The Growth Of Off-Air Radio Sales…

Tuesday, April, 29, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

All radio sales apart from on-air spots are growing to the tune of 10% from $1.52 billion in 2006 to $1.68 billion in 2007.  So-called off-air sales, exactly that - is outselling network radio sales, now at $1.2 billion.  So what’s in your Internet wallet???

Radio and Records  reports that off-air sales jumped 18% over-year in March for the largest monthly increase since the Radio Advertising Bureau began tracking nonspot revenue.  I’m thinking it’s a good thing the RAB started tracking this revenue stream.  Pure numbers indicate that local revenue is the lifeline of radio sales, accounting for 80% of its business.  The local off-air revenue only accounts for 1.1% of the $8.5 billion spent online last year but this year’s total online revenue should jump to $12.6 billion.  If that increase holds true then the radio figures will go up about the same percentage…

Some stations have begun hiring an independent online sales staff, a smart move.  Most new radio station hires are now paid on a commission-only salary anyway, so what do you have to lose?  The answer is “nothing” with “everything” to gain if you do.  Cox Radio showed a 20.4% online revenue growth last year and CBS Radio doubled its online revenue each year for the past three years…

If you’re still not convinced of the importance of online advertising, take a look at these Borrell local based traditional media figures:  43.7% of local revenue was generated online, local newspapers were second with 33.4%, followed by directories (10.1%), TV (9.3%), other print (1.4%), radio (1.1%) and magazines (1.0%).  Do you need any more convincing to get aboard the online advertising bandwagon???

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1852]  Thesoaring:   The first edition of Peter Roget’s “Thesaurus” is published…
2. 1941]  The Name Game:   The Boston Bees agree to change their name to the ‘Braves‘…
3. 1945]  Liberation Day:   American troops liberate Dachau concentration camp in Germany…
4. 1961]  Spanning the globe:   ABCs “Wide World Of Sports” debuts with “The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat“…
5. 1986]  The Rocket soars:  Red Sox ace Roger Clemens  strikes out 20 Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park setting a new major league mark previously shared by Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton and Tom Seaver, all tied with 19.  The video was pulled from YouTube but I do have Mindy McCready…
6. 1990]  Tear down this wall:  Ronald Reagan  gets his demand answered when the Berlin Wall begins to come down…
7. 1992]  A bad day in L.A.:  Deadly rioting erupts in Los Angeles after a jury in Simi Valley acquits 4 LAPD officers of almost all charges in the beating of Rodney King, captured on video tape.  54 die and $1 billion in damage are the results of the rioting…
8. 1993]  White out:  It’s “Barry White Day” on “The Simpsons“…
9. 1996]  CIA MIA:  Former CIA Director William Colby  is missing and presumed drowned after an apparent boating accident in Maryland.  Colby’s body is later discovered…
10. 2004]  Monumental:  A national WWII monument saluting men and women who served during that war, opens to the public in Washington, D.C…

Music Memories:

• 1967]  Released on this date:  “Respect” - the svelte-looking  Aretha Franklin…

Commentary:

The January-March winter Abitron ratings were released yesterday with WLTW (106.7 FM) number one overall.  Congratulations to PD Jim Ryan who bows out with his final book.  Other winners include WHTZ, WINS (election year), WABC (ditto), WAXQ and WQHT.  David Hinckley has the details in his New York Daily News post…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”:

Andre Agassi (38), Uma Thurman (38), Carnie Wilson (40), Gary Cohen  (50), Michelle Pfeiffer (50), Daniel Day-Lewis (5-1), Jerry Seinfeld (54), Tommy James (61), Zubin Mehta (72), April Stevens  (72), Rod McKuen (75), Carl (Coasters) Gardner (80), Toots Thielemans (86) and Celeste Holm (89)…

Timeline Countdown:  4 days until the Kentucky Derby, 11 days until Mother’s Day and 27 days until Memorial Day…

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