Tag: Bold Gold Media

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Audacy Buffalo Holds Radiothon for SPCA of Erie County. News/talk WBEN-AM and sister station WLKK-FM in Bufflo helped raise $132,000 during the 22nd Annual SPCA Serving Erie County Radiothon. Audacy Buffalo SVP and market manager Tim Wenger comments, “This annual event really brings the community together and the amount raised is a testament to the generosity of our listeners. We love supporting SPCA’s mission and giving second chances to pets and animals in Buffalo.”

Bold Gold Media Stations Hit Fundraising Goals. Via two of its ongoing holiday fundraisers, Bold Gold Media Group’s radio stations in the Pocono Lake Region of Pennsylvania produced the The Wayne County Ford & Bold Gold Media Holiday Toy Drive Challenge and The Michael G. Stanton Shower for Charity. The Holiday Toy Drive Challenge saw listeners fill up at least four pick-up trucks with toys for needy kids and for the 24th year in a row, market manager Michael G. Stanton stood in a claw foot tub on Main Street in Honesdale in 20-degree weather clad in only Christmas-themed shorts and raised more than $46,000 for the Wayne County Childrens Christmas Bureau.

“105.7 The Fan” in Milwaukee Helps Raise $100k for Kids. Audacy sports talk “105.7 The Fan” (WSSP-FM / 1250AM) in Milwaukee – with the help of two of its sister music outlets – collected more than $100,000 in toys and cash to benefit Children’s Wisconsin Immediate Impact for Kids Fund. Station host and assistant brand manager Steve “Sparky” Fifer says, “I’m so proud of everyone involved in the 19th Annual Toy Drive for Children’s Wisconsin. We couldn’t make this a success without everyone in the community and around the state of Wisconsin contributing to it. The number of kids that these toys will impact is the reason we do this each year. There isn’t anything better than a smile on a kid’s face.”

JVC Broadcasting Helps Set Record in Long Island Toy Drive. Last Friday, JVC Broadcasting of Long Island conducted the JVC Town of Brookhaven INTERFACE Toy Drive featuring air personalities from all six JVC Long Island stations – including “LI News Radio” – to collect thousands of toys donated by generous community members that will go to more than 7,500 children, ranging in age from infants to 15 years old, helping ensure that families across the community experience joy during the holiday season. JVC president and CEO John Caracciolo says, “This is what local radio and local government working together is all about. When you bring the community together around a cause, incredible things happen.”

Industry Views

Pending Business: Post-Game

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

imIn case you missed it, honesty was on full display at Friday’s TALKERS 2024: Radio and Beyond conference.

Sometimes honest or transparent B2B conversations are difficult to digest. But when the truth is presented in an open forum designed to educate and motivate better to listen closely.

High five to keynoter Glenn Beck who shared his personal journey from the bottom to the top. His keynote was clear, honest messaging. Fame and fortune are no substitute for being true to yourself, honest about why and what you do in this business. What will you contribute that will make a difference? Love him or hate him, Beck is a proven, successful professional at what he does best: make you think.

Straight forward hallway conversations with fellow panelist Vince Benedetto, CEO of Bold Gold Media, were philosophical eye openers. Vince is a young, successful owner operator of small and medium market radio stations. Why is radio perceived as a “still is” good business when all his teams know is today’s success? Did someone tell him sales orders rolled in on fax machines? If that was the case, maybe radio stations should go back to faxing. Vince has no rear-view mirror, no experience with the “good old days” – just today’s and tomorrow’s successful opportunities. I explained to Vince, I’ve worked with the frenemy, and it is the generation ahead of him. We who overlook and assume the basics of over 90% radio listenership. It is us who need a look in the mirror!

A moment of honesty comment from John Caracciolo, CEO of JVC Media, was short and to the point, “Where are the bankers?” Nowhere near most local radio station owner operators. Maybe that will change as more terrestrial radio owners, managers, and talent fast forward embracing the future of digital and social media integration.

The research Salem Media Group SVP Phil Boyce shared was inspiring and thought provoking. His numbers tell the compelling story of audience dynamics and choices, especially when we hear how people are listening to radio for longer periods of time. Does anyone honestly care to pitch that key sales point?

Let’s wrap this column up with three key takeaways from the conference:

1. The radio business is alive but wrestling with a future crowded by aggressive competition from the new digital/social media frontier.
2. Successful leaders need trusted, experienced collaborators. Learn from the great Warren Buffet.
3. It takes passion, commitment, expertise, and a great team to stage the annual TALKERS conference. Thank you, Michael Harrison. I learned a lot!

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com.