Radio+Television Business Report

It’s that time of year when the predictions and prognostications start rolling off the presses. But there’s only one place where broadcasters will have a chance in 2021 to review, face to face, one of the most important and transformative years ever and examine the coming one when what we’ve learned and what has changed could alter and move business in the year to come. It’s Forecast 2022 — the one opportunity to discuss in person the impact of a new FCC, of a midterm election set to spend record dollars in advertising, of the future of cross-ownership, of diversity in marketing and branding and what that could mean for radio and television, and so much more. It’s your one chance to drill down and ask questions — questions that often come in response to answers to other questions. Spontaneous. Enlightening. Provocative. The way it is when you’re in the room together. The way it is at Forecast 2022. All wrapped up with the industry’s premiere networking event, the Broadcast Leadership Reception.

 

Register for this event, on Tuesday in New York, today!

 

 

Take it from Gordon Borrell … You’ve Got To Be There! Gordon Borrell, CEO, Borrell Associates Register today!

On November 5, it became known that audience measurement services in Orlando and Tampa, Fla., and in Washington, D.C., will be delivered to Univision Communications exclusively by a company that continues to fuel its desire to compete head-on with Nielsen in the U.S. broadcast TV marketplace.

With its stock stuck in the mid-$3 range across 2021, the thirst for providing an alternative to Nielsen is apparent for Comscore. And, it is slowly succeeding, as it has a new expanded agreement with the owner of television stations in eight small to mid-sized U.S. markets.

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KINGSTON, N.Y. — For 18 years, he was President/CEO of Buntin Out-of-Home Media. Since 2018, he has led his own consultancy, focused on business innovation.

As of December 31, this 1989 SUNY Albany graduate who has never worked inside a radio station will replace Area President Kristen Delaney at the nation’s largest audio content and distribution company — an appointment that speaks volumes of the type of leadership iHeartMedia seeks in 2021.

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He’s largely known across the radio industry as the former President/COO and equity investor and partner in the Dick Clark-founded United Stations Radio Networks (USRN). Most recently, he was President/CEO at national radio entity Key Networks.

Now he’s teaming up with the Managing Partner of Gen Media Partners for the launch of a new radio content and service provider and producer.

Introducing G Accelerate. It will see Friedland and Higgins each hold a stake in the operation, while Higgins will lead it as President/CEO.

“G Accelerate Networks will be laser-focused on bringing in new business from both existing and new radio content and service providers, producers, and programs that are looking to accelerate their revenue potential, as well as increase their affiliated stations and national footprint,” GMP says.

Explaining the creation of G Accelerate, Higgins said, “Too many radio content producers are getting lost and not getting the attention and dedicated sales and affiliate services required to keep them top-of-mind with stations and thriving financially. Warren and I are committed to changing that result for those clients that join us at G Accelerate. We welcome the opportunity to provide them with the effort, resources, and passion required to deliver growth and success.”

G Accelerate Networks will tap into and work with Gen Media Partners’ G Networks, Hispanic Radio Networks (HRN), Gen Media Partners Radio Reps, and other GMP offerings “to assist in growing their revenues and affiliations.”

With an eye towards its expansion, Friedland stated, “G Accelerate will also be looking for select equity investments and acquisitions in content and service provider companies whose vision and mission lines up with or complements Gen Media Partners. We’ve known Jim for many years, and he was always the shining star of the companies lucky enough to have worked with him. His vast executive experience and client relationships with both creatives, producers, agencies, and advertisers is unmatched in the network business. We are thrilled to be a part of his new venture.”

 

To learn more about G Accelerate Networks, content creators and radio stations may contact Jim Higgins at Jim.higgins@genmediapartners.com.

Following Tuesday’s closing bell on Wall Street, Des Moines-based Meredith Corporation shared that its Board of Directors has approved the distribution of one share of Meredith Holdings Corporation (“New Meredith”) common stock for each share of common stock of the company as it exists today, and one share of “New Meredith” Class B common stock for each share of soon-to-be “Old Meredith” class B stock held as of November 19.

This effectively put the Meredith/Gray Merger Marathon at Mile 26, with the finish line clearly in sight. In fact, Meredith has a date within the next month when it expects the closing to occur.

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Nexstar Media Group has appointed a 25-year broadcast management and sales veteran to the role of VP/GM of its operations in DMA No. 90 — Champaign-Urbana-Springfield, Ill.

He’s already on-site at the stations, reporting to Nexstar Broadcasting SVP/Regional Manager Traci Wilkinson.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Sinclair Digital arm of Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Baltimore-based media company’s marketing technology and managed services operation Compulse have selected a measurement and marketing analytics platform to measure media performance across its 300+ digital properties.

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The Gracie Awards, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), has opened its call for entries for the 47th Annual Gracie Awards.

“The Gracie Awards celebrate and honor truly exceptional content by, for and about women,” AWMF President Becky Brooks said. “We know the circumstances of this year made production much more difficult, which is why we are more committed that ever
to honor the remarkable work by so many in our creative community.”

The Gracies is considered the AWMF’s chief fundraiser of the year, as it enables the alliance “to deliver on its promise of further the connection, education and recognition of women in media, even during difficult times,” said AWMF Board Chair Heather Cohen.

Cohen is again serving as a chair, alongside Crown Media Family Networks Chief Communications Officer Annie Howell, and veteran radio programming consultant Mike McVay.

The 2022 Gracie Awards entry eligibility air dates are from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021.

Early Bird rates for entries end on December 16, 2021, at 11:59 PM Eastern. The deadline for all entries is January 20, 2022, at 11:59 PM Eastern. Entry details including pricing, updated categories can be viewed at https://allwomeninmedia.org/gracies/call-for-entries/.

The application to judge the Gracies will be available soon.

Crown Media is a Diamond Sponsor of the 2022 Gracies.

NEW YORK — The Broadcasters Foundation of America has kicked off its annual year-end giving campaign with an appeal for tax-deductible donations that will allow the Foundation to continue providing financial assistance to those in broadcasting who need it most.

A 501(c)3 charity, the Broadcasters Foundation is the only organization dedicated exclusively to delivering financial aid to broadcasters and their families whose lives have been upended by tragic illness, accident, or catastrophe.

Personal donations to the Guardian Fund and corporate contributions to the Angel Initiative can be made at www.broadcastersfoundation.org/donate.

 

This year’s plea for donations follows a year-and-a-half of several cancelled fundraising events due to the COVID 19 pandemic, even as more broadcasters than ever are reaching out for monthly or emergency relief.

The Broadcasters Foundation will award more than $1.8 million in monthly and one-time emergency grants in 2021. Monthly grants have increased 75% and more than 500 emergency grants have been awarded since 2017. Over the past 20 years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed more than $15 million to broadcasters in need.

“Our grant recipients are hard-working broadcasters from across the country and from all size markets, who have been hit by challenging, often life-altering circumstances,” stated Scott Herman, Chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation of America. “With the support and generosity of the people in our industry, we can help your colleagues and their families get through their toughest times.”

“Requests for assistance have escalated at a significant rate over the past several years,” said Jim Thompson, Co-President of the Broadcasters Foundation. “Combined with the cancellation of several fundraising events due to the pandemic, personal and corporate donations are vital to continuing our charitable mission of disbursing financial aid to those in your industry who need it most.”

Co-President of the Broadcasters Foundation, Tim McCarthy, added, “As I become more involved with the day-to-day operations of the Broadcasters Foundation, I am in awe of the generosity of those in our business who give back by supporting our mission. I would ask everyone who has not contributed in the past to please join our cause and help your colleagues in need.”

Since its inception, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to thousands of needy broadcasters and their families. Individual donations can be made to the Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be arranged through the Legacy Society.

To learn more or to donate, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org or visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.

When it comes to investing, financial blog Simply Wall St. notes that there are some useful financial metrics that can warn an investor when a business is potentially in trouble.

“When we see a declining return on capital employed (ROCE) in conjunction with a declining base of capital employed, that’s often how a mature business shows signs of aging,” the financial blog notes. “This reveals that the company isn’t compounding shareholder wealth because returns are falling and its net asset base is shrinking.”

On that note, Simply Wall St. took a magnifying glass to Saga Communications. What did the blog have to report? “We weren’t too upbeat about how things were going.”

Economic Forecasting: Broadcast Revenue Trends and Expectations for 2022 What do the experts have to say about the opportunities for broadcast advertising in the year ahead, along with the myriad challenges to growing its share? A Forecast 2022 panel of experts led by Jack Myers of MediaVillage are preparing now for what will certainly be a provocative discussion about who is going to “show us the money” in the year to come. Don’t miss out … join us at Forecast 2022 on November 16 in New York City. Click here for all of the details!

 

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One of the nation’s biggest media companies superserving U.S. Hispanic audiences has entered into a consent decree with the Media Bureau of the FCC that effectively resolves two online political file violations.

One incident occurred in Dallas. The other incident occurred in Houston.

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ATLANTA — The broadcast television station licensee that is on target to complete its merger with Meredith Local Media within the next eight weeks has completed its offering of $1.3 billion in aggregate principal amount of 5.375% senior notes due 2031.

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TORONTO — It’s been likened to the plotline of HBO comedy-drama Succession, focused on a highly dysfunctional dynasty at one of the world’s largest media and entertainment conglomerate.

The family drama behind the future of Rogers Communications, one of North America’s biggest media entities, has dominated the headlines of the Sun tabloid and Financial Post. Now, it appears that the son of the company’s late founder, Ted Rogers, has been empowered to constitute a new board — something his siblings fought to stop.

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Of some 1,060 recent and prospective car buyers surveyed in the U.S., some 89% say a broadcast radio tuner should be standard equipment every car.

That’s according to new research released earlier today in London by Edison Research — a trend that is consistent across age groups.

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In one week, on November 16, American Urban Radio Networks CEO Chesley Maddox-Dorsey will appear as the Moderator of a highly anticipated Forecast 2022 roundtable discussion with two individuals who are highly instrumental decision-makers when it comes to media budgets, advertising expenditures, and determining just how all consumers — in particular multicultural consumers — are included in the media buy.

GM Global CMO Deborah Wahl and dentsu Chief Product Officer for Global Media Doug Ray will be chatting with Maddox-Dorsey on a variety of topics — including the promise by Fortune 500 companies of increased advertising investment in Black and multicultural media. That’s just one topic of discussion Maddox-Dorsey shares in this exclusive RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

Listen to “The InFOCUS Podcast: Chesley Maddox-Dorsey” on Spreaker.

NEW YORK — FreeWheel has integrated a key set of technologies into its platform to enable its clients to programmatically acquire incremental inventory and extend audience reach in a single workflow.

By integrating Beeswax bidding capabilities into its supply technology, FreeWheel says it is investing in the future of programmatic trading as a cornerstone of the television marketplace.

The new integration, the Comcast-owned entity says, will provide a way for media owners and sellers who use FreeWheel’s publisher technology for management and optimization of their own inventory to access additional premium TV and video inventory directly through FreeWheel.

By automating campaign extension using advanced bidding algorithms, publishers will be able to fulfill advertising campaigns across available pools of inventory throughout the media ecosystem, FreeWheel adds.

“When we acquired Beeswax earlier this year, we recognized that its leading bidding technology could be used to improve the value that our platform provides to our customers,” said FreeWheel GM Dave Clark. “Now, with our recently completed integration, this value proposition is real – a unified inventory view, unified optimization, and unified measurement across inventory sources and screens, within a single system. This advancement will bring immediate, meaningful change to our customers and the industry.”

As such, FreeWheel’s publisher customers are now able to deliver against both their own inventory and third-party inventory with the same creatives, workflow, frequency capping,
budgeting, and pacing.

“With bidding technology built right into the platform, users will have a unified view of all their inventory sources and optimize campaigns for performance and profitability,” FreeWheel says.

FreeWheel is currently piloting the product with select customers with plans for a full rollout in early 2022. The pilot is part of a multi-staged initiative as FreeWheel aims to bring enhanced programmatic technology to premium advertisers and publishers to connect multiple parts of the TV and video advertising ecosystem.

In late July, Bob Philips relinquished his role as Chief Revenue Officer for Audacy Inc., thanks to his appointment by the company as President of Audacy Networks and Multi-Market Sales.

Subsequently, a search for his successor began, with Audacy seeking an individual who could “drive this growth and expansion, especially in the digital arena.”

In the end, Audacy selected the founder and former President of Katz Digital — an individual who also served as President of Christal Radio within the Katz Media Group and General Sales Manager for iHeartMedia‘s East Coast Top 40 flagship, “Z100.”

That would be Brian Benedik, who excelled as the head of sales for WHTZ-FM in New York for iHeartMedia, among other key highlights across a nearly 30-year career in radio. He begins his new role as Audacy’s Chief Revenue Officer on December 1.

“As a key member of the executive team, Benedik will lead all aspects of revenue generation across corporate, national, regional and local levels and develop fully integrated, multiplatform sales solutions and breakthrough strategies to attract new revenue streams,” Audacy says.

He reports to Chief Operating Officer Susan Larkin, who was thrilled to be welcoming Benedik to the C-Suite. “His resume speaks for itself, with key roles at audio publishers like Spotify, iHeart Radio, Audible and Katz Media, where his strategic vision enabled the former to quickly elevate from a newcomer in our industry to a multi-billion dollar leader in the audio streaming space. Brian’s considerable expertise and experience will amplify our revenue generation efforts as Audacy continues its upward trajectory.”

Benedik added, “The audio industry is booming with innovation and consumers are enjoying wonderful content experiences across a number of platforms. The Audacy re-imagination efforts are beyond impressive and the portfolio of assets across radio, streaming, podcast, live events, sports play-by-play and sports betting are best in class. I’m looking forward to working with David Field, Susan Larkin and the Audacy executive team to drive value to marketers and our loyal users.”

Benedik joins Audacy from Niantic, an Augmented Reality (AR) developer platform and real world gaming publisher, where he served as VP/Global Head of Revenue.

Before that, he spent seven years at Spotify. There, he was SVP/Global Head of Sales and Operations, leading a team of over 550 people in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. As the leader of the Spotify Global Advertising Business, Benedik oversaw the direct, programmatic, podcast, re-seller and self serve platform teams as well as ad and sales operations, trading, global agency and accounts and training groups.

Audacy requires all incoming employees to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. As such, Benedik is required to provide proof of vaccination, which will be kept confidential.

How much will Benedik earn?

When Philips was CRO, his salary was $715,993 — the fourth-highest salary by job title in the telecommunications industry as measured by Salary.com for FY 2020.

Of Philips’ total earnings in 2020, $555,900 was received as a salary, $138,986 was awarded as stock and $21,107 came from other types of compensation, SEC filings confirm.

RELATED NEWS:

A Big EPS Miss For Audacy in Q3 While more categories have invested more in advertising with Audacy’s on-demand audio offerings and its broadcast radio stations, the struggle is real for the radio station owner and parent of podcast entities Cadence13 and Pineapple Street. The company still registered a net loss in Q3, although a smaller one than one year ago. The problem? Analysts expected earnings per share of $0.09.

“While many ad categories remain highly impacted as a result of the pandemic, it is great to see an increasing number of categories back above 2019 spending levels,” said David Field, President/CEO of Audacy Inc., the audio content creation and distribution company founded as Entercom by his father, Joseph Field.

Alas, while more categories have invested more in advertising with Audacy’s on-demand audio offerings and its broadcast radio stations, the struggle is real for the Philadelphia-based company.

The company still registered a net loss in Q3, although a smaller one than one year ago. The problem? Analysts expected earnings per share of $0.09. Audacy missed the mark by 13 cents per share.

Bob Philips’ Successor As Audacy CRO Selected Audacy selected as its new Chief Revenue Officer the founder and former President of Katz Digital — an individual who also served as President of Christal Radio within the Katz Media Group and General Sales Manager for iHeartMedia’s East Coast Top 40 flagship, “Z100.”

 

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The 12-year-old Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) will be getting new leadership within the first three months of 2022.

That’s because the organization’s CEO and Managing Director who has held the dual roles since CIMM’s 1999 creation is retiring.

Jane Clarke will step down from the positions at CIMM, with the reins at the coalition within the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) handed to Jon Watts.

Watts is co-founder and Executive Director of The Project X Institute, a think tank and strategic advisory collective for the media and advertising industries. He also serves as Project Director for The TV Data Initiative, a consortium of data and technology companies that include DISH Media, Blockgraph, TVSquared, MadHive, VideoAmp, TransUnion, Eyeota and Magnite. The TV Data Initiative is focused on supporting the growth and development of the U.S. TV data ecosystem.

“There is perhaps no one individual in the industry today more responsible for advancing cross-platform video measurement than Jane,” ARF President/CEO Scott McDonald said. “Her ability to help buyers, sellers and vendors join together to identify a vision and act upon it, backed by her unique understanding of the technical and business challenges involved, has made it possible for the industry to be near attainment of its ultimate goal. She now leaves that mission in the very experienced and capable hands of Jon.”

CIMM was founded in 2009 by major TV network groups, television content providers, media agencies and advertisers as an industry R&D consortium to promote innovation in audience measurement for television and cross-platform media. It was acquired by the ARF in 2018 and established as a subsidiary.

During Clarke’s tenure, CIMM launched pilot tests of innovative measurement solutions and conducted research to develop best practices and bring transparency and industry confidence to new measurement solutions. Additionally, CIMM established a framework of building blocks for cross-platform video measurement that includes scaled and nationally-representative, second-by-second TV exposure data; digital census data for content and ads; panel data to fill in the gaps; and methods to connect TV and digital data via ID-graphs. CIMM’s research focused on improvements in these areas, including tools for planning, deduplicating reach across platforms and TV attribution.  Additionally, CIMM has long been an advocate for standardizing metadata across TV and digital platforms, including ad and content identifiers such as Ad-ID, to improve cross-platform measurement and bring workflow efficiencies.

“I am so grateful to all in the industry who have been deeply committed to CIMM and its mission,” Clarke said. “It is because of their vision, drive, innovation and willingness to work together that so many significant challenges to cross-platform measurement have been overcome. CIMM is a special organization where all segments of the industry can come together to jointly evaluate and spur the development of new technologies and methodologies to ensure they work for the needs of all. I am honored to have helped guide CIMM and immensely proud of what we have achieved.”

From the RBR+TVBR Archives: In February, the 12-year-old Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) took to Zoom and conducted the first of its two virtual sessions comprising the 10th annual Cross-Platform Video Measurement & Data Summit. Six months later, we spoke with Jane Clarke to get a new look on the state of measurement. Among Clarke’s choice declarations: The panel just doesn’t work anymore. For all of what Clarke had to say in just under 15 minutes, check out this RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM!

With a goal of “powering up the in car audio streaming experience for consumers,” TuneIn has inked an arrangement with a major automotive part manufacturer that could make it as front-and-center as Sirius XM, AM and FM are on the in-dash audio entertainment system.

Thanks to a new partnership, announced today, HARMAN and TuneIn are joining forces to create a pre-integrated implementation of the TuneIn app.

This not only expands the ability for drivers to listen to audio streaming of many of their favorite broadcast radio stations, including those from iHeartMedia, but brings on-demand live sports, news, music, podcasts to the HARMAN Ignite Store. That’s HARMAN’s connected vehicle platform for automakers, which they will use to develop, manage and operate their own in-vehicle app store.

“Automotive manufacturers can leverage the HARMAN Ignite Store digital ecosystem for OEMs to enable drivers to download a TuneIn app tailored to the in-car environment,” the companies say. “Through the app, TuneIn listeners can access audio content while keeping their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.”

Through the TuneIn collaboration, drivers will also get to experience what the streaming audio app calls “experience premium connected features.” They include a free trial subscription to TuneIn Premium, giving them exclusive access to commercial-free news from top networks like CNN, Fox News Radio, MSNBC, CNBC, and Bloomberg, as well as live NFL, NHL, MLB, and college sports programming. There are also commercial-free music channels, in addition to personalized content recommendations right from the dashboard app.

With the iHeartMedia app already on Apple Car Play, it’s another way for consumers to access their content — as well as TuneIn’s other global partners.

RBR+TVBR Related Read:

With Funding Injection, TuneIn Welcomes a New CEO Adam Jacobson Despite its spurn from leading radio broadcasting companies, the TuneIn app remains globally ubiquitous, embedded into LifeCycle gym equipment and found on the Roku app. Now, it’s getting a new leader, and is welcoming the former Chief Product Officer at Audible as its new CEO.