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As the EVP of the Business to Consumer Division of the Dave Ramsey Show, Suzanne Simms is responsible for the oversight of Ramsey Media, Live Events, Consumer Products, Ramsey Personalities, and EveryDollar Budgeting Tool. In other words, Simms is a very important person with the company.

(by Renee Cassis) That was the topic of a lively discussion, Thursday, at the 34th Annual TV & Radio Financial Summit in New York City. There seems to be an expectation that this FCC, under the Chairmanship of Ajit Pai, is headed down the road that leads to less-strict ownership rules and more consolidation. Is that the answer to radio's revenue woes?

In his latest Media Unplugged, Mark Ramsey asserts that it will take more than big screens, reserve seats, and gourmet food to save theaters. And he says there's stark evidence that the New York Times can’t save the newspaper industry.

(By Ronald Robinson) While what will be presented here is an old technique, I believe a reintroduction is in order, especially since the recommendation to take radio talent and “treat them like dogs” has already been put forward as an incredibly insulting, but apparently sincere, piece of training and motivational business.

The new supporters of the act are Representatives Carlos Curbelo (FL-26), Andy Harris (MD-1), Mac Thornberry (TX-13), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5), chair of the House Republican Conference. The Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA) now has 191 cosponsors in the House and 22 in the Senate.

At the annual awards banquet of the Missouri Broadcasters Association, June 9-10, the Park Hills station received three first-place finishes and a certificate of merit. One of the awards was for Best Local Website for kfmosports.com.

We all know the troubles the Windy City has been going through in recent times, with shootings seemingly a daily occurrence. Well 107.5 WGCI isn’t taking it sitting down in the studio. Instead, the good folks at WGCI are organizing Peace in the Streets Summer Block Parties at various times and locations (see the listings in story).

According to the Internet Advertising Bureau, the first quarter of 2017 was the highest Q1 ever for digital advertising in the U.S., reaching $19.6 billion. That's an increase of 23%, or $3.7 billion, over Q1 2016. It's also the second-highest quarter of all time, following the 4th quarter of 2016, which was $21.6 billion.

We'll see if this prediction from Magna actually materializes at the end of the year, however, Magna is predicting that due to decreased demand from a variety of ad categories, radio ad revenue will decline 4.4% this year. So what were those categories?

More from the Magna report which says U.S advertising revenue will grow 1.6% ($3 billion) to $185 billion this year. Ad sales growth of 1.6% would be the lowest increase since the recession of 2008-2009, and it's a significant slowdown from 2016’s record growth of 7.7%.