The “R” Word Continues To Haunt Radio…

Wednesday, October, 21, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

While major companies like Yahoo, Google and others are giving last rites to the recession, there’s enough evidence proving that we haven’t escaped the dreaded “R” word yet. Arbitron revenue drops 4.3 percent in Q3, online advertising spending is down 2.9 percent — the first bad year for online advertising since 2002 and the latest ad forecast from Zenith Optimedia was just downgraded for the third time this year. Zenith now predicts a 12.6 percent plunge this year for North America, a little more than 2 percentage points worse than the projected 10.3 percent projected for the region three months ago. The recession is over? Don’t think so…

It’s not all bad news because when this recession finally does end, better days will follow. An eMarketer projection shows slow growth in online advertising spending in 2010 with steadier growth through 2014, the year online ad spending should be more than $11 billion higher than 2009. Zenith reports that the ad market will “hit bottom before the end of 2009″ and while 2010 will also be down, things should be better from 2011 on.  Arbitron’s drop in revenue was blamed on the loss of Cumulus and Clear Channel contracts to Nielsen and until they get Media Rating Council accreditation for New York their future is cloudy…

As bad as ‘doom and gloom’ talk is, noting that the recession is over when it’s not ranks a close second to the former. What did Yogi Berra say???   

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1879] Lighting the way: Thomas Edison invents a workable electric light at his laboratory in Menlo Park (NJ)…
2. 1945] Wedding Bells: Argentine military officer and politician Juan Peron marries actress Evita…
3. 1959] Crazy Guggenheim: The Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright opens to the public…
4. 1973] Lending an ear: John Paul Getty III’s ear is cut off by kidnappers and sent to a newspaper in Rome. It doesn’t arrive until November 8 with postage due…
5. 1973] Safety first and second: Fred Dryer of the Los Angeles Rams becomes the first and last player in the NFL to score two safeties in a 24-7 win over Green Bay…
6. 1975] Waving it fair: Carlton Fisk wins Game 6 of the World Series between the Red Sox and Reds with his dramatic homerun and cool body language…
7. 1988] Guilty as charged: A federal grand jury in New York indicts former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda on charges of fraud, racketeering and owning too many shoes…
8. 1992] Released on this date: Madonna’s erotic photo book “Sex” is released with 500,000 copies sold in the first run. A-Rod buys 499,999 copies…
9. 1998] Getting out the broom: Following a 4-game sweep of San Diego in the World Series, the Yankees set a major league record of 125 wins for a regular and post-season combined…
10. 2003] Plugged In: Invoking a hastily-passed law, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush orders a feeding tube reinserted into Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged woman at the center of a bitter right-to-die battle…

Music Memories:

• 1957] Premiered on this date: “Jailhouse Rock” - Elvis Presley…
• 1958] Recorded on this date: “True Love Ways“, “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” and “Raining in My Heart” - Buddy Holly’s last recording session…

Commentary:

The 2009-2010 IBS Student Radio Network presents ‘IBS Fall Palooza’ 2009. The weekend of local, live music on member stations of the IBS Student Radio Network will be simulcast on Friday, November 6th & Saturday, November 7th. For more information contact George Capalbo, palooza@backbone.com

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Frann Vettor (39), Mark Driscoll (39), Carrie Fisher (53), Benjamin Netanyahu (60), Judge Judy Sheindlin (67), Steve Cropper (68), Manfred Mann (Manfred Lubowitz) (69), Whitey Ford (81) and Joyce Randolph (85)…Happy Anniversary Lynn & Lindsay…

Timeline Countdown: 7 days until the first game of the World Series, 10 nights until Halloween and 11 days until Standard (back one hour) time…

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