Indiana RadioWatch: March 26, 2018
(We'll be back with news stories on Thursday. But please keep reading!)
When I write IRW, and I reference something "From the Reading Pile," I do so for one of these reasons:
1. I found the article interesting (and you might, too!)
2. I found the article controversial.
3. I found the article in some form of mainstream media, and it's either interesting or controversial (or, both!)
Woof Boom Radio president and Indiana Broadcasters Association Chairman J Chapman responded to last Thursday's IRW, where we posted a Forbes opinion piece. If you also want to respond, please send me an e-mail.
In Blaine’s Reading Pile last week, there was a link to a Forbes article that spoke of more doom and gloom. More on that article in a moment.
Twitter has doubled the number of characters but social media today has conditioned us to read the headline and move on. That’s a problem. The headlines say “Bankruptcy.” They don’t say: RADIO REACHES 93%. RADIO IS THE BIGGEST REACH MEDIUM. RADIO GET RESULTS.
The Headlines are what they are because two of the largest radio companies are working through bankruptcy. This bankruptcy is a good thing…both will be much stronger. The bankruptcy is a creation of people who left those companies long ago…today’s leadership at both IHeart and Cumulus is strong…and by the way, so are their P&Ls. Both companies generate significant cash. Wall Street saddled both with a ridiculous amount of debt – now, finally its getting fixed. Here in Indiana, IHeart and Cumulus operate some of the most listened to and profitable stations. I know their leadership and I know many of their employees – the ones I know care deeply about their listeners and their customers.
Back to the Forbes article, read it to the end and you see past the headline and what it implies…the future of radio is: “local, local, local– stations deeply involved in their communities with local on air talent that shows up at events and plays the music local listeners want.” That’s what we are doing in Lafayette, Anderson, and Muncie. Our business – Radio is vibrant. The last couple of weeks we’ve recorded record advertising sales. Our business is growing and we’ve got a great story. It’s our job to tell it, sell it, and make a difference in our local communities.
That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.
Blaine Thompson
Indiana RadioWatch
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