RAB Sets New Sales Guidelines…

Thursday, May, 29, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

In order to foster a mindset of confidence in current and perspective buyers, the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) Board has passed a resolution containing new principles and guidelines  in an effort to benefit radio’s standing in the media space race.  The principles read like the Boy Scout oath but the guidelines are solid and if adhered to by the 6,000 radio stations represented by the RAB, will go a long way to keep radio competitive…

The guidelines contain a commitment guaranteeing the GRP (Gross Rating Point) of a schedule on a market basis, based on total audience delivered by the end of the schedule.  They also guarantee an accurate air schedule, audience estimates based on the broadest data available, accountability for make-goods if the market delivery falls below previously agreed criteria and a post-buy analysis within 90 days and make-goods within 60…

“This is the beginning of a longer process around gaining greater credibility for radio” says RAB President/CEO Jeff Haley.  Perception and street cred mean everything in media and if the RAB can pull that off, they may have something with these new principles and guidelines…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1905]  Greasy kid stuff:  Dodger pitcher Elmer Stricklett introduces the spitball to baseball in helping Brooklyn beat the Giants 4-3…
2. 1917]  He’d still be cool:  The man who would become our 35th president, John Fitzgerald Kennedy is born in Brookline (MA) 91 years ago today…
3. 1922]  Supes Rule:  The Supreme Court  rules that organized baseball is not a business and exempts the sport from antitrust laws and interstate commercial rules.  Uh, they might want to rethink that ruling…
4. 1953]  Because it was there:  Edmund Hillary  of New Zealand and sherpa Tenzing Norgay become the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest…
5. 1973]  Gotcha:  Columbia Records President Clive Davis  is fired for allegedly misappropriating company funds.  Clive continues to thrive in his 70s…
6. 1976]  Brotherly love:  Houston’s Joe Niekro beats brother Phil Niekro  and the Braves 4-1…
7. 1984]  Hang ‘em high:  The Boston Red Sox retire Joe Cronin’s  #4 and Ted Williams’  #9 at a Fenway Park ceremony…
8. 1998]  ‘Happy Trails’:  Former Arizona Senator and Republican presidential candidate Barry (”Mr. Conservative”) Goldwater  dies at 89 from complications of a stroke…
9. 1999]  What’s up Doc?:  The space shuttle Discovery completes its first docking with the International Space Station.  This  launch took place in 2006…
10. 2004]  In Memorial:  America dedicates a memorial  to WWII veterans in Washington, D.C…

Music Memories:

• 1942]  Recorded on this date:  “White Christmas“ - Bing Crosby…
• 1969]  Released on this date:  “Crosby, Stills and Nash” LP.  From the LP:  “Suite Judy Blue Eyes” (from Woodstock)…1987]  “I Want Your Sex” - George Michael…
• 1971]  Number One on this date:  “Brown Sugar” - Rolling Stones…

Commentary:

As a follow up to yesterday’s feature on the U.S. Electronics FCC proposal, here’s a technical comment from Systems Engineering Consultant, David K. Bialik:  “The U.S. Electonics proposal would be a boon for the sat broadcasters since most of the radios are loss leaders and the sat broadcasters have gotten into trouble with the built-in FM repeaters and the non-interoperability.  This proposal would take them away from all this and all they would be for receivers is license issuers similar to Ibiquity (Digital Corp.) and exclusive program providers.”  David will chair the 125th Audio Engineering Society Convention, October 2-5, 2008 in San Francisco (CA)…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday”:

Melanie (”Scary Spice“) Brown (33), Melissa Etheridge (47), Annette Bening (50), LaToya Jackson (52), Rebbie Jackson (58), Bob Simon (67), Al Unser Jr. (69) and former baseball commish Fay Vincent (70)…

Timeline Countdown:  9 days until the Belmont Stakes, 17 days until Father’s Day, 24 days until summer and 37 days until July 4th…

Posted in Today's Post | No Comments »