Weekly News Recap April 2-6-23, 2018 Nielsen: Radio Remains Media’s Reach Machine. While Baby Boomers grew up apple-to-apples comparisons of age demographics, from teens with radio and Millennials tune media platforms more than two (94%) to adults 25-54 (97%). into the medium in strikingly large years ago. numbers, radio’s largest reach That consistent reach hasn’t gone comes from Generation X (ages Comparing technology trends unnoticed by big national brands. 35-54). Some 80.5 million Gen to fashion trends, Nielsen Audio “Billion dollar advertisers are re- X-ers tune in to AM/FM radio managing director Brad Kelly calls discovering the power of radio and during an average month (97% AM/FM radio “the blue blazer” of how it can augment, supplement of the generation’s population), the media universe. “Who would and amplify their media mix,” Kelly according to fresh research from have believed 100 years after its says. “New ad dollars are flowing Nielsen. Gen X is followed by debut AM/FM radio would continue to the medium, and major national to top the charts as the brand names that have been absent medium that reaches from commercial radio for decades more consumers can once again be heard on the each week than any air – further evidence that we are other,” he says in the entering into an age of ‘reawakening’ introduction to “Audio about what radio has to offer both Today – How America the general consumer public, and Listens.” “Audio plays a the ad community.” central role in the daily lives of hundreds of The report also shines a light millions of consumers,” on which radio formats have the Kelly adds. highest appeal among the country’s Millennials (18-34-year-olds) with growing podcast consumers. More 71.6 million monthly listeners (95% The new report offers a snapshot of than 30 million Americans watch, of the Millennial population) and the audio world, where a plethora of listen or download podcasts each 41.2 million monthly Baby Boom new apps and streaming services month. But their appeal is stronger listeners (ages 55-64), representing continue to make headlines on a daily among some formats than others 98% of the generation’s population. basis. Yet broadcast radio’s weekly and “Audio Today” offers a roadmap reach of 228.5 million outpaces the for programmers navigating the All told, radio reaches 93% of adult 68.5 million for streaming audio, podcast landscape. Alternative and Americans (18+) each week, some 35.7 million using satellite radio and triple A score highest with roughly 228.5 million consumers, more than 21.9 million consuming podcasts. 20% of each format’s audience also those watching television (216.5 listening to podcasts. million), using an app or accessing “Radio plays a special role in our the web on a smartphone (203.8 culture. Its audiences are as varied Rhythmic CHR (17.1%), hot AC million) or watching video on a and diverse as our national makeup. (17.0%) and sports (16.8%) round smartphone (127.6 million). All generations, demographics and out the top five formats among ethnicities are tuning in,” Kelly says. podcast fans. But every format, The new numbers, from Nielsen’s In fact, the new data shows radio except country (12.1%) and regional second-quarter 2017 Comparable reaches 97% of Blacks (34.5 million Mexican (11.5%), over-indexes Metrics Report, keep radio in the consumers) and 96% of Hispanics against the 12.7% national average enviable position as the country’s (44.6 million) on a monthly basis. of all American adults for using top reach medium, which it has The medium’s monthly reach is podcasts. occupied since Nielsen first began remarkably consistent across all

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Live Music Makes The Event Revenue Register Ring. The annual radio station outdoor concert season is blossoming once more. While station concerts are perhaps the ultimate vehicle to generate good will with listeners, make no mistake: These multi-layered live events are also designed to generate revenue. While the usual sponsorship opportunities exist, along with restaurant and bar tie-ins for ticket giveaways, station sales teams are getting more creative when approaching clients who want to be attached to these events. “Depending on the concert, we build a number of different activation pieces that are specific and relevant to that audience,” Cumulus Media Atlanta VP/market manager Sean Shannon says. “The activation pieces we do for the ‘Kicks 101.5 Country Fair’ are going to look very different from the activation pieces that we do at ‘Q-Topia.’ For the WXTU Philadelphia “34th Anniversary Show,” senior VP/ market manager David Yadgaroff says the station offers the Country, News/Talk Most-Listened-To Formats. sponsorship of a country dance floor at the venue, captures Country remained out front as radio’s most listened to format ticket upgrades for listeners while they hold a sponsored in 2017 with a 13.2 share, down slightly from its 2016 level. picture frame, which all is pushed out via XTU’s social media News/talk gained ground and is now within one share of channels “to a fully integrated program encouraging concert country with a 12.3 share, when counting both commercial goers to make good transportation decisions” with a campaign and non-commercial stations. This is according to “Audio called Blow a Zero, Be a Hero. Today – How America Listens,” and is based on Nielsen’s Fall 2017 survey, Mon.-Sun., midnight-midnight, 12+ AQH share. NAB To FCC: Streamlining Doesn’t Mean New Filing For the first time, Nielsen breaks out Requirements. commercial and non-commercials Keep it simple. That’s the message from the NAB to the news/talk stations separately. FCC as the agency decides whether or not to eliminate the Commercials news/talkers captured filing requirement for paper contracts and a variety of other an 8.3 share of the national audience, documents. The NAB is pushing back against a proposal compared to a 4.0 for non-comms. But there are nearly four from a coalition of public interest groups that urged the FCC times as many commercial news/talk stations measured by to require stations to put such documents in their online public Nielsen (1,670 stations) than non-commercial (437 stations), file within 30 days of their execution. The NAB argues the meaning the non-comms punch above their weight compared groups simply oppose the suggested reform because they to their commercial brethren. AC came in third place, (8.1), believe broadcasters don’t deserve to have their regulatory followed by CHR (7.1) and classic rock (5.9). After that it’s burdens lifted. The Commission voted unanimously in January classic hits (5.7), hot AC (4.9), urban AC (4.3), sports (3.8), to launch the rulemaking that would, if adopted, eliminate contemporary Christian (3.8), urban contemporary (3.6), the requirements that broadcasters submit paper copies of rhythmic CHR (2.6), regional Mexican (2.5), adult hits/80s certain contracts and other documents relating to ownership hits (2.2), alternative (2.0), active rock (1.9), AOR/mainstream and control of stations, such as time brokerage and joint sales rock (1.7) and Spanish contemporary/Spanish AC (1.6). agreements.

Here Is Sports Radio’s Next Big Growth Opportunity. Amazon Echo Adds ‘Routines’ To Allow Automated After three years of declining cume, sports radio has a stadium-sized opportunity to grow listenership by Access To Music & Radio. cultivating a more diverse audience. That was a flashpoint Amazon has advanced a feature on its smart speakers called topic at Barrett Sports Media’s Programming Summit in “Alexa Routines,” in which users can now add multiple tasks Chicago, after Nielsen VP Jon Miller showed new research such as turning on music, podcasts and live radio, as well as of the format’s five-year ratings trend and remarkably non- smart home commands like switching on lights, diverse audience composition. From a cume perspective, heating and TV, all with a single command. First sports radio peaked in Fall 2014 with a male 25-54 cume launched in 2017, Routines works by saying, of 11,118,600, according to Nielsen. The format’s record for example, “Alexa, I’m home,” which then share in its core demo came one year later, with a 7.5 in enacts those chosen user skills. Routines can fall 2015. Both numbers have been declining ever since. include music from a specific artist, album, At the same time, the demographic makeup of the U.S. playlist or radio station; supported services population continues to evolve. While 18% of the population include Amazon Music, Spotify, Deezer, is Hispanic and 12% is Black, sports radio’s audience TuneIn and Pandora, according to Techradar. composition is woefully out of step with the country as a “People can choose a radio station as part whole. Among the top ten performing sports stations, the of a customizable routine on both Echo and average audience was just 1% Hispanic, 9% Black and Google home devices,” Amplifi Media’s Steve 90% “other.” The numbers point to a major opportunity for Goldstein tells Inside Radio. “That’s pretty future growth by bringing a more diverse audience into the exciting.” sports radio tent. “Attracting women to sports is always a big thing but more so the opportunity is among Blacks and Hispanics,” Miller says. Kagan: Deal Market Heats Up In First Quarter. Weekly News Recap The broadcast station deal market is showing signs of April 2-6, 2018 heating up, at least when compared to the fourth quarter of last year. There were 16 TV deals and 12 radio deals above New Research Offers Tools And Tips To Corral At-Work the million-dollar mark in Q1 Listening. 2018, matching last year’s Attracting at-work listeners has long been indispensable per-quarter average of 28 to the success of AC, classic hits and other music formats. transactions between $1.0 NuVoodoo Media Services surveyed 3,041 persons ages million and $100.0 million, 14-54 online in January 2018 to come up with best practices according to Kagan. Dealmakers opened up their wallets to reel at-work audiences in and keep them listening. It found for 107 broadcast transactions in the just-ended quarter, a that “most rating likelies are motivated by cash and prizes.” 53% increase over 70 in 2017’s fourth quarter. Radio and Asked point blank, “What would influence your choice to TV contributed nearly equally to the $311.9 million in M&A participate in the ratings?” the clear victor was “getting volume in the first quarter – radio transactions racked up paid to participate,” by 70.4% of likely PPM respondents $149 million and TV deals totaled $163 million. and 67.4% of likely diary respondents. Knowing that cash is king among those most likely to participate in Nielsen GMR Asks Court: What’s The Holdup? PPM or diary ratings, stations must determine the best way It’s been more than a year since Global Music Rights to “stimulate respondents to build AQH” and how to best and the Radio Music License Committee traded antitrust structure contest offers. NuVoodoo found that nearly as lawsuits in federal court and a resolution appears no closer many said that $500 was a draw as $1,000—meaning that at hand than the day the claims were filed. Two months after stations need not blow their prize money budgets to attract GMR tried unsuccessfully to jump-start the suit it brought in at work listening. Its research also found that “occasions” Los Angeles, it’s now formally asking a Philadelphia judge are important—so giving away $100 five times a day is often to give an update on whether he’s any closer to deciding more effective than peddling $500 once a day. whether to allow the RMLC’s case in that court to move forward. GMR has requested U.S. District Court Judge Public Media Co. & WGBH Form Purchasing Cooperative. Darnell Jones to hold a conference call with all the involved Public Media Co. and WGBH Business Services have parties by April 20 to let them know whether he’s any closer initiated a procurement service that aims to integrate the to deciding whether or not to accept a recommendation purchasing power of public TV and radio stations in an released in December. Federal Magistrate Judge Lynne effort to reduce costs and streamline efforts. The venture Sitarski proposed the radio industry’s antitrust lawsuit is the first of its kind for public media and will be available against GMR be tossed from a Philadelphia court in order to stations nationwide. The new service—supported by a to clear the way for GMR’s competing antitrust case to go $250,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcast- forward. ing—will draw on the two entity’s collective expertise in technology and vendor relationships to negotiate better Exec Shakeup Reshuffles Compensation For Top pricing and terms for public radio and television stations for Townsquare Brass. equipment and services, along with ongoing station support. Townsquare Media shook up its top management ranks It will also provide a source for shared resources regarding last October when Steven Price relinquished his CEO role technology advances, updates on products and equipment, for a new position as executive chairman of the board and related information between Pubic Media and WGBH. and Bill Wilson and Dhruv Prasad parachuted into new Leveraging their combined scale to negotiate better deals positions as co-CEOs. A new on equipment, software and services is reminiscent of their regulatory filing shows Wilson’s commercial broadcasting kin—much as radio groups like new annual salary as co-CEO iHeartMedia, Townsquare, Cumulus and Entercom garner is $900,000, up from $850,000, more favorable pricing by cutting deals for multiple stations keeping him the highest paid across markets for such services and equipment. exec at the company. Wilson also qualifies for a target annual bonus of $500,000. Prasad was awarded a bigger increase in salary, from $600,000 to $750,000, along with a target annual bonus of $400,000, up from $300,000. Price’s segue from CEO to executive chairman comes with an expected pay cut from $750,000 to $500,000. Price was handed a bigger bump in bonus pay, up to $500,000 from $450,000, but any bonus for 2018 and beyond will be discretionary.

New Study Gives Radio Opportunity To Cash In On Hot Ad Trend. Influencer marketing, one of the hottest advertising trends, is getting hotter. National advertisers are so enamored with using opinion leaders to drive a brand’s message that 75% of advertisers currently use it and almost half (43%) plan to increase their spending on it in the next 12 months. That’s good news for radio stations that offer endorsement ads from influential personalities. The findings are from a November 2017 survey of 158 marketers from the Association of National Advertisers.

Page 3 SALES – STATIONS Weekly News Recap Chicago – Cumulus Media strikes an $18 million deal to buy March 12-16, 2018 alternative rock WKQX (101.1) from Merlin Media. The deal includes the intellectual property and call Texas – JAM Broadcasting files a $250,000 deal to buy clas- letters of now defunct classic rocker “The sic rock “Rev FM 94.3” KRVL, Kerrville, TX from the Foster Loop” WLUP-FM which had been at 94.7 Charitable Foundation. JAM Broadcasting already owns three FM until Merlin struck a $21.5 million deal other stations in the area including country “103.7 The Buck” to sell that signal to Educational Media KAXA, talk/classic country KERV (1230) and the construction Foundation in February. Cumulus has permit KZAH (99.1). It will operate KRVL under a local market- operated WKQX under a local marketing ing agreement until closing. agreement since 2014. Cumulus earlier used its bankruptcy reorganization to get out of an agreement to buy both the Little Rock, AR – Salem Media Group files an $180,000 deal Chicago FMs from Merlin for $50 million. to buy the currently-silent KDXE (1380) and the Little Rock, AR- licensed translator K288EZ at 105.5 FM from Nidia Cochran’s Iowa – Trending Media strikes an $850,000 deal to buy NC Communications. Salem will operate the stations under a country “Kix 101.1” KXIA and “News Talk 1230” KFJB in $2,000-per month time brokerage agreement until closing. It Marshalltown, IA from David Nelson. The deal also includes already owns contemporary Christian “93.3 The Fish” KKSP the Marshalltown, IA-licensed translator K230CB at 93.9 FM. and “Faith Talk 99.5” KDIS-FM in the Little Rock market. Salem Trending Media is a partnership between Robert and Colleen last month filed aseparate $1.1 million deal to buy talk “101.1 Holtan, who own a combined 92% of the company, and Todd The Answer” KZTS from Flinn Broadcasting. It had been airing Steinkamp, who will own the remaining interest. Steinkamp is the talk format on KHTE-FM (96.5) under a $7,000-per month currently general manager of the two stations. The Holton’s time brokerage agreement with Crain Media Group in 2015. Decorah Broadcasting already own adult alternative “FM 100.5” KDEC-FM and “Good Time Oldies 1240” KDEC in Decorah, IA. Victor Valley, CA – Alfredo Plascencia’s Lazer Broadcast- ing files an $180,000 deal to buy the currently-silent KWRN Atlanta – Atlanta Catholic Radio files a $750,000 deal to by (1550) and the Apple Valley, CA-licensed translator K258DE at “News Talk 1160” WCFO from Joe Weber’s JW Broadcasting. 99.5 FM from Richard Vosper’s Major Market Stations. Lazer The filing says $250,000 of the purchase price is attributable to Broadcasting already owns three stations in the Victor Valley Colarelated Wars real estate. Hit Full It’s Force a steep With discount from the $12 million market including the regional Mexican “Radio Lazer” trimulcast Pepsi,that Weber Coke paid Vying to buy On WCFO Radio. in 2006. Newly-formed Atlanta of KIQQ-FM & AM (103.7/1310) and KBTW (104.5). Major Catholic Radio doesn’t own any other stations. It will begin Market Stations already has a pending deal to sell its other operating WCFO on April 16 under a time brokerage agree- station: KWRM (1370) in the Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ment. The filing says it plans a noncommercial format. Once market to EDI Media. the sale closes JW Broadcasting will still own variety WMLB (1690) in the Atlanta market. Greenville-New Bern-Jacksonville, NC – Educational Media Foundation files a $100,000 deal to buy contemporary Chris- Bryan-College Station, TX – Educational Media Foundation tian “92.7 The Beacon” WBNK from Lanser Broadcasting. files a $325,000 deal to buy classic rock “103.9 The Wolf” KJXJ EMF already owns contemporary Christian “K-Love” affiliates from Brazos Valley Communications. EMF currently doesn’t WLXB (98.9) and WLVB (105.1) in the market. Once the own any stations in the market so it’s expected to install its sale is closed Lanser Broadcasting will still own contemporary contemporary Christian “K-Love” format on KJXJ. Once the Christian “JQ-99” WJQK and talk “1260 The Pledge” WPNW sale closes Brazos Valley Communications will still own four in the Grand Rapids, MI market. other stations in the Bryan-College Station market including “Texas Country 98.3” KORA-FM, “Classic Hits 107.3” KAPN, Knoxville, TN – John Pirkle’s Oak Ridge FM files a rhythmic CHR “101.9 The Beat” KBXT, and regional Mexican $30,000 deal to buy the currently-silent WVLZ (1180) from “Radio Alegria 1240” KTAM. Kirkland Wireless Broadcasters. Oak Ridge FM already owns alternative rock “94-Z” WNFZ in the Knoxville market Pensacola, FL – David Hoxeng’s ADX Communications files and it operates “Fox Sports 1340” WKGN under a time a $300,000 deal to buy talk WEBY (1330) from Michael Bates’ brokerage agreement with Hodges Media. Kirkland Wireless Spinnaker Communications. The deal includes the Milton, Broadcasters tells the FCC it believes Oak Ridge FM will not FL-licensed translator W256DL at 99.1 FM. It will be the third carry the sports programming that WVLZ aired until going station in the market for ADX Communications which already silent in February citing technical issues. owns “Cat Country 98.7” WYCT and “News Radio 1620” WNRP in Pensacola. It will operate WEBY under a time brokerage SALES – TRANSLATORS agreement until closing. Spinnaker bought WEBY in 2002 for Utah – Cache Valley Media Group strikes a $55,000 deal to $150,000 but according to the FCC it defaulted on its outstand- buy the St. George, UT-licensed translator K237GA at 95.3 ing $516,279 loan held by Webyloan which purchased the note FM. And in a separate deal valued at $35,000 it files to buy from Beach Community Bank. Under a Dec. 2017 forbearance the Logan, UT-licensed translator K227CO at 93.7 FM. The agreement Webyloan agreed not move against the station as seller in both cases is Michael Thomson, a court-appointed long as Spinnaker lived up to its obligations under the agree- trustee charged with the chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation of ment. Webyloan has agreed to the $300,000 purchase price the assets of Community Translator Network. Cache Valley for the forgiveness of the $516,279 debt held by Spinnaker. Media Group owns stations in both markets.

Oregon – Jeffery Huffman’s Jacobs Radio Programming Indiana – Tom and Diane Taylor file a $35,000 deal to buy files an $80,000 deal to buy AC “Mix 93.3” KEUB, Gearhart, the North Vernon, IN-licensed translator W249DG at 97.7 OR from Earnest Hopseker’s Radio Beam. Jacobs Radio FM from Martin Hensley’s New Beginnings Movement. The Programming owns three stations in the Tri-Cities, WA market signal will be used to simulcast the Taylor’s “Classic Hits but none overlaps with KEUB. 1460” WJCP on the FM dial.

Station and Translator sales HERE. Closings HERE.

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