800.275.2840 MORE NEWS» insideradio.com THE MOST TRUSTED NEWS IN RADIO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 Radio Show—What To See and Where To Be. When it came time to design the agenda for next week’s Radio Show in Atlanta, the show’s organizers at the National Association of Broadcasters and the Radio Advertising Bureau concluded that after five years of doing a combined show, it was time to evolve—a good philosophy for an industry that is doing just that. “The overall concept this year really represents a shift. The RAB and the NAB Boards of Directors both wanted to bring more energy and entertainment value and create a show that sets the stage for where the industry is going in the future,” said Mike Hulvey, COO at Neuhoff Media and a member of the show’s agenda committee. Hulvey outlined for Inside Radio readers what he sees as highlights of a sweeping agenda that covers advertising & research, programming, sales & marketing, management, technology & digital issues. Foremost, he points to a focus that encourages the next generation of broadcasters. “Back in March, we got together in DC and started the discussion, realizing how important it is to unite current leaders in the industry with new and up-and-coming leaders in the broadcast world. We have a number of sessions with an opportunity to connect the dots between the two. I’m really excited about how young professionals who are studying broadcasting—and radio specifically—have been woven into what we are doing.” Among the highlights—a panel discussion and combination speed mentoring session “that looks at the workplace environment and lessons learned from both veterans in the industry and a professional millennial,” and a session titled “If I Knew Then…Wow!” that shares best practices and lessons learned throughout storied broadcasting careers. In addition, the NAB is offering a ‘student scholars’ program with free registration for up to 130 students, alongside targeted networking opportunities and events. Action In Atlanta—The show offers valuable sales tools for radio veterans; read about it at InsideRadio.com. All Ad-Biz Hands On Deck For Radio Show. Advertisers and agencies will be out in full force at next week’s NAB-RAB Radio Show, from large national shops to agency buyers who specialize in local—from Home Depot to a personal injury lawyer. It’s part of a stepped-up client presence at this year’s event. “It’s critical that we bring our partners into the tent,” Mike Hulvey, COO at Neuhoff Media and a member of the NAB Show Agenda Committee, told Inside Radio. “We want our advertising partners to be integrated into the programming and within the content of the Radio Show. To have the partners actively involved with us in those discussions and sharing that excitement is essential.” The day 2 breakfast event, “Ask an Advertiser,” will feature Home Depot’s VP of integrated radio, Mike Hibbison, dishing with RAB president Erica Farber on how radio helps build the retailer’s brand. Hibbison will be joined by his agency partners, Diane Fannon, principal of The Richards Group, and Ed Gorman, executive VP/managing director for Carat USA. Major ad agencies will be on hand as well, including at the “Agencies Speak” session headlined by Kevin Gallagher, executive VP of local marketplaces for Starcom; Jennifer Hungerbuhler, executive VP/ managing director of local video and audio investment for Amplifi US, Dents Aegis Network; and Robin Jones, group director for local broadcast at OMD. For some local perspective, radio sellers can sample the “Ask the Expert” session, with local radio clients including a Honda dealer, a personal injury lawyer and a urologist, discussing how radio stations can increase their local client roster and grab a larger share of ad budgets. The session could be particularly valuable for radio sellers as these three categories represent some of the largest local spenders. Hitting that same topic of growing radio’s ad spending, but from a national perspective, is the theme of the “Advertisers Speak” session, featuring execs from three major brands, Coca-Cola, Comcast and Sutter Health. [email protected] | 800.275.2840 PG 1 NEWS insideradio.com WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 Programmatic To Get Full-Court Press At Radio Show. A full house is expected at the Atrium Ballroom at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis next Wednesday afternoon to bone up on new technology that promises to change the way radio advertising is bought and sold. Programmatic ad sales, barely a blip on radio’s radar at last year’s Radio Show, will be the subject of 90-minute session to close the first day of the conference. Billed as “everything you need to know” about one of the hottest trends in advertising, “Unlocking Programmatic’s Potential” is divided into three parts, each moderated by Matt Prohaska, who consults media companies, agencies, ad tech firms and brands on automated ad sales. The first part will offer an overview of programmatic ad buying and its impact on the media landscape. The second segment will feature local and national buyers from Horizon Media and Group M’s MEC media agency paired with execs from Cox Media Group and Katz Radio Group talking about the challenges and opportunities related to programmatic ad inventory and how best to reach targeted audiences. The last session brings in the ad tech companies that are helping build the programmatic infrastructure, including Jelli, Marketron and WideOrbit, along with Matt O’Grady, managing director, local media, USA, Nielsen. Among other topics, the session is expected to address broadcaster concerns that programmatic will lead to lower ads rates. “Programmatic buying for radio is not about price; it’s about providing the most desirable targeted inventory that leads to a better ROI,” says Katz Media Group CEO Mark Rosenthal. “The highest value inventory will always be available at an appropriate cost. But highest value is no longer the ‘one-size-fits-all’ of a ratings-driven world.” Voltair, Nielsen To Offer Competing Views. Radio’s juiciest story of 2015 will be the subject of companion 30-minute Radio Show sessions next Thursday as executives from Voltair developer 25-Seven Systems, and Nielsen, host separate but very much related updates on audio encoding technology. Geoff Steadman, founder and VP of 25-Seven Systems, plans to show how Voltair- equipped stations can correlate PPM watermarking quality with other metrics to glean new insights into their station operations and potentially inform large-scale programming decisions. Steadman is likely to talk up new data analysis tools that have been added to the latest iteration of the audio processor which allow stations to download spreadsheets containing historical encoding confidence data at intervals as small as 4.5 seconds. One hour after Steadman leaves the stage, Nielsen will provide an update on its critical band encoding technology (CBET), which it has been testing in the Baltimore and Washington, DC markets. Broadcasters are hoping the session will offer a peek at the results. Nielsen is dispatching its top stakeholders in the encoding controversy, Matt O’Grady, managing director, local media, USA; and chief engineer Arun Ramaswamy. They have the chance, in a public setting, to disclose specifics about Nielsen’s encoding improvement plans and all the thorny issues they raise, such as how they may impact clients currently using Voltair. “This is an opportunity for Nielsen to clear the air on the non-fact-based paranoia that exists and offer more transparency on the testing process, results and plans to improve the encoders,” says one programmer. “They have the opportunity to finally bridge the communication gap that has existed around this issue since Day 1.” Artists Set To Plug Into Atlanta Radio Show. The halls of Atlanta’s Marriott Marquis will come alive with the sound of music next week as the Radio Show fires up more artist performances and recording industry-fueled sessions than ever before. National Association of Broadcasters CEO Gordon Smith acknowledged heightened artist and label collaboration at the confab in a discussion with Inside Radio. “We have always tried to include artists at the Radio Show and to foster understanding and hopefully progress,” Smith said. “We are very anxious to grow the music industry without penalizing its very best platform, which is radio.” At this year’s conference, the first-ever Artist Spotlight Series will feature BMI songwriters/artists Paul McDonald, Bonnie Bishop, Shawn Mullins and Michael Tolcher. Their performances will take place during select general sessions and within networking opportunities throughout the show on September 30 and October 1. In addition, platinum-selling artist Gavin DeGraw will headline the NAB Marconi Radio Awards Dinner and Show October 1. With four hit albums and a half-dozen smash singles, DeGraw joins the NAB Show while in the midst of his North American tour with Shania Twain and select opening dates for Billy Joel. The NAB Show will wrap the week’s agenda on October 2, with a new event, “Music and Mimosas,” which brings together major and indie record label honchos to discuss their take on the current state of radio, new trends in music programming and how to plan for continued success. Of course, they will also use the Radio Show stage to introduce forthcoming releases, artists and business initiatives. In addition, iconic Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler will make a Q&A appearance to discuss his long journey as a rock [email protected] | 800.275.2840 PG 2 NEWS insideradio.com WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 pioneer and chat about his new country album in a conversation with Premiere Networks “Crook and Chase Countdown” hosts Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase.