Independents Can Teach You Lessons About Radio

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After decades of consolidation and regional programming, the industry is seeing the return of the independent station, in large markets as well as small. Smaller can be more flexible and maneuverable, but independents also face great challenges in maintaining a competitive edge and commanding their due share of revenue. Was “economy of scale” a myth? How does the independent maintain the level of talent and creativity needed to compete head-to-head with stations relying on “synergy”?

At Forecast 2017, the “Independent and Optimistic: Why Smaller Can Be Better — And More Profitable” panel of experts will answer these questions and share practical lessons that apply to both independents and owners with standalone stations in any market. 

kevin_garrity16Moderator: Kevin Garrity, CEO of Gen Media Partners, has been leading media companies to revenue success for most of his career. At Gen Media Partners, Garrity is at the forefront of the company’s continued expansion, and he was president and CEO of McGavren Guild Media and Local Focus during the restructuring that culminated in the formation of the new, multi-media, sales-driven organization. Garrity’s background includes several years in various management positions at Cumulus Media, where he rose to vice president, director of national sales, from regional national sales manager, Northeast and GSM of the Cumulus three-station cluster in Westchester County, New York. At ABC, Garrity ascended to president of ABC Radio Sales, where he established relationships with marquee broadcasters including ESPN and Radio Disney and developed marketing programs for some of the nation’s biggest advertisers. He first joined ABC Radio Sales as New York sales manager and GSM. Before that, he was VP/Sales for Group W Sales, an Interep company. He began his broadcasting career as an AE at WABC/New York.

Our Powerful Panelists Are:

john_caracciolo16John Caracciolo is president and CEO of JVC Broadcasting. He started in radio at age 21, when he became chief engineer at WLIR 92.7. In 1996 he took over the position of general manager of Jarad Broadcasting Co., WLIR and WDRE (92.7’s Suffolk County simulcast on 98.5). Under his guidance, there was a quick and complete turnaround as a result of a new format, record advertising sales, unrivaled community spirit, and prominent fundraising for Long Island charities. In 1998, Caracciolo founded WXXP, which soon broke all sales records for a 1-year-old FM station. In 2008 Caracciolo and Vic Canales formed JVC Broadcasting and acquired Long Island radio stations WPTY-FM and WBON-FM. In 2010 JVC purchased heritage Rock station WRCN and Suffolk County radio frequency 96.1 and quickly turned the latter into Long Island’s only Country station, and in 2013 Caracciolo expanded the company with the purchase of five FM radio stations in Florida. In September 2014 the group expanded again with the purchase of five signals in the West Palm Beach market, and in December 2014 the group acquired its largest facility, WOTW-FM in Orlando.

ed_levine16Ed Levine, CEO of Galaxy Communications, attended the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, where his love for radio began. After serving as PD for the college radio station, Levine, along with two classmates ,started Syracuse’s first live FM radio station in 1978. In the 1980s, Levine had management responsibilities in major markets including Houston, Texas and Washington, DC. Levine’s ownership career began in 1990 with the signing on of WKLL in Utica-Rome and the creation of the Radio Corporation. He later added new partners and the company transitioned into Galaxy Communications. Galaxy currently owns 14 stations in Syracuse and Utica-Rome.

norberto_sanchez16Norberto Sanchez is chairman and CEO of the Norsan Group, which runs Norsan Multimedia, a Spanish-language communications company that includes 12 radio stations in the Southeast, four of them covering the Charlotte market; the company also owns Spanish-language newspapers. Sanchez started his company in Atlanta and has gradually been moving more and more operations to Charlotte. Apart from the communications industry, the Norsan Group has a large role in the food industry, including a restaurant and catering division and Prime Meats, a USDA meat-processing facility serving the hospitality industry.

In addition to the Forecast financial conference, all registered attendees are admitted to the annual “Top 40” cocktail reception, a prestigious event in itself, honoring Radio Ink’s 40 Most Powerful People in Radio. 

Register today!

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