Thursday, July 21, 2011

A glimpse into the future of radio from the Keller Radio Talent Institute




I had the privilege last week of again addressing the students attending the Keller Radio Talent Institute at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. This year marked my second appearance at the 10-day gathering which noted consultant Dan Vallie (Vallie-Richards-Donovan Consulting, pictured) put together in 2007. It is named for the late Art Keller of EZ Communications.

The Institute gathers 21 students from throughout North Carolina’s universities for intense schooling on radio sales, management, and operations.

While there, in addition to a long list of industry guest speakers, the students spend a day in Charlotte at the Time Warner Arena (home of the NBA Bobcats), the Bank of America Stadium (where the NFL Panthers play) the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and take the RAB’s Radio Marketing Professional certification course. Speakers this year included station owners Kerby Confer (Forever Broadcasting), Leonard Wheeler (Wheeler Broadcasting), and Henry Hinton (Inner Banks Media). The event is partially underwritten by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters.

The students are attentive and engaged. They choose to spend almost two weeks in a radio cram course (when many of their peers are at the beach). Each is truly focused on landing a career in the radio industry. Former students have since gone to work for CBS, Beasley Broadcast Group, Clear Channel, Dick Broadcasting, Entercom, Curtis Media, Capitol Broadcasting, and others. Dan says that more than 70% of former students are now in broadcasting or a related field.

If you are asked to participate in the Institute in the future, please do it. And next time you see a resume from a participant, flag it for an interview. Kudos to the students, Dan, App State, NCAB, and the pros who volunteer their time to make it happen.

George
Media Services Group

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Roanoke-Lynchburg construction permit sold

Mel Wheeler, Inc has agreed to purchase the WKCJ-FM construction permit licensed to Elliston-Lafayette, Virginia from Radio Greenbrier LLC. The buyer is headed by Leonard Wheeler, President. He has other radio and television interests in Virginia, Missouri and Illinois. The seller is headed by Todd Robinson who has other radio interests in West Virginia and Virginia. The purchase price is $675,000 (and is subject to FCC approval).

Bill Whitley of the Dallas office of Media Services Group represented the seller in this transaction. Congratulations to Todd, Leonard and Bill on getting this deal done!

George
Media Services Group

Monday, July 11, 2011

Media Services Group sells four Texas stations in bankruptcy deal

Bill Whitley (Media Services Group, Dallas) has completed a four station sale in a bankruptcy action. Randal Osherow, Bankruptcy Trustee, pursuant to an order of the United States Bankruptcy Court Western District of Texas, sold a four radio station cluster serving Fredericksburg, Texas to Norbert Fritz. Neither party has other broadcast interests. The purchase price is $700,000. The sale is subject to FCC approval.

The radio stations include:

KNAF-AM Fredericksburg
KNAF-FM Fredericksburg
KFAN-FM Johnson City
KEEP-FM Bandera

George
Media Services Group

Friday, July 8, 2011

Big FCC news out of the 3rd Circuit on media cross-ownership

A U.S. appeals court vacated an FCC rule relaxing limits on cross-ownership. The ruling marks the second time the appeals court has intervened in the commission’s attempts to relax media ownership rules.

Here's the story from Bloomberg: CLICK HERE

Have a great weekend,

George
Media Services Group