AM 1230 FALLOUT CONTINUES--FORMER ADVERTISER SUCCESS ON WEB CAST

[SeanMGilbow]

Just posted this at Ohio Majority Radio's Yahoo! Group. I promised to keep you updated on my success with the web stream of Akron's Radio Free Ohio, though I didn't expect to post this quickly.

The initial comments are from Ohio Majority Radio's organizer, Russ Childers.

--- In [email protected], "Russ Childers"
<childers.2@...> wrote:
>
> > <snip>
>
> > Any idea how much I am signing him up for? What does it cost to
> > advertise on radio?
>
> Sean Gilbow knows. I just heard an ad for his business on
> RadioFreeOhio.com. He told me a few weeks ago, and he ended up paying
> ultra-ultra cheap rates.
>
> I told Mr. Gilbow privately, and you all have read here publicly,
> that cheap rates are not necessarily a good thing, because (1) you
> need to get zillions of advertisers in order to to pay for your shows
> and station expenses, and (2) when you tell a potential advertiser
> about your low-low rates, they think "WHAT???? Am I throwing my
> money down a hole? There's no competition for ad space. Why not?"
>
> This is what happened to WTPG. Ten dollars for a 30-second spot
> scares away business-minded advertisers who think "you get what
> you pay for".
>
> -Russ
>
Since this was originally posted, something happened which never
occurred during my advertising with AM 1230:

I got a customer.

The first reaction from some readers may be "big deal."

But that customer, a Columbus activist, resulted in commissions that
paid for one day of commercials, which are running on the web stream
every two hours.

The commercials hadn't even run a whole month. So for a business with
no prior name recognition to get its first sale within weeks of
starting its advertising, this is big news.

And my account exec with Radio Free Ohio has worked to clean up (no
pun intended) my site to make it more user-friendly. He and I are
working together to prove progressive talk radio can be profitable.

The man knows his stuff. His name is Brandon Tidd, and he will be
recognized next month as the 2007 recipient of the Horizon Award from
the John Bayliss Broadcast Foundation. The following is from the
radio industry website All Access:

"In selecting Mr. TIDD," stated BAYLISS FOUNDATION Board Chairman and
RAB President Emeritus GARY FRIES, "we recognize an individual who
sets a solid example for today's radio broadcaster. Tidd exemplifies
the young talent in the radio industry and, as the sixth recipient of
this award, he is tangible evidence of the FOUNDATION's effort."

In spite of your glee at Clear Channel's losses (deserving to some
extent), there are people like Brandon within the company who believe
in progressive talk.

And Clear Channel will lose one of those people this coming Friday.

My former rep, Jennifer Tonapi, has decided to leave the company to
spend more time with her baby. She will, however, be doing marketing
work part-time.

One thing many of you don't know is that Jennifer was on maternity
leave during the final months of WTPG's existence. Jennifer was a key
player in bringing in advertising for the station during the time she
was there. Like Brandon, she believes in this format. And she was
just as unhappy with the format change from progressive talk--a format
she told me yesterday brought her to Clear Channel Columbus.


You will become acquainted with both Brandon and Jennifer when the
Radio Free Ohio Welcome Party takes place in late June. I am working
to get Jennifer's band, CityFolk, to perform at the event.

Now that CleanLeft.com has scored initial success with Radio Free
Ohio's web stream, other former AM 1230 advertisers are sure to take
notice. If they advertise on the stream and start getting customers,
it's only a matter of time before there is an advertiser base for a
local radio operator to take notice.

The question you must now ask yourselves is this:

How welcoming are you willing to be to those who are focused on
proving that progressive talk radio can be profitable?

You can give me your answer when we meet at Sunday's event.

In the meantime, I'm currently working on a campaign for my
all-natural toilet bowl cleaner to be The Official Cleaner of
Stephanie Miller's Bidet.

----------

We now await the right wing of this message board to come out of the closet to respond...as my commission checks start growing.

 

[skippertthomas]

I think it's great we get all sides of the issues.. And in the capitalistic way! I hope that there are enough willing to target your group as consumers.. It works well for all of us.. Fair is Fair.... Go get 'em...

 

[markbohach]

>
Since this was originally posted, something happened which never
occurred during my advertising with AM 1230:

I got a customer.

The first reaction from some readers may be "big deal."

But that customer, a Columbus activist, resulted in commissions that
paid for one day of commercials, which are running on the web stream
every two hours.

With stellar results like this- what can I say?

except- you prove the original point about what a loser WTPG was when you say you never received a customer off your 1230 advertising.

And- what about the other 27 days in Feb??

I know that radio is a building process but my advertising clients expect much more that that from me.

MB

 

[SeanMGilbow]

With stellar results like this- what can I say?

except- you prove the original point about what a loser WTPG was when you say you never received a customer off your 1230 advertising.

And- what about the other 27 days in Feb??

I know that radio is a building process but my advertising clients expect much more that that from me.

MB

Aside from saying the sarcasm laced with commentary is an example of comparing apples and oranges, I will just leave the comment alone for now.

A little information about my background will explain why.

My business is a sideline, the profits of which are reinvested in progressive causes. While I split 5 percent of my work income between my church and United Way of Central Ohio (among other charities), my W-2 income does not allow me to take advantage of the tax laws as far as giving as much as I would like to charity.

Nor would I quit my job. I just completed 10 years with the Ohio Department of Public Safety, where I am currently a Customer Service Assistant for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. My previous full-time job was with Sam's Club, where I was recognized with the company's highest award for member service.

Before I was hired by Sam's Club, I was a successful demonstrator for one of its cleaning product vendors. I left that position when given the opportunity to sell advertising for Mark after he purchased 98.3 in Fredericktown and made it a country station. (The station is currently part of Clear Channel's Mansfield cluster, which is on the sale block.)

I was back demonstrating cleaner at Sam's Club two months later.

The cleaning products I market now (as an unknown entity on a new media called internet radio) are much better. But I digress...

I have had my share of jobs--some where I have quit, some where I was laid off--but Mark was the only person who ever actually fired me.

Comments such as his make me very happy I put that chapter in my life behind me.

 

[columbus radio fan]

My former rep, Jennifer Tonapi, has decided to leave the company to
spend more time with her baby. She will, however, be doing marketing
work part-time.

One thing many of you don't know is that Jennifer was on maternity
leave during the final months of WTPG's existence. Jennifer was a key
player in bringing in advertising for the station during the time she
was there. Like Brandon, she believes in this format. And she was
just as unhappy with the format change from progressive talk--a format
she told me yesterday brought her to Clear Channel Columbus.

Progressive Talk brought Jennifer to Clear Channel? I know for a fact it didn't because she was the Research Director for Clear Channel Columbus several years before becoming an AE for 610/1230, and she became an AE for them before CC flipped the station to Progressive Talk. Get your facts straight!

 

[SeanMGilbow]

My former rep, Jennifer Tonapi, has decided to leave the company to
spend more time with her baby. She will, however, be doing marketing
work part-time.

One thing many of you don't know is that Jennifer was on maternity
leave during the final months of WTPG's existence. Jennifer was a key
player in bringing in advertising for the station during the time she
was there. Like Brandon, she believes in this format. And she was
just as unhappy with the format change from progressive talk--a format
she told me yesterday brought her to Clear Channel Columbus.

Progressive Talk brought Jennifer to Clear Channel? I know for a fact it didn't because she was the Research Director for Clear Channel Columbus several years before becoming an AE for 610/1230, and she became an AE for them before CC flipped the station to Progressive Talk. Get your facts straight!

If that be true, I stand corrected.

But at least I am willing to not only admit my mistakes but also to share my real identity.

Here's one fact, fan...I've committed to an ad buy with Clear Channel Akron/Canton in excess of $3,500 for 2007. For an unknown business to get its first customer...a disgruntled former AM 1230 listener from Columbus whom I've never met...in the very first month...buying enough to pay for one day of advertising...on a web stream from Akron...is sure to get the attention of fellow advertisers here in Columbus.

Further...and you can do a Google search to confirm this...I was ranked 29th among SFI affiliates worldwide in sales for the fourth quarter of last year. If I am #1 by the end of the year, the message that progressive talk radio is profitable will ring loud and clear.

And unless you're willing to stick my neck out like I am, your credibility (along with that of every other anonymous critic) will be called into question.

 

[skippertthomas]

Good point.. Though I lean right in thought, I see a strong niche (as talk radio is to my point of view) to give progressive talk audiences a voice... With the abundance of mediums in media, if it slow to take off on analog AM, then go to the net and build from there.. Drudge didn't think twice about going back to the net, when he had to... Continue to live your dream... Free thought from all sides and the markets are there to support them...

 

[pbf1]

Here's one fact, fan...I've committed to an ad buy with Clear Channel Akron/Canton in excess of $3,500 for 2007. For an unknown business to get its first customer...a disgruntled former AM 1230 listener from Columbus whom I've never met...in the very first month...buying enough to pay for one day of advertising...on a web stream from Akron...is sure to get the attention of fellow advertisers here in Columbus.

Will this stilll be the case after the forhcoming flip of 1350 to Sports?

 

[david5258]

sean-omw just confirmed that radiofreeohio will become sportingnewsradio--david5258

 

[columbus radio fan]

sean-omw just confirmed that radiofreeohio will become sportingnewsradio--david5258

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Yes, I have known that since last night. The advertising on the web stream will end with the format flip.

But while the likes of columbusradiofan may get a good laugh now, I'll be the one getting the last laugh.

And it may be sooner than anyone thinks.

 

[moderator7]

Some posts in this thread have been moved to Take It Outside.

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=67445.0

 

[SeanMGilbow]

sean-omw just confirmed that radiofreeohio will become sportingnewsradio--david5258

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Let's see...the latest ratings show WYTS DEAD LAST behind even the Spanish language station. I knew I'd get the last laugh.

 

[pbf1]

So what?

It's about REVENUE, not ratings. News flash: the two do NOT always go hand-in-hand...

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Re: So what?

It's about REVENUE, not ratings. News flash: the two do NOT always go hand-in-hand...

True, but apparently the station isn't getting REVENUE either.

As Del Griffith posted in another entry:

A few weeks ago on Quinn and Rose, the local breakaways didn't happen, leaving the feed with the local spots and traffic for Pittsburg airing most of the morning.

For a few days within the past 2 weeks, there was an audio drop on Dave Ramsey's show.

There have been times when the network news ends followed by WW One switch tones and then a clock ticks in the background.

This afternoon during the noon news, multiple audio sources began airing. Then the audio went silent followed by the beginning of the weather forecast from WLW. Then the audio went silent againg. I gave up after about 10 minutes.

I tried calling ops/hosts on 610, WCOL and WNCI to correct the problem and alert them to the issue and got no answer.

The above are just a few of the programming issues that have cropped up since the loss of liberal talk. At least they are equal opportunity when it comes to poor technical quality.

No wonder this station is mired at the bottom of the heap. Few formats could survive. I know in the grand scheme of things, it's a throw away signal. But certain of the shows have the ability to find a niche audience and the advertisers who will support such shows and audiences. But you'll drive away both if the production values suck.

----------

Now, do you think Clear Channel would have so many technical glitches if there were actually local advertisers?

 

[pbf1]

Tech issues

WIOT in Toledo once reportedly aired several hours of Q95 inventory (I've heard the affiliate in my market do it, too). And WIOT is a DAMN good biller.

Accidents happen. Granted, they're ugly when they do, but they do.

 

[lifeuw19]

Gilbow:
First off, that was a trend. It was not a rating's book. Second, just listen to the station. There are plenty of local advertisers on there... something you never heard when it was progressive... except for, of course that $163 you spent for the 2 years it was progressive, which you remind everyone on every post. I guess your AE must've been doing you a disservice. It appears she is selling plenty of the right-wing stuff...

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Gilbow:
First off, that was a trend. It was not a rating's book. Second, just listen to the station. There are plenty of local advertisers on there... something you never heard when it was progressive... except for, of course that $163 you spent for the 2 years it was progressive, which you remind everyone on every post. I guess your AE must've been doing you a disservice. It appears she is selling plenty of the right-wing stuff...

I would call falling to almost the level of audience prior to becoming a progressive talk station more than a trend.

And I don't listen to Cowtown radio so much anymore. Ed Schultz now offers free .mp3 of his shows, and Stephanie is very affordable as far as a yearly subscription.

As for my rep...she left Clear Channel to devote more time to her family.

And I spent a good deal more than $162 on advertising with the station.

And until you can provide concrete evidence that the advertising the station is getting isn't at bargain basement prices, you have no case.

Further, until you and you right-wing cohorts come out from hiding under your usernames and prove yourselves as being credible, you can just sit back and enjoy what Columbus radio has become in a very short period of time. This market, largely the fault of Clear Channel, has lost some very talented radio professionals over the years. And until minimum-wage board ops and slightly more than minimum-wage program directors no longer are the norm in this market, what you currently hear--especially on the AM dial--is exactly what you deserve.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Re: Tech issues

WIOT in Toledo once reportedly aired several hours of Q95 inventory (I've heard the affiliate in my market do it, too). And WIOT is a DAMN good biller.

Accidents happen. Granted, they're ugly when they do, but they do.

One problem with your logic: The inventory aired here wasn't from, say, WNCI or WCOL. For all I know, it wasn't even a Clear Channel station.

And even it were a damn good biller, then Clear Channel would have a hard time justifying the company's massive layoff of employees and selloff of stations. The fire sale is still underway.

 

[pbf1]

Sean: what would you know about logic?

Toledo is NOT on the spinoff list. Where are the mass layoffs occurring in Toledo? (Try to stay focused here, Sean.)

How is 1230 not airing WCOL/WNCI inventory any better than WIOT airing Indianapolis inventory? You missed the point: automation malfunctions occur.