Media Info Bureau

"Stop whatcha doin', cause I'm about to ruin, the image and the style that ya used to ..." OK, maybe it's not time for The Humpty Dance. But, RBR+TVBR Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner insists you should read his latest column, and pronto. Why? "To save substantial funds in fines, fees, forfeitures and, most significantly, legal expenses, I can recommend no better source of information."

A presentation devoted to "cord-cutting" was delivered to the Wall Street investment community on Thursday as part of the Goldman Sachs Communacopia conference, with Mike Vorhaus, Los Angeles-based President of Magid Advisors, sharing some data about the rising embrace of SVOD services. The data are sobering reminders for broadcast TV's C-Suite that local news and original programming may be its final saving grace.

Doug Ferber of DEFcom Advisors LLC and Erwin Krasnow of Garvey Schubert Barer have created a special podcast series exclusively for RBR+TVBR members based on a series of articles centered on the topic “Broadcast Deal Myths Debunked.” In this ninth podcast installment, Ferber and Krasnow discuss the myth that one should avoid deal intermediaries.

Among the many e-mails forwarded to the RBR+TVBR Editorial Tiki Hut over the Christmas and New Year's holidays was an easy-to-digest 49-slide presentation from Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget. The topic of this popular PowerPoint? "14 Things You'll Want to Know About the Future of Media." Radio and TV C-Suiters who haven't seen the details should take five minutes to read our report, and then take an aspirin, advises RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson.

Over recent years, smartphone innovation has slowed. Developments from major vendors have trickled in, with refinement of functionality being brought to handsets, rather than leaps of innovation. Smartphones have no sign of disappearing; they remain one of the most widely used devices. However, there is certainly a lull in terms of market growth and buzz surrounding the products. What does this mean for broadcast media, given the voluntary rollout of the Next Gen broadcast TV standard and the push for FM chips in all smartphones, including those running on iOS systems? 

A new study released Thursday by the trade group focused on Hispanic marketing finds that one's culture plays a significant role in driving digital behavior regarding how information is shared, how on-demand content is consumed, and which platforms are chosen. The report from the Culture Marketing Council (CMC), Digital Lives 2018: A World of Digital ‘Everything’ through a Cultural Lens, concludes that presence in cultural platforms, in-culture ads on mainstream sites, and organic diversity in social media and video content are some of the critical strategies that resonate across all audiences and increase brand engagement.

Ahead of a busy Memorial Day holiday, our Editor-in-Chief went to his local mall -- the biggest tourist destination in Florida. The specialty stores had practically no foot traffic. But, there were shoppers in the mall. They were patronizing some active users of broadcast media advertising. This reinforces a report this week from eMarketer sharing data worthy of your time.

A research firm created "to focus specifically on the intersection of technology and entertainment" has just released the latest findings from an annual study tracking the TV sources consumers consider their "go-to" viewing platform. The results, according to Hub Entertainment Research? Multiplatform use is continuing to rise, and there's a steady move away from live TV as a default source. We've got a "famous" RBR+TVBR OBSERVATION on this to share.

Here's something that's useful for both radio and television station research directors, GSMs, sales professionals and those in the C-Suite seeking clients that are closely reviewing this latest report courtesy of eMarketer. According to those in charge of many a marketing budget and plan of action, campaign data is reliable for up to two years. After that, you might as well toss it in the garbage.

In the eyes of featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner, a "most remarkable reporter" has given Cordillera Communications' NBC affiliated KVOA-4 in Tucson a distinct advantage over its competitors. Why is Benner singling out Matthew Schwartz? It comes down to "extraordinary content."

After several years of silence — at least that’s what it seemed like from the outside — FCC economists again have a voice, says a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In this column, Mark Jamison argues that the communications industry will benefit from this return of economic voices.

The esports phenomenon continues to gain momentum. A Futursource Consulting study predicts the business will reach over $1 billion dollars in revenue this year. Media rights is a big part of that equation ... and there's growth ahead.

Payless Shoe Source in February joined a long list of brands now in the "Ghostly Galleria," as it announced it is closing all of its stores as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. Digital delivery killed the brick-and-mortar store. Should broadcast media worry?

A new SVoD report from Futuresource Consulting reveals that SVoD already reaches more than 60% of households in North America, 26% in Western Europe, 21% in Asia-Pacific and 19% in LATAM.

Erwin Krasnow and Doug Ferber have penned a four-part series of articles exclusively for RBR+TVBR readers on ensuring a smooth closing. In this concluding article, Krasnow and Ferber discuss how to make the closing of a broadcast deal a dream, as opposed to a nightmare.