NAB Show 2024 is underway in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, and radio made an early showing with crowds hungry for information on AM/FM’s future. From how radio is gauged to those who will be leading the industry decades from now, it was a full weekend in Vegas.
The NAB Show Discussion Den housed numerous radio-centric sessions, including Mike McVay’s presentation on what makes a great promotion. With the core values of “expectation, realization, and memory,” McVay remarked on the value proposition of billboards, social media benchmarks, and some of the best (and worst) promotions he’s come across in his storied career.
Immediately following this, Cumulus Media’s Pierre Bouvard, Nielsen’s Rich Tunkel, and NAB VP of Research Dan McDonald held another standing-room-only session on radio’s measurement metrics. Tunkel highlighted the resilience of radio as a reach medium compared to other traditional media, as evidenced by Nielsen’s “Audio Today” reports.
Bouvard focused on utilizing traditional metrics in presentations to clients, explaining different strategies based on station characteristics and audience turnover. He advised against focusing solely on spot numbers and specific dayparts, suggesting instead to frame discussions around campaign goals like grand openings or brand awareness.
The discussion also touched on the limitations to current metrics posed by the recent FCC ruling on FM geo-targeting and DTS AutoStage’s alternative metrics to capture audience engagement and listening habits.
In tandem with NAB Show, this year’s BEA Conference saw the future of radio come together. The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation brought in Sona Movsesian of the top-performing SiriusXM podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend on Saturday, along with Beasley Media Group’s Justin Chase and Compass Media Networks’ Hiram Lazar in a panel moderated by Benztown President Dave “Chachi” Denes.
Attendees discussed the business of radio and podcasting from the ground up, with plenty of questions and eager energy from tomorrow’s broadcasters.
The college students got another treat on Sunday in a panel hosted by Dalton State College’s Dr. Marjorie Yambor. Regular Radio Ink columnists Pat Bryson and Valerie Geller joined Michigan State University’s Gary Reid in a well-attended, interactive discussion on how to get hired into radio post-graduation.
