Marketron

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Rishad Tobaccowala, Chief Growth Officer, Publicis Groupe & Gordon Borrell, CEO, Borrell Associates

Recently, RAB’s Dave Casper and Jeff Schmidt attended the Local Online Advertising Conference in New York City. They had a chance to talk with Gordon Borrell from Borrell and Associates – the organizer of the conference; and one of the keynote speakers, Rishad Tobaccowala who is the Chief Growth Officer for Publicis Group.

Rishad suggests that the future will not fit in the containers of the past, and this is causing widespread fear and confusion. He says all of us must change to meet the demands of a very bright future.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Chris Brown, EVP Conventions & Business Ops for the National Association of Broadcasters

Erica Farber is the President & CEO of the RAB and in this edition she speaks with Chris Brown, EVP Conventions & Business Ops for the National Association of Broadcasters.

In this role, Chris is responsible for producing the NAB’s annual conventions, with their largest conference, the NAB Show coming up next month in Las Vegas. The NAB Show covers over 2 million square feet of space and is the ultimate event for media, entertainment and technology professionals looking for new and innovative ways to create, manage, deliver and monetize content on any platform.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Erik Schmidt, a Recent Saga Communications Graduate of RAB’s Certified Radio Sales Manager Course

In a multi-year study of workplace learning entitled “In Search of Learning Agility,” one of the key findings was, there is no such thing as permanent competence any longer, or a fully developed skill set either in individuals or organizations. There is a constant need for new learning and training. The good news is, for those who want to continue their professional development there are plenty of resources.

Jeff Schmidt, who leads RAB’s professional development team had a chance to speak to Erik Schmidt, a recent graduate of the Certified Radio Sales Manager course conducted in RAB’s Dallas office.

Radio: Still the One

There is little doubt that we are in a golden age of media overall, as content is available everywhere and across all devices.  Yet, according to Nielsen’s second quarter 2017 Comparable Metrics Report, radio remains the top way to reach consumers across all media platforms – 93% A18+. And radio also provides advertisers with effective digital opportunities to compliment and extend its large over-the-air audience. Such as: streaming, on-demand podcasts, HD radio, NextRadio, and pure plays… the list continues to expand. Radio’s social media websites provide advertisers with new ways to relate to the enthusiastic radio audience. As smart marketers, we must look ahead to understand these drivers of change and signals of progress to navigate forward. The media landscape is vast, complex with technology changing the way consumer’s engage with media and radio remains the best way to reach consumers across demographics.

Continue reading “Radio: Still the One”

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Jessica Spence, Texas A&M University Senior Who Aspires to a Career in Broadcasting

By 2020 millennials will make up half of the global workplace and yet there continues to be many misperceptions regarding their work ethic.

Erica Farber, President & CEO of the RAB speaks with Jessica Spence a senior at Texas A&M University majoring in Agricultural Communications and Journalism. With her eye on a career in broadcasting, Jessica a true Radio fan is proof one should never judge a book by its cover.

Local Radio Reigns Supreme

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times reported on the shuttering of a chain of Eastside community newspapers. One article even went so far as to say, “Local and regional newspapers that serve Southern California are going through tough times, leading some to question whether traditional newspapers can survive.” Radio has always been there – now it is even more valuable! The importance of local radio to the local community can’t be understated.

The challenge for local Newspapers has been how to sustain a newsroom and make a profit when print advertising is fleeing to lower-cost space on the Internet.  Most digital ads are concentrated on Facebook and Google, not newspaper websites. These two Internet giants take in 60 percent of online ad revenues.

Radio was shown as the most trusted platform used after the impact of hearing about “fake news” in political coverage.  See below for the Kantar “Trust in News” study where it was revealed ‘mainstream news media’s’ reputation remained largely intact while social media and digital-only news platforms sustained major reputation damage. In addition, Facebook and other digital platforms are not designed to promote civic connection, but rather communities of interest often unmoored from particular geographies.

Continue reading “Local Radio Reigns Supreme”

Radio on Main Street Podcast featuring Josh Roberts, Operations Manager at Great Plains Media in Bloomington, IL.

The relationship between programming and sales is a critical component at a successful radio station. A great example of how these two departments are working together for success is at Great Plains Media in Bloomington, Illinois.

While attending the recent Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Erica Farber, President & CEO of the RAB caught up with Operations Manager Josh Roberts, who shares his thoughts on why this relationship is so important and how it continues to pay off at his station.

Radio Delivers For Local Businesses

 

Small businesses are thriving and looking at 2018 in a positive way, and radio is the perfect vehicle to help them meet their 2018 revenue expectations and goals. Each year BIA/Kelsey conducts Local Commerce Monitor™ (LCM), a survey that tracks small-business advertising and marketing spending, buying preferences, and reported return on investment. Within the LCM, BIA/Kelsey also examines franchises. A franchisor licenses its know-how, procedures, intellectual property, use of its business model, brand, and rights to sell its branded products and services to a franchisee.

In the past year, strong economic growth has led to an increase in spending by small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and franchisees on advertising and marketing.

Continue reading “Radio Delivers For Local Businesses”

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Christina Albee, CMO at Cumulus Media

A Chief Marketing Officer, also known as a CMO is a c-level corporate executive responsible for activities in an organization that have to do with creating, communicating and delivery offerings that provide value for customers and clients. At Cumulus Media that go-to person is Christina Albee.

Erica Farber, President & CEO of the RAB talks with Christina about the challenges of balancing her time between the company’s significant national initiatives with the local connections of over 446 owned and operated radio stations in 90 markets across the country.

Digital Integration Pays Big Dividends For Radio

Author: Dave Casper, RAB/SVP Digital

“Digital has been integrated into all facets of broadcast radio’s offering both in programming and sales, and the results are definitely paying off,” stated Erica Farber, President and CEO, RAB.  “As radio continues to provide integrated marketing solutions to its advertisers we expect to see continued growth.”

Continue reading “Digital Integration Pays Big Dividends For Radio”

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Current MIW spokesperson Denyse Mesnik, President of The Mesnik Group

The MIW group consists of top level women across the county who volunteer their time to use their influence and resources to support women in radio to develop strong management and leadership skills.  The current MIW spokesperson is Denyse Mesnik, President of The Mesnik Group.

In this episode of Radio on Main Street, RAB President & CEO Erica Farber and one of the original founders of the MIW’s talks with Denyse about some of the current initiatives for the year plus they also discuss the findings of the recently released 2017 MIW Gender Analysis study.

Radio’s Influence on Music

Radio is the number one source for new music discovery. The raft of new technologies and devices are opening up new discovery methods, but also providing new ways for radio stations to deliver content – most notably via streaming. 37% of music listeners say that one of the things they like most about listening to traditional radio – and that adds to the enjoyment of the music – are the DJ’s (Nielsen Entertainment’s 2017 U.S. Music 360 Highlights).

According to the latest Nielsen Entertainment 2017 Music Year-End Report for the U.S., the surge in streaming continued throughout 2017, topping all forms of music consumption (Albums + Track Equivalents + On-Demand Audio streaming Equivalents). Streaming continued its leadership over downloads as the dominant music consumption platform of 2017, fueling the music industry’s overall volume growth of 12.5% year over year. The increase was led by a 58.7% increase in On-Demand Audio streams compared to 2016.

The addition of streaming data to the Billboard Hot 100 chart, which both reflects and drives hit radio playlists, means that streaming is now playing an important part in determining which songs are played on radio. Radio programmers today are influenced by traction demonstrated by artists and songs performing well on streaming services.

Continue reading “Radio’s Influence on Music”

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Laurie Kahn, Chief Multitasker of Media Staffing Network

Recruiting and retaining employees is one of the biggest challenge businesses in general face.  And when it comes to broadcast, no one understands this issue better than Laurie Kahn.   This past week Laurie, who describes her title as Chief Multitasker of Media Staffing Network just celebrated the company’s 25th anniversary.  RAB President & CEO Erica Farber talks with Laurie about the art of hiring the right person for the right job and her thoughts on what radio can do to insure a great future for the next generation of broadcasters.

The Big Game and Radio

The practice of listening to the home town team on the radio and watching the game on TV is as alive and well today as it ever was. The connection formed between the radio broadcaster and the listener is extraordinary! This is a trusting relationship only radio can provide. This connection can drive sales and help to build your brand.

The big game is a big deal for radio stations and it is here next weekend! And you can bet everyone across the country will be tuning in to hear the Pats and Eagles play-by-play. Westwood One will cover the game nationally. Listeners coast-to-coast can hear the game called by their favorite announcers including Kevin Harlan and Boomer Esiason, and this year also includes Hall of Fame reporter Ed Werder. Local announcers in Boston and Philadelphia include WBZ’s Bob Socci and Scott Zolak, and WIP’s Merrill Reese and Mike Quick.

Continue reading “The Big Game and Radio”

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Dave Van Dyke, President of Bridge Ratings Media Research

In this episode of the Radio on Main Street Podcast, as multitasking becomes the norm for all age groups, the average American spends more than 15 hours a day consuming media from dozens and dozens of sources.  RAB President & CEO Erica Farber talks with Dave Van Dyke, President of Bridge Ratings Media Research who for the second year in a row released his finding with a new Bridge Ratings consumer study focused on digital platform preferences and consumer prioritization of digital media content.

Dave’s study confirms changes in behavior to help guide digital media content producers and also provides a strategy for radio to further engage with their audiences.

The Power of a Sonic Brand

 

Ba da ba bah bah.  Bah ba da bah duh bum bum.  Ding ding ding ding ding.

That looks like gibberish or baby talk, but when you HEAR it, they are iconic brand audio signatures from McDonald’s, Farmer’s Insurance and T-Mobile.

There has been an exhaustive amount of research done over the past several decades on the power of sound and how it impacts moods, influences product sales, influences consumer spending, stimulates our brains, aids in healing, is reassuring, keeps us company and triggers all kinds of reactions.

According to Harvard Business Review research, the strategic use of sound can play an important role in positively differentiating a product or service, enhancing recall, creating preference, building trust, and even increasing sales.

At the end of 2017, Veritonic released an update to their groundbreaking audio logo index that objectively examines and measures the impact of audio signatures through their proprietary EchoTime™ technology that tracks emotions and engagement among an online panel of more than 1,000 targeted panelists.

Key findings from the study include:

  • Jingles increase success
  • Brand audio logos/cues enhance uniqueness of message
  • Clarity and focus on a product drives purchase intent
  • Multiple product mentions in a single spot diminishes impact
  • Emphasize your products, not the competition
  • Millennials respond more positively than older adults

So you see, a brand’s audio signature is incredibly valuable and should be leveraged in radio.  The sound of a narrator’s voice, the music featured in the commercial or a slogan can trigger an immediate consumer response and for new radio advertisers, perhaps they already have an audio asset that can be transformed for impactful radio.

For more information on Veritonic, the Audio Index methodology or to view the full executive summary, click here.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Automotive Consultant John Ellis

In this episode 0f Radio on Main Street, Erica Farber, RAB President and CEO, sits down for a conversation with consultant John Ellis at the recent CES in Las Vegas.

John actively consults clients whose businesses intersect in automotive, software, consumers and mobility.

CES 2018 Las Vegas

 

Among the biggest stars at CES 2018 were the newest smart speakers and the latest skills they offer. With it comes many new opportunities for radio as audio, and how Artificial Intelligence (AI) devices like Alexa are influencing the way consumers are tapping into their favorite stations using these skills. The machine learning is improving the way we interact with the technology. So it’s no surprise that this year’s CES theme was AI! Everything is getting smarter due to data. As the devices get smarter, audio will play a larger role.

Continue reading “CES 2018 Las Vegas”

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Steve Koenig of the Consumer Technology Association and Shawn DuBravac of Astra Insights at CES 2018

In this episode of Radio on Main Street, Jeff Schmidt, SVP of Professional Development at the RAB, talks with Steve Koenig, Senior Director of Research for the Consumer Technology Association, following his “Tech Trends to Watch” presentation.

Jeff also speaks to Shawn DuBravac of Astra Insights about “smart speakers” and what the future holds for that technology.

Radio: Consumers’ Weekly Leader


2018 is now in full swing, and with so many retrospective articles across publications it is also a great time to take a new look at media comparisons. 2017 seemed to be the year for digital and social media as seen in so many articles.

However, figures in other research publications and newsletters painted a very different image.

Continue reading “Radio: Consumers’ Weekly Leader”