Inside Music MediaJerry Del Colliano

Radio groups are eating each other alive.

They are in a panic.

Advertisers and agencies are diverting some of their radio spend – sometimes as much as one-third – and giving it to digital.

But predatory groups like iHeart not able to maintain any kind of rate integrity across their 850 stations are selling big chunks of advertising – sometimes using their rep firm Katz which also reps their competitors – to deliver a price so low, no one can compete.

Then they along with others are bonusing the agencies and advertisers to death thus driving down prices further.

Ask any group exec and they’ll shake their head.

It’s hard to have enemies in this industry when you have competitors who are desperate.

And radio is about to get waltzed down the wrong road again as Nielsen deliverers a custom radio product that measures only radio streams or their pure plays along with terrestrial radio.

Hello!

This move to rate only radio-favorable content is a big giant invitation for advertisers to buy the digital part on the cheap and demand more bonus spots for terrestrial stations.

I can’t help these big operators.

What worries me is the independent operators and smaller groups that are trying to do the best local radio they can against these forces.

At my upcoming conference in Philadelphia in less than 3 weeks, we’re going to have a conversation about competing in an industry of dominant group owners who are willing to hurt the industry to stay alive for another quarter.

There are strategies and solutions that work against such predatory practices.

My conference is about new radio – the kind of innovative things operators who plan to stay in business and thrive would want to do.

Nothing in the curriculum for companies teetering on the brink of bankruptcy or lost in the stupidity of consolidation.

Of all the conferences I have done – and I’ve done a lot since the 1990s, this one has more new and emerging topics and developing trends hitting all at one time.

And as you’ll see below, one of radio’s bravest researchers, Richard Harker, is joining me in a live session along with Premiere talk show host Sean Hannity.

Turns out Harker had the balls to do a study of existing PPM technology vs. Voltair in one of Hannity’s major markets and discovered that Hannity’s show and probably all spoken word radio shows are being robbed blind of listeners who are actually listening but not being credited by Nielsen PPM.

As is my custom from teaching inquisitive students as a professor at USC, you, too, will be able to join that discussion and drill down to some real insights with Richard and Sean.

Oh, one more thing.

If you think that this listener inequity just applies to spoken word, you’re going to be surprised – no, horrified – to see how other certain music formats are also getting the shaft.

So there’s that and also some ways to circumvent the audience inequities beyond just buying a Voltair machine.

One more thing and then I’ll let you have at the curriculum below.

This topic of audience gender neutrality that is on the docket is going to be big. Gender norms are changing. Audiences expect media outlets to be friendly to their new expectations and yet 100% of America’s radio stations are still stuck in the 60’s when it comes to relating to new generations of listeners.

And now add gender disruption of the magnitude that I am projecting.

It would be an honor to work face-to-face with you if you can reserve the date – April 6^th.

Now, preview the curriculum.

Deliver What Millennial Audiences Want By Being Relentlessly Authentic

Music's Now a Commodity Like Ketchup -- What to Do

On Contesting:  Don't Offer Cash, Offer Dreams

Blowing Up Your Station and Building a Content Model

The Big Audience Issue of 2016 – Gender Neutrality

Kill the 8-Minute Stop Set Before it Kills You – Alternatives

Radio's Future:  Target Younger, Not Older (Older Adopts Anyway, Later)

Talk to Millennial Audiences the Way You Tweet

We're Doing it All Backwards Programming Stations Instead of Targeting Audiences

Radio's Real Competitor is Not Another Station or Internet Service, it's User Generated Content

On TSL: Short Attention Spans Are Your Friend -- Kill Long Music Sweeps, Don't Play Songs All the Way Through, Program More Interruptions to Feed A.D.D.

The Best Way to Raise Rates is to Create Premium Content

Over 100 Million Listeners Are Available But Radio Programs to 70 Million “Unavailables”

A Sweeper is a Self-Inflicted Wound to Your Audience -- What's Better

Divorce Your Digital Do Radio Separately Then Restart as Short-Form Video 

If Stations Are Making Most of Their Money From Spot Sales Then They Are Missing 7 Revenue-Ready Innovations

Consider New Forms of Revenue Such as Subscriptions and Product Placement

Radio Must Create Binge Content Like Netflix -- Audiences Demand It

Conducting a Long Overdue Millennial Radio Makeover

Someday Radio May Not Exist, the Exciting Opportunities Ahead For Radio Executives

Reserve a seat here.

Inquire about group discounts here.