From the Corner Office

As we pack our bags to gather in Charlotte for the annual NAB Radio Show, the radio industry has issues and opportunities to discuss that we wouldn't have expected to encounter even a few years ago. 

There are many provocative topics up for discussion at this year's NAB Radio Show.  I am proud that Greater Media's managers will be sharing, learning and taking a leadership role in many of the discussions taking place at both the Radio Show and the Radio & Records Convention.  In order for radio to capitalize on its current position, our entire industry has to put its collective creativity and problem-solving skills together.  We have much to gain by sharing, and much to lose by ignoring these game-changing innovations.

I am honored to have been asked again to participate as a panelist during the Dickstein Shapiro Financing Session on Wednesday morning and to serve as a moderator during the eBay session on Friday morning. I am also looking forward to attending sessions throughout the three days.  Below you will find a schedule of the panels our managers will be participating in. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or thoughts you'd like us to share at askpeter@greatermedia.com.

See you in Charlotte!

Greater Media Managers will be participating in the following panels at the 2007 NAB Radio Show in Charlotte, North Carolina:

Wednesday, September 26^th, 2007

8AM-11AM

Dickstein Shapiro LLP Presents Broadcast Financing 2007: Radio’s Changing Landscape

NAB RADIO SHOW

Charlotte Convention Center

Dickstein Shapiro LLP’s annual session will focus on current market dynamics and more specifically, changes in the make-up of radio’s owners, as well as those who provide debt and equity financing for acquisitions. Greater Media, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Smyth will participate as a panelist during this session.
 

3:30PM - 5:00 PM

PPM REVOLUTION: CASHING IN ON THE NEW RATINGS CURRENCY

RADIO & RECORDS CONVENTION

Charlotte Convention Center

Arbitron's Portable People Meter is the live ratings currency in Philadelphia and Houston, with New York converting to the service at the end of this year, joined by Chicago and Los Angeles next March. Early results indicate that electronic audience measurement will significantly impact the radio industry.

How does PPM affect individual formats? Will it lead to a rock resurgence while negatively impacting urban and Latin formats? With faster access to more granular audience data to gauge the effectiveness of new formats, personalities, promotions and marketing, will PPM lead to more format flips and more adventurous programming?

How is it changing the way radio is programmed, marketed and sold?  In this 90-minute session, you'll hear from programmers, managers and consultants in markets that have already ditched the 40-year-old diary in favor of reality-based ratings. Greater Media Philadelphia’s Director of Research, Harriet Campbell, will participate as a panelist in this timely session.

Thursday, September 27^th, 2007

3:15PM- 4:00PM

“PPM Rocks”

Jacobs Media Summit

RADIO & RECORDS CONVENTION

Charlotte Convention Center Room 208

"Conventional wisdom" is that Arbitron’s new PPM methodology is a good thing for Rock formats. Jacobs Media has put together an exclusive panel of experts who are experiencing the impact of the PPM every day to answer that question, as well as other major issues about this new ratings methodology. Whether PPM is coming to your market next year or in the next decade, understanding how it might impact your Rock station’s ratings and revenues is key. Greater Media Philadelphia Vice President and Market Manager John Fullam, WMGK-FM Program Director Charley Lake and Greater Media Philadelphia Vice President of Sales Paul Blake will be featured panelists during this important session.

3:30pm- 5pm

Are You Smarter Than Your Listeners?

RADIO & RECORDS CONVENTION

Charlotte Convention Center

Boldly borrowing concepts from several famous TV game shows, Radio and Records is teaming up with Critical Mass Media to put two teams of talented programmers to the test: Are they smarter than the great unwashed group of average radio listeners who have been polled by Critical Mass Media's Carolyn Gilbert and Liz Pokora. Don Kelley, vice president of programming at WMJX in Boston, will provide his valuable insight during the panel. 

Friday, September 28^th, 2007

9AM - 10:15AM

Threats or Opportunities: eBay...The Internet Gets Into Radio Commerce

September 28, 2007   •   9:00AM  -  10:15AM

NAB RADIO SHOW

Charlotte Convention Center 217A

Just a few years ago it was a quirky name for a search engine, now Google and other Internet companies think radio’s inventory is a goldmine as more and more studies reflect the natural relationship of being online and listening to the radio. Is it the latest revenue scheme, or will these online spot brokers be Radio’s comparison to what Orbitz is to the travel industry? Hear from those who think it’s for real. Greater Media President and CEO Peter Smyth will moderate this timely panel.

10:30AM - 11:45AM

HD Radio: Riff2's Road to Success

NAB RADIO SHOW

Charlotte Convention Center 217A

The blank canvas HD Radio has provided has many broadcasters faced with the challenge of juggling more stations and filling them with compelling content. This session will give you a real world example of a station that has successfully put an HD-2 station on the air. RIFF2 Program Director & WRIF Assistant Program Director/Music Director Mark Pennington, Greater Media Vice President of Engineering Milford Smith and Greater Media Detroit Director of Sales John Long will share their first-hand experience of launching an HD2 station.

10:30AM - 11:15AM

PPM: Part 2- The PDs

NAB RADIO SHOW

Charlotte Convention Center 217BC

Get real world insight from program directors in the test markets and find out how this measurement system measures up to expectations. Learn what will change, what won’t, and how it will affect how you program your station. Greater Media Vice President of Program Development Buzz Knight and WMMR Program Director Bill Weston will share their views and recent experience regarding this important topic.

2:15PM - 3:30PM

75 Ideas in 75 Minutes

NAB RADIO SHOW

Charlotte Convention Center 213A

Grab a seat and grab a pen – this session is going to jump start your creative engines and send you home with winning ideas to help you pull ahead of your competition. WRAT & WJRZ Marketing Director Doug Sjonvall will be among a group of panelists who will share their latest and greatest promotional ideas!

Please feel free to e-mail me by clicking on the "Ask Peter" icon posted below. I would love to hear your feedback or answer any questions you may have.