Radio World - April 8, 2009 - (Page 17) April 8, 2009 radioworld.com | Radio World 17 John Lynch Chairman/CEO The Broadcast Company of the Americas ‘Locality is the essence to successful radio. We are producing local products while the giant companies are going national.’ Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing you in 2009? Generating enough revenue to pay the bills. Q: How will your business overcome the economic climate in general and the tough time for radio revenue specifically? Locality is the essence to successful radio. We are producing local products while the giant companies are going national. We also are working with our clients to be sure their campaigns work, adding inventory when necessary. Q: What business initiatives has your org- anization explored in your efforts to grow? We did the Advantage program, generating 30 new small business clients for 2009. Q: What notable capital improvement projects do you have on the calendar for this year? None. Q: What do you think regarding mutterings about the Fairness Doctrine? Do you think we’ll see an effort to restore it? It’s like raising taxes during a recession: a business killer. If socialism is what Obama wants to spread, then the Fairness Doctrine being introduced will be another sign of this socialistic agenda of Obama. Q: Where are you on digital radio? We will implement when it begins to generate revenue. Q: Does radio need to embrace online and mobile platforms further? How much does the future of the industry lie in these applications? [It is] essential to be a part of new delivery systems. Q: What would you like to see from the FCC that you haven’t in the past? A more pro-business agenda. Q: How well is the NAB as an organization doing its job? I believe the NAB is doing its best to represent the interests of broadcasting and broadcasters. with several outside companies — BIGresearch, Genergraphics and others — to develop different material to demonstrate the superior strengths of radio in influencing purchasing decisions. Q: Does radio need to embrace online and mobile platforms further? The Internet and wireless are the future of this business. And they should be a much greater part of the “now” of this business. Q: What would you like to see from the FCC that you haven’t in the past? More people like Bobby Baker, who understand business, fairness and common sense. [Baker is assistant chief of the Policy Division of the Media Bureau.] expenditure project going forward is our continuing conversion to HD Radio. We have been on board for HD since the beginning and continue to believe that it is essential to radio’s future capabilities to compete and drive revenues. Frustration [over] too much emphasis on creating sub-channel stations is the only negative we have experienced, but [we] continue to believe that other data opportunities connected to digital radio will be monetized in the future. Q: What would you like to see from the FCC that you haven’t in the past? We would always like to see matters handled in a timely fashion. But as far as the agency policy area [is concerned], we think that more media consolidation is going to be essential in the future, and they should take a positive stance on cross-ownership, especially considering the negative position of local newspapers. Q: How well is the NAB as an organization doing its job? We are impressed with the intelligent, aggressive job done by the NAB, and hope that the industry continues to support those efforts, especially since the current Congress and administration reminds me of the early ’80s when liberal thinking nearly destroyed free over-the-air broadcasting. America has the system that the world seeks to duplicate, yet our representatives in Washington seem, at times, to be on a path to destroy this great free over-the-air asset, [which is] so important to all Americans. http://www.radioworld.com http://www.kintronic.com http://www.kintronic.com
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