Intelligence Briefs

"There are plenty of overly burdensome regulations out there that are holding back U.S. entrepreneurship and ingenuity. But if people call them out and fight back, change is possible." Those words concluded a speech delivered Friday in New York at the Cato Institute Policy Perspective 2017 luncheon by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. In his view, less regulation can foster business growth. It was the crux of his keynote address, which we are pleased to offer to RBR+TVBR readers.

Still don't think taking a "mobile first" approach to attracting consumers is important for your media operation? Consider this nugget of data taken from Deloitte's just-released 2017 Global Mobile Consumer Survey: Close to 264 million Americans use their mobile phones 12 billion times per day. Smartphone penetration reached 82% overall in 2017. One would be remiss, however, to state that this is the result of Gen Z and Millennials. This growth is from a different generation -- one that knows radio more than any other.

One week ago, attendees at the ANA Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference in Miami Beach heard a lot about millennials, and Gen Z consumers. One session was even titled "The Multicultural Millennial Effect - How Big of A Deal Is This?" It's a very big deal if you're a radio broadcasting company, says RBR+TVBR's Editor-in-Chief. But, the spark for this column didn't come from this conference's panel discussion. Rather, it came from Trivia Night at a craft brewery where none of the millennials recognized songs you've probably heard thousands of times. The solution? Let go, and embrace the '90s.

For well over 50 years, featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner has communicated directly with the FCC on what he calls a "friendly good faith basis, with never a problem" He's asked them for suggestions. They've asked Benner for propositions and recommendations. Such communication has led to what he considers "significant common-sense changes" on more than occasion, he writes. Unfortunately, there's another enabler at play. That would be Congress.

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 10th and final podcast in this series, Ferber and Krasnow discuss "Murphy's Law" and "The Greater Fool Theory." In short, they do not apply to broadcast deals.

Prashant Gandhi, a former partner at McKinsey, presently serves as the Managing Director/Head of Digital Payments at JPMorgan Chase & Company. Gandhi penned a thought leadership piece on the things brands need to answer in order to be successful with a "customer first approach." Can radio and TV C-Suite executives glean any insight from this Gandhi's thoughts?

A NuVoodoo Media Services study released this week debunks any thought that AM and FM radio stations are receptacles of "fake news." That's the stuff of TV and websites. But, there is some "fake news" out there that concerns radio, and RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson has something to say about it.

Picture this: You are the steward of a 70-year-old brand. This brand's success is bigger than ever, with a more than 40% market share. No, we're not talking about a big News/Talk radio station on the AM dial. But, we should be, based on what was delivered Monday morning in a powerful Keynote Address at the ANA Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference from P&G Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard.

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.

One company Wednesday reported "spectacular" Q3 2017 earnings results. It's a big company that you compete with. This company enjoyed revenue growth of 47% and ad revenue growth of 43%. But, something's troubling this giant in 2018, says prolific Wall Street investment professional Brian Wieser, Senior Research Analyst – Advertising at Pivotal Research Group. What's the issue? What does it mean for you? We let Wieser share, in his own words, how Facebook will be slightly hampered by issues you should be selling potential clients against.

A new paper is generating headlines because it claims that college students value pizza more than their friends' privacy, but the authors are wrong, says Mark Jamison, a visiting Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute’s Center for Internet, Communication, and Technology. What does their research really show? People might be willing to be helpful if they are paid. This could prove interesting for research-minded media industry C-Suiters.

Nielsen today published its November 2017 cable network Universe Estimates, which indicated an ongoing – and likely worsening – decline in traditional pay TV network penetration rates, led by lower traditional MVPD subscription levels. Brian Wieser, Senior Research Analyst of Advertising at Pivotal Research Group, put on his stethoscope and grabbed a magnifying glass as he perused the latest data and offered his thoughts on the new UEs. His conclusion is right here.

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 eighth podcast installment, Ferber and Krasnow discuss the belief among some that they can bank on 100% leveraged purchases.

Here's something that's cool, and definitely establishes Radio as the one media that can truly connect with local listeners in ways Spotify, Pandora, and even TV stations and newspapers can't do. It's all about going live -- and that includes all on-air elements, including commercials. Entercom is the company behind this "more than just a stunt" opportunity — and it's something that could get your stations get noticed, and more listener love, too.

"Ol' Dad" Ken Benner, a featured RBR+TVBR Media Information Bureau columnist based in Tucson, remains determined to find ways to keep your radio station's balance sheet free of payments to the U.S. Treasury, or to the FCC in response to a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture. In his latest offering, Benner takes his magnifying glass and focuses on the Commission's instructions for license renewal form 303-S. You may wish to do the same, considering what he's uncovered.