Media Info Bureau

The spread of COVID-19, and the responses of industry and governments alike, is unprecedented. It is, however, the restrictions on movement of people along with the response of consumers and investors that is causing the biggest disruption and will have the most impact on entertainment businesses. Here, MIDiA explores the potential near- and mid-term impact of COVID-19 the sector.

iHeartMedia is receiving praise for pulling off one of the greatest feats in recent television history, at a time of unprecedented need. Much of the thanks should be directed to Tom Poleman, the President of the company's national programming group.

Given the myriad challenges many in broadcast media have been faced with due to the novel coronavirus, we are pleased to share the many ways the late Irwin Pollack believed one could best deal with tension, strain and pressure in challenging times.

As concerns and restrictions around the novel coronavirus heighten in the U.S., consumers are gravitating to local news outlets to stay informed about the impact of the pandemic on their communities. While the U.S. began to experience the impact later than other parts of the world, a recent Nielsen analysis highlights a notable spike in local news viewing.

In this RBR+TVBR Observation, our Editor-in-Chief hails a show of unity among radio stations in Europe and Great Britain seen Friday morning — a move designed to lift listener morale as millions of radio consumers have shifted their usual routines, and social lives -- to help combat the further spread of the coronavirus. He also asks why U.S. radio broadcasters haven't done the same.

The worldwide coronavirus outbreak is forcing sports fans to stay at home, leading consumers to be in more desperate need of entertainment content during quarantines. With broadcasting scheduling being left practically barren, an opportunity arises for fans to view digital allegories of their favorite sports, says Futuresource Consulting. They say it is through esports.

Could there be some "silver linings" regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to business closures and layoffs across multiple industries? Guest columnists William Nye and Kaleigh Drew say yes, and offer suggestions on what small businesses may wish to do today to grow their business. Radio and TV GSMs may wish to take note.

A Nielsen investigation has identified six key consumer behavior threshold levels that tie directly to concerns around the coronavirus outbreak. The thresholds offer early signals of spending patterns, particularly for emergency pantry items and health supplies, and Nielsen is seeing these patterns being mirrored across multiple markets.

On February 19, 2010, RBR+TVBR offered readers the first in a series of columns designed to provide radio and TV stations of all sizes the information they needed to stay prepared in a time of crisis. That time, sadly, is now. We are pleased to offer our readers this edited encore presentation of a column penned by Valerie Geller that remains highly pertinent today.

Great sales reps require a few extra interview questions. "Remember, they're interviewing you as much as you are them," notes expert sales training coach Barrett Riddleberger. In this column, Riddleberger offers some questions he suggests managers add to their list today.

The future of real estate will be "significantly influenced" by three of the most important consumer groups to radio and television broadcasters, according to an analysis of first names on 2018 home sales deeds.

Interested in the rise of voice shopping, online marketplace OnBuy.com analyzed findings from ‘VoiceBot.AI’, who surveyed 1,203 U.S. consumers to better understand the products and services they buy the most using a voice-assistant. Here's what they found.

Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner tells us that many, many classic examples of very questionable FCC fines, fees, forfeitures and legal expenses exist. And, apparently not even death is a defense against such charges.