From the Corner Office

What follows is a deeply disturbing item from Radio Ink's story on the recent Interep Radio Symposium. We have a lot of work to do at Zenith and the many other agencies who are unaware of what a good, integrated online, interactive and broadcast program can do for their clients. Many broadcasters have talented people who can make this presentation, and meet the client's needs.

Unfortunately, Matt hasn't gotten the message.

I wonder who calls on him.

Radio "A Line Item" for Agency Rep

Taking radio to task for not delving more rapidly into the digital space, Zenith Media's Matt Feinberg, who oversees the company's Radio and Interactive divisions, said radio is missing out on money that is increasingly being funneled to digital media.

"Digital is everywhere," he said at the June 28 Interep Radio Symposium. "There is a digital wave and everyone wants a piece of it, but radio is not there. People want pure digital buys, and radio is not there. Radio is a line item, a nuisance. It's a pain in the butt right now."

With a couple of notable exceptions, he also said that radio groups aren't doing enough in the online space either. "It's not that they are bad at it, they just haven't really done it," he said. "Citadel and Clear Channel have done some good things, but radio hasn't stepped up to the digital frontier en masse. There is a lack of understanding at the high levels, and they don't see the reasoning for the investment. I believe that wholeheartedly.

On the other side of the coin, OMD U.S. Director for National Radio Investment Natalie Swed Stone stated that radio must bring solid data to the agencies if it hopes to build their support. "There just is not enough research being done on radio at the agencies," she acknowledged. "We don't have dedicated people; we just aren't that nimble enough. We're looking for the radio industry to give us as much information as it can, because it won't be done at the agency level."

Mediaedge: CIA Senior Partner/Director of Radio Kim Vasey added that armed with the right data, agencies can make a strong case for radio to advertisers. "We need to be able to take a product offering to our clients that illustrates how well radio works," she said. How it can reach a consumer on their way to work, then at work, and on the way home. Radio plays a role in the consumers' life."

--Radio Ink June 2007

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If we in radio want to be more than a line item, we'd better get qualified, aggressive salespeople calling on folks like Natalie and Matt.

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