Industry Interviews

In its 2018 outlook, S&P Global Market Intelligence predicted further market share gains for cable broadband, "mopping up telco's protracted transition away from copper." What does 2019 look like for the multichannel marketplace? "Turbulence" is a headline offered by market intelligence experts Tony Lenoir, Ian Olgeirson, Neil Barbour and Kamran Asaf.

One of the biggest issues that continues to negatively impact digital advertising is the lack of end-to-end transparency on the buy- and sell-sides about the true effectiveness of ad campaigns. This trend will only continue to compound, says Videa SVP/Revenue & Operations Brad Smith, as more data sets are added to the ever complicated equation for success. 

Donald J. Vucasovich is a name that's not widely known among radio historians or, for that matter, many who believe they know a thing or two about the "legends" of broadcasting. Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner feels otherwise, and offers this tribute to a most gifted individual whose career includes many years on the AM radio dial in Big Sky country.

That’s the suggestion of featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner, who believes the time has come for a Political Action Committee representing broadcast media. Why? It appears obvious to him that the nation's television industry executives are struggling with how to handle "their massive, unprecedented income from the midterm Congressional elections."

Forget about Election Day. The holiday shopping season has already started, and retailers are anticipating a banner year for sales. According to newly released data from eMarketer, low unemployment, strong income growth and high consumer confidence will combine to make the 2018 Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa shopping season an exceptionally strong one for retailers. Both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar retailers are poised to benefit.

Music streaming continues its ascendance, and that's something the radio industry has grown to accept. But, just how many people are paying to hear what they chose not to hear on your radio stations? A new music market report offers up some sobering statistics on the power of paid audio accessibility.

Does your group of radio stations make it easy for a potential client, or an everyday listener, to pick up the phone and speak with someone who can attend to a query? If so, it may be a rarity, Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson notes. Consider this an RBR+TVBR Observation worth responding to.

Featured Media Information Bureau columnist and alternative broadcast inspection specialist Ken Benner has received several requests in recent weeks for information on how to follow in his footsteps. Benner has obliged, and today offers RBR+TVBR members details on how to become an independent ABIP inspector, or one under state broadcaster association programs.

On Thursday, the House E&C Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will hold a hearing on the “State of the Media Marketplace.” It just so happens that the NAB has filed comments with the FCC on competition in the audio programming marketplace, as part of the Commission's preparation of a Congressionally-required communications marketplace report.

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.

You know that TV show "Undercover Boss"? Media Information Bureau featured columnist Kelly Orchard loves it. "The concept is awesome," she says. Orchard also wonders why the radio industry hasn’t done something like this at their stations, she writes in this exclusive report.

Broadcasters are making big investments in the future of television, pivoting from the sales-dominated culture that has driven success over the past several decades to data-driven, technology-focused people and systems that will drive success in the future.  Although broadcast continues to experience revenue growth, the growth isn’t as predictable as it used to be. 

Media Information Bureau columnist Kelly Orchard is back with a column focused on broadcast media's continuing battle for relevance. In a world full of instant at-your-fingertips media choices, does anybody have "the" solution to keep broadcast media relevant?

Featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner has been "very fortunate" to have met "many awesome people" in the broadcast industry during his 50 years of inspection services for AM and FM stations. Today, Benner pays tribute to seven individuals who he calls "America's Finest Broadcast People."

On average, more than 25% of Americans say they listen to terrestrial radio several times a day, whereas 15% listen to the radio online. That bit of encouraging news comes from the just-released Dimension study from Kantar Media. The research was conducted between Nov. 30 and Dec. 12, 2017. We have your first look at this revealing data.