Profiles of Success

Profiles of Success – Multichannel Strategy Pays Off for Major Radio Group
 

Opportunity
A major radio group undertook an initiative to use multiple channels to enhance its reach and grab ad share from direct mail, Yellow Pages and newspapers.

Solution
The radio group launched a separately branded Web site focused on saving money. The site offers coupons, half-price gift certificates, a searchable directory and special deals.
 

Outcome? 
In the first quarter of 2009, the site was distributing more local coupons than the major daily newspaper and was on track to generate nearly $1 million in nontraditional revenues. Learn more about how the group made it happen. Don't miss the opportunity to hear directly from Gordon Borrell at Winning Media Strategies 2009.
 

Profiles of Success – Local News Goes Multiplatform in Las Vegas
 

Opportunity
In Las Vegas, Greenspun Media owns a local newspaper, radio station, a cable news outlet, local alternative weekly, weekly newspapers, and several tourism-related publications. How could it drive synergy across its key properties and position itself for the future?

Solution
The solution was to develop an "online first" approach, with all new online staff and new Web sites.

"What attracted us to Greenspun was that we could change the rules," said Greenspun Publisher Chris Jennewein. Since Greenspun's Las Vegas Sun was the number two newspaper in town, "... we had no core print business to support and defend."

Moreover, Greenspun's TV properties can support video distribution over the air, on cable and via the Internet, so delivery is platform-agnostic.

At this point, Greenspun Interactive has hired 45 journalists, videographers and software developers, as well as a 20-person business staff.

Outcome? 
The result is that Greenspun has been recognized for breathing new life into its media properties, like the Las Vegas Sun. A recent NPR blog post said of the Sun, "In just four years, it appears to have reinvented itself from a trailing paper in a two-daily town into a multi-media power."

The Las Vegas Sun is also the recipient of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, as well as the Online News Association's award for "Best Mid-Sized Newspaper Site in the U.S."

At the conference, Curley and Jennewein will lead a session titled, "Greenspun's Prize-Winning ‘Online First' Approach to TV, Radio and Print", Thursday, May 21 at 11 am. They will discuss their approach to gaining synergies across various media opportunities and creating an "online first" strategy.

Profiles of Success – Transforming Business Models and Making Money
 

Opportunity
The radio industry is fighting back against inroads by other media, including iPods, satellite radio and Internet streaming. Its biggest effort is to put a radio tuner into every mobile phone, PDA and digital music player within five years.

The expectation is that this will drive usage of carrier data and entertainment services, provide a new revenue stream from geotargeted messages, and offer an elegant solution to the mobile industry's emergency messaging challenge.

Solution
Smulyan notes that the industry is working with carriers, CE manufacturers, mobile handset manufacturers and others to make it happen. “Radio receivers develop the appropriate technology and business models already are part of some phones and could be added to other mobile phones in low-cost chips that cost about 50 cents,” says Smulyan.

Outcome? 
Citing a recently commissioned NAB study (www.nabfastroad.org), Smulyan believes the service will “add to the available radio audience, save lives and property with enhanced emergency alerting capabilities, and provide a direct link at the device level for radio broadcasters to grow audiences by providing over-the-air service to mobile phones and other personal CE devices.”

Attend Winning Media Strategies and hear Smulyan's firsthand account on the radio industry's cellphone initiative. A leader in this area, Jeff is the keynote speaker for the session How Broadcasters Can Get the Local Edge in Mobile Advertising, Thursday, May 21 at 1 pm. He will outline the key benefits to broadcasters and the critical next steps for success.

Profiles of Success – Mobile Media Opportunity
 

What was the non-traditional media revenue opportunity targeted?
With a billion enhanced mobile handsets projected in the worldwide marketplace by 2011, mobile will play a significant role for local media usage and advertising. We developed a mobile approach that targeted one of the world's best selling handsets, the iPhone, as well as the iPod Touch.

What solution was created?
We built an iPhone application and made it available for purchase in the iTunes App Store.

What was the revenue outcome? 
The results have begun to reposition the broadcasters so that they are leaders over all the airwaves – television and mobile.

Numerous stations across multiple station groups are deploying the application, which is in the Top 50 most popular news apps. Each has sold local sponsorships and is recognizing significant national advertising dollars.

At Winning Media Strategies, I will share more details on revenue dollars, stations involved and our next steps for capitalizing on this success.

News Over Wireless provides turn-key mobile solutions that meet the unique needs of media properties.