When McDonald’s saw that there was a market for a high-end burrito chain, they didn’t try to extend the “McDonald’s” brand into that product category. Instead, the McDonald’s organization created (or acquired) a new brand name, Chipotle. Kurt Hanson compares that strategy to radio’s brand extension efforts in digital. Continue Reading
In the course of Pandora’s three-year history as a public company, it has had pretty strong support from the stock analyst world. However, consistently during that period there’s been one major bear — Rich Greenfield, of the research firm BTIG. Greenfield has issued approximately 29 analyst reports on Pandora, every one of them negative. Kurt Hanson analyzes. Continue Reading
In the course of Pandora’s three-year history as a public company, it has had pretty strong support from the stock analyst world. However, consistently during that period there’s been one major bear — Rich Greenfield, of the research firm BTIG. Greenfield has issued approximately 29 analyst reports on Pandora, every one of them negative. Kurt Hanson analyzes. Continue Reading
RAIN Summit West, held April 6 in Las Vegas, featured two major “State of…” addresses. Celebrated entrepreneur Jason Calacanis presented his annual “State of Media” deep dive, comprising 132 fact-packed slides surveying the entire media landscape. Later in the day, RAIN founder Kurt Hanson delivered his State of the Industry Address, focusing on Internet radio and online audio. Continue Reading
Early this month, journalist and researcher Sean Ross opened up a debate in his Edison Research blog about apparent consumer preferences for more-frequent but shorter spot breaks on broadcast radio. Last week, country consultant Jaye Albright has continued the conversation… Continue Reading
Addressing this issue should be a major concern for AM/FM broadcasters, since hugely-long spot breaks are cited regularly, at least anecdotally, as a reason consumer are spending less hours per week with broadcast radio and more hours per week with satellite and Internet radio each year. RAIN founder Kurt Hanson offers ideas. Continue Reading
This is Part 2 of a two-part blog entry. “After a couple of decades of us living in a 200+ channel television universe, we’re getting back to three networks again! In this world, there are parallels and differences here for radio to pay attention to.” Founding editor Kurt Hanson analyzes changes in media consumption. Continue Reading
RAIN founder Kurt Hanson calculates how a legendary Milwaukee radio station could improve a surprisingly low Nielsen rating. What can you do with an underperforming AM signal nowadays? What’s the best use of heritage call letters? Is “live and local” a viable option? Continue Reading
RAIN Summit NYC, “Pureplays and Podcasts Day,” was hosted last Wednesday at The Greene Space by Jennifer Lane, CEO of RAIN Enterprises and president of RAIN Summits, and Kurt Hanson, founder of RAIN Newsletter. Continue Reading
In a world spanning almost precisely the glory days of AM Top 40 radio, where DJs were fast-paced, frenetic, and fun, Mr. Lujack (as he told us repeatedly that he preferred to be called) stood out as the antithesis of almost everyone else on the air. Listen to an air check in the article. Continue Reading
In a world spanning almost precisely the glory days of AM Top 40 radio, where DJs were fast-paced, frenetic, and fun, Mr. Lujack (as he told us repeatedly that he preferred to be called) stood out as the antithesis of almost everyone else on the air. He was surly, disgruntled, straightforward, and wry; while he could occasionally be cheery when the occasion called for it, it was always clearly a sarcastic cheery. (Air check in the article.) Continue Reading
Kurt Hanson compares the Uber car pickup service to Internet and satellite radio — insofar as they improve traditional feature sets and evolve expectations of quality. Then comes the challenge to radio station owners. Continue Reading