 RAIN 12/1: Adam Guild-led firm to buy Interep Interactive; banner ads may suffer in sour economy ·Dec 1, 11:57 AM RBR reports (here) on Meanwhile, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain has ruled that all Interep’s radio representation contracts be canceled in return for $3.64 million ECONOMY MAY BE ESPECIALLY TOUGH ON ONLINE DISPLAY ADSBrand-based banner and leaderboard advertising that many webcasters rely on to supplement audio ad-based revenue may be in trouble. As AdWeek reports, “Web publishers and agency executives said they are under growing pressure to prove the value of online display advertising…” One problem is that the effectiveness of image-associated “brand” advertising (think Coca-Cola or Clorox bleach) is hard to evaluate (and thus justify in a budget in tough economic times) compared to “direct-response” ads which generate clicks from viewers interested in a particular offer. Greg March, digital group director at Wieden + Kennedy, told AdWeek, “Internet ads are small and out of the way. Advertisers want to deliver impact, and I don’t think the impact for these ads is always that strong.” Read more here.
MARK RAMSEY RELEASES NEW BOOKArguing that radio is on the “cusp of a new renaissance,” industry expert Mark Ramsey has released a new book called Making Waves: Radio on the Verge, featuring a foreward by Greater Media Chairman Peter Smyth. Ramsey calls his book “an action plan for the future.” The book is based on original material from Ramsey and interviews with Seth Godin, Douglas Rushkoff, Joe Jaffe, and more. Here’s more.
STILL LOTS OF REGULATORY RED TAPE BEFORE WE SEE “WHITE SPACE” DEVICESIndustry attorney David Oxenford, in looking over the details of the FCC’s decision to free white space television spectrum, finds a long list of requirements device manufactures must meet before products hit store shelves. The FCC requires such devices to check-in daily with a database, which has yet to be created, so as to assure the devices aren’t interfering with television frequencies. Additionally, the devices must be approved by the FCC and many engineers are “convinced that these devices simply will not work… Don’t look for these services to provide broadband access (or any other service) until all of these requirements are met,” writes Oxenford. “And, of course, there still may be legal hurdles to overcome should opponents of the devices appeal the FCC decision.” Read more at Oxenford’s Broadcast Law Blog here.share: del.icio.us.  Reddit  Digg  Yahoo  Wink  Windows  Google  Newsvine 
CommentCommenting is closed for this article.  Other stories RAIN has upgraded (and moved)! RAIN 9/13: RAIN Summit Chicago takes place today! RAIN 9/12: First Summit in RAIN's hometown takes place tomorrow RAIN 9/9: Summer holidays, "doldrums" impact July Webcast Metrics, but audience up over last year RAIN 9/8: Clear Channel launches new customizable iHeartRadio beta; RAIN goes hands-on RAIN 9/7: Meet more speakers you'll hear at RAIN Summit Chicago in less than a week RAIN 9/6: Clear Channel taps The Echo Nest to take on Pandora RAIN 9/2: RAIN reviews Spotify's radio-like product Artist Radio RAIN 9/1: UK online radio aggregator Radioplayer campaigns b'dcasters to create "all radio" ratings RAIN 8/31: Execs from Merlin, Triton Digital, jacAPPS and more to appear at RAIN Summit Chicago |
a deal in which Mission Media Group, a company headed by Interep Interactive 
from Katz Media Group, which promptly signed two former-Interep clients: 
The litany of ill-defined and unresolved issues enumerated in David Oxenford’s article makes one hope that the incoming administration might pull the plug on the whole “white-space” folly before too much money gets wasted on it.
This serves as the latest and most lurid evidence that Kevin Martin is not only a radical partisan idealogue, but grossly incompetent.
— Art Marriott · Dec 1, 12:59 PM · #