It’s Another Erie Media-Go-Round Chat Down...Extended Edition.
NEXSTAR and SJL/Lilly would hope you would think so. In fact, NEXSTAR launched an on-air campaign hoping to help keep the FCC’s current rules on duopoly ownership of TV stations in the same market from being changed or challenged. They are very proud of their position as their website states, “NEXSTAR has an industry reputation for pioneering new initiatives, including establishing virtual duopolies in its markets…” (Duopolies… sounds like another Latin dance on “Dancing with the Stars.”)
This weeks Erie Media-Go-Round Chat Down asks…
If you had the opportunity (and you do), what would you tell the FCC about the duopoly experience in Erie? (Again pro or con…As usual responses will be edited for appropriateness when necessary)
Update: (EMGR is going to leave this post up for another day. After a reasonable period of days, the comments will be forwarded to each of the comissioners of the FCC and the policy division to let them know how you feel duopolies have helped or hurt a small market like Erie.)
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14 comments:
In my radio broadcast experience, duopolies were the beginning of the end of the business in my eyes. Duopolies meant combining staff, cutting staff and cutting costs. The first time I remember hearing the term was 1992.
For an AM/FM combo, the days of an AM sales staff and FM sales staff were over. In addition, think this became the early days of voicetracking in larger markets which later trickled down to smaller markets.
Asking this because I'm clueless. Does WICU/WSEE have a combined sales staff? Guessing the answer is yes.
SJL/Lilly tried the combined sales staff thing for short time and turned into a disaster. Their sales staffs are different but I believe they share the same general sales manager for both.
Let's not forget Ricky Rambaldo and the stellar job he has done with Erie radio! (dripping with sarcasm) That's for another day.
The duopoly has failed Erie miserably. NEXSTAR an industry pioneer? Now that's a good one!
Time for a drinkie, drinkie!
Duopolies almost never work. Someone needs to explain to me how less competition is good for the consumer?
Force the stations to choose what station they want to keep and sell the other.
Time to admit failure!
This whole thing reminds me of the Star Trek: Next Generation episode where "The Borg" try to assimilate everyone to their collective. Sound familiar?
Duopolies have allowed Erie to become a rather lame duck market for providing news and relevant information to the community.
The region has been cheated because two companies own the four stations here.
If other companies were permitted to operate a station here, things might not be so bad. Right now, however, the news divisions don't want to compete for fear of the other station losing revenue.
It's really no different than radio.
Duopolies work in mark larger television markets where ad revenue is abundant. But in market #141, co-ownership of stations has lead to nothing more than the proverbial carving of a much smaller piece of revenue pie.
We have touched on this post before about the quality of news, how about the quality of account executives in the market. Granted, some remain real pros, but a younger crop of inexperienced individuals has lead to nothing more than "order takers" who expect their share of ad revenue simply be phoned into the station. The days of sales reps out of the office getting to know their clients and their marketing needs have gone to the wayside along with the quality of the news product.
Thank goodness for the internet!
Thinking back to 1977, the first owner I ever worked for was Art Arkelian at WWCB. Even though Art commuted a few days a week from his home on South Shore Drive in Erie, he was still a part of the operation of a very small market station. With duopolies, those 'good ole days' are long gone. Duopolies have changed radio and TV from people oriented entities to numbers on a Quicken balance sheet. Gone are the faces of the people that made radio (and TV) what it was and what I truly wanted to be a part of and was as a teen in high school.
WSEE and WICU do currently not share a sales staff. Yes it had been that way in the past, but the staff proved ineffective in the effort. As for sharing a manager they each have seperate LSM's with Brian Lilly as the GM over both stations. It would be a huge benefit for someone local to hold the position, they might actually make these stations a priority instead of just another bother. There is no plan nor forward thinking in that company. (Edited) Brian didnt even have the time to interview for a new sales manager! If Mr. Lilly were around a bit more often and able to focus on these stations maybe he would have a clue as to what is really needed
Don't believe everything you hear, Jack. (EDITED) Now WICU is stuck with Matt, who appears to be in way over his head. Brian has other interests to occupy his time. He needs to start showing up on a daily basis to get the big picture. They really do need to get their act together. An internal study was done and found that an efficient sales and marketing staff could boost revenues between 2.5 and 4 percent. That study was done 18 months ago and has yet to be implemented.
Why were the remarks about a certain individual edited out? Everyone in Erie TV knows the truth. I realize it is your blog. However, if you are going to sterilize the truth just don't bother to approve the comments.
It insults our intelligence to think that people can't handle the truth.
I guess you really are in "RR's" hip pocket!
(Let's see you post this word for word!)
I don't like editing posts but since a persons personal and professional life can be affected by what is printed. I decided to edit the above posts until I can verify the accuracy of what is said.
I don't think the main arguement of what you were trying to get accross was compromised in the editing. My name is on this blog...you didn't provide your name. And I respect that. That is the difference.
If you wish to contact me confidentially, feel free to write me at emgr@verizon.net or you can call me. I am in the book.
I am the second to last anonymous post. The information I provided is very easily verifiable.
I am not upset with my edited comments. We all appreciate your blog. A constructive look at local media.
Since we are on the topic of sales, what would you do to maximize the effectiveness of WICU's Sales Staff?
Actually this topic isn't about sales. But I have given that answer many times before. When stay the course doesn't work...you got to change the leadership.
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