Mobile’s role in media and Internet companies’ multiplatform business models to be explored by industry executives at BIA/Kelsey’s “Winning Media Strategies” conference, May 20-22

Posted by: Michael Hackmer
Social Media and Online Marketing Manager
BIA Advisory Services
mhackmer@bia.com

In a forecast released today, BIA’s The Kelsey Group (www.kelseygroup.com), a division of BIA Advisory Services, LLC (www.bia.com), predicts U.S. mobile search advertising revenues to grow from $39 million in 2008 to $2.3 billion by 2013.

One of the drivers behind the forecast is the growth of mobile Internet users. BIA’s Kelsey Group anticipates “a tenfold increase in the number of mobile Internet users during the forecast period—from 5.2 million in 2008 to 56.2 million in 2013.”

BIA/Kelsey will present the forecast during “Winning Media Strategies,” its first conference to focus on the new media landscape and the opportunities for traditional media businesses and online companies, May 20-22 in Washington, D.C. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) recently partnered with Winning Media Strategies to demonstrate the importance of mobile and other online methods of distribution to the broadcast industry.

The read BIA’s recent press release on this forecast, please click here.

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Michael Hackmer
Social Media and Online Marketing Manager
BIA Advisory Services
mhackmer@bia.com

Welcome to the 2009 Winning Media Strategies blog.

This is the first year of Winning Media Strategies, and we are very excited about building a conference that is entirely focused on enhancing your business and discussing the kinds of progressive “change” we see is necessary for television, radio, cable, and newspaper companies to survive in a rapidly changing media ecosystem.

This blog aims to support the more informal side of networking and education before, during and after the conference. At their core, blogs are all about sharing ideas and engaging people. Over the next few weeks our goal will be to get the conversation rolling with the hope that you and others will chime in. By commenting and contributing, you will help us to craft a more effective and informative conference, and help you and your peers come to grips with the challenges facing the media industry today.

To help get the conversation rolling, we are inviting speakers, analysts and BIA executives to contribute to the blog on subjects that will be covered during Winning Media Strategies. We also have included the BIA Twitter feed on the right side of the blog, so people can follow the quick tweets about WMS and other media-related topics.

We hope that you will follow this space and take time to share your ideas. If you have any questions about the blog, please do not hesitate to send me an email at: mhackmer@bia.com. In the meantime, we appreciate your time and interest in Winning Media Strategies, and hope to see you online and at the conference.

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Rick Ducey
Chief Strategy Officer
BIA Advisory Services
rducey@bia.com

The local media ecosystem will continue to evolve as the demand for “personalized” media increases. It’s not enough to just have a multiplatform presence. It’s about having a meaningful and committed strategy and it’s about execution. See the “Multiplatform Strategy” pictured here. This is Christine DiStadio’s (KHOU-TV’s Director of Digital Media) vision of an integrated strategy. And it not just a concept, KHOU executes on this strategy for driving ad revenue and for providing unique and compelling community service.

Is it a given that you must position yourself as a cross platform marketer? Most stations have Internet operations, many attracting substantially more revenue than others. Why? Do you need to move beyond the Internet? Is mobile your next path? Is it viable in today’s economy to invest more resources in a project that has a limited track record?

Moderated by TV Newsday’s Harry Jessell, these topics will be addressed by Christine DiStadio, Robert Raciti, GE Commercial Finance; and Rick Ducey, BIA Advisory Service on the broadcast management panel,  ”Local: The Television Multiplatform Advertising Center, Tuesday, 2:30pm – 3:45pm in Rooms N293/241.

The experience and ideas of today’s panelists will help you get beyond the fluff and into the practical. They’ll begin with the basics with insights on developing – or reassessing – the station’s multiplatform business strategy. Participants’ advice on digital applications that can help you create new marketplace partnerships and grow revenue is a must for any general manager. You’ll leave with ten multiplatform sales money makers, ready to put in place when you return home. Make sure you’re prepared for this important industry revenue benchmark. As we all know, timing is everything!

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We’ve just completed a preliminary agenda for our upcoming Directional Media Strategies ’09 conference, Sept. 22-24 in Orlando, Florida. DMS is our annual event focused on the global directories industry and, more broadly, connecting small-business advertisers with customers. It is the best single event of the year for understanding what will drive the directories business, and for networking with industry leaders who are serious about innovating and partnering.

Our working theme for this year’s event is, “a five-year roadmap for directional media.” In today’s business climate, five years can be a lifetime. But a big part of our job is to look ahead and help our clients understand how they need to adjust their businesses to seize longer term opportunities. Our conferences share this emphasis.

There will be a lot to talk about at DMS this year. We’ve seen major upheavals among some of the industry’s biggest players, major shifts in how local advertisers view their media investments and, of course, an economic crisis that cuts to the heart of some of the key drivers of directional media usage — home values and consumer confidence. Add to these challenges the opportunities presented by new media options and distribution platforms — think online video and the iPhone. Industry players grappling with all these issues need a steady diet of good ideas — on new products and how to roll them out successfully; on selling in a difficult environment; on structuring a business for long-term success. Our agenda is designed as a forum for sharing the best available ideas.

We are adding some new elements to this year’s show, including a “debate” format where we will bring together two strong advocates for opposite sides of a burning industry question. We think this will be a thought-provoking and fun approach.

We encourage you to check out the agenda and give us your feedback.

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Rick Ducey
Chief Strategy Officer
BIA Advisory Services
rducey@bia.com

BIA’s ad revenue forecast for local radioshows several down years ahead before a slight rebound begins by 2012. If you are in the “radio business” that’s what you have to look forward to. However, if you’re in the “content and integrated advertising & marketing” business, the outlook is substantially cheerier. Just on the digital side alone, BIA forecasts a compound annual growth rate of +29.7% for radio stations. Also, we see much better news for small and medium market operations where greater access to clients is possible. However, there are even more creative ways to grow revenues as a radio operation if you are willing to transform your business model.

You can learn a lot more about this by coming to the Transforming Radio’s Business Model with Multiple Revenue Streams session at NAB 2009, Tuesday, April 21st from 10:30am to 11:45am.

Here’s an example:

Jim Brewer II will be on the panel. He’s got a cluster of radio stations in Chattanooga, TN. He’s not in the “radio business.” He’s in the Radio, Internet, Publishing and Events business! This week, Brewer Media sponsored Chattanooga’s “Eco Expo” and had tremendous success. This one time event drew over 80 vendors, most of whom brought “new money” to Brewer Media between the Eco Expo event and the corresponding web site. The initiative easily pulled in six figures this year and expectations are to double or triple this for next year. The event was promoted with ChattanoogaEcoExpo.com.

The event will serve as a platform to launch a new web vertical for Chattanooga, ChattanoogaLivesGreen.com to support year round web publishing and promotion to generate new ad dollars coming in to Brewer Media. Brewer also has an alternative weekly newspaper in addition to its radio and web platforms.

Is the radio business down in Chattanooga? Who cares, the multiplatform business is going great!

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