Weekly News Recap April 16-20, 2018 Large Scale Testing Of Wearable PPMs

Begins This Year. sign-in process is how the TV meter knows who’s watching. But that will Nielsen plans to begin large-scale in the data. The analysis would also change when the new PPM devices testing of new smaller, wearable look at compliance levels and include are introduced. This will allow the PPM devices this year with an eye an impact analysis. TV meter to know which participants toward starting to integrate them are in the room, and when they exit into its radio ratings samples in “You want to do it right,” Kelly says. the room, making registration 100% 2020. While clients would like to see “You want to make sure that this new passive. One goal is to improve Nielsen accelerate the timetable, step in the evolution of the meter is compliance levels for TV panels. Nielsen Audio managing director doing what you need it to do and Brad Kelly tells Inside Radio the the compliance is there.” Assuming But there could also be a benefit for transition from the existing PPM 360 everything checks out, Nielsen plans radio. “Here’s a chance to leverage to more current and stylish wearable to begin putting wearables into the these wearables to integrate the meters will require rigorous testing field as part of its live sample in 2020. separate radio [PPM] panel and TV and analysis. “This is not an en-masse swap-out, [LPM and set top meters] panels, it’s an integration over time,” Kelly which would have huge implications notes. for sample size,” Kelly says.

At last week’s NAB Show, radio He declined to provide an estimate of research execs firmly pressed the how large the sample increase would company to step on the gas in be. “It’s not just applying to the TV updating both its PPM and diary piece of what Nielsen does. It a PPM methodologies. But Kelly says a so it’s simultaneously picking up radio major change in the meters has the listenership. So as I walk out the door, potential to be disruptive if not done get in the car, turn on my car radio and carefully. “You can’t just throw it into I listen, now I’m leveraging the fact the field,” he says. “The marketplace that I’ve got these additional panelists expects us to do this smartly and out there and have significantly methodically and we’re committed to supplemented the PPM sample size.” it.” Read the complete Q&A with In an exclusive Q&A published Importantly, the PPM is no longer a Nielsen’s Brad Kelly and John today, Kelly outlines a timeline for radio-only data collection instrument. Snyder HERE the new PPMs, which miniaturize the Nielsen plans to put the new wearables meter’s underlying technology into into service in its TV households, devices that resemble a smartwatch effectively integrating what are now or a Fitbit. “Larger scale testing” of separate radio and working prototypes of the wearables TV panels. The WHAT HAS is set to take place this year. new devices have “Our goal is to leverage Nielsen’s Bluetooth, enabling local TV and audio panelists by them to connect to PROGRAM connecting our currently separate Nielsen TV meters. measurements,” Kelly says. “PPM Currently, Nielsen TV wearables can be the key to what household members DIRECTORS links them together. We are doing have to “register” the work this year to design these each time they start new devices and do further lab and and stop watching TALKING? friends and family testing.” In 2019, television. The TV Read more on page 3 the measurement giant plans to meter is assigned to compare data collected by the new the television, not to meters with that from legacy PPMs an individual, so this to look for similarities and differences THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT

Page 1 Weekly News Recap April 16-20, 2018

National EAS Test: Radio Outperformed All Media. The final results are in and the radio industry can give itself a collective pat on the back for a job well done last September during the latest national test of the Emergency Alert System. FEMA says radio did better sending the alert than all other media platforms. FEMA and the FCC report 97.3% of radio stations successfully received the test message and 94% suc- cessfully retransmitted the alert. That compares to an average 95.8% of participants that received the alert and a 91.9% that retransmitted the message. Compared to the previous national EAS test conducted in 2016, the government says there was a “slight improvement” in how the various distribution platforms performed.

CRB/CRS Director Bill Mayne To Step Down Next Year. What Connected Car Data Goldmine Means For Radio. After leading the Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Radio With more than 200 sensor-based data sources, the connected Seminar (CRB/CRS) since 2011 as executive director, Bill car is a data goldmine, collecting information on everything from Mayne will leave his post in May 2019. Mayne when a driver steps on the brake to where they go, when they will oversee the organization through the pick up the phone – even what radio station they’re tuned into. 50th Anniversary CRS set for next February New start-ups like ConnectedTravel are fusing this fountain of and help in the search for his successor. “It vehicle data with other sources to measure – and influence – will be the end of an era, really. That’s how consumer behavior, include radio listening. ConnectedTravel much impact Bill has had on country music CEO Bryan Biniak, whose company works with insurance while at CRB,” CRB board president Kurt companies and automakers, is able to determine when the Johnson said. A search committee has been radio is on and off, what station it’s tuned to and other listening established by the CRB board who will oversee the process behaviors. Combining this with other data sources can create to find Mayne’s replacement. Interested parties can apply new attribution opportunities for broadcasters. Biniak envisions confidentially at [email protected]. a world where data collected from in-car sensors is fused with social data, credit card transactions, and a station’s Pai Puts Translator Interference On FCC Agenda. programming and spot logs to show how listeners responded When the FCC meets next month, it will vote to launch a to ad campaigns. But it goes beyond that. What’s known as rulemaking that will examine ways to settle interference com- real time data fusion “allows you to interact with your drivers plaints between full-power stations and FM translators. FCC and passengers, not only in real time but on a predictive basis,” chief Ajit Pai wants to make it easier for translators to change Biniak said. In fact, he sees real-time data fusion as a way for dial positions—and raise the bar for interference complaints to broadcasters to influence listening behavior, such as getting be considered. Specifics of the proposal haven’t been made people to listen to radio longer, both inside and outside the car. public but in a blog post, Pai sketched out what broadcast- ers can expect. “Among other things, my proposal: (1) would Clyburn Exits FCC At A Pivotal Time For Radio. allow translator stations to resolve interference by moving to In the coming months the FCC will launch a new quadrennial any available same-band channel using a minor modification ownership review process. It will arrive not only with raised application; and (2) would require a minimum number of legiti- expectations among broadcasters that additional ownership mate complaints to support any interference claim,” Pai wrote. deregulation is within reach, but also without the most outspoken consolidation critic on the Commission. Mignon Xfinity Wins ‘Radio Marketer of the Year’ Award. Clyburn surprised her fellow commissioners Tuesday and said Comcast’s Xfinity brand will take home this year’s “Radio Mar- she’ll be gone by the time they meet again in May. keter of the Year” Award at the 2018 Radio Mercury Awards. One of two Democrats on the Commission, The Radio Advertising Bureau, which produces the awards, Clyburn’s term officially ended in June 2017. says the honor recog- With a 3-2 Republican majority, her move is nizes the “significant unlikely to have a significant impact on which programs” Comcast has way any upcoming votes swing. But as the 2018 implemented to support quadrennial review begins, some speculate its Xfinity’s products and that it may be easier for Pai to push through his services that “leverage proposals in a four-person Commission where the very best of radio.” A he’ll no longer have to work to bring Clyburn onboard. Clyburn’s 52-week radio advertiser that Nielsen says spent $45.4 mil- positions haven’t always put her on the same page as radio and lion last year on radio in the 48 PPM markets, Comcast Xfinity TV operators. When the FCC last November voted to do away uses DJ relationships and radio’s multi-platform assets to drive with main studio rules to the applause of broadcasters, Clyburn results. Hubbard Radio president and COO Drew Horowitz will worried the change would only help big media companies grow present the award to Comcast on behalf of the radio industry even larger. Yet at the same time Clyburn’s moves to help at the awards ceremony, May 31 at the Cutting Room in New rescue AM left her with plenty of goodwill within the industry. York City.

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Radio Ads With Visuals In The Car Amplify Impact. Weekly News Recap Folks like what they see on that screen. Of the half of April 16-20, 2018 consumers who have an HD Radio that pairs album art with the song playing, 60% report that they always or sometimes on all aspects of digital advertising. The trade group says its read the scrolling text that appears on FM radios with the new Digital Information Series is designed to assist members station’s name, artist, and song title information. And now in understanding digital and how to position radio and its advertisers also have the opportunity to provide messaging own digital platforms as “an important and essential partner and visuals for consumers at the wheel—simply by employing to clients.” Each installment in the series is devoted to one HD Radio image integration software. When Nielsen tested subject and provides information “to engage and provoke the technology, it found that pairing an in-car visual with a creative thinking” for sellers in their meetings with clients and radio ad had a staggering +550% impact on advertiser recall. new prospects. In a national study of 1,204 vehicle owners 18-64, half were exposed to FM radio ads for The Home Depot and an auto Disaster Reporting Should Be Mandatory Some dealer. The other half was exposed to the same audio ads Emergency Officials Say. with an added static visual. When consumers were asked Broadcasters have secured a position as first informers for the name of the car dealer in the ad, the radio ad paired during an emergency. But during an emergency reporting, a with the in-dash visual had higher awareness (26%) than the station’s status to the FCC may not always be top of mind. audio-only ad (4%). Similarly, Scotts Turf Builder experienced Some federal officials think the Disaster Information Reporting a 63% boost in awareness when featured in an ad for The System or “DIRS” should no longer be voluntary, arguing the Home Depot with a visual. information is too critical not to be a mandatory requirement on communications services. “This ‘voluntary’ word needs March Nor’easters Turbocharge News Ratings In NE. to go away,” FEMA regional emergency communications Thanks in part to a series of winter storms that blanketed coordinator Jarrett Devine said. Department of Homeland the region, some all-news stations in the Northeast soared Security coordinator Jeremy Johnson agreed, but said the to their best ratings in years in Nielsen’s March ratings. For voluntary nature of DIRS means it’s a better tool for figuring programmers, the four storms were perfectly “Nielsen-timed” out an overall post-disaster trend. “I hesitate to use it for as the two biggest Nor’easters stretched across Wednesdays actual decisions,” he said. and Thursdays to impact two weeks of ratings. In New York, Entercom’s WINS (1010) kept its ratings hot streak going, ‘Healthy Paranoia’ Is Name Of New Podcast From gaining 6.0-6.2, just missing November’s 6.3, which stands Beasley’s Buzz Knight. as its highest 6+ share in more than four years. In an era Add podcaster to the long list of hats worn by Buzz Knight. when a majority of listeners no longer venture to the AM dial, The Beasley Media Group VP of Programming has launched WINS ranked third in the March book. Meanwhile, all news “Healthy Paranoia,” a monthly podcast featuring interviews sister WCBS-AM (880) bumped up 2.8-3.3 for its best since with thought leaders talking about new innovations and February 2015. In Philadelphia, sister “NewsRadio 1060” groundbreaking strategies, thinking and methods. It can be KYW also got a bump from the string of late-winter storms, accessed on the Insights section of Beasley’s new corporate rocketing 5.1-6.0 for its highest 6+ share in three years. The website. Innovation is “a coveted core value” for Beasley, all-newser shook off the holiday blues, when it managed says CEO Caroline Beasley, who adds that the podcast will only a 4.2 share, to finish fourth in the market. In Boston, offer “valuable insight from thought leaders who are making a iHeartMedia’s “NewsRadio 1030” WBZ jumped from fifth to difference both in the media industry and the world around us.” second place (5.4-6.4), marking its third consecutive up trend Autonomous driving is the topic of the first episode, while and best 6+ performance since Jan. 2017. episode two is devoted to how technology has transformed storytelling and how that impacts radio personalities and the Noble Financial: Upbeat About Radio’s Future. industry. Radio industry leaders participating in Noble Financial’s investor meetings at the NAB Show expressed optimism about the business for a variety of reasons. For starters, execs are feeling upbeat about iHeartMedia and emerging from financial reorganizations with healthier capital structures. Another cause for optimism is efforts that companies are taking to use data analytics to better demonstrate attribution and ROI to advertisers. Radio is in the early stages of a watershed movement to collect, analyze and segment its audiences to elevate the medium’s value with advertisers. Broadcasters are also upbeat about the prospects of further radio deregulation, which could allow additional in- market consolidation.

New SCBA Series Aims To Educate Radio Sellers About Digital. With digital advertising surpassing television as the richest ad medium, radio sellers need to stay on top of the fast growing digital ad space and how it impacts radio. To help educate the industry, the Southern California Broadcasters Association (SCBA) has published a series of brief essays

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SALES –TRANSLATORS

Michigan – Liggett Broadcasting files a $20,000 deal to buy the St. Clair, MI-licensed translator W288BT at 105.5 FM from Edgewater Broadcasting. Liggett already uses the signal to simulcast WHLS (1450) which it brands as “Rock 105.5” in suburban Detroit.

Alaska – Voice For Christ Ministries files a deal to buy the Togiak, AK-licensed translator K232FQ at 94.3 FM from Chignik Radio Association for one dollar. The signal already simulcasts Voice for Christ Ministries’ religious KYKD, Bethel, AK (100.1) under a special waiver to bring service into the remote area of Alaska.

CLOSINGS: Washington, DC – Alejandro Carrasco closes a deal to purchase Spanish-language “Radio America 900” WILC from Eduardo Zavala’s ZGS Broadcasting Holdings. Carrasco had been operating WILC under a time brokerage agreement since Jan. 2016 and half of the fees paid during the past two years reduced what had been a $1 million price tag on WILC to $700,000. The deal includes a $625,000 promissory note. Carrasco also owns Spanish talk “Radio Cola Wars Hit Full Force With America” WACA (1540) in the Washington, DC market. Pepsi,SALES Coke – STATIONS Vying On Radio. – John Higgs’s Broadcast South files a $1.4 Memphis, TN – Philip Ennis’ Grace Broadcasting Services million deal to buy ”Kub Country 105.1” WKUB, hot AC “97.7 closes a $275,000 deal to buy “Country 93.5” WKBQ The Wolf” WWUF, and classic hits “Kool 107.1” WSGT in and oldies WKBL (1250) from Keith Phelps Covington the Waycross, GA area from Mattox Broadcasting. Higgs Broadcasting. Grace Broadcasting Services owns five other already owns several stations in the area including rock stations in Tennessee but these are its first in the Memphis “101.9 The Rocket” WPNG, CHR “93.5 The Vibe” WVOH-FM and Spanish “La Que Buena 860” WDMG in the area. He market. also operates country “106.7 The Buck” WOKA-FM and “Fox Sports 1310” WOKA under a time brokerage agreement with Boise, ID – Lorena Cortez and Araceli Ortega’s Aztec Media Coffee County Broadcasters. closes a $250,000 deal to buy regional Mexican “La Mejor” KMHR (950) from Steve Sumner’s First Western. The deal Georgia – Jerry Lee Squires is selling his 50% stake in Coffee also includes the Boise-licensed translator K252FA at 98.3 County Broadcasting to business partner Dwayne Gills in a FM. deal valued at $250,000. Coffee County Broadcasting owns country “106.7 The Buck” WOKA-FM and “Fox Sports 1310” Louisiana – South of Baton Rouge, Liberty in Christ WOKA in Douglas, GA. Jesus Ministry closes a $182,000 deal to buy gospel “Global Radio 1590” KKAY, White Castle, LA from Cactus Philadelphia – Ken Trujillo’s Aztec Capital Partners grows Communications. Liberty in Christ Jesus Ministry had its Philadelphia cluster with a $375,000 deal to buy ethnic WNWR (1540) from Alan Pendleton and Dick Aronoff’s New operated KKAY under a $4,500-per month time brokerage World Radio. WNWR has 50,000-watts day and 250-watts agreement since 2014. night. Aztec Capital Partners already owns Spanish CHR “El Zol 1340/99.9” WHAT/ W260CZ in the market. Once the sale Alabama – Caldwell Media closes a $50,000 deal to buy closes New World Radio will still own ethnic WCRW (1190) gospel KWXT, Dardanelle, AR (1490) from the estate of and Spanish-language WUST (1120) in the Washington, DC George Domerese. Bradford Caldwell already owns classic market. rock “107.3 Earl FM” KERL in the area. The Domerese family is still in the process of selling gospel daytimer KMTL Oklahoma – Doyle Brewer’s The Love Station files a $20,063 (760) in the Little Rock market. deal to buy KBUG, Waynoka, OK (94.1) from Kindsey Ely’s Blue Sky Media. KBUG is a construction permit for a Class More closings HERE. A station. The Love Station owns several other stations and translators in Oklahoma and the filing says it will convert KBUG to a noncommercial station to air its religious format.

More station and translator sales HERE.

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