RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast

On a normal weekday, syndicated fare including El Bueno, La Mala y El Feo and Alex Sensation's show can be heard on an FM translator and AM radio station serving the Suncoast region of Florida — Sarasota, Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. Further inland, where Spanish-dominant Hispanics are vital to the agricultural and farming communities in DeSoto and Hardee Counties, regional Mexican "La Zeta" is the local home of "Erazno y la Chokolata," the top Spanish-language syndicated program in the U.S.

On September 28, that programming ceased as the entire six-person Solmart Media team took their part in providing vital, in-language coverage of Hurricane Ian as it barreled across the six-county area the company's radio stations serve.

In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Solmart co-owner Tomás Martínez, who cut his teeth in Miami media and is no stranger to hurricanes, shares with Boca Raton-based Adam R Jacobson how serving local listeners with unique content on-air and online came together in a time of emergency.

When it comes to progressive advertising shops, DiGo, a New York-based creative agency promoting better habits by building businesses using Positive Behavior Change marketing, has gained notice for its work with such clients as Hello Fresh, Weight Watchers and the Bronx Zoo.

For its founder and creative chief, Mark DiMassimo, ensuring these brands activate media campaigns across all consumer touchpoints — including broadcast television — is an essential cog in the media mix. Why? Find out in this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM.

"Political advertising has been a real motivating and mainly a good thing for us in 2022."

That's how Steven Passwaiter, Vice President of Growth & Strategy in the Media Intelligence division of Kantar and a CMAG Senior Advisor, began a TVB Forward Conference presentation midday Thursday that offered a plethora of fresh data on how political ad dollars are trending across the 2022 election season.

"It's one for the record books," he said before sharing 2018 and 2020 political ad dollars. With 47 days until Election Day, we are now 10% over the presidential year and 50% over 2018.

Even more, Kantar has upped its record-breaking political ad spending estimate to $9 billion. Los Angeles and Las Vegas are attracting many of those ad dollars. The No. 1 station for political ad revenue? It's Cox Media Group's flagship property, WSB-2 in Atlanta.

The issues most coming up in advertising? Inflation, reproductive rights, healthcare and public safety are tops. 

What another big takeaways did Passwaiter share? They're all here in this special InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, recorded live on September 22 at Chelsea Piers in New York to close out the live General Session of the TVB Forward Conference.

What's the biggest constant and perhaps the biggest change seen in the world of Spanish-language sports media and the fan interest of those who enjoy deportes?

That's one of the questions Unanimo Sports Founder Lino Garcia answers as the RBR+TVBR InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, celebrates the start of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Garcia shares with Adam R Jacobson how Unanimo, three years after its launch, is today a "multiplatform digital radio" platform reliant on Audacy, iHeartMedia and TuneIn to connect with consumers. But, is over-the-air radio in the works for Unanimo? Yes, Garcia says.

In this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson chats with veteran media broker Dick Foreman, who handled some deals for Clear Channel under the late Lowry Mays' ownership, about his legacy and his many charitable efforts — including those with the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

The latest InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, features Peter Saad, the Executive Director of the LPTV Broadcasters Association. He recently stepped into the role, joining founder “SuperFrank” Copsidas in championing what the group is calling “Local Power TV” on Capitol Hill. To share what the legislative goals of the LPTV Broadcasters Association are going into 2023, when the complexion of Congress may look a bit different, Saad joins us today from Connecticut.

What is IBC2022? It's not like the NAB Show but has a lot of similarities — and many U.S.-based broadcast technology companies are readying their conference expo booths and have much to share with the international radio and television community for the first time in three years.

There's a lot of excitement about the Amsterdam-based event, scheduled from September 9-12, and public relations pro Brian Galante will be on hand to work with such clients as ENCO, MultiDyne, Thomson Broadcast and GatesAir, Macnica and StreamGuys.

In this IBC2022 preview, Galante shares with RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson how the Netherlands-based affair differs from the NAB Show and why U.S.-based broadcasters may wish to keep an eye on the technology getting their global debut and what they may be asked to approve a purchase order for in 2023!

Tune in now to learn what's in store for IBC2022 participants and vendors in under 15 minutes by listening to this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM!

Due to technical difficulties with our third-party e-mail newsletter distribution service, we are unable to send Tuesday's newsletter as normal. As such, a special audio version of today's newsletter has been produced.

As a reminder, all stories are available at this time at RBR.com. Set a bookmark now!

From a greater sense of localism across his two stations to adopting "an OTT culture," Erik Schrader has had a busy year since transferring from Cleveland to Atlanta to serve as VP/GM of what are today Gray Television's flagship stations. He shares how things have transpired and what lies ahead for "Peachtree TV" and "CBS46" in this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by Adam R Jacobson.

"I really don't want to chase away happy," says Tony Michaels, Operations Manager at Powell Broadcasting in Sioux City, Iowa. "When I moved up here in 1997, it was Powell Broadcasting and it is the same here today."

With President Robert Bond and the owner of parent company The Powell Group Nanette Noland still in the top leadership positions, Powell isn't just Radio in Siouxland. The diversified company has assets in rice, lumber, energy, farming and real estate. That said, "She allows to do what we do," Michaels says of Noland.

That's perhaps why he lied to his then-girlfriend when he said they'd stay in Iowa for two to three years and return to Nebraska. "It's a great place to raise a family and local decisions are made here in the market."

In this fresh InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.FM, Michaels offers more details on why he's super-pleased to be celebrating a quarter century in Siouxland with Powell, and why he's not chased after other radio jobs in bigger markets.

"After sharing your heart on the radio for 25 years, it feels like I have thousands of friends," he shares. "I probably don't but it feels that way when I go to the grocery store."

Learn how you can find your happy in Radio from Michaels by listening to this podcast now!