More Challenges Ahead For Radio In 2010…

Thursday, December, 31, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

(New Year’s Edition)

The New Year will bring more challenges for terrestrial radio. High-power AM radio stations will remain successful according to Radio Magazine. Smaller market AMs will have to “work harder and smarter every day” says Steve Manuel, owner of WWJB in Brooksville, FL. “There is never a time to sit back.” While FM lost it’s audio exclusiveness eons ago, they still maintain an edge over AM especially when it comes to music but they face more technologically challenging days as the digital era continues to mushroom. Look for power increases for HD Radio, more Low-Power FMs, more Internet radio stations and more listening devices for all forms of radio…

The new year won’t bring new revenue cheer to the radio industry. Mediapost reports that according to the third edition of BIA/Kelsey’s quarterly review, titled “Investing in Radio”, 2010 will bring a slight recovery in ad revenues but it won’t begin until the third quarter. Radio can look forward to at least two more quarters of declines before things turn around. BIA is writing off 2009 as one of radio’s worst years in living memory, predicting total industry revenues of $13.3 billion at year’s end — a 19 percent drop from 2008. While 2010 revenues should show a 1.5 percent improvement, thanks to online and mobile growth. The long view is a lot better. BIA expects total radio revenues to increase to $14.6 billion in 2013 with online revenues remaining a relatively small part of radio’s total business or about 5 percent of total revenues. Other analysts predict that radio’s recovery over the next couple of years will depend on radio groups’ ability to leverage online sales as the pivot of integrated marketing campaigns…

While this forecast is not ‘the future’s so bright I’ve gotta wear shades’, it’s an improvement — a small improvement but at least it’s headed upward. Right now it’s a time to reflect, to look back at 2009. But don’t spend too much time doing it — better days are ahead. More challenging? Bet on it. Tomorrow is a new day, a new year. Make the most of it…Happy New Year everyone… 

10 Timeline Memories: 

1. 1863] Mine eyes have seen the glory: Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation declaring that slaves in rebel states are free (1/1)…
2. 1892] Debuted on this date: The Ellis Island Immigrant Station opens in New York Harbor (1/1)…
3. 1898] I’ll take Manhattan: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island are consolidated into New York City (1/1)…
4. 1929] Inherit the network: 27-year old William S. Paley becomes CBS President, inheriting the Tiffany network from his father (1/3)…
5. 1943] Old Blue Eyes takes Manhattan: Times Square greets Frank Sinatra at the Paramount Theater. His career explodes after this appearance (12/31)….
6. 1966] Curtains: …1966] The final episode of “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet” is filmed (1/1).  This was a Christmas episode…
7.  1967] Equal but separate: The FCC starts requiring AM/FM combo stations to be at least 50 percent separate in programming (1/1). Lots of great stations will be born, including WRKO (in March)…
8. 1985] ‘Happy Trails’: Teen Idol Rick Nelson dies in a plane crash on his way to a New Year’s Eve concert in Dallas (12/31). Rick was one of the nicest people I had the pleasure of knowing…1997] Michael Kennedy, 39-year old son of the late Robert Kennedy is killed in a skiing accident on Aspen Mountain (12/31)…
9. 1973] The worst sale of a sports franchise: This award goes to CBS which sells the Yankees to a Cleveland group headed by George Steinbrenner for $10 million (1/3). CBS bought the team for $13.2 million…
10. 1990] It was the loud rock music: Ousted Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega surrenders to U.S. forces, 10 days after taking refuge in the Vatican’s diplomatic mission in Panama City (1/3)…

Music Memories:

•  1956] Recorded on this date: “Heartbreak Hotel” - Elvis Presley (1/1)…1957] “I’m Walkin’” - Fats Domino (1/3)…1964] “Fun, Fun, Fun” - Beach Boys (1/1)…
• 1964] The Beatles debut on U.S. television: The first known footage of the Beatles on a news show was seen on December 7, 1963 on the Walter Cronkite CBS Evening News. The first viewing on a non-news show is this film clip shown on “The Jack Paar Show” (1/3)…
• 1966] Number One on this date: “I’m A Believer” - Monkees (12/31)…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“: (12/31) Joey McIntyre (37), Val Kilmer (50), Bebe Neuwirth (51), Donna Summer (61), Burton Cummings (62), Diane Von Furstenburg (63), Ben Kingsley (66), Sarah Miles (68) and Anthony Hopkins (72)…(1/1) Elin Nordegren (30), Verne Troyer (41), Don(Father Guido Sarducci) Novello (67), Country Joe McDonald (68), Frank Langella (72), Clay Cole (72) and J.D. Sallinger (91)…(1/2) Kate Bosworth (27), Taye Diggs (39), Cuba Gooding Jr. (42), Tia Carrere (43), Lynn Phillips Brough (46), Jim Bakker (71) and Julius LaRosa (80)…(1/3) Eli Manning (29), Mel Gibson (54), Victoria Principal (60), Stephen Stills (65), Bobby Hull (71), Dabney Coleman (78), Robert Loggia (80) and George Martin (84)…

Timeline Countdown: Happy New Year, 9 days until the NFL playoffs and 38 days until the Super Bowl…

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