media

Traditional broadcasters are finding new ways to stay competitive with cable and the internet. And technology may help them succeed.

At the recent National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas I found traditional media outlets embracing new technology to survive. Dennis Wharton is the Executive Vice President of Media Relations for the NAB and says broadcasting is embracing the younger generation. Wharton says the industry is working on streaming live local television to mobile devices and the backseats of cars and planting FM chips so cell phones will have radio capability. But aside from entertainment Wharton says broadcasting will remain the most effective means of communication in times of trouble.  read more »

For years we’ve been hearing about how the internet has been slowly changing the media business. Well, news reports in the past few days make it readily apparent that change is picking up a lot more speed.

Unless you’ve been vacationing on the moon these past few days, you know that Jay Leno is now staying with the Peacock Network. Instead of leaving after his Tonight Show contract is up in May, he will stay to host the new “Jay Leno Show” in prime-time next fall.  read more »

Broadcast media is now getting hit with the same economic tidal wave that has been pushing newspapers and magazines under water. But it’s not just due to the internet turning consumers from couch potatoes into keyboard clickers. It’s also advertising dollars now disappearing from all forms of traditional media.

Here is a case in point.

The other day I played golf with a long-time friend of mine who is also in the media business. He anchors a very popular morning radio show in the San Francisco Bay Area. When I asked how things were going for him given the always tenuous nature of careers in broadcasting, he said, “Ratings for my show are through the roof. We have no problem getting listeners. The problem is we have no buyers.”  read more »