Local Radio Sales Tank…

Wednesday, July, 16, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

Instead of busting out all over, June was just a bust for local radio sales.  A revenue decline of 7% “or slightly softer” is anticipated for the month considered the second biggest revenue month of the year.  Wall Street had expected a 4% decline for June but the “recessionary climate” and “ad-share erosion” put the month in the tank.  Historically radio’s biggest revenue month of the year - May was down 8%…

The only saving grace belongs to small markets which have now beat large markets in 25 of the last 29 months.  The small market decline should be 4%.  RAB will give us the official revenue tally for June before the end of the month…

What does this all mean?  Are the smaller markets doing a better job of selling than their big brothers or is their nut smaller giving them a larger percentage of revenue?  One thing radio can not afford to do is what newspapers are now doing - 50% ad content, 50% news content.  The only thing radio can do is what newspapers are also doing - adding more local product…  

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1935] Time’s up: The 1st parking meters are installed in Oklahoma City. Lovely Rita, meter maid, is hired…
2. 1945] A-Bomb era begins: The U.S. explodes its first experimental atomic bomb in the desert near Alamogordo, NM…
3. 1951] Debuted on this date: The J.D. Salinger novel “Catcher In The Rye” is published…
4. 1957] Record setting John Glenn: Marine Major John Glenn  sets a transcontinental speed record, flying a jet from California to New York in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8 seconds…
5. 1969] To the Moon Alice: Apollo 11  blasts off from Cape Kennedy to begin its journey to the moon and the 1st landing made by man on that surface…
6. 1973] There goes the secret: Former White House aide Alexander P. Butterfield  publicly reveals the existence of President Richard Nixon’s secret taping system during the Senate Watergate hearings…
7. 1979] Are we having fun yet?: Saddam Hussein becomes president of Iraq after forcing Hasan al-Bakr to resign…
8. 1981] LIE tragedy: Harry Chapin  is killed on the Long Island Expressway on his way to a benefit concert. Chapin was 38…
9. 1999] Vineyard tragedy: Another day ends in tragedy for the Kennedy’s as John F. Kennedy Jr.’s plane crashes off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, John’s wife and Carolyn’s sister Lauren Bessette were also aboard. All the bodies are found on July 21…
10. 2004] Not a good thing: Martha Stewart  is sentenced to 5 months in prison for lying about a stock sale…

Music Memories:

• 1966] Cream rises: Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker form Cream…
• 1972] Breaking up is hard to do: After 18 years with the Miracles, Smokey Robinson makes his final appearance with the group in Washington, D.C.  Here’s the group in happier days…1977] Loggins and Messina go their separate ways…

Commentary:

A copy of the Declaration of Independence sent by John Hancock was read to the folks of Watertown (MA) on July 18, 1776.  To mark the occasion the Declaration will once again be read on Friday night, 232 years later.  The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. in front on the Fowle House in Watertown and the public is welcome to attend this anniversary of Watertown’s first Independence Day.  For more information contact Marilynne K. Roach (617-924-3559)…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:
Barry Sanders (40), Will Ferrell (41), Phoebe Cates (45), Michael Flatley (50), Ruben Blades (60), Jimmy Johnson (65) and Bess Myerson (84)…

Timeline Countdown: 11 days until all NFL training camps are open and 23 days until the Summer Olympics…

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