Intelligence Briefs

The late, great comedian Jerry Lewis sat for an interview while in his 90s with a staff member from The Hollywood Reporter. The interview is known as "7 Painfully Awkward Minutes with Jerry Lewis." Many people commenting on the interview blamed Lewis for the awkwardness. Sales training expert Barrett Riddleberger didn’t see it that way.

For featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner, there is nothing more gratifying than lending a helpful bit of encouragement, information, or suggestion to a colleague in need of assistance. On the other hand, he notes, "there is nothing more disgusting than taking advantage of your colleague by picking his pocket for simple assistance." This sets the tone for his latest commentary.

The FCC recently asked how it should define "advanced communications capability." As American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Mark Jamison points out, that's broadband. He finds this a curious question, "because it presumes that the FCC should define broadband." On that note, he asks, "Don't customers define broadband every day? Why not simply watch what they do?" It's an interesting philosophy any broadcast media company actively using digital platforms should take note of.

On a day when a total eclipse of the sun commanded the attention of Americans across the U.S., it reminded us of what could happen if a station were to suddenly go dark, due to a powerful act of Mother Nature that suddenly silences a transmitter. We ventured into the RBR+TVBR archives to provide you with a great column from Cavell, Mertz & Associates President Garrison Cavell, who reminds everyone in the C-Suite of the one thing they shouldn't forget after paying for those building repairs, equipment parts, and the replacement equipment.

Is the 1990s simply horrible and unworthy of a radio station of its own that you can profit from? That's what some consultants may say. That's what some owners may say. RBR+TVBR's Editor-in-Chief disagrees. He believes there's a "throwback" format out there that can make you money. All it takes is thinking like a millennial.

What is the Dear Ol' Dad of the ABIP Universe chatting about now? Featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner wants to discuss radio and TV engineer licensing. Why? He remembers a time when there was "cataclysmic woe and cry" over what he calls the "massive over-regulations pertaining to everyone in every profession." Broadcast licensee membership organizations were among the loudest "cry babies." The "D.C. Kleptocracy" heard their cries. Fasten your seat belts for what promises to be another interesting read. 

From job growth picking up and income lagging behind to weak housing investments and the current political climate, consumers are being bombarded with a slew of mixed indicators that are making them less willing to open their wallets and spend. That's the important takeaway for broadcast media sales executives and the C-Suite from a newly released study from IRI.

Walk into nearly any bar, gym, airport or office these days and you’re likely not only to find a TV, but also viewers of all sorts with their eyes glued to the glass. These consumers, out of the confines of their homes, are no less important to networks and advertisers when they’re out and about. This latest insight piece from Nielsen sheds new light on what's being watched away from the home.

With all of the excitement over radio's renewed place in the home thanks to Smart Speaker devices such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, it still loses — badly — in the one place you're most likely going to sleep and shower that you don't live in: The hotel. Here's what RBR+TVBR's Editor-in-Chief has to say on the subject, and why you should rally around him now.

What the heck is 'CTCSRPAB'?? For one, it has nothing to do with the CRTC, Canada's equivalent of the FCC. However, it has everything to with the FCC and how to avoid a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture. Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner explains what that acronym stands for in this column, which results from a request from an RBR+TVBR Member.

"Premium, personality-based podcasts" and other on-demand audio content is growing in popularity among advertisers and consumers, in particular digitally savvy audio listeners who don't consider themselves "radio listeners." Perhaps that's one reason why Entercom Communications has just acquired a 45% stake in a big podcast creator.

Need more fuel for the fire against the big digital media players eating away at your local ad revenue? Check this out: A GfK study done together with TVB finds that from consumer awareness through the purchasing stage, TV remains the most important influencer in all stages of the purchase funnel — and for all age demographics.

"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."

The term “self promotion” often carries a negative connotation – and with good reason, argues WPHT-AM in Philadelphia talk show host Rich Zeoli. No one likes a braggart. So, how does one successfully promote themselves? Zeoli offers some great ideas that could extend to successful promotion of your radio or TV stations.

The following column, in the opinion of Radio+Television Business Report featured columnist Ken Benner, is "absolute must reading for every broadcast licensee from which you can learn all you don't want to know about in a 10-minute perusal." He adds that his "FCC FY 2018 Budget In Brief" report "clearly documents" what he's been ranting about over the past 10 years, much to the chagrin of his adversaries.