Monday Memo: Anatomy of a Results-Producing Spot
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Let’s start with what NOT to do, The 7 Deadly Sins Of Small Business Advertising:
- Talking about yourself too much. Customers care lots less about your story than their problem.
- Using clichés. “Quality service,” “relaxing atmosphere,” “friendly staff,” and “committed to excellence” are noise. WORST: the hollow “for all your ____ needs.”
- Listing everything you do. Think: message, not menu.
- Trying to sound big. Avoid that corporate sound I described in last week’s column here. It distances you from your prospect.
- Trying to be clever instead of clear. If they don’t get it instantly, they move on. And you risk seeming unserious.
- Too much copy, so the spot sounds rushed, a motor-mouth pitch. Instead, let it breathe.
- Ending with a weak call to action. “Visit us today” is not a call to action. It’s a shrug.
Your messaging will instantly improve if – in the words of George Constanza – you “do the opposite” of committing these sins.
A strong ad has four parts:
- A clear, strong opening line. “When you lie in bed at night, do you hear a scratching sound?” The opening line should speak directly to the customer’s life. Note Magic Words “you” and “your.” Start in their world – with their dilemma – and walk-them-into your world, how you fix it.
- A simple promise. Tell them what they get — not what you do. “Call before noon and sleep on a new mattress tonight.” Problem solved. A promise is emotional, not technical.
- A reason to believe. Keep it short. “Sameday service, even on weekends,” or “We’ve solved this problem for 20 years.”
- A strong call to action. Tell them exactly what to do next. Be specific and immediate. “Click to find out – in just seconds – to find out what your house is worth.” Or “Instant cash for your car. Call for our offer.”
This is #3 in my 3-part series about optimizing commercial copy, the fundamentals we’re covering in Sales meetings as I visit client stations this spring. If you missed the first two installments, here are “If It Doesn’t Matter to the Customer, It Doesn’t Matter” and “Your Local Advantage.” And help yourself to my free E-book, “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” 12 more pages of what-worked, collected in my travels.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn
nationally syndicated radio show, “FOX Across America,” and his FOX News Channel show, “FOX News Saturday Night.” The theme for this 10th Event & Dinner at Mohegan Pennsylvania on May 5 is “250 Years of American Liberty!” Bold Gold president Vince Benedetto says, “This being our 10th event and coinciding with 
America’s 250th Birthday, we are doing everything bigger this year. In addition to celebrating 250 years of America, we’ll be celebrating 250 years of freedom of speech… and there is no greater daily example of that freedom that radio broadcasters. Radio, especially talk radio, remains America’s modern town hall. Our efforts at this event will help the next generation of radio broadcasters.” The Bold Gold Foundation will also be honoring Northeast Pennsylvania business leader and philanthropist Robert Tamburro with The Atlas Award for Citizenship. Bold gold says the Atlas Award is bestowed on individuals who, through their hard work and bold actions, show what is possible to achieve in a free society, and who exhibit extraordinary dedication to the highest ideals of character, community service, entrepreneurialism, patriotism, leadership, and virtue.
syndication via Talk Media Network. The program will be fed live weekdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET. Hooser says his program is a “one-hour conservative talk program that focuses on recapping the day’s events and brings a fresh perspective on the big stories of the day with fun conversation and great daily guests.” The program is based at Steckline Communications’ KQAM, Wichita where he serves as operations manager.
-created Radio Today and led “The Dr. Laura Program” through Take On the Day, LLC as its president. Rich also served as executive director of The New Group, which produced the Tony Award-winning play “Avenue Q.” Most recently, he served as a member of the board of directors of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Dr. Laura Schlessinger commented on his passing, “I have lost my best friend, whom I spoke to every day for the last 30 years.” Geoff Rich is survived by his wife, Koni, his children, Jaremy and Gabrielle, and his grandchildren.
died at the age of 82. Anastos worked at the local New York affiliates of ABC, CBS and FOX. In recent years, he hosted a feature on WABC Radio titled, “Positively Ernie.” Red Apple Media Group CEO John Catsimatidis commented on Anastos’ passing saying, “Ernie was a friend for 50 years. He was always there for every charity and worked tirelessly to help people — especially New Yorkers.”
Carrier Bureau, helping implement the Act. In the webinar titled “30th Anniversary of the 96 Act: What Did We Learn?” panelists will explore how lessons from the past 30 years can drive innovation and competition for consumers today. Topics will include artificial intelligence, media, competition, convergence, access, and cybersecurity. The three separate panels will include Panel 1 looking at “The Legislative Process That Led to the Act; Panel 2 will address “FCC Implementation of the Act”; and Panel 3 will focus on “Today’s Challenges.” Interested parties can join online via the 
-AM/FM and country KPLZ-FM. At the same time, the company announces that Jeff Connell is the new director of operations & brand management. Adams most recently served with Stephens Media Group in Spokane. Connell rises from his role as regional PD for KPLZ and KTHI-FM, Boise. In his new role, Connell will give up his programming role at KTHI.
year, generative AI adoption among American consumers.” Some of the key findings include that online audio consumption has hit an all-time high: 1) 81% of Americans age 12+ (233 million) listened to online audio in the last month, and 76% (219 million) listened in the last week; 2) Americans age 55+ are driving the most recent increases. Monthly online audio listening among this group jumped from 52% in 2024 to 70% in 2026, a gain of nearly 20 percentage points in just two years; 3) 80% of Americans age 12+ (230 million) have ever listened to or watched a podcast, an all-time high; and 4) 58% of Americans age 12+ (167 million) have consumed a podcast in the last month, also an all-time high. 
presented at ACL Live at the Moody Theatre at 8:00 pm ET. Actress, comedian and host of the “Thanks Dad” podcast, Ego Nwodim, will emcee this year’s iHeartPodcast Awards, actor and comedian Will Ferrell will open the show and Holly Frey, host of “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” will be the winners correspondent. The full list of the 2026 iHeartPodcast Awards categories and nominees can be found 
“conducting a search for a new director of sales, a dynamic leader who values their connection with the Long Island community. The ideal candidate will be a high-energy seller experienced in developing custom marketing solutions leveraging assets like broadcast media, digital capabilities, and event marketing. Leadership experience, a passion for driving results, and a talent for building strong client relationships are essential.” 
3.9% to $252.4 million in 2025. After posting net income of $16.2 million in 2024, the company is reporting a net loss of $34.6 million in 2025. Salem reports revenue by segments and the erosion of its broadcast advertising revenue was dramatic after it shut down its Christian music formats and sold numerous radio stations, falling 36% — from $62.6 million in 2024 to $40.75 million in 2025. However, the company’s digital revenue (including advertising, streaming, downloads, and subscriptions) rose 5.5% from $83.8 million in 2024 to $88.4 million in 2025.
company says that digital revenue increased 25.8% to $4.3 million in the fourth quarter, compared to $3.5 million for the same period last year. For the full year of 2025, Saga posts a net loss of $7.9 million compared to the net income of $3.46 million it reported for the full year of 2024.
2024. Urban One CEO and president Alfred C. Liggins, III, states, “As expected, we had a tough fourth quarter due to a combination of non-recurring political advertising, soft radio markets and declining audience delivery in our cable television business. Despite this, we were able to achieve full-year Adjusted EBITDA within our previous guidance range at $56.7 million. The biggest revenue drag in the fourth quarter resulted from weak cable TV prime delivery, down approximately 20.0% from the third quarter, although we have seen a significant recovery in the first quarter 2026 as the revised Nielsen methodology has given us an approximate 40.0% – 50.0% lift compared to the fourth quarter 2025. Radio pacings in the first quarter of 2026 are currently down 5%, but we remain positive on the outlook for mid-term political revenues later in the year. I was pleased that we were able to repurchase a significant amount of our 2028 Notes at a discount, extend out the maturity on all but a small stub of the notes, and increase the size and term of our ABL Credit Agreement. This transaction sets up the company with a stable capital structure and extended maturity runway to allow us to continue to de-lever the business. In January 2026 we also regained compliance with the Nasdaq listing requirements by effectuating a 1-for-10 reverse stock split.”
podcasts that will deliver weekly gaming and culture programming across its multiplatform network. iHeartMedia president of business development and strategic partnerships Michael Biondo says, “This collaboration shows iHeart’s commitment to authentically elevating gaming culture. Together, iHeart and GGL are creating a new blueprint for how gaming lives inside mainstream culture—bringing competitive gaming to listeners and new fans nationwide by introducing them directly into the Global Gaming League ecosystem.”
pharmaceutical brand’s original buy targeting adults 18-54, 100% of the budget was allocated to traditional television, with 87% to broadcast and 13% to cable. This achieved a reach of 39%. By shifting only 5% of the total spend away from the usual go-to television outlets, and into podcasts, reach increased significantly. Reach among those ages 18-54 went from 39% in the old campaign to 55% in the new campaign, a lift of 41%. Note that this is shifting dollars, not adding dollars. The brand reached 26 million additional people without increasing the advertising budget.
during an informal conversation with his longtime friend, music industry publicist Anne Leighton on her YouTube program, “The Anne Leighton Inclusion Interview.” Harrison talks about the evolution of radio and its influence on popular culture through more than a half century of 
broadcasting adventures including his present-day role as a member of the classic rock band, Gunhill Road. Harrison states, “Anne is such a unique player in this business – a longtime proponent of music discovery – she has such a respect for the artists and their fans. Her podcast is SO refreshingly grassroots. It was a remarkable, fun experience talking with her about all that cool stuff.” Fans of music and radio history should not miss this. 
journalists. The attorney for Hoffman and co-litigants Brandi Kruse and Jonathan Choe argued that the “process used to deny them press credentials was vague and arbitrarily applied, violating their due-process rights, and withholding access because of they disagree with the lawmakers’ political views violates their constitutional rights of free speech and free press.” U.S. District Judge David Estudillo denied the TRO, saying, “The three failed to show that they are likely to succeed on their free press or due process claims, and the ‘House has a substantial interest in ensuring the reporters it permits to access the House floor meet the credential standards promulgated so the House may debate and pass laws without interruption or lobbying in that space.’” This story, as reported by KSL-FM, Salt Lake City, says, “The Washington State Capitol Correspondents Association guidelines for granting press passes says the person must be ‘a bona fide journalist’ and there must be a line ‘between professional journalism and political or policy work.’ The association shifted the credentialing process to the Legislature after the three threatened a lawsuit in 2025. The Senate eventually issued the passes, but the House took over the process and denied the pass requests.” The three say they will appeal. 
Amendment are challenged on every front, the journalists, organizations and individuals we honor today stand as powerful examples of courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to the free flow of information. Their work informs, supports and strengthens our communities, and it definitely protects the core principles that make a free press essential to democracy. We are proud to shine a spotlight on these champions of press freedom and to celebrate their vital contributions.” Honorees include recently retired WGN, Chicago news anchor Steve Bertrand; former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens; and FOX News pentagon reporter Jennifer Griffin. 
titled, “We’ll Do it Live!” The new podcast debuts this Thursday (3/12) at noon ET for his Concierge and Premium Members and at 7:00 pm ET for everyone else. O’Reilly’s first guest is comic and actor Rob Schneider. O’Reilly says he and Schneider will discuss his time on SNL, the impact of COVID, and what led him to where he is politically today.
reduction and asset-optimization initiatives, it went into refinancing mode in May of 2024, pushing loans that matured in 2026 into 2029. The filing states, “Despite these measures, ongoing industry revenue declines and macroeconomic headwinds continued to constrain liquidity and free cash flow. As a result of these various pressures, in the last quarter of 2025, the Company, with the assistance of its advisors, began to explore various strategic alternatives and potential liquidity-enhancing transactions. After considering the available options, the Debtors and their advisors determined that the best path forward was to implement a comprehensive recapitalization transaction either out-of-court or through the filing of prepackaged chapter 11 cases.” The key provisions of the Plan are: “2029 Secured Claims will be canceled in exchange for 95% of the equity in the reorganized Company” and “Other Funded Debt Claims will be canceled in exchange for 5% of the equity in the reorganized Company.” Additionally, the current Board of Directors will be discharged and it will be up to the new Board whether it keeps any or all of the current organization’s corporate officers. 