Posted on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 @ 10:13 AM
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I spent last week trying to "get lost" in the wilderness of Montana... and did a pretty good job of it. (OK, it's a little sad to admit that the BlackBerry does work in all but the most remote places.)
There certainly are mental benefits to unplugging from the world for awhile, but eventually you want to know what's going on around you. With a 21-year-old son and a 17-year-old daughter in tow, we knew this was likely one of our last family vacations like this as a group.
Driving cross-country, we shared stories and listened for hours to XM radio while crossing the endless prairie of South Dakota. Bluegrass music? Check. Coffeehouse acoustic? Check. Fox News? Oh wait, skip that. But when storm clouds turned black, we hit the FM button to get some local weather. A crackly, older voice told us about hailstones the size of baseballs 50 miles behind us. Thank goodness we missed that.
In a week where grizzly bears attacked campers in their tents outside Yellowstone, we wanted to read a local newspaper to learn more about the story. (Although there were no bears at our hotel.) And yes, we watched a local newscast or two just for fun. We learned things about trout, pine beetles killing trees, a wildfire under control and tomorrow's weather. The stuff that makes a community in Montana.
No matter where you live or travel the need for localism endures. Hearing local people report local news is absolutely essential to get a sense of place. In Montana, knowing about bears and that new business coming to town seems way more important to the future vitality of local television than having the rights to air Dr. Phil.
No matter what technology comes along, I'm convinced that the people who tell local stories in their communities have a solid future.
Now, it's time to get "plugged in" again. Although here in the midwest I'm going to miss those bear stories on the local news.
- John Altenbern
Posted on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 @ 09:15 AM
There were two odd developments recently in the "branding" world that caused me to say, "Huh?"
Chevrolet issued an internal memo to employees telling them to stop using the shorthand name, "Chevy." The author claimed the car company needed to have a single brand identity that was consistently communicated - Chevrolet. When the memo leaked out, all those Don McLean fans from the 1970s howled. How can you drive your "Chevrolet to the levy"? Isn't this the company that famously built a model called the "Chevy II?" After 24 hours, the company retracted the memo, saying it was proud of its "Chevy" heritage. In other words, "never mind." It was a bad idea from the marketing department.
At almost the same time, here in Iowa the pork producers decided it was time to move on from their famous tagline, "The other white meat." They're looking for a new brand identity afte.jpg)
r almost 30 years and with sales of pork sinking lower than the proverbial hog's belly.
A "brand expert" made the comment that the pork producers were abandoning one of the most identified marketing messages ever created. His argument: brand messages are a connection with consumers, and not intended to lead to actual sales.
There are a couple of lessons here for television people like us. Why would you ever want to get away from a nickname that is the audience's most sincere form of flattery? In some markets, the vernacular is to refer to stations in some "shorthand" fashion: 'PVI is definitely Channel 6 to people who live in Philadelphia. No one (even Chevrolet) should want to stamp out that sort of reference.
But does a slogan or tagline need to change if ratings are sinking like pork bellies? Maybe. Something is wrong if you are losing customers and your competitors are gaining, but it probably goes a lot deeper than the slogan itself. I don't know that saying "Chevy" or recognizing the "other white meat" slogan will sell more cars or pork ribs, but discarding well recognized taglines and slogans shouldn't be done lightly.
As we've said in research presentations, when a slogan is evaluated and found to be weak, you can certainly change it - but recognition for the new slogan will be exactly zero. A new slogan by itself won't raise ratings. Giving slogans real meaning and emotional value for the audience is a tougher, but more rewarding proposition.
Someone tell GM and the pork producers they need to scratch below the surface and get to the meat of the issue.
Posted on Thu, Apr 29, 2010 @ 08:26 AM
As a history fan, I often think of events in the past that seem to apply to current happenings. Back in the 1930's, F.D.R. supporters passed out lapel buttons to Depression-weary Americans that said, "The worst is over, business is better." That seems to be the common sentiment at television stations these days.
I've been in a half-dozen stations in the last several weeks - in all parts of the country. While no one is rejoicing at their good fortune, the gloom and doom phase is definitely lifting. Managers are thinking about the future again, not just trying to deal with day to day problems and cutbacks. .jpg)
But as the Great Depression turned a whole generation into compulsive "savers," there will be lasting effects in the local television business because of what we've all been through. Paying big bucks to a syndicator for an untested lead-in program now appears dangerous. Hiring that expensive out-of-town anchor to make a splash seems like an old, quaint idea.
At the same time, making smart and cautious bets on the future seems like the right thing to do. Creating a new local program that's "advertiser friendly," buying everyone an iPad or iPhone, and using research to figure out how to squeeze an extra demo point out of a lead-in makes perfect economic sense. And it seems in-tune with where this business is heading. It's facing the future with some common sense.
So as May sweeps begin, the mood is upbeat. It's not only business that's better - so are attitudes. I'm looking forward to May.
- John Altenbern
Posted on Thu, Apr 22, 2010 @ 10:32 AM
You're a TV station, right? All this stuff about Facebook and Twitter and even your web site itself... that's all just extraneous busy work that makes sure you keep up with the fads. Right? Uh, we don't think so.
Maybe you saw the good news this week about about the economics of the Internet (a TVB/Borrell study just out says local online ad revenues for TV stations is expected to increase 21% in 2010). But this isn't about cash flow. It's about your identity as a dominant provider of content.
We think the stations that survive to the next stage of this industry's evolutionary cycle will be those seen as powerful and reliable information providers ... seen by the consuming pub.jpg)
lic as being better at it than the other stations in town. WCCO in Minneapolis will likely be a survivor. Check out this blog from MinnPost.com that takes a look at how WCCO has such a strong online presence. Here's an important excerpt from writer David Brauer's blog:
WCCOers -from reporters and weathercasters to producers and promotions people -just seem more jazzed about the future than your average news organization. Twitter seems to crackle with station personnel chattering about the station's latest efforts, seeking and seeming open to feedback, talking up interesting efforts they see elsewhere. Almost every organization has such folks, but ‘CCO's cadre seem to have achieved critical mass, emitting an esprit de corps enthusiasm more authentically charming than those hoary "we all love each other" promos.
Brauer made note that WCCO is the only station that has an easily recognizable "digital mastermind" as a driving force. About three weeks ago, the CJ&N Newsletter distributed an article to our clients looking at how two local TV stations, WNEM in Saginaw and WJZ/Baltimore, have made huge strides in signing up Facebook fans (WJZ now has more than 44,000 fans!). Based on our talks with the news directors of both stations, we realized one thing the two stations had in common was a sharp and progressive digital content manager.
To have a strong digital identity in your market, you must first have a strong digital identity inside your own TV station. Your long-term survival could depend on it.
- Mike Anderson
Posted on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 @ 11:20 AM
I would love a broadband connection at my house that pumps out 100 mbps. (My cable connection is now 8.26 mbps and I think it's pretty fast.)
This week the federal government will announce a plan to make the information highway the autobahn in the next few years - in part by taking spectrum space away from broadcasters and using it to beef up the internet. It's a bitter pill for broadcasters, who have been favored in the regulatory world for the past 60 years. Is the FCC about to shunt over-the-air television to the spectrum sideline and diminish it as a medium forever?
I don't think so. The value of broadcast TV is just too high. I have a hard time believing this is as simple as the bureaucrats wheeling out a new plan for the future and everyone applauding because they can download movies more quickly. It comes down to two key groups: consumers and politicians.
Consumers because Americans watch more TV than any other group in the world, and the system responsible for most of that content is broadcasting. The audience has even confirmed that choice in recent years by going out and purchasing expensive HDTV's - even in the midst of a recession - in order to see the best quality signals, whether they are delivered on cable, satellite or over-the-air.
The spectrum required to launch mobile TV is hanging in the balance with the government's new broadband plan. Who better than broadcasters can develop a service that would put local over-the-air television on your cellphone?
Then there are the politicians. Overwhelmingly, people in this country get their political info from television. That includes finding out about candidates trying to get elected who advertise on TV. Do politicians have the will to let down the medium that plays a key role in putting them into office? I doubt it. The FCC's plan may have to change given the political realities.
Sure, I want a faster, better internet and there's only so much spectrum to go around. But first, you'll have to pry the remote control out of my hand.
-- John Altenbern
Posted on Sun, Feb 21, 2010 @ 08:13 PM
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Like almost everyone, I've been watching those dramatic Olympic stories play out on TV.
What's happening in Vancouver has become the "common currency" of a lot of conversations. Did you see those snowboarders? Is the Russian ice skater a sorehead? Did you see that skier fall as he crossed the finish line?
Much of America is watching NBC each night, according to Nielsen. You might say, "Well, this is the Olympics - what do you expect?" Ratings will likely disappear when the games are over. But television networks - and television in general - still have the power to command a mass audience with the right programming.
It's a fact that seems often overlooked in the discussion of the new media landscape. Much of our industry's attention seems to be directed towards the "long tail" - those incremental increases possible by satisfying the needs of a niche audience. There certainly can be a business in becoming a news source for a neighborhood, for example, or a particular demographic like young mom's or retirees.
But some local television newscasts are still that valued place where people come to see what's going on in their area, or to learn when the next storm is expected. Real substitutes are few. With the right combination of content, personalities and unique style, local television stations can command the attention of a very diverse and large audience in a geographic area.
Research shows us that more people each day watch local newscasts than download a video or visit one of a million websites. Sure, there's business in niche websites and narrow demographic targeting, and we certainly face more competition than ever before. But compelling and relevant stories that appeal to our unique geographic audiences never go out of style.
Maybe we should think less about chasing every stray set of eyeballs and more on how to make local television less boring and predictable. Your station can become the "common currency" in your market. You can win the gold if you're willing to make the commitment.
- John Altenbern
Posted on Mon, Feb 08, 2010 @ 01:18 PM
You probably have heard of the passing of Frank Magid. Every member of the CJ&N team is a veteran of the Magid company. His death naturally brings back a lot of memories for all of us, but especially for CJ&N Partner Bruce Northcott. Here are Bruce's thoughts on Frank:
You learn a lot about a guy working at his side for twenty years... most of that time I was president of "Frank's" company. I can't count the number of people who've asked me to say something personal about Frank since he died last week. I've resisted until now.
At the heart of Frank's success was his curiosity. About human behavior and TV, of course. But it went well beyond that. How about wooden boats? Or ancient nearly forgotten cultures? You bet. And what about all those great hide outs like Wilson, Wyoming? St. Mary's Point, Minnesota? Or Long Island, Antigua? Sure.
I'll never forget the long walks (forced marches, actually) across Manhattan, San Francisco, the Tetons or even Las Vegas... part of it was his dogged fitness regimen, but most had to do with his wanting to get a closer look at the people, places and things along the way. Really, it was about his curiosity. Frank always had another question or two no matter the topic of conversation... shoes, wine, government. He was fascinated by, and wanted to know more about, just about everything.
That's what I'll remember about the guy. Not the TV stuff. Not the pressure to build "Frank's" company. Not the struggles to recruit people to live and work in Marion, Iowa. More than anything I'll think of his seemingly insatiable curiosity that was at the heart of his genius.
It was tough to break up the way we did, but there was even good news in that. It lead to the formation and success of CJ&N 12 years ago. So, thanks Frank, for teaching me a little bit about TV and a whole lot about the sort of greatness that can come from a healthy vigorous curiosity.
- Bruce Northcott
Posted on Wed, Feb 03, 2010 @ 10:10 AM
Are you part of the populist uprising?
If you haven't noticed, there's a populist uprising goin
g on in the country. People are mad. They don't think government works for them and those fat cats down at the bank who took all that taxpayer money are now denying loans while writing themselves obscene bonus checks.
In this environment, local television news should hardly be sitting on the sidelines. In Chicago, long-time WBBM reporter Jay Levine reported on a wealthy suburb's plan to renovate its high school - to the tune of $174 million dollars. As Levine pointed out, that's more money than President Obama originally sent to Haiti for earthquake relief!
Today, the critic's chorus in Chicago is taking Levine and WBBM to task. Levine, they say, is "pontificating." He's unfairly characterizing the proposed underground parking at the high school as "heated." (Hey, it's 10 degrees on a Chicago parking lot this morning - underground is 50. That IS heated!) His report, say the critics, may have even led voters to defeat the bond issue (62% of almost 13,000 voters rejected it) for school renovation.
Hogwash!
At a time when local television news better get off its duff if it wants to survive, we need more reporting like Levine's. The usual "straight down the middle," bland, vanilla reporting is going to be lost in the noise. Why do we want to produce material that is so easy to ignore?
If you live in South Chicago and your kid's school is a dump, you're sitting on the couch asking the same questions Levine is raising about the gold-plated renovation. Why shouldn't television news have an attitude? Your viewers certainly do. And they might actually appreciate - and not turn off - a newscast that takes a risk or two.
- John Altenbern
Posted on Mon, Jan 11, 2010 @ 07:48 AM
NBC's late night retreat is seen universally as the white flag of primetime surrender. Remember all those "10" spots last summer with Jay driving down the road in his sports car? NBC probably now wishes it had sold that inventory. But despite the obvious cry of "uncle" from NBC, there are a couple of good reminders for all of local television in this whole debacle.
NBC affiliates still have some juice. After a disastrous November for both affiliates and the network, NBC stations were heard loud and clear: the Leno experiment was a failure. To its credit, NBC listened. (And let's face it, it was getting hammered, too.) The "who needs affiliates?" talk isn't quite as loud now.
The audience still decides who is successful and who is not.
Whether it's late news numbers, primetime ratings or online downloads, more audience generally equates to more money. The idea that network television can be strengthened by cutting the size of its audience and "managing for the margins" needs to be re-thought. Isn't shrinking the number of viewers the antithesis of what makes network television valuable?
While audience is shrinking, do we need to speed up that process unnecessarily? There is danger in our business of getting too far ahead of the curve. The talk of fundamental media change is everywhere, but trying to force new habits and ideas on an unwilling audience is risky business. While NBC has embraced the idea that the current network and affiliate model is broken, and tried to blaze a new path, CBS and ABC have strengthened their financial position (and their owned-affiliates) by getting back to old-school basics: Popular programs and improved local newscasts. Remember that next time someone advocates giving up on what brought you this far.
There's more change ahead for network television and Leno won't be the last experiment. But a few more Dateline and Law & Order episodes may be necessary before anyone gets a handle on the brave new media world.
- John Altenbern
Posted on Fri, Jan 08, 2010 @ 03:25 PM
Sinclair and Mediacom have reached a one-year retransmission agreement that will keep KGAN and KFXA - here in our backyard - and 20 other TV stations in 14 markets - on the Mediacom cable systems. As local viewers, it's good news for us and our neighbors.
But this is a battle that's far from over, and not becau.jpg)
se it's just a one-year deal. The industry is working hard to set a value on service it offers to viewers, yet we have not yet discovered how much viewers actually value that service. There's a whole mess of stuff that's going to happen over the next few years that will shape the new economics of local television.
It hasn't been long that TV stations have realized they can get cable companies to pay for their product. Companies like Sinclair continue to push to find just how much a local TV channel is worth. But the networks have sniffed the scent of money; ABC says it wants as much as half of its affiliates' retrans revenue. Cable operator Comcast, assuming its purchase of NBC goes through, says its' going to set a new standard for retransmission compensation. So now local TV stations, just having found this stash of cash, are already having their pockets picked.
Meanwhile, cable companies are going to have to find just what customers are willing to pay. How high can rates go to make up for these new payments? Will they have to start offering channels ala carte so people can afford their cable service?
It's going to reach a point where the channels that are most valuable to viewers will be the ones to survive. How much do you think your signal is worth to your viewers? What can you do to make sure your programming is something they'll pay for? And don't count long-term on what the networks feed you - they may not be there forever. The future of local TV is all about providing value.
These retransmission consent disputes are the beginning of a new landscape in the industry. But there is one assurance we can offer. Make your product valuable to your viewers, and you'll have a future. Many other programmers, channels, and stations won't make the cut.
- John Altenbern