News

The new Borrell Associates study concludes that, for the first time, in 2017, local advertisers will spend more money in digital than they will in print and broadcast. The report says it's hardly a shocker, "given that digital media advertising has enjoyed two decades of relentless double-digit growth rates while traditional media has struggled."

Borrell says the average radio station made $216,816 in digital revenue in 2016. An average four-station cluster made $1,061,690. Small-market stations grew nicely over 2015, up 54%, compared to only 8% growth in larger markets. Some large-market groups reported flat or lower digital revenue last year and here's why Borrell believes that happened...

The new Borrell study gives four reasons why radio, TV, and print can not keep up with the Facebooks, Googles, and Yahoos of the world. For example, in 2016 Gannett's digital dropped 7% and Yellow Pages digital was down 20%, while Facebook grew 62%. Here are the 4 reasons traditional media is being beaten to a bloody pulp at digital, according to Borrell...

The on-again-off-again love affair appears to be on again, according to a report in The New York Post, which is reporting that a possible deal could have the pure-play streamer selling to the Liberty Media-backed SiriusXM for $12-$13 dollars per share. The Post reports that price was shot down quickly.

According to The Tyler Morning Telegraph former Arkansas Governor and one-time syndicated talk show host Mike Huckabee is part of a group buying four radio stations in Tyler, Texas. The company is called East Texas Results Media, owned by Mike Huckabee, Paul Coates and Libby Coates. Huckabee is a 49 percent owner in the company.

The FCC has denied the Petition for Reconsideration from Panama City, California, pirate Nelson Quintanilla. The FCC did not buy his argument that he has limited assets to pay the $25,000 fine. The Commission stated the Quintanilla "would have known his income when the Bureau issued the underlying Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture." Read the order HERE.

Is this still the FCC doing whack-a-mole on pirate radio stations? Rubena Hemmings has been given 10 days to respond to an FCC letter that he is operating an illegal radio station at 102.5 in the Bronx. The Commission has put Hemmings on notice that he is "operating without valid authorization." As if he didn't know that. Here's the FCC's letter to Hemmings.

When disasters hit, you can count on radio to show up and help out. The recent, historic flooding of St. Louis is still having an effect with thousands of area residents still in need of assistance. New Country 92.3 and the St. Louis Cardinals will present the Flood Relief Benefit Concert on Memorial Day at Busch Stadium.

The station is FM 949 (KBZT) in San Diego and it will join fellow Entercom stations 94.7 FM (KNRK) Portland, and 99.9 FM (KISW) and 107.7 The End FM (KNDD) Seattle, in the ongoing partnership with Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy Foundation. Since forming the partnership in 2015, the Portland and Seattle stations have raised over $200,000 for the cause.

Mark Gray started as an AE at Katz Media, mentored by the late Stu Olds for 15 years. He would advance, taking on many management roles, including president of the Katz Radio division, before being promoted to president of Katz Radio Group in 2006. In 2016, with the departure of Mark Rosenthal, Gray was promoted to CEO of Katz Media Group. Gray is on the May 8 cover of Radio Ink magazine discussing radio's national revenue picture, among many other topics. Here's an excerpt from that interview.