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Many people probably think this happened a long time ago, but last Monday, Sony officially announced it will no longer manufacture a Walkman in Japan. In the game of “Dead or Alive,” you might have guessed that the Walkman was essentially kaput shortly after the iPod took the world by storm. But Sony has been quietly […]

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The National Retail Federation has just posted a great blog that lists the Top 10 holiday trends in retailing for the year. As the radio industry tries to finish 2010 on the highest note possible, taking heed of what is happening with retailers in your city or town can translate into dollars and results. After […]

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By now, you’ve seen that black-bearded, whacked-out closer for the Giants, Brian Wilson.  He has a real handle on how celebrity, digital, and customer service merge together. Maybe it’s because he’s a tech-savvy Bay Area player.  Or, maybe he just gets it. Here’s a recent quote about why players should be fan and media friendly: […]

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I’ve spoken at many conferences over the past several years and it is always an honor.  But I haven’t enjoyed one as much as I did last week’s “140 Characters Conference” that was held right here in Detroit. I’ve told you about Jeff Pulver and the concept behind #140conf (as it is hashtagged on Twitter) […]

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Paul had an interesting experience last week.  Here he is in this guest post with a little perspective from “across the pond.” I was fortunate to attend ESOMAR 2010 in Berlin last week – an international conference of leading media researchers and thinkers.  It is quite a gathering, with a series of 25 minute presentations […]

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Something about the way America does business has gone sour. We are working in an all-or-nothing environment.  You’re either following the policy or you're not.  Zero tolerance.  We’re either in the playoffs or we’re not.  You’re either compliant or you’re not. There’s no gray.  100% or nothing. Maybe it started with all those reality TV shows. […]

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Yeah, yeah, Christmas music.  It's already started. WSMM in South Bend flipped the switch last week (thanks, guys), and before you know it, Brenda Lee, Bing Crosby, and Elmo & Patsy will be all over the radio in every market in the U.S. For many Rock-formatted stations, this is not the most wonderful time of the […]

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Among the many quick-hitting presentations at this week’s “140 Characters Conference” in downtown Detroit was one that really had nothing much to do with Twitter – at least directly. It was a brief but impactful session from Mark Ostach, CEO and Founder of MyMentalSpace.com, “an online tool that allows people to self-monitor their Internet behaviors…” […]

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The news that we lost Mom and Dad in the same week was not lost on me. Barbara Billingsley, the Beaver and Wally’s maternal guide, went first.  And she was quickly followed in TV heaven by Tom Bosley, Richie Cunningham’s papa. How much great advice was dispensed over the years by these two parental icons […]

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The news that we lost Mom and Dad in the same week was not lost on me. Barbara Billingsley, the Beaver and Wally’s maternal guide, went first.  And she was quickly followed in TV heaven by Tom Bosley, Richie Cunningham’s papa. How much great advice was dispensed over the years by these two parental icons […]

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Enjoy watching the video of the #140 Conference live from Detroit via Ustream.  Feel free to share the link on your Twitter & Facebook pages as well: https://www.ustreamtv/channel/detroit140conf (#140conf is the Twitter hashtag) Click here for the full schedule of sessions – each only last about 10 minutes, so it runs quick!

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The news that Zenith Media is merging its print and digital divisions is another step toward media integration – from the advertiser standpoint. That signals that content creators are going to have to increasingly think the same way.  As Zenith’s SVP and Managing Editor of Digital John Nitti points out, “For us to go to […]

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  Something very special is happening here in Detroit tomorrow.  And it has nothing to do with “Detroit 187.” Jeff Pulver, founder of the 140 Characters Conference is bringing  the show to the Motor City.  And those of us who live and work here couldn’t be prouder to be a part of it.   I wrote […]

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I was recently involved in a PPM conference with a radio cluster management team along with other consultants.  The mission was to get to the heart of PPM and help this group determine best practices and strategies. The amazing part about this two-day event was that it took two days (!).  The second part is […]

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You may not know Reed Hastings by name, but chances are you’ve used his product. Netflix.  It totally revolutionized video rental, essentially putting Blockbuster out of business. In a recent newspaper blog, Hastings outlined six important lessons for how to manage the digital revolution.  But his advice has little to do with the fourth estate, […]

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No, this isn’t a post about cars, Ford Motor Company, or Detroit. It’s about leadership, confidence, and testosterone. A recent profile of Vanguard CEO Bill McNabb in USA Today was an eye-opener. McNabb took over as Vanguard’s chief in ’08.  Two weeks later, Lehman Brothers went belly up, and McNabb was faced with a fork-in-the-road […]

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October is a wonderful month – the color changes here in the Midwest, along with the baseball playoffs and World Series, college and pro football, and of course the start of the NHL season. It’s also the time when many public radio stations are actively involved in “pledge” – the incessant fundraising that keeps them […]

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In my travels and conference calls, many of the same questions continue to crop up: (Fill in your format of choice below) How’s the format trending?  How is it working in other PPM markets? What’s the performance difference between diary and PPM? What’s the gender composition of the format? Which age group(s) is most important? […]

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Jay Philpott from The Arch in St. Louis, a passionate radio pro, wrote me this note the other day, and I thought you might appreciate reading our exchange: Hi, Fred, I was discussing Bob Rivers' (pictured) departure from KZOK with a friend of mine, it's really a sad thing and forced me to accept what […]

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Maybe you’ve read about a new search enhancement from Google – or perhaps you’ve used it and maybe didn’t realize what was happening. Google Instant begins to predict what you’re searching for, suggesting search possibilities even before you’re done typing. This has obvious implications on the art and science of managing and manipulating search, especially […]

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