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Ric and Laura, B95, Albany, NY

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HEY STARZ—RIC AND LAURA AT WYJB, ALBANY, NY

 

518-786-6676    ric@b95.com      www.b95.com

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

GOOD WEEK FOR US…….

 

Had Bill Cosby in and VERY popular local TV Anchor….lots of

exposure….plus, my new TV show has begun so I’m hauling ass…….

Plus, Elton/Billy and Carrie Underwood……wow!

So, let’s get to some stuff

 

FACEBOOK PIC

 

We got a new Country station in the building and they’re doin’ somethin’

I wish we had thought of…….make your Facebook pic our logo and

win…tell us you did it and we’ll check it out at random and they’re givin’

stuff away……and reward points, too.

 

 

STANDING UP IN SEATS

 

At the Elton/Billy show there was the perennial complaining about people

Who stand up at concerts versus people who prefer to sit…..always huge…

Laura takes the standing argument and I say I paid for a “seat” and dammit,

I wanna sit in that seat!

 

Good calls for all including the “oh, stay home, ya olde fart” admonishment!

 

 

TVs

 

Got into a chat with someone around 16 and we were talking about 3D TVs that

are coming out…….and I was offering up some sage TV experience…..and I felt

old. You know, there was once a time when you got your TV repaired and not

replaced?? Doesn’t seem to be that way anymore!

 

 

FIRST DATE FOODS…

 

Which ones are not acceptable….the list is long including spaghetti,

ribs, fried chicken…….we had fun with it…….

 

 

CELEBRITY ACTING BAD

 

Saw the piece on Julianna Margulies saying that when she was a waitress, she

waited on Julia Roberts, who was a flat-out bit-h!

 

So, we checked in on celebs who you’ve seen that were less than friendly and

Hospitable and, sure enough, hey, they are human and can sometimes be of the

“don’t you know who I am?” variety!

 

Some good calls…..

 

 

RIC AND LAURA OUT----SEE YA NEXT WEEK, STARZ!

 

BROADCASTERS GATHER..DINGELL AGAINST RECORD COMPANY PLAN FOR RADIO

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More than 400 radio and television broadcasters are gathering in Washington, DC this week for the NAB State Leadership Conference. The local station representatives will meet with lawmakers on a host of public policy issues critical to the future of free and local broadcasting.

In a speech delivered last night at the NAB State Leadership Dinner in Washington, DC, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Emeritus John Dingell (D-MI) announced his opposition to a performance tax on radio and expressed concern over proposals to reallocate broadcast TV spectrum for wireless broadband use.

REP. DINGELL ON THE PERFORMANCE TAX:

"I'd like to express my opposition to legislation imposing a performance tax
on broadcasters. I am concerned that such a tax would be of less benefit to
recording artists than to record labels, many of which are based abroad.
Further, recording artists and record labels have profited handsomely for
years from the free publicity they get from broadcasters, a mutually
beneficial relationship that a performance tax will destroy. Lastly, and
perhaps most practically, it seems ridiculous to me to impose a new punitive
fee on broadcasters during this time of recession, especially as broadcasters
have seen their revenues decrease by up to 40 percent over the past several
years."

REP. DINGELL ON SPECTRUM REALLOCATION:

"I am concerned about plans circulating at the Federal Communications
Commission to mandate the reallocation of broadcasters' spectrum for mobile
broadband use. Broadcasters already surrendered a third of their spectrum
during the digital television transition, and I remain unconvinced by
arguments that broadcasters are using their remaining spectrum inefficiently.
It is my hope that the Congress and Commission can find a way to increase the
spectrum available for the purposes of mobile broadband without threatening
the availability of free, over-the-air broadcasting to the public."

The full text of Chairman Dingell's prepared remarks are below.


Statement of Representative John D. Dingell National Association of
Broadcasters 2010 State Leadership Conference Dinner

March 2, 2010


Good evening, everyone, and thank you, Gordon, for that fine introduction.
Before I make my remarks, I would like to take a moment to express my
appreciation for two dear friends. Although she isn't here, I would like to
recognize Karole White, the head of the Michigan Broadcasters. She's an asset
to them and a wonderful friend. I would also like to acknowledge Alan Frank
of Post Newsweek, who has also been a great friend to me over the years.
Alan's company runs WDIV in Detroit and does a superb job of it. Moreover,
I'd like to thank David Leach and John Orlando, who are with us tonight, for
their years of splendid service as members of my staff. Finally, I wish to
offer my best wishes to Steve Newberry, NAB's Joint Board Chair, Charles
Warfield, NAB's Radio Board Chair, and Laurie Knight, all of whom are sitting
at the same table with my lovely wife, Deborah, and me tonight.

You've all come to Washington at quite an interesting time. In addition to
reforming healthcare and the nation's energy policy, the Congress is also
involved in all manner of issues important to broadcasters, such as
retransmission consent and the public safety network. I could speak for ages
about a number of these issues, but for brevity's sake, I'll confine my
remarks to three matters of importance.

First, I'd like to express my opposition to legislation imposing a
performance tax on broadcasters. I am concerned that such a tax would be of
less benefit to recording artists than to record labels, many of which are
based abroad. Further, recording artists and record labels have profited
handsomely for years from the free publicity they get from broadcasters, a
mutually beneficial relationship that a performance tax will destroy. Lastly,
and perhaps most practically, it seems ridiculous to me to impose a new
punitive fee on broadcasters during this time of recession, especially as
broadcasters have seen their revenues decrease by up to 40 percent over the
past several years.

Second, I am concerned about plans circulating at the Federal Communications
Commission to mandate the reallocation of broadcasters' spectrum for mobile
broadband use. Broadcasters already surrendered a third of their spectrum
during the digital television transition, and I remain unconvinced by
arguments that broadcasters are using their remaining spectrum inefficiently.
It is my hope that the Congress and Commission can find a way to increase the
spectrum available for the purposes of mobile broadband without threatening
the availability of free, over-the-air broadcasting to the public.

Third, and on a related note, I am anxious about the process for adopting the
forthcoming National Broadband Plan's recommendations. While the plan is
essential to improving the nation's broadband infrastructure and access to
it, I believe its implementation must proceed as a collaborative effort
between the Congress and the Commission. Premature rulemaking action by the
Commission to implement the National Broadband Plan's recommendations very
well may be counterproductive to the goals I have just outlined, and as such,
I have sent a letter to Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski urging him to
coordinate with the Congress in implementing the plan.

In closing, I would like to thank all of you for your dedication to serving
the American public. Your long-standing partnership with the federal
government has yielded a world-class broadcasting system whose hallmark is
free, over-the-air, local programming. Although new technologies and business
models are emerging steadily and changing the marketplace for audio and
visual content, I hope broadcasters will continue to serve the public
interest and local viewers, a commitment that has set you apart for the past
70 years.

Thank you.

 

REGENT FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY

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Radio station owner,  Regent Communications Inc( RGCI.PK) filed for Chapter 11 protection as part of a prearranged deal that will cut its debt by $87 million and transfer majority ownership of the reorganized company to certain funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management LP. Under the plan, current stockholders will get about 12.8 cents for each share they own."The restructuring process will have no impact on Regent's day-to-day operations and will not result in any changes to senior leadership," the company said in a statement......Regent owns 62 stations in 13 markets...

Here is the complete Regent press release

Regent Communications Announces Consensual Restructuring Agreement With Senior Lenders

Debt to be reduced by approximately $87 million Will Significantly Strengthen Financial Position Operations to Continue Without Interruption

CINCINNATI, March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Regent Communications, Inc. (Pink Sheets: RGCI) announced today it has reached an agreement in principal with its lenders for a consensual financial restructuring that will reduce the Company's debt and strengthen its balance sheet. The restructuring will result in the elimination of approximately $87 million of the Company's debt.

As part of the agreement, current senior debt-holders will convert their holdings into a new series of equity in the Company, while current public equity shareholders will receive approximately 12.8 cents for each share they own. The parties to the restructuring agreement have signed binding agreements to support the restructuring on proposed terms, subject to the finalization of definitive agreements and related documentation and the satisfaction of certain specified conditions. The Company will effectuate the restructuring through a prearranged reorganization under Chapter 11, filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

The restructuring process will have no impact on Regent's day-to-day operations and will not result in any changes to senior leadership. In addition, the Company has a current cash position of approximately $11 million, giving it ample liquidity and sufficient funds to pay all of its vendors and employees.

"We are pleased to move forward with the majority of our senior lenders in taking the necessary steps to substantially strengthen our capital structure," said Bill Stakelin, President and CEO. "Throughout the economic downturn, we have continued to implement our strategic plan to build our presence among advertisers and audiences across our local market clusters, while carefully managing our costs. Following our reorganization, we will benefit from a strong financial position and solid cash flow, giving us the flexibility to continue to invest in our operations and execute our strategy. This is a solution that preserves Regent's unique voice in the nation's mid-sized media markets and enhances our ability to fully benefit from the rebound in the nation's advertising industry."

After giving effect to the restructuring, certain funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., a premier global alternative and non-traditional investment manager, will own a majority of the new equity in the Company.

A copy of the Restructuring Support Agreement has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in a Current Report on Form 8-K and has also been posted to the Investor Relations section of the Company's website: www.regentcomm.com.

With the approval of the Bankruptcy Court, the Debtors will retain Kurtzman Carson Consultants LLC to, among other things, act as noticing, claims and balloting agent (the "Balloting Agent"). Specifically, the Balloting Agent will assist the Debtors with: (a) mailing Confirmation Hearing Notices, (b) mailing Solicitation Packages, (c) soliciting votes on the Plan, (d) receiving, tabulating, and reporting on ballots cast for or against the Plan by holders of claims against or equity interests in the Debtors, (e) responding to inquiries from creditors and stakeholders relating to the Plan, the Disclosure Statement, the ballots and matters related thereto, including, without limitation, the procedures and requirements for voting to accept or reject the Plan and objecting to the Plan, and (f) if necessary, contacting creditors regarding the Plan and their Ballots.

Copies of the pleadings filed in the Bankruptcy Case are available for free on the website of the Debtors' proposed claims, noticing, soliciting and balloting agent, Kurtzman Carson Consultants, atwww.kccllc.net/regent or can be requested by calling 888-647-1726.

Regent Communications has been advised by Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. in connection with its financial restructuring, and by the law firm of Latham & Watkins LLP.

About Regent Communications

Regent Communications, Inc. is a radio broadcasting company focused on acquiring, developing and operating radio stations in mid-sized markets. Regent owns and operates 62 stations located in 13 markets. The Company's shares are traded over the counter under the symbol "RGCI.PK".

About Oaktree Capital Management, L.P.

Oaktree is a premier global alternative and non-traditional investment manager with $72.9 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2009. The firm emphasizes an opportunistic, value-oriented and risk-controlled approach to investments in distressed debt, high yield and convertible bonds, specialized private equity (including power infrastructure), real estate, emerging market and Japanese securities, and mezzanine finance. Oaktree was founded in 1995 by a group of principals who have worked together since the mid-1980s. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the firm today has approximately 600 employees and offices in 14 cities worldwide.

 

Arbitron Obtains Court Order Compelling Spanish Broadcasting to Resume PPM Encoding

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COLUMBIA, Md., February 11. 2010 -- Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) announced today that the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York has issued a Temporary Restraining Order effective immediately requiring Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS) to resume encoding its broadcasting signals for Arbitron's Portable People Meter™ (PPM™) radio ratings service until Tuesday, February 16, 2010.  This order applies to nine SBS radio properties in five cities across the United States.  Arbitron also indicated that it suspended delivery of PPM data to SBS in December 2009.

Arbitron sought the Temporary Restraining Order after learning on February 4, 2010 that SBS had ceased encoding its broadcast signals for the PPM service in any of its radio properties in cities where Arbitron has commercialized the PPM ratings service.  The court will convene a hearing on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 to determine whether to continue to compel SBS to encode pursuant to its agreement with Arbitron.  

"SBS has existing contracts with Arbitron for both the PPM service and to encode its broadcast signals that remain in effect," stated Timothy T. Smith, Arbitron Chief Legal Officer.  "We expect SBS to honor the terms of its agreements."

 

Warner Music Group Corp. Reports Results for the Fiscal First Quarter Ended December 31, 2009

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Total Digital Revenue Grows to $184 Million; Digital Revenue Represents 35% of U.S. Recorded Music Revenue

Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG)

-- Total revenue of $918 million increased 3% from the prior-year 
quarter, and declined 2% on a constant-currency basis. -- 
Digital revenue was $184 million, or 20% of total revenue, 
flat sequentially from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, 
and up 8% from $171 million in the prior-year quarter. 
On a constant-currency basis, digital revenue grew 4% 
sequentially and was up 5% from the prior-year quarter. 
-- Operating income grew 15% to $47 million compared to $41 million
 in the prior-year quarter. -- Operating income before depreciation
and amortization (OIBDA) was up 5% to $112 million from $107 million
 in the prior-year quarter. -- Net loss was ($0.11) per diluted 
share compared to net income of $0.15 per diluted share in the 
prior-year quarter. The prior-year quarter included a gain of 
$0.24 per diluted share related to the sale of the company's 
investment in Front Line Management. 

Warner Music Group Corp. (NYSE: WMG) today announced its first-quarter financial results for the period ended December 31, 2009.

"We are pleased to have delivered stable revenue and OIBDA in our core Recorded Music and Music Publishing businesses despite ongoing recorded music industry pressures and macroeconomic headwinds," said Edgar Bronfman, Jr., Warner Music Group's Chairman and CEO. "Our goals remain focused on delivering strong returns on A&R investments while we develop new business models, diversify our revenue mix and fortify our digital leadership position."

"As our stable margins show, we carefully manage our costs and regularly work to adjust our business in order to minimize the impact of a transitioning recorded music market," Steven Macri, Warner Music Group's Executive Vice President and CFO, added. "Similar to last year, we expect our release schedule in fiscal year 2010 to be back-end weighted."

For the quarter, revenue grew 3.5% to $918 million from $887 million in the prior-year quarter, and declined 2.0% on a constant-currency basis. This performance primarily reflected strong international results, while U.S. results were tempered by continued general economic pressures and the transition from physical sales to digital sales in the recorded music industry. International revenue rose 12.1%, or 2.4% on a constant-currency basis, while domestic revenue declined 8.8%. Revenue growth in the U.K., France and Italy was partially offset by weakness in the U.S., Japan and parts of Europe. Digital revenue of $184 million grew 7.6% over the prior-year quarter, or 4.5% on a constant-currency basis. Digital revenue was unchanged sequentially from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, but grew 4.0% on a constant-currency basis, and represented 20.0% of total revenue for the quarter.

Operating income grew 14.6% to $47 million from $41 million in the prior-year quarter and operating margin was up 0.5 percentage points to 5.1%. OIBDA increased 4.7% to $112 million from $107 million in the prior-year quarter and OIBDA margin increased 0.1 percentage points to 12.2%, primarily as a result of continued cost-management efforts (see below for calculations and reconciliations of OIBDA and OIBDA margin).

Net loss was $17 million, or ($0.11) per diluted share, for the quarter, compared with net income of $23 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, in the prior-year quarter. The prior-year quarter included a gain of $36 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, related to the sale of the company's investment in Front Line Management.

As of December 31, 2009, the company reported a cash balance of $339 million, total long-term debt of $1.94 billion and net debt (total long-term debt minus cash) of $1.61 billion. This compares to net debt of $1.56 billion at September 30, 2009.

Net cash used in operating activities was $42 million compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $43 million in the prior-year quarter. The decline in operating cash flow primarily related to the variable timing of the company's working capital requirements, which included a decrease in cash associated with the company's European concert promotion business. In addition, the decline reflects an expected increase in cash paid for interest. Following the May 2009 refinancing, all of the company's cash interest payments are now made semi-annually in the first and third quarters of the fiscal year. As a result, cash interest amounted to $81 million in the quarter, compared to $45 million in the prior-year quarter. The company previously made quarterly interest payments under its senior secured credit facility, which was retired in May 2009.

Free Cash Flow (defined as cash flow from operations less capital expenditures and cash paid or received for investments) was negative $44 million, compared to positive $160 million in the comparable fiscal 2009 quarter, which included $123 million from the sale of the company's Front Line Management stake. Unlevered After-Tax Cash Flow (defined as Free Cash Flow excluding cash interest paid) was $37 million, compared to $205 million in the comparable fiscal 2009 quarter, which, as described above, included $123 million from the sale of the company's Front Line Management stake (see below for calculations and reconciliations of Free Cash Flow and Unlevered After-Tax Cash Flow).

Below is the business segment discussion for the quarter.

Recorded Music

Revenue from the company's Recorded Music business increased 3.4% from the prior-year quarter to $783 million, and fell 2.2% on a constant-currency basis. The decline in constant-currency revenue reflected weakness in the U.S., Japan and parts of Europe, partially offset by strength in the U.K., France and Italy.

International Recorded Music revenue climbed 12.7% from the prior-year quarter to $498 million, and grew 2.5% on a constant-currency basis, while domestic Recorded Music revenue fell 9.5% from the prior-year quarter to $285 million. Both local and international artists fueled growth in international Recorded Music revenue. As the company continues to diversify its revenue, the company grew its worldwide non-traditional revenue and also saw strong international digital download growth. Contracting demand for physical product and difficult economic conditions negatively impacted global physical revenue and international licensing revenue. Major sellers in the quarter included Michael Bublé, Enya and Muse as well as soundtrack albums from several motion pictures.

Recorded Music digital revenue of $172 million grew 10.3% over the prior-year quarter, or 7.5% on a constant-currency basis, and represented 22.0% of total Recorded Music revenue, compared with 20.6% in the prior-year quarter. Domestic Recorded Music digital revenue amounted to $99 million, or 34.7% of total domestic Recorded Music revenue, compared with 31.4% in the prior-year quarter. Year-over-year digital revenue growth was driven by continued strength in international download revenue.

Recorded Music operating income grew 15.3% to $68 million, resulting in an operating margin of 8.7%, up 0.9 percentage points from 7.8% in the prior-year quarter. Recorded Music OIBDA rose 5.6% to $113 million for the quarter. Recorded Music OIBDA margin expanded 0.3 percentage points from the prior-year quarter to 14.4% as a result of ongoing cost-management efforts as well as changes in product mix.

Music Publishing

Music Publishing revenue increased 4.4% from the prior-year quarter to $141 million, and was flat on a constant-currency basis. International Music Publishing revenue grew 9.2%, or 2.2% on a constant-currency basis, while domestic Music Publishing revenue fell 4.2% from the prior-year quarter to $46 million.

Due to the timing of cash collections, digital revenue from Music Publishing was unchanged from the prior-year quarter at $15 million on both an as reported and constant-currency basis, representing 10.6% of total Music Publishing revenue. Synchronization revenue grew 13.6%, performance revenue increased 2.0% and mechanical revenue advanced 2.2%. On a constant-currency basis, an 8.7% increase in synchronization revenue was offset by declines in mechanical revenue of 4.1% and performance revenue of 2.0%. Growth in synchronization revenue reflected a pickup in film and television production licensing activity.

Music Publishing operating income of $4 million fell $2 million from the prior-year quarter, resulting in an operating margin of 2.8%, down 1.6 percentage points from the prior-year quarter. Music Publishing OIBDA held steady at $22 million and Music Publishing OIBDA margin contracted slightly to 15.6% from 16.3% in the prior-year quarter.

Financial details for the quarter and fiscal year can be found in the company's current Form 10-Q, filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This morning, management will be hosting a conference call to discuss the results at 8:30 A.M. EST. The call will be webcast on www.wmg.com.

About Warner Music Group

Warner Music Group became the only stand-alone music company to be publicly traded in the United States in May 2005. With its broad roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic, Cordless, East West, Elektra, Nonesuch, Reprise, Rhino, Roadrunner, Rykodisc, Sire, Warner Bros. and Word. Warner Music International, a leading company in national and international repertoire, operates through numerous international affiliates and licensees in more than 50 countries. Warner Music Group also includes Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's leading music publishers, with a catalog of more than one million copyrights worldwide.

 

comScore Releases “The 2009 U.S. Digital Year in Review”...

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Broadcast radio lagging..New Radio surging.

The comScore 2009 U.S. Digital Year in Review
was released this morning... The complimentary report recaps key trends in U.S. digital media landscape, including e-commerce, search, online video, online advertising and mobile, with an emphasis on how digital marketers can capitalize on these trends in 2010.

The Comscore study shows the use of Digital Media in 2009 and there are some very interesting trends for radio and New Radio people. Of particular interest is the growth of smart phones and 3G...as well as the explosion of on line video usage. Comscore found that 6 out of 7 U.S. Internet users now view online video content at least once a month...Youtube and Hulu lead the way, but there are many other sites with video...broadcast radio station websites continue to lag behind in the use of video, but New Radio stations are centered around its usage. 

Also, Comscore found that of the cell phone users in the U.S., 17% of them now have "smart phones"...up from 11% in 2008...3G phone ownership increased to a whopping 43% from 32%. Those are the phones that people listen to radio and view videos on, and now, particularly Verizon Wireless has the "all the time, anywhere" coverage that media creators have been waiting for.  With the creation of the Android phones and others, that number is expected to grow exponentially in 2010.  Costs of 3G have dropped from about $80 a month 5 years ago to around $30 a month in 2010.

Radio station websites continue to lag behind the social networking trend as well. The Comscore study shows that "nearly 4 out of 5 Internet users visit a social networking site on a monthly basis with Facebook and Twitter propelling much of the growth in the category."  While many radio station personnel use Facebook and Twitter, very few broadcast radio websites are built around social networking.  New Radio stations, on the other hand are built completely on a social networking platform that interfaces with not only Facebook and Twitter but all the other social networks as well. The Comscore study also showed:
  • The U.S. core search market grew 16 percent in 2009, driven by a 6-percent gain in unique searchers and a 10-percent gain in search queries per searcher. Google and Bing led among the core search engines in terms of increases in market share.
  • Display ad impressions grew 21 percent in 2009 as the online advertising sector increased its share of media spending. Growth was driven by an 8-percent increase in ad reach and a 12-percent increase in average frequency.
  • Total (retail and travel) U.S. e-commerce spending reached $209.6 billion in 2009, down 2 percent versus the previous year and the first year on record with negative growth rates. Nonetheless, e-commerce retail spending continued to increase its share of consumer spending in a challenging economic environment.
The Comscore study also pointed out.....

Despite Tough Economic Environment Digital Consumer Behavior Surged in 2009

2009 proved to be a critical year in digital marketing as the economic environment brought unprecedented challenges to the industry. After years of strong growth across the digital economy, the recession introduced softness to many digital business sectors. But despite these economic headwinds, consumers’ use of digital media climbed to new heights in 2009 as the Internet continued to evolve as an integral component of Americans’ personal and professional lives.

The report provides a comprehensive view across the fixed and mobile digital sectors to uncover this past year’s important consumer trends. Key findings highlighted in the report include:


To download a copy of The comScore 2009 U.S. Digital Year in Review report, go to v www.comscore.com/digital09


 

Salem Communications Announces Two New General Managers

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Salem Communications (NASDAQ: SALM) today announced the appointment of two new general managers. Jeff Reisman has been named General Manager for its Chicago cluster, AM 1160 WYLL and AM 560 WIND. For the past 5 years Jeff has served as General Sales Manager of WIND and in November of 2008 was promoted to Director of Sales for the Chicago cluster.

Prior to Salem, Mr. Reisman was an Account Executive at WBBM in Chicago and in 2002 became local sales manager at WNND. Jeff succeeds David Santrella, who was recently promoted to President of the radio division of Salem.

Regarding Mr. Reisman's promotion, Salem Senior Vice President, Allen Power, said, "Jeff has shown incredible leadership skills, mastering both the human dynamics and business acumen that provides for a successful environment."

Jeff, his wife Donna, and their three children reside in Chicago's north shore area.

Additionally, Salem also announced the appointment of Andrew Adams as General Manager for its Seattle group of radio stations (KGNW, KKMO, KKOL, KLFE, KNTS). Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the radio industry in Texas and California, most recently as Senior Vice President with Mapleton Communications, supervising the Central Valley region. While with Mapleton Mr. Adams cluster of stations were named "Radio Cluster of the Year, 2006."

Salem is excited to bring Mr. Adams' talents to Seattle where he will provide leadership, training, direction and motivation at a crucial time in our industry.

When asked about this opportunity, Andrew Adams stated, "Salem Communications is an outstanding radio broadcasting company. I am delighted to be a part of the Salem family and am looking forward to taking the Salem group of radio stations in Seattle to their next level of success."

Michael Reichert, Vice President, Western Region, quoted, "Andrew has the perfect mix of skills and radio experience that we need in Seattle. He will provide us professional leadership and exceptional sales superiority to our Seattle group of radio stations."

Salem Communications (NASDAQ: SALM) is a leading U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher targeting audiences interested in Christian and family-themed content and conservative values. In addition to its radio properties, Salem owns Salem Radio Network®, which syndicates talk, news and music programming to approximately 2,000 affiliates; Salem Media Representatives™, a national radio advertising sales force; Salem Web Network™, an Internet provider of Christian content and online streaming; and Salem Publishing™, a publisher of Christian-themed magazines. Upon the close of all announced transactions, the company will own 94 radio stations, including 58 stations in 22 of the top 25 markets. Additional information about Salem may be accessed at the company's website, www.salem.cc.

 

Bridge Ratings Shows Growth of Internet Radio

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In the results of a study conducted during December 2009 and January 2010, Bridge Ratings takes a closer look at the difference between streaming listeners of AM/FM simulcast and those of Internet-only channels.

There is a distinct behavioral difference between these two groups of streaming listeners.

Among the findings of this new Bridge Ratings report:

·         60 million Americans listen to some form of Internet radio in a typical week.

·         84% of them regularly listen for at least five minutes to an AM/FM simulcast stream.

·         64% of the 60 million regularly listen for at least five minutes to an Internet-only (i.e. Pandora, Accuradio) channel.

·         Bridge Ratings sees slow attrition in the total number of AM/FM simulcast streamies over the next four years and increasing numbers who listen to an Internet-only radio station.

"Much of the growth projection rests with natural demographic and psychographic shifts coming over the next four years," clarifies Bridge Ratings President Dave Van Dyke. "With music discovery being a prime driver for many internet-only streamies, behavior by the demographic most intrigued by this characteristic will see increasing listenership for this type of programming while older streamies will listen less due to lifestyle and music preference changes in their lives."

There's more to discover in this new study, including differences in streaming mobile use and "music discovery value".

Read more about this fascinating analysis of the two primary cohorts of Streamies by clicking here.

As always, we appreciate your interest.

Any questions or further insight, please contact Dave Van Dyke at 888.790.1102.

Sincerely,

The Information Desk

Bridge Ratings & Media Analysis LLC

info@bridgeratings.com

 

ARBITRON AND ETON DONATE 1,000 SOLAR RADIOS TO HAITI

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Columbia, MD; January 28, 2010 - Arbitron Inc., in response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti, has partnered with radio manufacturer Eton Corporation to send solar powered, crank powered, multi-function radios to Haitian earthquake victims. “Radio is the lifeline keeping Haitians informed and connected during this tragedy. We felt it was important to ensure that they had access to this necessary resource,” noted William T. Kerr, Arbitron President and CEO.

“We are happy to join efforts with Arbitron Inc. to provide some relief to the Haitians during this time,” stated Esmail Hozour, CEO of Eton Corporation. “We hope the tools will bring them the necessary information to help them through this tough time.” The shipment of 1000 solar powered, crank powered radios have been shipped to aid in earthquake relief.

Kerr further states, “We know that radio is critical for the dissemination of information in times of crisis. Sources have indicated that Haitians are depending on radio for information on where to obtain medical help, food, supplies, and locating missing loved ones."

 

"NEW RADIO" IS BORN..."a new kind of radio"

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"NEW RADIO" IS BORN...

The first complete, affordable solution for today's
independent radio professionals is unveiled

January 21, 2009-(Carmel, CA) New Radio Star, the premiere online destination for radio professionals, in conjunction with MDSONE and Blogtronix, announces the creation of “New Radio”, a revolutionary network and online studio for radio professionals to get their voice and talent to millions of listeners online.

New Radio is a professional, interactive audio/video radio network built to help Radio professionals reach today’s online and mobile audiences in a quick and easy way. It sits on top of one of the world’s most powerful content delivery network, generating incredibly high quality audio and video. New Radio comes packaged with the On Line Studio which allows its users to easily publish live or on-demand audio and video broadcasts. In one simple process a user is able to syndicate their media to a wide variety of devices and platforms. Custom media player on websites, blogs, and social networks, iTunes compatible RSS feeds, mobile delivery, and playback on some of the newer set top boxes such as Roku are all available with a click of a button. 
  • Upload audio and video files or create the multi-media content directly on line
  • Create a playlist or go live instantly with audio or video.
  • Create a podcast and post it to leading podcast sites
  • Create files that can be streamed to smart cell phones or other devices
  • Create multiple channels to create niche radio for a target audience 
  • No loading. Instant starts, with stereo audio and full screen video
  • Begin generating income immediately with the secure New Radio Studio
     e-commerce and ad servers


New Radio Star, President, Bob Hamilton explained, "Finally. the technology is here to allow a simple, yet powerful, high quality, low cost platform for the many talented radio professionals to set up their own 21st century style radio stations. Networking these stations together will be a very powerful force in serving today's connected audience."


Joshua Stokes, CEO of MDSONE creator of Sermon.net who designed the New Radio Studio noted, "When developing the Studio we knew we had to keep it extremely simple for anyone to use. Our target publisher for the Sermon Network is the smaller church who might not have an audio/video team. Our goal was to pack it full of features and let the user publish a live broadcast in a matter of seconds and at the same time maintain an ever growing searchable archive. We worked hard to provide a smart system to handle all aspects of media delivery. We have accomplished this goal and are continuing to expand on the capabilities of the Studio to serve the publisher. We currently maintain over 16,500 ministries and organizations on the Sermon Network. MDSONE is excited to partner with New Radio. The radio industry in general will be blown away with the freedom provided by New Radio."


  Along with the New Radio Studio, New Radio owners have the option of placing their New Radio player on their own customized social network site with Blogtronix. With its powerful features and yet, simple set up and operation, Blogtronix is the perfect addendum to the New Radio studio. The Blogtronix platform allows the audience to participate in the creation of user’s created station, adding blogs, videos, audio and pictures.  With Blogtronix' social media tools such as RSS feeds, tag clouds and more, the New Radio station is "live"  24/7. Blogtronix, Business development head Richard Walton commented "None of the radio station websites that exist today have really understood how to effectively use the interactive tools available with Web 2.0 technology, or their power and simplicity.  Most radio station  sites (including the majors) are stuck in-between the two worlds with a traditional push content website and a Facebook page.  The radio stations that can’t make the move to a truly interactive world will continue in their downward spiral as we have seen with the recent broadcast media bankruptcies. We are really looking forward to the New Radio launch and watching the creative people of New Radio at work."

 

And, to complete the picture, New Radio Star brings its 50 years of experience in radio and social media to the table and will be a partner in setting up all New Radio Studios and Blogtronix social networking sites. New Radio Star also provides a vast array of daily content for radio hosts to choose from, which can be currently heard on today’s major market broadcast stations. Additionally, New Radio Star assists stations with today's social networking promotion and marketing as well as new business development. Other content services such as the Jack Attack music library are also available through New Radio Star.

While anyone can take advantage of the New Radio studio, as well as the Blogtronix social networking platform, New Radio Network members are restricted to experienced media professionals.  "We want to build the quintessential place for the audience to know they'll always get the highest quality, professionally delivered, information and entertainment whenever they visit," added Hamilton


 

To get more information visit the New Radio home site at
http://newradio.com or email bob@newradio.com 
or  call 831-626-1571