fair play.

Consolidators have screwed employees out of their jobs.

Now, advertisers are screwing radio stations out of previously agreed upon rates.

What do you expect when there is only one rep firm for the entire radio business?

And that rep firm is owned by Clear Channel, the largest radio group.

And Clear Channel is owned by a group of clueless private equity companies named Lee & Bain.

What you get is radio advertising anarchy.

And that's what is happening -- chaos, disorder. Perhaps you've seen or heard.

GEICO, one of the largest radio advertisers, negotiates its&hellip

A few weeks back I referred to a strategy that I used to teach my students at USC when they had their first big job interview in the media business.

It's a little different than conventional wisdom but the approach has an almost 100% track record for getting people hired when used as outlined below.

When I first mentioned it, many of you asked me to explain more.

So let's take time out from the 1,850 Clear Channel firings just last week and the never-ending Citadel dismissals and think about your future.

As many of you know I believe the radio and record industries have seen its better days. The future is new&hellip

A few weeks back I referred to a strategy that I used to teach my students at USC when they had their first big job interview in the media business.

It's a little different than conventional wisdom but the approach has an almost 100% track record for getting people hired when used as outlined below.

When I first mentioned it, many of you asked me to explain more.

So let's take time out from the 1,850 Clear Channel firings just last week and the never-ending Citadel dismissals and think about your future.

As many of you know I believe the radio and record industries have seen its better days. The future is new&hellip

There's a new Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch -- it's not Mark Wahlberg.

It's Mark Mays and the private equity firm of Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media.

Forget the Obama inauguration. Closing Gitmo pales in comparison. By now you've heard the real "breaking news".

Marky Mark is taking a bullet for his employees -- a 40% pay cut.

Isn't that impressive?

Even his brother, Randall, is going along with it. Founding Father Lowry Mays' best work -- Randy and Mark -- are voluntarily giving up (and I'm tearing up right now) $875,000 and $895,000 respectively.

For one year.

Then, they go back to&hellip

There's a new Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch -- it's not Mark Wahlberg.

It's Mark Mays and the private equity firm of Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media.

Forget the Obama inauguration. Closing Gitmo pales in comparison. By now you've heard the real "breaking news".

Marky Mark is taking a bullet for his employees -- a 40% pay cut.

Isn't that impressive?

Even his brother, Randall, is going along with it. Founding Father Lowry Mays' best work -- Randy and Mark -- are voluntarily giving up (and I'm tearing up right now) $875,000 and $895,000 respectively.

For one year.

Then, they go back to&hellip

In a time of crisis, who would you want in command?

Mark Mays?

John Slogan Hogan?

Or Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, the heroic U.S. Airways pilot who safely landed his A-320 aircraft last week on the Hudson River in New York after a double bird strike crippled the plane's two engines.

Certainly you don't want Mays or Hogan flying an aircraft human beings are on.

And you don't want Captain Sully running the largest radio group in the world even if it is headed for a crash landing.

Or do you?

Yesterday when Clear Channel eliminated 9% of its work force across all its businesses but&hellip

The Clear Channel firings are over and what we're hearing is that another 500 or so positions will be eliminated as the private equity firms of Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media have their way with the radio industry.

Tuesday was a tough day for anyone who loves radio and its people. I received hundreds of emails -- many of them touching -- about the disrespectful way the dynamic duo of Lee & Bain and Mark Mays has handled the firings.

Reports that even loyal respected veterans were given the bad word the way everyone else got it and told not to return to their desks.

I mean, was that really necessary?

Is&hellip

In a time of crisis, who would you want in command?

Mark Mays?

John Slogan Hogan?

Or Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, the heroic U.S. Airways pilot who safely landed his A-320 aircraft last week on the Hudson River in New York after a double bird strike crippled the plane's two engines.

Certainly you don't want Mays or Hogan flying an aircraft human beings are on.

And you don't want Captain Sully running the largest radio group in the world even if it is headed for a crash landing.

Or do you?

Yesterday when Clear Channel eliminated 9% of its work force across all its businesses but&hellip

The Clear Channel firings are over and what we're hearing is that another 500 or so positions will be eliminated as the private equity firms of Lee Capital Partners and Bain Media have their way with the radio industry.

Tuesday was a tough day for anyone who loves radio and its people. I received hundreds of emails -- many of them touching -- about the disrespectful way the dynamic duo of Lee & Bain and Mark Mays has handled the firings.

Reports that even loyal respected veterans were given the bad word the way everyone else got it and told not to return to their desks.

I mean, was that really necessary?

Is&hellip

(Shown with family at Sunday's Eagles game)

Today is Invasion of the Body Snatchers day at Clear Channel stations across the country.

Just as in the 1978 remake of the science fiction movie, Clear Channel employees across the nation are screaming, "They're here already! You're next!"

As of late yesterday, Clear Channel employees were telling me of the staff meetings that were being scheduled for today -- during the distraction to the news cycle of a presidential inauguration. The meetings are probably for those who survived the cuts - the cuts could come earlier in the day and they could use the staff meeting to&hellip

(Shown with family at Sunday's Eagles game)

Today is Invasion of the Body Snatchers day at Clear Channel stations across the country.

Just as in the 1978 remake of the science fiction movie, Clear Channel employees across the nation are screaming, "They're here already! You're next!"

As of late yesterday, Clear Channel employees were telling me of the staff meetings that were being scheduled for today -- during the distraction to the news cycle of a presidential inauguration. The meetings are probably for those who survived the cuts - the cuts could come earlier in the day and they could use the staff meeting to&hellip

Tomorrow is Inauguration Day, an historic day when the nation's first African-American President takes office in the United States.

It could also be the day Clear Channel inaugurates its massive personnel cutback strategy.

Some think Clear Channel may do it on Tuesday under the cover of all the publicity of Barack Obama taking office. After all, who will miss hundreds or even thousands of employees as they get their pink slips on the same day as the inauguration.

One thing is for sure. If Clear Channel chooses Tuesday it won't surprise anyone. No company, in my opinion, has taken the low road as often as they have.&hellip

Tomorrow is Inauguration Day, an historic day when the nation's first African-American President takes office in the United States.

It could also be the day Clear Channel inaugurates its massive personnel cutback strategy.

Some think Clear Channel may do it on Tuesday under the cover of all the publicity of Barack Obama taking office. After all, who will miss hundreds or even thousands of employees as they get their pink slips on the same day as the inauguration.

One thing is for sure. If Clear Channel chooses Tuesday it won't surprise anyone. No company, in my opinion, has taken the low road as often as they have.&hellip

The table is set for more massive personnel cuts in radio -- with Clear Channel's big bang possible within days.

By now, most radio people can see what group CEOs have done over the 12 year history of consolidation and have a pretty good idea what the general effect of more budget cuts will be going forward.

I'd like to share with you what I am seeing and see if it jibes with what you're thinking.

One thing is certain: radio will become a smaller business in almost every way including advertising revenue. Many optimists think radio will recover from the economic doldrums it is presently in as it did when television&hellip

The table is set for more massive personnel cuts in radio -- with Clear Channel's big bang possible within days.

By now, most radio people can see what group CEOs have done over the 12 year history of consolidation and have a pretty good idea what the general effect of more budget cuts will be going forward.

I'd like to share with you what I am seeing and see if it jibes with what you're thinking.

One thing is certain: radio will become a smaller business in almost every way including advertising revenue. Many optimists think radio will recover from the economic doldrums it is presently in as it did when television&hellip

While we're all waiting around for the mass firing of many Clear Channel employees (expected any time now), don't think that Citadel's Farid "Fagreed" Suleman and his wife, Judy Ellis, aren't doing a little nip and tuck.

A snip here at KGO. More firings -- the first in years under arguably the best general manager in radio, Mickey Luckoff. I'm told it was done with the usual class he has shown over his long career. KGO has benefits as part of a union contract negotiated with ABC before Fagreed which is why Luckoff's employees are fortunate. Luckoff obviously was pressured to do the layoffs by you know who.

Even&hellip

While we're all waiting around for the mass firing of many Clear Channel employees (expected any time now), don't think that Citadel's Farid "Fagreed" Suleman and his wife, Judy Ellis, aren't doing a little nip and tuck.

A snip here at KGO. More firings -- the first in years under arguably the best general manager in radio, Mickey Luckoff. I'm told it was done with the usual class he has shown over his long career. KGO has benefits as part of a union contract negotiated with ABC before Fagreed which is why Luckoff's employees are fortunate. Luckoff obviously was pressured to do the layoffs by you know who.

Even&hellip

From day one of consolidation, radio groups became obsessed with the wrong thing -- saving money instead of making it.

Back then, group executives used to show me blueprints for local radio hubs that would allow all their newly acquired stations to operate under the same roof. Of course, this was false economy and an ego exercise for consolidators who eventually paid the price for taking their eyes off the prize.

Revenues began to decline. Listening fell off -- especially in the crucial next generation demographic and then lately the recession slammed the door.

In all that time, radio as an industry failed to come&hellip

From day one of consolidation, radio groups became obsessed with the wrong thing -- saving money instead of making it.

Back then, group executives used to show me blueprints for local radio hubs that would allow all their newly acquired stations to operate under the same roof. Of course, this was false economy and an ego exercise for consolidators who eventually paid the price for taking their eyes off the prize.

Revenues began to decline. Listening fell off -- especially in the crucial next generation demographic and then lately the recession slammed the door.

In all that time, radio as an industry failed to come&hellip

It's apparently the calm before the storm.

Clear Channel managers who attended last week's corporate meetings are now back at their local stations and waiting to carry out the executions mandated by the company.

Tom Taylor reported in Radio-Info that one of his readers heard that "change" at Clear Channel would come on inauguration day, the same time Barack Obama's change speech will be delivered by the new president.

One of my Clear Channel readers reported that several staffers were in behind closed door meetings to start the week out. Everyone is on edge which is&hellip

It's apparently the calm before the storm.

Clear Channel managers who attended last week's corporate meetings are now back at their local stations and waiting to carry out the executions mandated by the company.

Tom Taylor reported in Radio-Info that one of his readers heard that "change" at Clear Channel would come on inauguration day, the same time Barack Obama's change speech will be delivered by the new president.

One of my Clear Channel readers reported that several staffers were in behind closed door meetings to start the week out. Everyone is on edge which is&hellip

"If you're going through hell, keep going" said Winston Churchill.

That best describes the critical situation the people of the radio industry find themselves in again this week -- perhaps the most crucial in the history of the business.

Clear Channel is getting ready to implement the Lee & Bain plan to drastically cut personnel while swinging to a model of national syndication in order to further cut costs.

What is likely -- perhaps as soon as this week -- is the unraveling of local radio as we know it for the repeater station concept -- especially in the non-major markets. So what we could soon see is radio&hellip

"If you're going through hell, keep going" said Winston Churchill.

That best describes the critical situation the people of the radio industry find themselves in again this week -- perhaps the most crucial in the history of the business.

Clear Channel is getting ready to implement the Lee & Bain plan to drastically cut personnel while swinging to a model of national syndication in order to further cut costs.

What is likely -- perhaps as soon as this week -- is the unraveling of local radio as we know it for the repeater station concept -- especially in the non-major markets. So what we could soon see is radio&hellip

One of my readers came up with this story idea -- he coined the term used in the headline.

We often write about the silly and sometimes stupid decisions being made by radio CEOs these days, but sometimes we forget to see things from the perspective of the loyal and dedicated radio person who is being adversely affected by bad management.

Yesterday, the hits kept on coming as Clear Channel's rep firm, Katz, decided to lay off 122 people. For starters, these are not layoffs. They are firings. Layoffs is the word used by the radio group to spin what it really is -- firings.

Meanwhile hundreds of Clear Channel managers&hellip

One of my readers came up with this story idea -- he coined the term used in the headline.

We often write about the silly and sometimes stupid decisions being made by radio CEOs these days, but sometimes we forget to see things from the perspective of the loyal and dedicated radio person who is being adversely affected by bad management.

Yesterday, the hits kept on coming as Clear Channel's rep firm, Katz, decided to lay off 122 people. For starters, these are not layoffs. They are firings. Layoffs is the word used by the radio group to spin what it really is -- firings.

Meanwhile hundreds of Clear Channel managers&hellip