Intelligence Briefs

We all see the headlines. "Cord cutting" is accelerating. Viewers may soon do away with TV as we know it. As Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services gain traction, it may seem that traditional pay TV services -- cable and satellite -- are heading for the exits. But, headlines can be misleading -- in a big way. 

As one of the 17 surviving SBE Charter members, featured columnist Ken Benner played "a small but significant and proud role" in the development of The Society of Broadcast Engineers and, later, The National Radio and Telecommunications Engineers. With the recent passing of SBE Past President Barry Thomas, Benner reflects on the importance of these two groups.

With 2019 quickly approaching, executives are beginning to think about what the new year will hold for the TV industry. Among these industry voices are leaders engaged in programmatic, digital engagement measurement, a global ad-tech company, AI-driven advertising and a "second screen" DSP.

An interesting new Marketplace-Edison Research Poll sheds light on such employment as driving for a service such as Uber or Lyft, selling products or services online, or working as a freelancer. What does this mean for broadcast TV and radio? Are there ad dollars here for the taking?

Just how vital is radio to consumers? This just-released report from Deliotte has a quote you'll want to incorporate into every sales pitch your AEs and GSMs wish to make.

A Senate vote on Thursday affirmed who will take over the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from acting director Mick Mulvaney, the subject of this column from Ken Benner. Mulvaney's attitude towards how things, in his mind, get done in D.C. irks Benner yet again.

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 third quarter 2018 edition of Edison Research's "Share of Ear," released Monday, was the focus of a blog post from Cumulus Media and Westwood One Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard. Front and center is data suggesting that AM and FM radio outreach ad-supported audio platforms daily. Really??

What is the common denominator to successfully serve its community of license for any broadcast operation? Here's the answer, courtesy of featured columnist Ken Benner, who has tallied at least 2,000 station visits.

With more choices than ever for visual entertainment, there’s still this thing called “broadcast television,” featuring free over-the-air channels with a plethora of local and network programming. Nexstar founder and CEO Perry Sook is confident in his belief that broadcast television has a bright future.

New data from the Video Advertising Bureau (VAB) show a huge jump in the number of adults aged 25-34 streaming video. Today, 9 out of 10 people in this age group are streaming something they can watch.

Who will have control as voice "pervades" the Smart Home? That was the subject of a panel moderated by Futuresource Director of Research Simon Bryant at the British media research firm's recent Audio Collaborative event in London.

Something doesn't add up for one longtime radio industry observer and former big-market OM: If one growing operator of AM and FM stations is making "big money" running less spots, then why is it cutting 11 jobs? It's a good question to ask as Hiring and Firing Season is upon us.

Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner is again sharing ways a radio or TV station licensee can avoid paying needless FCC fines and consent decree payments to the U.S. Treasury. In this column, Benner discusses two must-have guides for saving money.

Pass the turkey ... and the credit card. PwC’s 2018 Holiday Outlook suggests that a steady shift in attitudes about Thanksgiving Day shopping is underway: more than 70% of respondents saying they plan to shop on the actual holiday, rather than on Black Friday.