My Take on the Developments at Clear Channel

[Bubba2112]

Ahhhhhhh now it becomes clear. I'm NOT a "radio guy" and just recently found this site. I took what you said to mean........ well I stated what I took it to mean. Thanks for the clarification.

Dang, "the business of radio". I didn't see that board. This is quite an interesting site with lots of stuff for me to learn from. Let me go find that one and check it out.................

 

[rodneyho]

Salty Dog--you're right. Your logic for what the private investors plan to do in general are fair and reasonable. It's very possible they will become more like ABC or Cox--- focused on a few valuable markets and the most valuable assets, rather than try to be the McDonald's of radio (remember that analogy from a few years ago that the Mays proudly cited?). By becoming a more profitable, focused company, they can make a nice ROI and take it public again, say, in three to five years.

Does this mean Atlanta stays in the picture? Given how big a revenue market it is, most likely. Logically, they are setting themselves up for the future with El Patron and Viva, as well as Project 9-6-1 (even if they ultimately bring back the 96rock name). This may mean ugly numbers in 2007 but possibly recovery by 2008 and 2009. A key will be country. Can they take enough of a chunk from ABC (which will become Citadel someday)? And country is not an unreasonable gamble, even if the timing of the switch was hardly idyllic. If bad publicity is considered better than no publicity, I guess they were bright. 96.7 is a useless single to CCU so yes, they will divest that with no compunction or tears. As for GST, that's a major problem outside of Rush. Have they already given up on it? We'll see...

 

[SaltyDog]

Ahhhhhhh now it becomes clear. I'm NOT a "radio guy" and just recently found this site. I took what you said to mean........ well I stated what I took it to mean. Thanks for the clarification.

Dang, "the business of radio". I didn't see that board. This is quite an interesting site with lots of stuff for me to learn from. Let me go find that one and check it out.................

Gotcha. I'm a radio guy who has one foot in the programming side and one in the business side. I love radio as an entertainment medium but programming people need to realize that they're swimming with sharks (financial types). I say "sharks" with a tongue in my cheek. There's nothing wrong with finance guys but they have a different set of objectives.

 

[SaltyDog]

Does this mean Atlanta stays in the picture? Given how big a revenue market it is, most likely.

I'm no expert on Atlanta radio but even I know it's one of the best radio markets there is. If Clear Channel stays anywhere, it will include Atlanta.

 

[Bubba2112]

Ahhhhhhh now it becomes clear. I'm NOT a "radio guy" and just recently found this site. I took what you said to mean........ well I stated what I took it to mean. Thanks for the clarification.

Dang, "the business of radio". I didn't see that board. This is quite an interesting site with lots of stuff for me to learn from. Let me go find that one and check it out.................

Gotcha. I'm a radio guy who has one foot in the programming side and one in the business side. I love radio as an entertainment medium but programming people need to realize that they're swimming with sharks (financial types). I say "sharks" with a tongue in my cheek. There's nothing wrong with finance guys but they have a different set of objectives.

Funny thing is that neither the "business" folks nor the "programming" folks seem to be giving us here in Atlanta what we want. Yeah ya'll do "surveys" but most times the surveys are slanted to get the results you want. Many times an appropriate answer to the question is not even offered. Example:

Question: How would you like your foot to be removed?
A) With a rusty Hacksaw blade
B) With a dull axe
C) Slowly burnt off over a coal fire

The answer of course (and not given as a choice) is I don't want my foot removed at all, it is quite fine as it is. Of course the "survey takers" are not allowed to deviate from their script or it "invalidates" their results. Huh? What results? The survey was invalid to begin with.

 

[SaltyDog]

Funny thing is that neither the "business" folks nor the "programming" folks seem to be giving us here in Atlanta what we want. Yeah ya'll do "surveys" but most times the surveys are slanted to get the results you want. Many times an appropriate answer to the question is not even offered. Example:

Question: How would you like your foot to be removed?
A) With a rusty Hacksaw blade
B) With a dull axe
C) Slowly burnt off over a coal fire

The answer of course (and not given as a choice) is I don't want my foot removed at all, it is quite fine as it is. Of course the "survey takers" are not allowed to deviate from their script or it "invalidates" their results. Huh? What results? The survey was invalid to begin with.

Well, if you're expecting me to defend radio research (which falls under programming) I can't do it.

I am curious about what radio is not offering that you want. (My research question, being open-ended, is harder to quantify but probably more useful.)

 

[Bubba2112]

LOL I'm not sure I should respond. The quickest way to find out what TV show is going to be taken off the air or song/artist to be put in the garbage is if I like it or not. If I like it, it's gone lol. My "like" is the kiss of death. But I think most everyone who listens (not works) in radio would agree with the next few points. Those who do work in radio spend a lot of time justifying why they don't give it to us it seems. Not you specifically, but just in general. Such as everytime a local bank gets bought out we recieve notices that say "To serve you better............. <this service that the old bank provided>........ will now be eliminated."

Huh? Closing the Kroger branch of the bank at 6 instead of 8 is serving me better? It not opening til 10 instead of 8 is serving me better? Not being open on Subnday is serving me better? But what the heck, here goes:

How Atlanata is NOT being served by the radio industry (just a few brief examples):

1). There is not a single Rock and Roll Station broadcasting in the Metro area. Long ago there USED to be 96Rock which played REAL R&R music. But then something called Z93 came along playing "classical rock" (which will be covered in the next blurb). It took away some listeners and in response 96Rock added more "classic rock" songs to the three tired worn out Zep and Skynyrd songs it would play. It was still a decent staion with some more classics to go along with the new rock, but it really wasn't a classic rock station or a rock station anymore. Kind of a hybrid as it were. It didn't stop there. Next a station called 99x came along playing "alternative rock" and syphoned off some more listeners. So NOW 96Rock started playing more "alternative rock" to go along with it's "classic rock" and "regular rock". Talk about dysfunctional and serving nothing......... Add to it the mentallity of the DJ's, Rude and his mindless (and overly long) taped bits with his 3 year old son or his 4th grade crotch humor? "yuck yuck, Beth has big boobies and I can say that on the air." Not to mention contests for concert tickets or other "cool" stuff in which the only way to win was to publicly humiliate yourself in some manner and it's a formula for disaster. Doesn't take a PhD in broadcasting OR business to figure that one out.

2). "Classic Rock": Steppenwolf did more songs than Born to be Wild or Magic Carpet Ride. Skynyrd did more than Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird. There were many more "popular' bands in the 60's and 70's than The Stones, Zep, Beatles, and Eric Clapton. EVERY "Classic Rock" station in Atlanta has followed the same pattern. They start out with no commercials for a day or 10 and play all kinds of good music. Within a month they are playing the same five bands doing the same 3 songs every day, 24 hours a day. Soon they are in the "so what" category after starting with high ratings. I stated this on another thread, but then one can't read every thread can one? When is the last time a station had the "audacity" to play "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" by Traffic? Or anything by Traffic? How about Bad finger? Or Some good vintage Tull? Cream? Blind Faith? Ricky Lee Jones? Robert Palmer's Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley? Something from ELP besides KarnEvil#9 or Lucky Man (thanks to another poster on another thread for that memory booster) You know CLASSIC rock? Hell, even the Bee Gee's had a song or two that rocked BEFORE Saturday Night. Fever..........

3). DJ's, no matter WHAT music format. The "shock factor" is dead. We've heard and seen it all before. We've heard enough strippers being interviewed and heard enough of the fart humor and crotch jokes. The reason you use "laugh tracks" is becuase your "jokes" are either stupid or old. If you were funny you would be at the Punchline not on radio. Stop it already. Katie Kylie (what happened to her anyways? Is she still around) was great. She used, god forbid genre related FACTS and information in her shows. She played "lost songs". She got great interviews with artists and coaxed them to talk about interesting stuff. She ,god forbid again, actually played MUSIC intespersed with facts instead of crotch humor that was seldomly interuppted with music. Trust me, it's not the commercials folks get satelite radio for, it's the inspid DJ's they are trying to escape from. Face it, there are only a handful of DJ's that are "good" enough that folks tune in to listen to THEM instead of the song format. The rest are windbag posers.

3). "Demographics": What a crock. There are only so many 17-34 year olds (or is it 44 that is the "magic number"). Every station does not have to be geared to them. Not every one of them is going to like the same type of music. Personally I don't like top40 music. I didn't when I was 17, or 12, or 30. I have always found it particularly mindless. Hello? Is this a revelation? Pick a genre and then find advertisers. They are out there. If you CAN'T find them I would suggest hiring better sales folks. Depends are NOT geared for the 17-34 year old market, nor is viagra. Very few in that age group really think about a good money market fund to save their excess revenue. I doubt very many 40 year old are in the market for a skate board. I may not be 17 years old anymore but I can guarantee that I left more for a tip on supper this week than I MADE in a week when I was 17. The advertisers are out there no matter what "demographic" the format is for, find them.

4). One size does NOT fit all: Musical takes actually are regional. What plays in Topeka doesn't neccessarily fit in Atlanta. When I was in Texas (Ft Hood/Austin area) the "rock station was heavily "blues" based playing lots of SRV and ZZTop type stuff. In OKC at the same time the same type station played more "heavy metal" along with the same rotation. I went to Atlanta and (surprise) they played more Allman Brothers and "southern rock' along with the same "new" rotation as the other two areas were playing. But of course this was before one company could own every radio staion and crammed whatever the "genius" at the top thought was "good" down the throats of everyone nationwide. Ever hear of the Dixie Chicks? Heard them on a radio station in Atlanta lately? How about in San Francisco? Why do they play them there and not here?

Hope this helps. LOL I should get paid for this stuff. I'm not in "radio" but I could sure as hell take three stations and turn out some numbers on them just by using common sense instead of bean counters, "experts" and surveys.

 

[beef]

bubba, dude, me apologize. We once tangled (I won, no, yes, i did, the board admin guy even deleted a particulary distasteful post I made about your ancestors) but my friend you've a sharp mind. Coupla things, the demo is 18-34, not 17-34 because you have to be able to fight in a war and be sexually available w/o the oppression of law to be included in the so so important demo.

You are the voice of the sane listener. Sadly though, all of them dont think like you. We live in the land of sheep.

 

[Bubba2112]

bubba, dude, me apologize. We once tangled (I won, no, yes, i did, the board admin guy even deleted a particulary distasteful post I made about your ancestors) but my friend you've a sharp mind. Coupla things, the demo is 18-34, not 17-34 because you have to be able to fight in a war and be sexually available w/o the oppression of law to be included in the so so important demo.

You are the voice of the sane listener. Sadly though, all of them dont think like you. We live in the land of sheep.

Was that you, the LA dude? Just damn I missed the ancestor post, was it funny? If you are going to "insult" me at least do so creatively and prefferably in a funny manner. I never remember whom I hack off. I just have this "way" about me lol. I treat each post as a new day and never hold "grudges". I made a bad post to someone who wrote a decnt poem the other day............... hope he/she doesn't hold grudges. I didn't mean it the way it came off. oh well this will get zapped if I go anymore "off topic".

Thanks for the info, (demographics). I should'a known 18. You are right about the "sheep part" and I have to sadly admit that I sometimes fall in the category. Yeah I have CD's and a player in my vehicles and on the job, but it's just nice to NOT know what song is going to be played next, hence the magic of radio. You have to listen to SOMETHING and when nothing good is there you settle (and whine) for what is there, hence the sheep label and the crappy programming we get. "Finding" a radio station nowadays if like voting for the president. We aren't voting for the best man, just the lesser of two evils. That is how I view (can I use the word view when talking radio) finding a radio station. With this junk that is going on in Atlanta we have Country (on of my favs) on a station I rarelyr listened to and the Country Station I DID (do?) listen to is also seemingly in the process of changing its playlist if not its format. Can't say I care for "the bull" so far and I have listened everyday since they changed, but I also can't say that I will dislike the Eagle if they go "Southern fried rock".

Heck, I change formats all the time. I'll listen to country, rock, classic rock, oldies, jazz, talk radio, blues (though that is on directv sat radio since there are no blues stations here. Same with Blue grass). Heck. I even listen to classical and pbr. But I do so in "blocks". I guess as a listener I just don't want to hear the same songs (or spiel in talk radio) everyday all day long. Unfortunately after a week or a month you hear the patterns. Yeah I know the "popular" songs get spun a lot more than the others, but it's what a station does with the "fill list" (I'm sure you folks have a different term for it) that matters. If the fill list is the same day in and day out, pretty soon I'M out........ out of that station. But then despite genre they all do the same thing so I have to keep cycling.............. Talk about sheep, the radio execs are the sheep. The problem is, who the heck is their "shepard"? THAT'S the guy we need to shoot................

 

[littlejohn]

Consider - the broadcaster would presumeably like to present a saleable product to the advertiser. The advertiser would like as that product an audience which has two characteristics. First is disposable income. The second is the ability to be swayed by argument, either direct or indirect. What these tend to define, is the 35 and under audience. To them, one can sell via advertising, and the more emotinal the buy, the mnore effectiv advertising can be. F'rinstance, it matters not where one buys an engagement ring... there are a very few sources of gem diamonds. Consequently, there's little or no magic in them, the same item is going to cost the same from D. Geller, or The Shane Company, or Whatstheir name in Buckhead. Advertising can sway the buy though, and all three advertise heavily. Likewise automobiles. Pick a style of body and a price range, and they're interchangeable (Your emotion says they aren't, but they really are). People under 35 or so change brands of cars and buy wedding rings based on emotion and advertising. They're a valuable audience. Now, if you can accurately determine what things on a radio will in fact attract this audience, you will become rich beyond your wildest dreams. Those who can do it only a little bit do quite well.

Another type of advertising concerns itself with commodity items. This guy is looking for the most impressions of his message for the dollar. They sometimes overlap, but not really often. Canned peaches are canned peaches. But, if you hear Del Monte more often than Dole, you're statistically more likely to buy Del Monte. all else being equal. And, if you hear Kroger more than Publix, that's where you're statistically more likely to buy them.

So, if the broadcaster wants to make some money, he not only wants the age, he wants more of them than anyone else. Another tactic might be to get a partcular group, and get them exclusively, so he can go to the advewrtiser and say "If you want your message to reach male Croats who make $50K or more a year, you must buy my station because they listen to it exclusively." Some of these niches are valuable enoughg to make them woirth going after. Otherwise, lowest common deniominator is the best way to attract them. You will change stations if they play a stiff, but you aren't nearly as likely to change because they didn't play your fave.

If you as an individual don't fit a group thats saleable, you likely aren't going to be real pleased with what you hear. Surprisingly, most of these companies have fairly nice people here and there in positions of responsibility. They also have to make the nut, and when the station cost them a hundred million and change, there may not be much left to buy talent or music research with.

 

[X-14]

2). "Classic Rock": Steppenwolf did more songs than Born to be Wild or Magic Carpet Ride. Skynyrd did more than Sweet Home Alabama and Freebird. There were many more "popular' bands in the 60's and 70's than The Stones, Zep, Beatles, and Eric Clapton. EVERY "Classic Rock" station in Atlanta has followed the same pattern. They start out with no commercials for a day or 10 and play all kinds of good music. Within a month they are playing the same five bands doing the same 3 songs every day, 24 hours a day. Soon they are in the "so what" category after starting with high ratings. I stated this on another thread, but then one can't read every thread can one? When is the last time a station had the "audacity" to play "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" by Traffic? Or anything by Traffic? How about Bad finger? Or Some good vintage Tull? Cream? Blind Faith? Ricky Lee Jones? Robert Palmer's Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley? Something from ELP besides KarnEvil#9 or Lucky Man (thanks to another poster on another thread for that memory booster) You know CLASSIC rock? Hell, even the Bee Gee's had a song or two that rocked BEFORE Saturday Night. Fever..........

AMEN BROTHER! That's why I'm LOVIN' XM now. Channel 46 will get you LOTS of classic Tull, Cream, Clapton, Zep, etc. What a breath of fresh air! And when my mood swings I can go over to the big band channel on 4, or ambient on 77 or.............

 

[middlega]

LOL I'm not sure I should respond.

Having read this post, I think you should have stuck with your first instinct. About the only thing I find that I would fully agree with is your take on the uselessness of shock jocks. And your observation about regionalization isn't bad.

Among the biggest problems I see is your cry for deep cuts. Problem is, the majority of listeners to a given format don't care diddly about hearing them. I'm actually a believer in deeper playlists than what we currently get but a lot of the examples you used are going to cause more tuneouts than tuneins.

Your take on demographics fails to take into account something pretty critical: how much money is available for one demo vs another. All the sales people in the world can't wring blood out of a turnip, and while advertisers for listeners 65-74 do exist, the question becomes whether they're willing to spend more with you than the 18-34 advertisers are. It's pretty common to find out that the answer is "no, they aren't". I turn 40 in a few months, so I'm not exactly happy about this reality myself ... but that doesn't change the reality either.

Ever hear of the Dixie Chicks? Heard them on a radio station in Atlanta lately? How about in San Francisco? Why do they play them there and not here?

No, I haven't ... and thank God for that. The same reason they play in SF is the same reason they don't play here.

I'm not in "radio" but I could sure as hell take three stations and turn out some numbers on them

Then find the money, buy 'em, and have at it. But don't blame the world for laughing when you quickly find out that even though it's not as hard as some groups make it look, it's also not as easy as it looks from the outside either.

 

[bgwilde1]

Salty Dog is right, and there already is an example to cite....

when CC came out with the stations that were going up for sale, no one mentioned a station in the New York book or their adjecent markets (Westchester/Hudson Valley or Long Island).

WALK A/F is being sold for over $100 million, and it was not advertised. It was announced as soon as they had a deal on the table.

They also added some revenue to the NY cluster, as they were lumped in for the last couple of years with their NYC metro comrades, and their management came out of the city and not locally.

If CC is to sell in Atlanta, I doubt anyone would know about it until a buyer is announced.

There are plenty of players that can and will do a deal, or maybe trade a signal with CC.

My personal feeling is if something is to be sold, it will be 96.7 AND something else.

I thought it may have been 96.1, but with the Braves rolling over to 94.9, that becomes a bigger possibility. Perhaps take a little less for the station to sell the Braves contract and get out of paying for it?

That alone could pull another $125-$150 million out, and add nicely to their pre-merger cashout.

What CC is doing is nothing other than the Wilkes-Schwartz "Pump & Dump".

 

[Bubba2112]

LOL I'm not sure I should respond.

Having read this post, I think you should have stuck with your first instinct. About the only thing I find that I would fully agree with is your take on the uselessness of shock jocks. And your observation about regionalization isn't bad.

Among the biggest problems I see is your cry for deep cuts. Problem is, the majority of listeners to a given format don't care diddly about hearing them. I'm actually a believer in deeper playlists than what we currently get but a lot of the examples you used are going to cause more tuneouts than tuneins.

Your take on demographics fails to take into account something pretty critical: how much money is available for one demo vs another. All the sales people in the world can't wring blood out of a turnip, and while advertisers for listeners 65-74 do exist, the question becomes whether they're willing to spend more with you than the 18-34 advertisers are. It's pretty common to find out that the answer is "no, they aren't". I turn 40 in a few months, so I'm not exactly happy about this reality myself ... but that doesn't change the reality either.

Ever hear of the Dixie Chicks? Heard them on a radio station in Atlanta lately? How about in San Francisco? Why do they play them there and not here?

No, I haven't ... and thank God for that. The same reason they play in SF is the same reason they don't play here.

I'm not in "radio" but I could sure as hell take three stations and turn out some numbers on them

Then find the money, buy 'em, and have at it. But don't blame the world for laughing when you quickly find out that even though it's not as hard as some groups make it look, it's also not as easy as it looks from the outside either.

Hence as a radio "insider" you are the root of YOUR problem, not the solution. Just because you reject the information that doesn't fit your preconcieved ideas does not invalidate it. I said some pretty "strong stuff". The main one (which you missed and chose "deep cuts" instead) is that the advertizers ARE out there, your industry just isn't clever enough to tap them. For instance, I build very few houses at the 500-1.4 million dollar range for your desired 18-34 "demographic". I would advertise, but YOU just don't reach my "market". You have blown them off with your failure to read what i DID write. Let me try again. There are only a FINITE (dictionary.com can define that word for you) number of 18-34 year olds in the world much less in the "market" (and I'm not sure that with a handle of middle Georgia you are even in MY market). Yet every freaking one according to the stuff I read here is chasing that market, (except me apparently along with my competitors and a bunch of other folks who are NOT losing money). I'm not having problems with my market. Of course I could IMPROVE it, but where? Certainly not with radio advertizing, you don't have a management or a sales force bright enough to "pitch" me. YOU really on Emory MBA grads who are 15 minutes out of grad school and 25 years old to be your "consultants". These folks haven't had time to get off the sugar tit much less start or run a business yet THEY are the "experts" you listen to. Folks like me that were DOING it rather than "learning about it" Just don't know squat do we?

Puh lease. Just call me Don Quixote for even posting because I am certainly tilting at windmills. I "found" this site from Rodney Ho's AJC blog and was intrigued by the stuff I didn't "know" about your industry and spent a lot of time rading the threads. I didn't post on the more technical threads since I didn't have anything to "add", all I could do is learn. You (if you are a radio person, especially an exec) would not be happy about what I "learned". But as I read deeper and see more and more myopic posts like this one of yours that I quoted, it makes me glad about my investment choices as far as "radio" is concerned. While I am open minded with a true desire to learn, I see more and more that YOU and most others in your "industry" are not. Be glad, VERY glad that I have not yet decided to buy a radio station or three. Right now (obviously by the multiple format changes)) they are grossly over valued and run by folks who haven't a clue about what they are doing or even what they are WANTING to do. A clue? It seems most don't even have a suspicion much less a clue.. I'll do some more research and then buy of few of these loser stations in Atlanta and bring them back to prominence (if someone else doesn't beat me to it). I'll then spend the money on folks to run it correctly, IE: "sales weasels" who KNOW their market rahther than 21 year old college grads who will work for a "title" and corporate minimum wage. I won't attempt to take over the radio world, just my little corner of it. But I'll wait til the "big dogs" have tried and failed to pimp every 18-34 year old and ignored the rest of the population.

The "market" that likes the current mindless formatting and DJ's that have the crotch humor just haven't realized that their "market" is either spending their cash on drugs or that their parents will kick them out of the house soon and they will have to actually pay bills. They just dont' have the cash to buy the products you are targeting. No WONDER one hears so many DUI lawyers advertizing on your staions............

 

[Turbodog]

I'm an ex clear channel broadcaster, and I can tell you that many very talented, hard working, and loyal people had the rug pulled out from under them for the sake of making something more saleable. You are correct,.......it is worth more in pieces than the whole cluster, and can be made to look more profitable without the expense of live human beings. Whatever happened to the concept of "Local folks, local info, and local radio"?

 

[middlega]

Oh Bubba, Bubba, Bubba.

There's so much stuff here, I'm not even sure where to start.

Oh, wait, maybe at the beginning.

Hence as a radio "insider" you are the root of YOUR problem, not the solution.

Wrong guess #1. I've been out of the station side of the business for nearly a decade now.

... the advertizers ARE out there, your industry just isn't clever enough to tap them.

"My" industry is now the buying side, not the selling side, so your aim is off already. You're correct that those advertisers do exist ... but wrong about how many of them there are that are:
1) Buying spot market
2) Have an adequate budget to be worth chasing them
3) Have sense enough to target demos outside 18-34

(and I'm not sure that with a handle of middle Georgia you are even in MY market).

Bzzt again. You're confusing where I lived for about 12 years with where I do business.
Easy mistake that I really can't ding you for with any gusto, but it throws off your assumptions nonetheless.

I "found" this site from Rodney Ho's AJC blog

I had a strong suspicion that was the source of your arrival. Bad Rodney. Bad. You've brought the trolls down upon us all.

Here's the problem Bubba: it's not that insiders=good/wise and outsiders=bad/stupid. The problem is in the Rule of the 80. You know, the one that says that roughly 80% of the people you meet in a lifetime are simply too stupid to be worth the time & trouble. The insiders aren't immune to that rule ... but neither are the outsiders.

What you're really missing in a big way is that I'm not by any means a consistent defender/supporter of "the powers that be" in radio these days (far from it actually). But you've said very little that gives me reason to believe that you have any more of a clue about the overall picture than they do. You get parts, but you're a long way from the whole. And your whole "I'm a genius" attitude makes it highly unlikely you'll make any real progress in that direction, you're already too enamored with your own brilliance to start figuring out the elements you're overlooking/misunderstanding.

Come to think of it, you might just make a modern radio exec after all, you'd fit right in.

 

[Bubba2112]

Oh Bubba, Bubba, Bubba.

There's so much stuff here, I'm not even sure where to start.

Oh, wait, maybe at the beginning.

Hence as a radio "insider" you are the root of YOUR problem, not the solution.

Wrong guess #1. I've been out of the station side of the business for nearly a decade now.

... the advertizers ARE out there, your industry just isn't clever enough to tap them.

"My" industry is now the buying side, not the selling side, so your aim is off already. You're correct that those advertisers do exist ... but wrong about how many of them there are that are:
1) Buying spot market
2) Have an adequate budget to be worth chasing them
3) Have sense enough to target demos outside 18-34

(and I'm not sure that with a handle of middle Georgia you are even in MY market).

Bzzt again. You're confusing where I lived for about 12 years with where I do business.
Easy mistake that I really can't ding you for with any gusto, but it throws off your assumptions nonetheless.

I "found" this site from Rodney Ho's AJC blog

I had a strong suspicion that was the source of your arrival. Bad Rodney. Bad. You've brought the trolls down upon us all.

Here's the problem Bubba: it's not that insiders=good/wise and outsiders=bad/stupid. The problem is in the Rule of the 80. You know, the one that says that roughly 80% of the people you meet in a lifetime are simply too stupid to be worth the time & trouble. The insiders aren't immune to that rule ... but neither are the outsiders.

What you're really missing in a big way is that I'm not by any means a consistent defender/supporter of "the powers that be" in radio these days (far from it actually). But you've said very little that gives me reason to believe that you have any more of a clue about the overall picture than they do. You get parts, but you're a long way from the whole. And your whole "I'm a genius" attitude makes it highly unlikely you'll make any real progress in that direction, you're already too enamored with your own brilliance to start figuring out the elements you're overlooking/misunderstanding.

Come to think of it, you might just make a modern radio exec after all, you'd fit right in.

You are correct in one thing. I'm not clever (or maybe just lazy). I'm not clever enough to bullet everything like you di in my short time on this primitive site and just too damn lazy to learn so let me continue in my shotgun, un-pc, 'bubba" way.

First off, let me state for the record that I'm not your "enemy". In my short time here I have learned a lot from you and your posts that I have read, but you gave me important info in this last one. You are at least ten years out of date. Catch up old man.

As far as blurb two? With "nationwide focus" how many advertisers can AFFORD "spot marketing"? When three folks own every staion across the nation what does that mean? Let me try to spell it out in little words so youcan understand (and I'm typing as slowly as I can so you can keep up). Joe Blow Dodge in Podunk can't "afford" the ads, but DODGE can. The ads say, "Buy a Dodge". They don't say, "Come on down to Joe blow Dodge and buy the best car you can find." (note, I am in no way affiliated with the German Company that owns Dodge). Devcisions on marketing and ad prices for Atlanta are set by those who are NOW (as opposed say to ten years ago) in New York, or Hollywood, or whereever the hell the corporate headquarters are for what ever conglomerate has bought up every staion in the nation. PERHAPS the person making the decision IS local, (if you consider 15 minutes in the region as local). Smae difference either way.

Take me to school, tell me WHY 750 WSB is the top radio staion in ATLANTA (the hub of the south)? Those silly bastiches are sponsored by folks who AREN'T looking for your coveted 18-34 demo's. Yet they rule (unfortunately too strongly because now they are starting to act like the pack). THEIR ads are targeted to folks who actually HAVE money. THEIR advertisers ARE buying "spot markets" the DO have an "adequate budget" and they DO have the sense to target Demo's outside of 18-34. Could it possibly be that they ARE "local" and DO "know their market"? Oh no, THAT couldn't be it because some 24 year old brainiac with an MBA 15 minutes out of grad school who isn't even paying their phone bill yet (mom is) has differring views.

Rodney Ho? I see he writes Peach Buzz (which I read when I'm REALLY bored), but he also does this radio thing that for the few times I've read him has been DEAD on. Is there something about him I should know? The first time I read some of his "insider info" (that became reality) I thought, "So what, even a blind dog finds a bone every once in a while." The next time it happened it peaked my curiousity. I "tuned in" more. He's right more often than he is wrong, yet you speak disparagingly of him. Why? What do YOU know about him that I don't? I know He hasn't been wrong in a single radio "prediction" that he has made that I have read.

Trolls? A troll is anyone who tells you your basic business model is wrong? Self admittedly YOU have been "been out of the station side of the business for nearly a decade now." So what do you really know? Ten years ago (the definition of the term "decade") conglomerats like Clear Channel couldn't own all the staions that they do now, so what experience do you have in the MODERN world?

Other than throwing out passive-aggresive slams towards me, what have you offered in the way of information? You answered NONE of my DIRECT questions directly. I know as little about you and your "creds" as I did before except that your "info' is at least ten years out of date. From what I see on raio that is typical of the breed and proves MY point. Most folks consider Atlanta as NORTH Georgia. Middle Georgia starts way south of here. I've been there and find the lifestyle and dynamics a lot different. Let me clue you in on something else, Atlanta has changed dramatically in the 12 years YOU state you have been gone. Like the typical "radio exec" as you so disparagingly throw towards me, I would think you fit in. Radio is losing to satelite but "can't figure out why". I've told you but in your arrogance you refuse to listen. you would rather make personal attacks.

i'm interested (one last time) to here what you have to say. Neither my money nor my ego is invested in this. Can you say the same? If you can LOGICALLY refute anything I've said I'm all ears. I'm quick to admit when I'm wrong and change course (which I think is why I have been successful), change my course. I'm merely one of those dumb ass listeners who is losing interest. Satelite radio isn't STEALING your audience, you are turning them away just as you have so far turned me away...........

BTW Buckeyes or Gators?