Industry Interviews

On July 1, RBR+TVBR informed its readers about the sudden closure of South Texas Radio, which operated the lone locally focused English-language and Spanish-language radio stations serving the Texas communities of Eagle Rock and Uvalde, the site of a recent school shooting. While these broadcast stations are silenced, a local internet radio operator shares that his three-year-old operation stands tall — now as the lone voice of a grieving community.

The last two decades have seen the country grow continuously older. Since 2000, the national median age – the point at which one-half the population is older and one-half younger – has increased by 3.4 years, with the largest single-year gain of 0.3 years coming in 2021, bringing it to 38.8 years. This newly released 2021 Population Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau could have long-term implications on the programming your radio and television stations choose.

A guest appearance on a podcast is a highly effective way to grow your brand, assert your expertise and share your big ideas, says veteran PR professional and "Zoom expert" Rosemary Ravinal. She offers ways "to be the perfect guest and rock the podcast every time" in this new column.

In this new column, "Zoom expert" Rosemary Ravinal shares some advice on what to eat and drink before going virtual with a video presentation or meeting, plus other tips for optimal performance when it is your turn to speak.

Majority control in TEGNA, pending regulatory approval, is to be sold to a partnership involving Soohyung Kim and the majority shareholder in Cox Media Group. Public trading will cease. Premion will operate as a standalone business. Stations in 3 Texas markets will transfer to CMG from TEGNA. And, Dave Lougee is exiting as CEO.

WARC's Global Marketing Index has been released. The annual report presents a round-up of the monthly WARC Global Marketing Index published throughout 2021, offering an indicator of the state of marketing worldwide by tracking the current conditions of 1000+ marketers, including marketing budgets, trading conditions and staffing levels.

New research from Horowitz finds that some 75% of Americans who identify themselves as Black say that seeing characters and communities representative of their race, portrayed in positive ways — as well as having a Black actor in a leading role — positively impacts their decision to watch a television program or feature film.

RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson paused from CES 2022 coverage on Thursday to speak with JW Player CEO Dave Otten for the latest InFOCUS Podcast. The topic: Nielsen's just announced Streaming Signals product, and why targeted advertisements are increasingly important for linear media. LISTEN HERE

As we slowly return to work in physical spaces, you may be thinking: “good riddance to Zoom in 2022.” Not so fast, public relations veteran and video conferencing expert Rosemary Ravinal says in this new column.

When historians look back at advertising trends and the COVID-19 era, one thing will likely stand out: digital media's advertiser attraction barely cooled off during the pandemic's most crushing blows to ad dollar activity. Now, data from Standard Media Index only cement the oft-repeated stories that converged TV and digital video are must-buys for CMOs and aren't slowing down for the foreseeable future.

Public speaking is a vital skill to have if you want to make a difference in the world, says "Zoom" expert and veteran public relations executive Rosemary Ravinal But what about private speaking? "This is the kind of speaking you need to be a better parent, to have great relationships, to be a real friend or simply be someone who makes people stop and listen," she says.

Comscore's Steve Walsh returns to the InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, to discuss how Comscore is offering its Consumer Intelligence reporting to all 210 local markets.  The conversation touches on addressable advertising, long stop sets, and how data can help balance digital and linear media in attracting advertisers to both forms of visual entertainment. LISTEN HERE

The Ahmaud Arbery case drew national attention and condemnation for its racial overtones. In Brunswick, Ga., a local radio element surfaced that Media Services Group Managing Director Eddie Esserman — himself a licensee in the Brunswick area — believes is overlooked.  It involves a Talk radio station owned by iHeartMedia.

WMC’s “The Status of Women in the U.S. Media 2021” report draws data from 110 studies that together show the standing of women across all media, including legacy and digital news platforms, film, television, radio, technology, literature, and more.

"You and who you are make the difference when you speak," says "Zoom expert" Rosemary Ravinal in this column. "Your pitch, rate of speech, volume, inflection, articulation, overall vocal variety, and accent are part of the individual tendencies that comprise your natural style."