By David Alpern
The Wall Street Journal published a front page profile of the new radio service Apple is expected to announce at its developers’ conference next week: http://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-to-announce-new-music-services-1433183201
The concept of DJ cultivated radio on the new Apple music service could be a real difference maker. The beauty of radio is well establi
shed with personality and localization, two tenants that have not been as possible with the jukebox oriented nature of most of the current online streaming services. With the right amount of artistic cultivation (and Apple’s decision that we referenced earlier on this blog to recruit several high profile BBC Radio 1 talent is a good source of that) Tim Cook and Apple may have a very strong radio product about to be shared with the world.
Moreover, with Spotify having demonstrated the ability to recruit a critical mass of paying subscribers (25% of its total US audience), Apple’s new radio streaming service should be able to leverage the buzz that comes with anything Apple does. That buzz may help propel the new Apple Radio into a prominent position in the online streaming marketplace, which is rapidly becoming the new radio home for a hungry music, culture, and personality craving audience.]]>
Year: 2015
Today’s Female Consumer – Romancing The Store
Welcome to the era of the empowered shopper. Nowadays consumers have deals in the palm of their hands from Groupon to CouponSherpa. On the other hand consumers still want to be romanced. Sara from Chicago said that “shopping is electric – it just charges me up.” Sadly the increasing availability of online shopping can turn the most enjoying experience into mundane / passionless task. Women shop based on emotion; they go to the same stores because of the connection they have with the product and the great customer service. The digital world is separating that connection.
For more profile information on the smart, savvy, multi-channel female shopper visit http://waggeneredstrom.com/what-we-do/retail-report to download the study, or better yet, contact MPW to better learn how to target the empowered consumer using both digital, broadcast, and print media.
Women in the Business of Creative
Niya Doncheva, MPW Marketing Coordinator – The latest issue of Ad Week contains a great article on page 15 discussing
“minding thegender gap” in creative agencies. Mark Obrien, the North American president of DDB, declares that “we expect that if we remove the barriers, the rise will happen naturally” when asked about the gender gap in creatives. On the other hand, Tony Hess, the CCO of Wunderman, commented that “the emotional pull to have children & families really can’t be overlooked. We work in wonderful amazing business that is a lot of fun but is incredibly demanding.” This year alone, five women have been promoted to creative chief positions and award show juries have finally become equal in selecting their jurors. Debra Sercy of Grace Blue favors the changes in saying that “Women increasingly are in consideration because they’ve risen through the ranks, they have proven their ability, they’re agile, they’re fearless, they’re strategic, and they’re smart.” Read more about “Minding The gender Gap” by Andrew McMains in the April 20 issue of Ad Week (adweek.com).]]>
Podcast Chatter – RAIN Summit at NAB Las Vegas
- Norm Pattiz of Podcast One labeled the current era ‘the golden age of podcasting’ and likens the industry to the early days of traditional radio when programmers were still trying to figure out what kind of content would draw listeners
- Pattiz likened podcasting to using a DVR to record TV shows. Once you start using it, you won’t go back to ‘traditional’ media consumption. He also said he’s seeing more big brands (such as Geico, Burger King) entering the podcast advertising market
- Pattiz mentioned several revenue streams for podcasting including advertising, subscriptions, product placement, merchandising and personality endorsements
- Tom Leykis on the podcast panel said his podcast was less like traditional talk radio and more of a social network, where he could invite fans to events. Leykis said making money in podcasting was all about engaging the ‘true fans,’ the P-1s were his bread and butter
- Leykis gave props to NPR for being ahead of commercial radio in rolling out a rich library of podcasts, offering narrowed down well produced content
- Panelists suggested chopping long form talk radio shows into smaller slices, offering digital listeners interviews and shorter segments, rather than posting the entire show in a single podcast. (Although Leykis doubted that many commercial stations would pay someone $40k a year to make this happen)
- In his ‘state of the industry’ address at the end of the day, RAIN Summit West founder Kurt Hanson said, except for Pandora, the online radio listening audience will remain flat for the next several years. Hanson likened today’s Internet broadcasting to the ‘great divide’ of days past. Hanson said that’s when the FCC made broadcasters do more on their FM signals than simulcast their AM stations. Hanson says FM radio took off only when listeners could hear something that they weren’t already getting on AM
- DRONES are big this year – both on the show floor – and in NAB sessions, with panels talking about the future of using drones for newsgathering, and the legal aspects of using them now and in the future
Women’s Media Consumption Habits
Meredith commissioned a study of women ages 18-67 to find out about preferred channels, digital preferences and what constitutes share-able content:
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Women's Media Consumption Habits
Meredith commissioned a study of women ages 18-67 to find out about preferred channels, digital preferences and what constitutes share-able content:
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Top Talk Radio Audiences – March 2015
Read more here – http://www.talkers.com/top-talk-radio-audiences
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USA’s Top 10 Billing Radio Stations in 2014
- Angel Radio in the UK told listeners they had to cut down on the number of hours they listened due to too many listeners!
- An Irish station ran a news story regarding the International Naturist Association holding a meeting in a local hotel – and even had the hotel manager came on air to “confirm”
- The Los Angeles City Council voted to move the City of Santa Monica “closer”. In approving the measure to relocate the beachfront town, they cited the desire to move it “at least, like, 20 minutes closer”
- Amazon reverted back to its long ago – text heavy design
USA's Top 10 Billing Radio Stations in 2014
- Angel Radio in the UK told listeners they had to cut down on the number of hours they listened due to too many listeners!
- An Irish station ran a news story regarding the International Naturist Association holding a meeting in a local hotel – and even had the hotel manager came on air to “confirm”
- The Los Angeles City Council voted to move the City of Santa Monica “closer”. In approving the measure to relocate the beachfront town, they cited the desire to move it “at least, like, 20 minutes closer”
- Amazon reverted back to its long ago – text heavy design
Apple iTunes Streaming – Launching 2015?
Zane Lowe from BBC Radio 1 to cross the Atlantic and move here to Los Angeles. 
Between James Corden coming over for CBS’ new Late Late Show and Zane Lowe coming over from BBC Radio 1 (and previously London’s alt rock XFM) for iTunes Streaming, our region’s reputation as the center of the media world is strengthening even further.
Apple is pressing ahead, now that it has acquired Beats, with a sweeping overhaul of its digital music services and an eye on competing with segment leader, Spotify. Trent Reznor, the Nine Inch Nails front-man, is playing a major role in this project, along with Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, and now presumably, Mr. Lowe.]]>