How The Media Fuels Terrorism … and What Can Be Done
This column, says Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner, is respectfully dedicated to the memory of the thousands of innocent worldwide terrorism victims and to those who will continue to suffer the same fate as these horrific practices continue to escalate.
HD Radio: The Perfect Catalyst For Radio’s Digital Boom
An afternoon spent driving in a car with an HD Radio tuner -- a rarity for our editor-in-chief -- set his mind ablaze with ideas and inspiration. Could any of his ideas spark your stations into fully developing a potential revenue enhancer attracting ears from digital competitors?
Spotify: Streaming Royalty, Or Strained By Royalties?
In two weeks, Spotify will release its Q2 2019 results. Strong revenue growth is expected. There's just one problem: a hefty operating loss is expected, and the size of this loss could greatly vary. Could the music industry's royalty-hungry associations be its biggest problem? Or, is it pricey subscriptions?
So, Who Really Seeks Public File Access?
In all of his years of experience, columnist Ken Benner has rarely come across a station that has received a request for access to their public files. Now that these files are online, Benner offers his thoughts on "something that has long bothered me that relates to preposterous regulatory compliance."
‘Regulatory Humility’: The Pai Commission Explained
"An excellent speech" was delivered Wednesday at the Media Institute's Communication Forum Luncheon by FCC General Counsel Tom Johnson. That, at least, was the opinion of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who praised Johnson for touching on everything from weddings to FM radio.
Violation Confession: Don’t Blame The Inspector
Should a radio or television broadcasting company point fingers at an alternative inspector in cases where violations are found, leading the licensee to fess to the Commission? The latest column from featured columnist Ken Benner shows why doing so is the wrong move.
Where OTA TV Is Strongest, And With Whom
As of May 2018, some 16 million over-the-air homes are present in the U.S. Nielsen used its data to provide deeper insights into the different types of over-the-air viewers -- and where they are most likely to reside -- in a newly released report.
Hill Hullabaloo Over Broadband’s Title II Classification Kill
The #SubCommTech wing of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday held a hearing on "Preserving an Open Internet for Consumers, Small Businesses, and Free Speech." Democrats and Republicans had something to say. So did TechFreedom, following the hearing.
Making Your Deals Sing: The Lyrical Guide To Top Transactions
In the world of M&A transactions, many are successful … and almost as many fail. Now, think about many of the songs you hear. Joyful, happy songs appear along sad ones. In the second of a two-part report, DEFcom Advisors CEO Doug Ferber offers his “lyrical guide to successful broadcast transactions.”
The Growth and Evolution of OTA TV, As Nielsen Sees It
What does Nielsen know about OTA households? Nielsen recently dived into the data to find out more about them—particularly, how many there are, what they look like and how they consume media. Here are the just-released findings.
Deregulation Furloughed: One Negative Of A Quiet D.C.
Without appropriations, many government programs went dormant. For Boston College Law School associate professor Daniel Lyons, a visiting fellow at conservative D.C. think-tank AEI, there’s a more fundamental problem with the shutdown, which just ended until mid-February: Pruning the regulatory state.
The Media Industry’s ‘Chief Pilot’ For Charity
William O’Shaughnessy is a legendary figure of American broadcasting. Today, he's paying tribute today to a media broker with a heart and soul that "clearly reside in identifying good and worthy causes." Here's why O'Shaughnessy has such great admiration for Dick Foreman.
What Does The Future Hold For Media?
What's the fastest growing connected device category? Duh ... it is smart speakers. But, just what is the dollar value placed on the worth of smart speakers in 2019? That is noteworthy, and is a top finding from Deloitte's 18th edition of its Technology, Media & Telecommunications predictions.
Video Ad Trends Expected To Arrive In 2019
What are the latest video advertising trends media buyers and sellers should expect to see this year? We have the details of a new report devoted to the subject, and it is chock-full of predictions around new offerings in OTT, traditional TV transformation, data activation, and new privacy regulations.
When You Watch, Are You Alone?
So much for those giant-size, wall-mounted televisions. More and more Americans are watching video content, whether it is TV shows, movies or short video, on their smartphones. And, new research from MRI's Cord Evolution report shows that Americans watch TV or video in groups a lot more than you may think.