Media Info Bureau

Media Information Bureau featured columnist Ken Benner is back with an essay that recalls his inspection of a tiny noncommercial radio station that aired a resounding rendition of The Star Spangled Banner every day at Noon. The reason why raised some questions regarding station funding, and thus the station's Public File. Here's the story, which might apply to your own station or one in your market.

Why did Michael Jordan shoot hundreds of free throws each week? Why do the best actors in Hollywood have acting coaches? Being the best requires practice, mentoring and coaching, says Ryan Dohrn. Here are 10 ways to make practicing your ad sales pitch better.

"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.

Pandora has just published the 2018 edition of its annual Definitive Guide to Audio. Our ever-skeptical Editor-in-Chief took a look at some of the highlights, and eagerly agreed to share them with RBR+TVBR readers. Why? It shows that radio is "far from dead," but is full of salacious "findings" that paint AM and FM as a home for AARP members and few who didn't grow up watching ALF in prime-time.

Pivotal Research Group has analyzed trends associated with the use of television alongside commercial share trends for national media owners in the U.S. through the end of September 2017 and for Q3. This was done by Senior Research Analyst/Advertising Brian Wieser after complete data became available Monday from Nielsen. What's Wieser's conclusion? Viewing on internet-connected device is rising rapidly. But, overall viewing is sliding.

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 sixth podcast installment, Ferber and Krasnow discuss what happens behind the mic, and in the offices and hallways of a broadcast station. Is a station's culture "perishable"? It's a hot topic, and Krasnow has some answers you may want to know.

The final results from Borrell Associates' 2017 local advertiser study are in, and some 3,551 local advertisers chimed in regarding their thoughts and plans on advertising ROI, marketing goals, and which medium works best to accomplish those goals. 

The holiday gift-giving season is about to begin, with Christmas decorations nearly ready to go on display at retailers across North America -- even as Halloween is still half a month away. One big item likely to be on many Wish Lists is a smart speaker, and a newly released study shows Q4 sales of smart speakers will likely approach 12 million units globally. Of the two leading brands in this space, one is a clear winner. Learn what this means for your radio station's plans to win back the home.

At some point, every owner will decide that it is time to sell its station. Just as the owner of a house would not put the house on the market without engaging in a little fix-up and clean-up, the owner of a broadcast facility should not simply turn the station over to a broker without preparing the station for sale. While planting rose bushes in the front yard may help in the sale of a house, it is likely to be useless in attracting prospective broadcast station buyers. There are, however, a number of things that the seller can do to prepare a station for sale.

The NAB on Tuesday said it's sending 10,000 battery-operated radios to Puerto Rico for distribution to those impacted by Hurricane Maria. It is being paid for by "multiple U.S. broadcasters," the NAB and the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations (NASBA). The move reiterates the importance of AM and FM radio in the time of emergencies. It also deflects from the deafening silence of some of the radio industry's biggest players on the push for FM chips in iPhones.

Is it true, or false, that the heavier the modulation, the further an AM radio signal will reach? Featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner says it is a widespread fallacy. Yet, some radio stations remain unconvinced. The result is a cacophony of audio assailants that can perhaps be easily preventable. 

"Building brands people love" is the marketing tag line associated with Oath, the parent company of AOL and Yahoo! owned by Verizon. But, what is its purpose? A Thursday evening marketing mixer in Miami sponsored by the company delivered one glaring answer: Oath is about gnawing away at ad dollars going to radio and TV, and building a bigger case for digital media.

Clients of Media Information Bureau featured columnist Barrett Riddleberger, an expert sales training coach, often ask him the following question: "What are good interview questions to ask sales candidates?" A previous column on the topic proved so popular that's he has followed it up with another 10 revealing interview questions to present to sales candidates.

A RBR+TVBR reader reached out to featured Media Information Bureau columnist Ken Benner, recalling how he inspected nearly all of Alaska's broadcast radio and TV stations as an independent Alternative FCC Compliance Certification Inspector. "It was clear from the start of our conversation that my best interests were not intended by this person," Benner says. But, he listened, as this reader inquired how Benner could "certify" a station that was recently the recipient of a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture from the FCC. Here's what Benner had to say.

As the world learned of the most horrific mass shooting in U.S. history on Monday, radio stations across North America excelled in providing a venue for comfort, healing, and discussion. Among these stations is Beasley Broadcast Group's Country KCYE-FM "102.7 The Coyote" in Las Vegas, which saw one of its own talent describing his experience fleeing the scene late Sunday while also taking calls from emotional listeners on-air.