Radio

Nielsen Business Media folded R&R into Billboard

Radio & Records (R&R) was the industry publication (www.radioandrecords.com)

Billboard was the record industry publication, now “media” (www.billboard.com) also billboard.biz

Radio Income from advertisers Programming (music) to attract listeners for

commercials. Price per commercial determined by ratings Advertisers buy “impressions” ie., how many

eardrums are they reaching

R&R Past Charts AC, Active Rock, Alternative Rock,

Americana,CHR/Top 40, Christian AC, Christian CHR, Christian Rock, Country, Gospel, Hot AC,INSPO, Latin Pop, Latin Rhythm,Regional Mexican, Rhythmic, Rock, Smooth Jazz, Triple A, Tropical, Urban, Urban AC, Canadian AC, Canadian CHR, Canadian Country, Canadian HAC, Canadian Rock

Arbitron Formats

Arbitron

Radio History

1920 - 1st Station KDKA Pittsburgh 1923 - 1st network AT&T 1930s - 600 stations (1931) free

entertainment during depression 1941- FCC licenses FM stations 1945 - 950 AM stations 1950 - TV begins to kill radio

Radio History cont.

1950 - networks decline, local stations take over, DJs begin to dominate

1960 - Payola scandal, Late 1960s - FM begins to develop into

album rock 1970s - FM become MOR 1980s - FM takes over, MTV begins

Radio History cont.

1990s - Tighter niches for formats, ownership in fewer hands, digital age

2000 - satellite stations change to mix

AM & FM

Amplitude Modulation - bounce of ionisphere, travels great distances, effected by weather dominates until 1980s

FM - Frequency Modulation, doesn’t bounce, short range, better sound quality

FM

Late 1970 FCC (Federal Communications Commission) ruling limits dual programming forces FM to develop separate programming

San Francisco & Tom Donahue develop free-form rock radio

Ratings (Arbitron) Listeners keep diaries, ratings quarterly Portable People Meter (PPM): like a pager, it

detects signals embedded in a radio signal Demographics - ages, gender, education,

economic status, race, day part Advertising revenue tied to ratings (share)

Ratings cont. Research Statistics - less than .01%

sampled, 3-5% accuracy Rating = # of households contacted were

listening Share = % of those that were listening. 15

share = 15% of those listening to radio were listening to your station.

Charts

Billboard:

• Broadcast Data Systems electronically monitors radio stations (1992)

• SoundScan tracks CD sales

R&R (Radio & Records) charts & playlists from reporting stations (closed 2009)

Others: Gavin (gone), FMQB, Hits

BDS

Neilsen Broadcast Data Systems

• uses “digital pattern recognition” software

• 100 million “detections” per year

monitors 1,400 stations in 130 markets, 12 US & 8 Canadian music video channels

Formats The type of music a stations plays is

“format” CHR, Contemporary Hits Radio, formerly

called Top 40 (now 25-30). Format created by Todd Stortz, Omaha

AC, Adult Contemporary Country (Hillbilly Hit Parade to C&W in

1949)

Formats cont.

Urban, formerly R&B (1949) Alternative, 1990s alternative to CHR, first

called “New Rock” AOR, Album Oriented Rock, late 1960s a

response to Top 40, at first Free-Form Classic Rock, Active Rock

Formats cont. Oldies - many versions 1950s-70s NAC, New Adult (Age) Contemporary,

smooth jazz, 1990s muzak Spanish, Regional Mexican, Tropical,

Spanish Contemporary Christian Classical Public Radio

Radio Ownership

Radio Station Groups - owners of multiple stations, R&R lists 1081.

Clear Channel Communications, 900 radio stations in 100 markets, 37 TV, venues in 66 countries (sold TV 2007), 776,000 outdoor advertising displays. Known for playing hardball dumping Arbitron in 130 markets

Spun off Live Nation 2005

Ownership cont.

Others, Citadel (filed for bankrupcy 12/09), Infinity, Capstar & Chancellor (merged into Clear Channel).

Telecommunications Act of 1996, removed restrictions on number of stations.

1996 there were 5133 station owners, today 4 control CHR & Country

Administration

General Manager (GM) Sales - sell ads, “Rate Card” is the fee

structure Program Director (PD), on-air talent,

schedules shows, playlist Music Director (MD), new releases, read

trades, meet promoters, research, playlist

Administration cont.

Promotions Director, events to increase ratings

Production, putting together commercials & shows

Traffic & Billing, keeping track of scheduling commercials, documenting what get aired, bills advertisers

Engineers, maintains the electronic gear

Admin. Cont.

Talent (DJs), music, news, sports, traffic Program Consultants, hired by station to

advise on play list, day parts, format focus

Promoters After the 1960s Payola Scandal led to

independent promoters Record labels pay promoters present new

records to MD 2003 Clear Channel cut ties with promoters Various schemes to sell radio time to labels

A thing of the past?

Reverse Programming

A listener will change a station when they hear a song the hate. AND A listener will leave a station on as long as they don’t hear a record they dislike.

Records rated 1-5. Reverse programming wants 3s

Syndication

Programs packaged and sold to stations. (American Top 40, Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern)

Satellite Delivered Formats

Entire content except for station ID and local commercials.

Local station pays minimum wage to keep buttons pushed

Radio Information

Allaccess.com