Clear Channel at it again

[FloydB]

Well, with the add of Cletus at the Bull, and the impression that they're building a show around him, it seems like Atlanta might be the only CC market that got the go ahead to spend money.

 

[InTIMadate]

What I heard was the directive of a "flat" budget. Due to the dramatic increases in Arbitron charges to pay for PPM (estimated 65% increase), cuts are being made to keep expenses flat locally. It's Arbitron that's screwing us all right now. Their small samples are creating bad ratings research reflecting a 30% loss in listening. They haven't educated the media buying industry on how to change the way they buy. The result is we are losing talent while agencies put their money elsewhere. This is happening in Philly and Houston. There's been multiple reports in the trades on money being moved out of radio to TV and the internet because of the Cost Per Point confusion.

2008 is going to be a long, challenging year.

Support the leaders that are holding Arbitron to task. This is very important to those that have made radio our career.

 

[middlega]

There's been multiple reports in the trades on money being moved out of radio to TV and the internet because of the Cost Per Point confusion.

While that has contributed, please rest assured that PPM CPP is not the only reason money has shifted away from radio.

Crappy experiences with undertrained/underqualified salespeople, trafficking that rivals local cable for errors, an innate ability to get even the simplest order wrong, and a knack for trying to steadily hike rates while delivery steadily falls (long before PPM was anything more than a rumor) ... all of those have more to do with the shift away from radio than PPM.

 

[InTIMadate]

All true. But we were talking about the current cuts, not the trend.

Radio still works. It improves business when used correctly. I still see hundreds of examples. Like the old consumer mantra, let the buyer beware. Demand the best salesperson, hold the station responsible and spend the money to get a professional marketing plan and message put together and executed.

Someday soon I would like to see the system simplified to the point that it will be easier to buy a schedule than buy an airline ticket.
Then the bad salespeople can go back to selling used cars and insurance.

 

[middlega]

Someday soon I would like to see the system simplified to the point that it will be easier to buy a schedule than buy an airline ticket.

From your mouth to God's ear.

 

[OutOfTheBiz]

Someday soon I would like to see the system simplified to the point that it will be easier to buy a schedule than buy an airline ticket.

From your mouth to God's ear.

Bob Neil is listening???

 

[sidechick1]

Their small samples are creating bad ratings research reflecting a 30% loss in listening.

This is an excellent point that can't be stressed enough.

 

[tcsnrayp]

And doncha just love this new CC mandate of cutting the live staff back to 2 shows. A morning team that does mornings and tracks afternoons... and the mid-day jock that does everything else. What happens if you have a remote or station event?

 

[trusty]

What happens if you have a remote or station event?

I asked the suits at CC that very question, and they said, "Huh?"



Shulda known better...

 

[Jack Ruby]

And doncha just love this new CC mandate of cutting the live staff back to 2 shows. A morning team that does mornings and tracks afternoons... and the mid-day jock that does everything else. What happens if you have a remote or station event?

What are the specifics of this "mandate" ? What percentage of their stations are supposed to go this route???