Headlines

Even though there seems to be a glimmer of hope that one of radio's biggest companies may be turning the corner, CEO Mary Berner said on the Cumulus earnings call yesterday that they have not crossed the finish line yet.

Westwood One Spot Sales, the national spot platform for Cumulus Media, will now participate in Expressway, Katz's programmatic ad-buying exchange. Eleven Cumulus markets are now live, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Detroit, and Washington, DC. All Cumulus markets are expected to be online by July.

SoundExchange has acquired the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency, a music licensing collective representing the majority of songs recorded, sold, and broadcast in Canada on behalf of music publishers. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed. CMRRA, founded in 1975, will continue to operate out of its Toronto headquarters.

Monday afternoon, Cumulus reported first quarter 2017 revenue of $264 million. In 2016, the company took in $268.5 million in the first quarter. That's a decline of 1.7%. Political revenue in Q1 of 2016 was $2.9 million, compared to only $500,000 this year. Q2 is pacing flat in light of what the company calls a "very soft market."

In his latest blog on the Westwood One website, Chief Insights Officer Pierre Bouvard says, "Since two-thirds of Pandora’s listening occurs at home, Pandora suffers from “empty room syndrome.” The ads are on, but no one is there to hear them.

That’s the cutoff for radio stations around the country to re-aim their satellites from AMC-8 to the new AMC-18 at 105 degrees West Longitude. Failure to do so will result in the loss of all radio network programming from all major companies.

Voting for the 2017 National Radio Hall of Fame inductees begins today. 24 nominations in six categories were determined by the organization’s nominating committee. Four categories will be voted on by a voting participant panel made up of 1,000 industry professionals. The other two categories will be voted on by the public.

Following up on the FCC letter ordering the cessation of the operation of Arohi Media translator in Durham, Lakes Media has submitted Comments to the Commission that strongly rebut the Rule Making Petition submitted by Aztec Capital Partners.

The latest issue of Radio Ink Magazine is out. Katz Media Group CEO Mark Gray is our cover story and our Special Report is The Best Program Directors in America. Of course the issue is over-flowing with content to help you sell more, manager better and program stronger at your radio station. To subscribe - CLICK HERE.

(By Barry Cohen) Your prospect is afraid to go on the air because his or her competition has deeper pockets and can outspend them. You, as the consummate expert, will show them how to out-advertise their filthy rich competitors. Listen up.