Thursday, May 22, 2008

"Wooing the press is an exercise roughly akin to picnicking with a tiger. You might enjoy the meal but the tiger always eats last." Maureen Dowd

"Wagner's music is better than it sounds." Mark Twain

"All professions are conspiracies against the laity." George Bernard Shaw

Today's image: Enter Night by Celine C. Wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

Radio: Doing exactly the right thing, precisely the wrong way

Two examples of radio getting in its own way, again.

Posting. The topic typically begins as a discussion concerning accountability however the real issue here is transparency. We are beyond the "to post or not to post" argument, it's now a matter of how and when. Radio should be leading the revolution, developing leading-edge tools that make it easier to buy and evaluate. It's been said recently that posting is "counter-intuitive." What's intuitive here is accountability and transparency are not fads, far from it, they are part and parcel to conducting the business of advertising in a new era.

PPM. The Cox and ICBC trade ad seems to be an ignoble attempt to foment a subscriber rebellion. This represents nothing more than a return to the good old fashioned sport of Arbitron bashing. Incongruous manners writ large. The ad's writers would have us believe that Steve Morris is somehow tone deaf on the serious issues and stakes involved in PPM roll out. Accordingly, they direct that Steve be dealt the proper and needed wakeup call. The ad evokes a kind of odd Howard Beale vibe. Clearly, the ad writers are mad as hell but it seems fair to ask - what does the ad actually accomplish besides being an embarrassment?

Posting and PPM will be what we make of them, both are works in progress. Each are opportunities rich with potential. What's needed now is the serious stuff and hard work of creative collaboration.

Buzz: Radio programming ace Jim Smith

Congrats & cheers: Uber-mensch Bruce Reese honored with the NAB National Radio Award. Radio Mercury Awards. Up against the Lakers v Celtics they pulled it off way good in Beverly Hills last night. The big $100k winner - Broken Heart ("What your mom would feed you, if your mom was a man") TBWA\Chiat\Day New York. Big ups to "voice of God" George Hyde, Jeff Haley, Rick Cummings, Perez Hilton, Big Boy, Rick Dees, Erica Farber, Mary Beth Garber. Doug and Justin did an outstanding job hosting the live stream, including the cool after set w/Big Boy All the winners here.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good on you David. The Cox/ICBC ad is a childish waste of time and money. It is embarrassing just as the rants against posting are boneheaded.