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Category: News

Be Brave with Growth Driving
the Mission

Author: Tammy Greenberg, SVP, Business Development, RAB

The takeaway from the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) annual Media Conference was to embrace bravery, take risks and step up and recognize that business and brand growth is the “shiny new object.”

In his opening remarks that set the stage for the 700+ brand media and marketing attendees, Bob Liodice, CEO of the ANA, stated that the world’s leading brands are “activating brave.” It’s a shift from ensuring consistency to stimulating desire among consumers, from being marketing centric to acting enterprise centric, and from creating functional and emotional differentiation to changing a way a business goes to market. In order to do this, brands must intuitively understand their customers and they need to be willing to communicate in brave, iconic ways that will delight and deliver the way the consumer wants to receive it.

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the Mission”

Radio’s Amazing Numbers

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Radio is an extension of every part of us.  It’s our ears that listen. It’s our fingers that touch the dial or app.  It’s our eyes when we want to know the traffic.  It’s our heart when we hear the songs that we grew up with, and it’s our soul when we hear of any devastation in a local community.

Radio is an incredible force and impacts listeners like no other medium does. A look at some of the figures that pertain to radio helps to both quantify and qualify radio as a powerful medium.

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Reaching African American and Hispanic Listeners Across
The Infinite Dial

Contributor:  Laura Ivey, Director of Research, Edison Research

Today’s environment of almost unlimited audio choices means advertisers and stations must craft targeted messages and personalized outreach to listeners. The more we understand consumers, the better we are able to speak to them, which brings importance to the understanding of ethnic listeners and their digital media habits.

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The Infinite Dial”

Legal Woes? Radio Drives
Legal Services Search

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

There are certain times in life when you need an advisor — someone that can provide you with counsel.  How do you find this type of person that can provide you with this service?  Advertising a service can be difficult because you need to drive awareness, influence behavior and develop trust.

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Legal Services Search”

Radio. It’s Personal

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

As radio continues to expand delivery of its content and information across various platforms and devices, the way listeners engage changes. Radio has always been an easy medium to use and technology has made it even simpler to tune into. With tablets and smartphones, via apps and streams, listeners can take their favorite radio station with them wherever they go.

Latinos are digitally savvy and avid tech users. This may be due to the Hispanic population being younger than the general population. But how does digital aptitude impact radio listening?

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Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Becky Brenner, Consulting Partner with Albright, O’Malley & Brenner, Country Radio Specialists

Of all commercially licensed radio stations in the US there are more country formatted stations than any other format. The actual format of a station is focused on appealing to specific demographics and lifestyles within a specific listening area.

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Becky Brenner, Consulting Partner with Albright, O’Malley & Brenner, country radio specialists.  They work with stations in many capacities from increasing ratings and revenue, to branding, research, coaching and mentoring.

When it comes to the content of a radio station, listeners and advertisers want what they want. And as broadcasters you want your message to resonate and have a clear call to action.

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Why Teens Matter, Part One: Understanding Teens’ Influence

Contributors:  Larry Rosin, Co-founder & President, Edison Research;  Megan Lazovick, Vice President, Edison Research;  Laura Ivey, Director of Research, Edison Research

We will hazard a guess right now that you, the reader of this article, are not a teenager. So we at Edison Research will tell you exactly what we think of teenagers: They are important. They are especially important to radio and to the businesses that want to reach them, and we have new research to tell us why.

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Why Radio Will Always Be Relevant

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

A glance at the history of music and entertainment consumption highlights radio’s strong position among alternative audio options.  And as the U.S. population increases, the number of people tuning into radio continues to grow.

What is the reason for radio’s continued relevance?  Is there just one single reason?

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Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Tom Taylor, Former Radio Broadcaster and Respected Radio Trade Journalist

Keeping up with the business of our business, is no easy task. Fortunately in the Radio industry we have multiple outlets that continue to report and inform us every  day. Towards the end of last year one of Radio’s strong supporters for decades made the decision to retire and published his last words on December 21, 2018

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with the recently retired Tom Taylor, former radio broadcaster and respected radio trade journalist.

With much passion and infectious energy Tom reminds us what an amazing platform Radio is and the importance of having fun at our jobs.

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What Radio Buyers Are Doing

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Contributor:  Gordon Borrell, CEO, Borrell Associates

To understand the crisis facing local media companies, two things are worth knowing about local radio buyers. They are:

  1. Expanding the types of advertising they’re buying
  2. Cutting the number of companies they’re buying from

Let that sink in.  They are buying more, from fewer companies.

The big question is, who’s being cut, and why?  (If you’re not into reading, jump to the very last sentence for the answer.)

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Radio’s Music Role

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Have you ever wondered why hearing certain songs on the radio makes you smile?  Other than it might be your favorite song or stir up a memory, there are some scientific facts to support your enjoyment.  Listening to music has been proven to make you smarter and more productive.  Music is also known to make people happy and elevate their mood.  Perhaps this is part of the reason why people tune in to radio.  But radio plays another important role – music.

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Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Mike Gould, President and CEO
of Eastlan

Documenting consumer listening habits on a consistent basis is important to both content providers and sales professionals no matter the size of the market. One company, Eastlan Ratings is focused on serving the needs of small and medium market broadcasters. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, Eastlan, a privately held company based in the Northwest, is currently providing radio audio measurement data in 100 markets across the U.S.

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Mike Gould, President & CEO of Eastlan. From methodology to sample sizes to understanding how and where radio is being consumed, Mike feels strongly that it’s time for every radio listener to be counted, regardless of what technology they use to consume the content.

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The Importance of Local Connection

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

According to Google research, almost one-third of mobile searches were based upon location searches – and that was in 2017.  The importance of local or being within the community continues to gain popularity.  The terms of “locally grown” or “shop local” have become common terms by consumers.  We have all seen the value in “local” and perhaps that is why American Express sponsored the first Small Business Saturday in 2010.

There are other companies that understand the value of local – something that radio delivers through its 15,000+ local radio stations across the U.S.  Reading a recent interview of one such advertiser sharing their views on the importance of local for their brand highlighted what radio does so well.

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Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Scott Davis and Bernie Shimkus from Harmelin Media

Strong partnerships and collaborations are, many times, the most important ingredient for results oriented success. Harmelin Media has grown into one of the largest independent media service firms in the country and is connecting brands and customers in relevant and efficient ways.

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Harmelin Media’s EVP of Client Relations, Scott Davis and VP/Director of Research and Consumer Insights, Bernie Shimkus about the importance of understanding the customer’s journey and their path to purchase. Since every advertising dollar is being looked at under a microscope these days, Scott and Bernie agree that radio needs to continue to demonstrate accountability and develop measurements along with solid research to quantify how an advertising message performs.

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What the Marijuana Industry’s Organization Voluntary Ad
Standards Mean for Radio

Contributors: Brad C. Deutsch  Principal, Garvey Schubert Barer, P.C. and Aaron S. Edelman, Attorney, Garvey Schubert Barer, P.C. 

 In our previous blog posts, we’ve addressed both the possible risks associated with marijuana advertising that are unique to being the federal licensee of a radio station and the intricacies of many state laws regarding digital media advertisements for marijuana.

The latest development in the push to normalize marijuana and cannabis products as a consumer good comes from the cannabis industry’s own “Self-Regulatory” member organization, the National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB), which has recently adopted voluntary standards for advertising by its members. This blog post examines what impact these voluntary standards will actually have for advertising on the radio.

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Standards Mean for Radio”

Radio on Main Street Featuring R.J. Curtis, Recently Appointed Executive Director of the Country Radio Broadcasters and Producer of the CRS, Feb. 13-15

One of the most exciting events of the year for those working in country radio is the Country Radio Seminar.  Celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, the seminar held in Nashville is scheduled for February 13-15.

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with the recently appointed Executive Director of the Country Radio Broadcasters and producer of the event – RJ Curtis.  Taking over the reins this year from soon to be retired executive Bill Mayne, RJ shares his thoughts on the country radio format, the relationship between the radio and music communities and what we can look forward to at this year’s seminar.

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Insights into CES 2019

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

We are transitioning from the digital age into a new era that some are calling the data age.  The importance of learning and understanding technology, as well as how it affects brands, the consumer experience, and ultimately radio advertisers and listeners was underscored during RAB’s attendance at CES 2019.

Throughout CES 2019, content, consumers and transformation were some of the words that were used as part of product descriptions but also within panel discussions.  And while CES may have once been considered a tech conference, Shawn DuBravac, futurist and trendcaster, believes it should be viewed as a business conference.  Technology is infused in everything as businesses – ranging from automotive to consumer product goods and even agriculture – tap into it.

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Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Richard Oatman, President of First Person Advertising in Kansas City

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Richard Oatman, President of First Person Advertising based in Kansas City. With a strong background in radio sales, Richard has taken that experience and put it to work on behalf of small business owners. His clients must monetize their ad investments and they hold him accountable at all times.

His message for the New Year: “Every person in radio station management needs to focus on the number one reason for showing up to work every day – it is the client – and everything they do has to revolve around that.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Resolutions and Reflections

Authors: Tammy Greenberg, SVP/Business Development, RAB & Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Happy New Year!  It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by.   Right now all of us are working toward our resolutions for 2019 — both personal and professional — as well as remembering the numerous highlights of 2018.

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Radio Drives Restaurant Search

Author: Annette Malave, SVP/Insights, RAB

Food is fabulous!  And it’s even better when someone else prepares it and serves it to you – whether it is in a casual dining establishment, white tablecloth restaurant or even in a to-go bag.

The restaurant industry has undergone vast changes to meet the expectations of consumers.  They seek out unique foods and concepts that are authentic – in both flavor and experience.  They also expect healthy options that will delight the inner foodie in them.

Studies have shown that words and sounds (especially those related to food) can bring imagery to mind – one of radio’s many strengths.  And when you use any of these words or similar tactics within a radio commercial, radio drives restaurant search.

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