Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s Mad Money weighed in on the most talked about radio merger – Entercom and CBS. During this episode, Cramer provides an in-depth analysis of the merger. He refers to it as a “transformational deal for Entercom” giving Entercom “a lot more heft – it will make it the #1 creator of local content in America.” He goes on to say that the new Entercom will become the second largest radio company in America.
This year’s Radio Show delivered information, insights and entertainment. But above all, it clearly demonstrated a reminder that partnerships among our industry and with our advertising community are stronger than ever and remain critically important.
Over the course of three days, a lot was shared, presented and stated. So, here is a brief recap of what everyone should know in the form of a Top 10.
Labor Day – While its origins are based on the creation of a day to celebrate and honor the work of trade and labor organizations, it means something very different today. Labor Day is considered a day of rest and unofficially marks the end of summer, barbecues, days at the beach and summer sports.
Labor Day and every day, radio will be there to entertain, inform and keep listeners company. Radio will be tuned in in-car to provide weather and traffic details. Radio will be present at barbecues, parties and family reunions, providing music and entertainment.
Sports fans are amazing! They will go to an event to watch “their” team play – whether it is 102 degrees or 2 degrees – they are there. They identify with their teams and according to research on the subject, one professor of psychological and brain sciences was quoted as saying: “A huge part of who they are, where they derive a lot of their positive and negative affect, is from what their team is doing.”
Sports fans are very similar to radio listeners. Both groups have strong emotional connections with the person or persons they are tuned in to. So when you combine a sports fan that is also an avid radio listener, it’s a powerful combination.
Radio is a medium that informs and drives engagement. It also delivers content and entertainment. Radio creates events and can also be an event within itself — it brings together large groups of individuals who all have something in common.
Throughout the course of history there have been numerous audio and portable audio devices that allowed listeners to take their content with them wherever they went. On July 27, an announcement was made that may have surprised some people – Apple revealed that it was discontinuing the iPod nano and shuffle. These two products should receive some recognition because they made audio history and forever changed how people take audio with them.