Posted on October 24th, 2011 by N2Growth
By Mike Myatt, Chief Strategy Officer, N2growth blog
If I only had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked, “is there a simple test that can quickly determine an executive’s leadership ability?” The short answer is yes, but keep in mind, simple and fast aren’t always the same thing as effective. There are a plethora of diagnostic tests, profiles, evaluations, and assessments that offer insights into leadership ability, or a lack thereof. My problem with these efforts is they are overly analytical, very theoretical, and subject to bias. That said, they are fast, easy, and relatively inexpensive. The good news is, there is a better way. If you really want to determine someone’s leadership ability, give them some responsibility and see what they do with it. Leaders produce results. It’s not always pretty, especially in the case of inexperienced leaders, but good leaders will find a way to get the job done.
In a previous post entitled Looking For Leadership, I share a number of concerns about corporate America’s obsession over theoretical academic tests. There is a subtle abdication of responsibility that has occurred as rationalizations take place around DISC scores, or justifications surrounding a 360 review are used to defend an ineffective leader. My question is this: what about real world tests? If your enterprise has trouble identifying leaders, or has a shortage of leaders, you don’t have a testing problem – you have a leadership problem. One of the primary responsibilities of leadership is to create more and better leaders. I believe it was John Maxwell who said, “there is no success without a successor.”
It’s important to realize that just because someone is in a leadership position, doesn’t necessarily mean they should be. Put another way, not all leaders are created equal. The problem many organizations are suffering from is a recognition problem – they can’t seem to recognize good leaders from bad ones. In the text that follows, I’ll address how to spot ineffective leaders pointing out a few things that should be obvious, but apparently aren’t:
1.Poor Character: A leader who lacks character or integrity will not endure the test of time. It doesn’t matter how intelligent, affable, persuasive, or savvy a person is, if they are prone to rationalizing unethical behavior based upon current or future needs they will eventually fall prey to their own undoing…
2.Lack of Performance: Nobody is perfect, but leaders who consistently fail are not leaders, no matter how much you wish they were. While past performance is not always a certain indicator of future events, a long-term track record of success should not be taken lightly. Someone who has consistently experienced success in leadership roles has a much better chance of success than someone who has not. It’s important to remember unproven leaders come with a high risk premium.
3.Poor Communication Skills: Show me a leader with poor communication skills and I’ll show you someone who will be short-lived in their position. Great leaders can communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, and environments. They are active listeners, fluid thinkers, and know when to dial it up, down, or off.
4.Self-Serving Nature: If a leader doesn’t understand the concept of “service above self” they will not engender the trust, confidence, and loyalty of those they lead. Any leader is only as good as his or her team’s desire to be led by them. An over abundance of ego, pride, and arrogance are not positive leadership traits. Long story short; if a leader receives a vote of non-confidence from their subordinates…game over.
5.One Size Fits All Leadership Style: Great leaders are fluid and flexible in their approach. They understand the power of, and necessity for contextual leadership. “My way or the highway” leadership styles don’t play well in today’s world, will result in a fractured culture, and ultimately a non-productive organization. Only those leaders who can quickly recognize and adapt their methods to the situation at hand will be successful over the long haul.
6.Lack of Focus and Follow-Through: Those leaders who lack the focus and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and committed fashion will perish. Leaders who do not possess a bias toward action, or who cannot deliver on their obligations will not be successful. Leadership is about performance…Intentions must be aligned with results for leaders to be effective.
7.Not Forward Looking: No vision equals no leadership. Leaders satisfied with the status quo, or who tend to be more concerned about survival than growth won’t do well over the long-run. The best leaders are focused on leading change and innovation to keep their organizations fresh, dynamic and growing. Bottom line – leaders who build a static business doom themselves to failure.
8.Disconnected from the Market: Leaders not attuned to the needs of the market will fail. As the old saying goes, if you’re not taking care of your customers, someone else will be more than happy to. Successful leaders focus on customer satisfaction and loyalty. They find ways to consistently engage them and incorporate them into their innovation and planning initiatives. If you ignore, mistreat, or otherwise don’t value your customer base, your days as a leader are most certainly numbered.
9.Not Invested: Leaders are fully committed to investing in those they lead. They support their team, build into their team, mentor and coach their team, and they truly care for their team. A leader not fully invested in their team won’t have a team – at least not an effective one.
10.Not Accountable: Real leaders are accountable. They don’t blame others, don’t claim credit for the success of their team, but always accept responsibility for failures that occur on their watch. Most of all, leaders are accountable to their team. I’ve always said that leaders not accountable to their people will eventually be held accountable by their people.
11.Not Focused: Leaders who are not intentional and are not focused, will fail themselves and their team. Leaders who lack discipline will model the wrong behaviors and will inevitably spread themselves too thin. Organizations are at the greatest risk when leaders lose their focus.
12.Lacking Vision: Poor vision, tunnel vision, vision that is fickle, or a non-existent vision will cause leaders to fail. A leader’s job is to align the organization around a clear and achievable vision. This cannot occur when the blind lead the blind.
The moral of this story is leaders need to be honest, have a demonstrated track record of success, be excellent communicators, place an emphasis on serving those they lead, be fluid in approach, have laser focus, and a bias toward action. If these traits are not possessed by your current leadership team, or your up and coming leaders, you will be in for a rocky road ahead…
Which of these traits stand out to you? Do you have any other signs of ineffective leaders worthy of mention?
Saturday, October 29, 2011
'Live,' Later Or Next Year: Where's The Value In Shifting Viewing Habits?
MediaPost's TVWatch
A media critique by Wayne Friedman , Friday, Oct. 28, 2011
A male college student on a panel at the recent OMMA Video conference in San Francisco responded earnestly to a media question:
"When you say 'live TV'... what do you mean? Could you elaborate a bit more?"
Laughter filled the room.
So, the female questioner from the audience went deeper in a straightforward way: "So when it's on the TV screen, say Monday at 8 p.m. Or, like, 'The Office,' when it airs on Thursday night at whatever time."
"Oh," the student said. "Like cable."
Oh, indeed. The exchange spoke volumes, of course, about what older, experienced media professionals are trying to grasp concerning shifts in consumer media usage.
It makes sense that some consumers, who don't have personal experience related to what TV used to be, would be scratching their heads. With all the time-shifting going on -- via DVRs, Hulu, Netflix, video-on-demand, and more -- what exactly is "live TV" these days?
Excepting news programs, sports, award shows and the big "live" finales of reality shows, the answer in most cases is: "a live airing of a TV show probably produced weeks or months before."
Yet, media researchers and the business press can still focus on Nielsen metrics such as "live viewing" or even "live plus same day viewing.”
The male student on the OMMA panel was amped to view the new season of Showtime's "Dexter," but said he didn't mind waiting until the end of its current run to watch a bunch of episodes in a row. A female student on the panel called that "binged" viewing -- which, of course, includes little if any watching of advertising.
These students had the usual complaints about TV advertising. They don’t like it much. But, after much thought, another female student said that she loved the current end-of-the-world-themed commercials for Allstate Insurance. Other students mentioned their love of the trailer commercial for the independent film "Misrepresentation."
After much back-and-forth, the male student seemed to get a better sense of "live TV," asking, "Oh -- like talk shows?" Well, yes... and maybe.
The thinking makes sense. Even if networks look to delay the Internet viewing of current shows eight 8 days -- as Fox is doing s-- that's no problem. Students say they'll just wait -- perhaps until the end of the season to watch a dense-pack worth of episodes of a series. Besides, there is so much other stuff to watch -- what's the rush?
For advertisers, this kind of apathy towards some content – combined with high-speed viewing through other shows -- has been causing problems, especially with the current disparate nature of the TV distribution system.
It speaks volumes about what was once thought basic and important in media planning and buying. "Live," later or next year? Where's the real value?
A media critique by Wayne Friedman , Friday, Oct. 28, 2011
A male college student on a panel at the recent OMMA Video conference in San Francisco responded earnestly to a media question:
"When you say 'live TV'... what do you mean? Could you elaborate a bit more?"
Laughter filled the room.
So, the female questioner from the audience went deeper in a straightforward way: "So when it's on the TV screen, say Monday at 8 p.m. Or, like, 'The Office,' when it airs on Thursday night at whatever time."
"Oh," the student said. "Like cable."
Oh, indeed. The exchange spoke volumes, of course, about what older, experienced media professionals are trying to grasp concerning shifts in consumer media usage.
It makes sense that some consumers, who don't have personal experience related to what TV used to be, would be scratching their heads. With all the time-shifting going on -- via DVRs, Hulu, Netflix, video-on-demand, and more -- what exactly is "live TV" these days?
Excepting news programs, sports, award shows and the big "live" finales of reality shows, the answer in most cases is: "a live airing of a TV show probably produced weeks or months before."
Yet, media researchers and the business press can still focus on Nielsen metrics such as "live viewing" or even "live plus same day viewing.”
The male student on the OMMA panel was amped to view the new season of Showtime's "Dexter," but said he didn't mind waiting until the end of its current run to watch a bunch of episodes in a row. A female student on the panel called that "binged" viewing -- which, of course, includes little if any watching of advertising.
These students had the usual complaints about TV advertising. They don’t like it much. But, after much thought, another female student said that she loved the current end-of-the-world-themed commercials for Allstate Insurance. Other students mentioned their love of the trailer commercial for the independent film "Misrepresentation."
After much back-and-forth, the male student seemed to get a better sense of "live TV," asking, "Oh -- like talk shows?" Well, yes... and maybe.
The thinking makes sense. Even if networks look to delay the Internet viewing of current shows eight 8 days -- as Fox is doing s-- that's no problem. Students say they'll just wait -- perhaps until the end of the season to watch a dense-pack worth of episodes of a series. Besides, there is so much other stuff to watch -- what's the rush?
For advertisers, this kind of apathy towards some content – combined with high-speed viewing through other shows -- has been causing problems, especially with the current disparate nature of the TV distribution system.
It speaks volumes about what was once thought basic and important in media planning and buying. "Live," later or next year? Where's the real value?
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
bNet
By Steve Tobak | October 20, 2011
Want to know why so many employees focus so much attention on the boss these days? Because the boss controls their work lives? That’s true, but it’s not the main reason. Because the boss holds the key to untold treasures, raises, and promotions? True again, but that’s not it either.
Employees focus on the boss because it’s so much easier to complain about someone else ruining their lives than it is to take responsibility for their own careers, actions, issues, and decisions, not to mention the occasional self-destructive behavior.
While a shrink may find all that childish behavior fascinating and more than a little lucrative, I guarantee that your boss won’t find it amusing. Not one bit. What’s that? You don’t think your boss is aware of that stuff? Come on, he may be a micromanaging control freak, but he’s not an idiot.
Think your boss doesn’t notice that you smirk or sneer when he walks into the room? Think he can’t read your body language? Or that he doesn’t have people telling him what goes on behind the scenes?
Look, I was a manager and executive for over 20 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that, unless your boss is completely clueless, he knows all he needs to know about you. No, there’s no such thing as Santa Claus, but there is a Santa Boss, and he knows when you’ve been bad or good, that’s for sure.
The point of all this is that you have a choice and it’s the single most important choice every employee makes:
Are you going to be a good employee or a bad employee? Are you going to believe in yourself, become the best you can be, and trust that that will pay off for you in the end? Or are you going to turn to the dark side and spend your life jealous, angry, and bitter?
If your answer is the former, then you need to pay attention to these …
7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
1.You do what it takes to get the job done. This is, or should be, number one on every manager’s list of things they value most in employees. This was one of the first lessons I learned early on and it made a huge difference in my career.
2.You meet your commitments. When you say you’re going to do something by a certain date, you’ll find a way. When you say it’ll cost $x, your boss can take that to the bank. You hold yourself accountable so your boss doesn’t have to. Just knowing you’re there reduces your boss’s stress.
3.You’re brave. You realize that business is a full-contact sport and you’re going to take some body blows. You can take some punishment. Competition doesn’t freak you out. Confrontation doesn’t scare you. You don’t shy away from visibility. Rather, you get a charge out of it.
4.You challenge the status quo. You’re genuine, direct, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. You tell it like it is and say what’s on your mind. You don’t drink the Kool-Aid or sugarcoat the truth. You don’t BS; when you don’t know, you say so. Authority doesn’t scare you so you don’t treat your boss or the CEO like some demon from the underworld.
5.You’re an innovative problem solver. You look at things from different angles and turn problems on their side to come up with unique solutions. The harder the problem, the greater the challenge, the more you dig in to find the answer. You live to solve problems.
6.Your razor-like focus. You don’t lose it at the first sign of trouble or complexity. Instead, you’re calm and steady. You stay focused when everyone else is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You’re an island of order in an ocean of chaos.
7.You’re low maintenance. You don’t whine and complain. You don’t need to have your hand held for every little thing. You don’t take things personally. You’ve got reasonably thick skin. Folks don’t have to walk on eggshells around you and worry about offending you.
Granted, this post assumes your boss is confident and competent enough to handle and benefit from an employee with all these great attributes. They’re certainly not all worthy of the effort. But the point is you can’t control your boss. You can only control you.
So look at this way. If you work for a crappy boss, sooner or later, you’ll get out and work for a good one. You may have to kiss a few frogs, so to speak, but eventually, you’ll find one or more that know what they’re doing and how to recognize an employee who’s got something special going on.
And when that happens, this advice will come in handy. And you know what? If you can master these traits - at least most of them - then someday, you’re going to be the boss. And you’ll be a damn good one who inspires her employees to be the best they can be. No kidding.
By Steve Tobak | October 20, 2011
Want to know why so many employees focus so much attention on the boss these days? Because the boss controls their work lives? That’s true, but it’s not the main reason. Because the boss holds the key to untold treasures, raises, and promotions? True again, but that’s not it either.
Employees focus on the boss because it’s so much easier to complain about someone else ruining their lives than it is to take responsibility for their own careers, actions, issues, and decisions, not to mention the occasional self-destructive behavior.
While a shrink may find all that childish behavior fascinating and more than a little lucrative, I guarantee that your boss won’t find it amusing. Not one bit. What’s that? You don’t think your boss is aware of that stuff? Come on, he may be a micromanaging control freak, but he’s not an idiot.
Think your boss doesn’t notice that you smirk or sneer when he walks into the room? Think he can’t read your body language? Or that he doesn’t have people telling him what goes on behind the scenes?
Look, I was a manager and executive for over 20 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that, unless your boss is completely clueless, he knows all he needs to know about you. No, there’s no such thing as Santa Claus, but there is a Santa Boss, and he knows when you’ve been bad or good, that’s for sure.
The point of all this is that you have a choice and it’s the single most important choice every employee makes:
Are you going to be a good employee or a bad employee? Are you going to believe in yourself, become the best you can be, and trust that that will pay off for you in the end? Or are you going to turn to the dark side and spend your life jealous, angry, and bitter?
If your answer is the former, then you need to pay attention to these …
7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
1.You do what it takes to get the job done. This is, or should be, number one on every manager’s list of things they value most in employees. This was one of the first lessons I learned early on and it made a huge difference in my career.
2.You meet your commitments. When you say you’re going to do something by a certain date, you’ll find a way. When you say it’ll cost $x, your boss can take that to the bank. You hold yourself accountable so your boss doesn’t have to. Just knowing you’re there reduces your boss’s stress.
3.You’re brave. You realize that business is a full-contact sport and you’re going to take some body blows. You can take some punishment. Competition doesn’t freak you out. Confrontation doesn’t scare you. You don’t shy away from visibility. Rather, you get a charge out of it.
4.You challenge the status quo. You’re genuine, direct, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. You tell it like it is and say what’s on your mind. You don’t drink the Kool-Aid or sugarcoat the truth. You don’t BS; when you don’t know, you say so. Authority doesn’t scare you so you don’t treat your boss or the CEO like some demon from the underworld.
5.You’re an innovative problem solver. You look at things from different angles and turn problems on their side to come up with unique solutions. The harder the problem, the greater the challenge, the more you dig in to find the answer. You live to solve problems.
6.Your razor-like focus. You don’t lose it at the first sign of trouble or complexity. Instead, you’re calm and steady. You stay focused when everyone else is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You’re an island of order in an ocean of chaos.
7.You’re low maintenance. You don’t whine and complain. You don’t need to have your hand held for every little thing. You don’t take things personally. You’ve got reasonably thick skin. Folks don’t have to walk on eggshells around you and worry about offending you.
Granted, this post assumes your boss is confident and competent enough to handle and benefit from an employee with all these great attributes. They’re certainly not all worthy of the effort. But the point is you can’t control your boss. You can only control you.
So look at this way. If you work for a crappy boss, sooner or later, you’ll get out and work for a good one. You may have to kiss a few frogs, so to speak, but eventually, you’ll find one or more that know what they’re doing and how to recognize an employee who’s got something special going on.
And when that happens, this advice will come in handy. And you know what? If you can master these traits - at least most of them - then someday, you’re going to be the boss. And you’ll be a damn good one who inspires her employees to be the best they can be. No kidding.
10 Things Managers Should Never Do
bNet
By Steve Tobak | October 25, 2011
We’ve all had bosses do things we didn’t like, appreciate, or respect. And every manager has done things they later regret. The business world is, by necessity, one of real-time decisions and judgment calls that sometimes turn out to be bad choices, in retrospect.
After all, nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes. And that’s a good thing, since that’s are how we learn lessons, including how to do our jobs better. That goes for every employee, manager, executive, business owner, CEO, everyone.
But sometimes a mistake can become a slippery slope. An exception can all-too-easily become the rule. Simply put, there are lines that managers should not cross, behavior they should not exhibit, and not to be overly dramatic, pathways that lead more or less to the dark side.
In 10 Things Great Managers Do, I went back in time to the best characteristics of the best CEOs I’ve worked for and with over the past 30 years. I decided to do the same thing here for the simple reason that I learned as much from the negative experiences as I did from the positive ones.
Keep in mind, this isn’t meant to be a whine-fest to get employees riled up and pissed off at their bosses. Think of it instead as a standard that employees and managers alike can agree upon and, perhaps, a wakeup call for those who need one.
10 Things Managers Should Never Do
1.Order people around like dictators. Contrary to popular belief, managers are not dictators. Every manager has at least one boss. Even CEOs serve the board directors and shareholders. Any manager who thinks he can order people around or abuse his authority because he’s the boss is a terrible leader. Employees are not soldiers or children. You can tell them what their job is and even fire them, if you want, but if you order them around, the good ones will up and quit, as they should.
2.Forget about customers. It never ceases to amaze me how many managers forget that organizations and companies exist for just one reason - to win, maintain, and support customers. Business is about business, and when you make it about you - your issues, your fears, your empire, your thin skin, whatever - you cease to be an effective manager.
3.Behave like arrogant jerks that are better than others. Just to be clear, I’m not saying managers or bosses can’t be jerks. A lot of people are jerks, including plenty of employees, and almost everybody’s a jerk under certain circumstances. I’m specifically talking about the arrogant “I’m better than the little people” thing. It makes you look like a little brat and completely neuters your authority and credibility.
4.Let their egos write checks that reality can’t cash. Oftentimes, leaders attain their position because they believe they’re special - a fascinating misconception that’s nevertheless often self-fulfilling. The problem with that is the slippery slope of drinking your own Kool Aid. Either you grow up or, sooner or later, things end up unraveling. I’ve seen it time and again and it isn’t pretty.
5.Publicly eviscerate employees. Of all the things I’ve experienced over the decades, this is not only the most dehumanizing but also the most demoralizing to employees. I had a couple of CEOs that practiced this on a regular basis and both were universally despised, as a result. Moreover, both self-destructed in the end.
6.Wall off their feelings. This may sound touchy feely, but it’s far from it. Researchers are fond of classifying executives and leaders as psychopathic, but the mechanism by which that happens is compartmentalizing of emotions. If you’ve ever wondered how people who seem to lack any semblance of humor or humility can behave the way they do, the answer is, if you’re not connected to your emotions, you’re far less human.
7.Surround themselves with bureaucrats, BSers, and yes-men. When you encourage the status quo and discourage dissent, you doom the organization to stagnation and eventual decline.
8.Threaten. Threats don’t work. They’re just as likely to motivate the opposite behavior of what you’re trying to achieve. They diminish your authority and make you appear weak and small. You should communicate what you want and why, then act on the results. That works. Threats don’t. And for God’s sake, never threaten an employee with his job or a vendor with your business. That’s just out of control.
9.Act out like little children. Everyone goes through the same stages of human development on the road to adulthood and maturity. Unfortunately, some of us get stuck in one stage or another, stunting our growth and rendering us dysfunctional. We look just like ordinary adults, but we actually behave a lot more like children, acting out, throwing tantrums, and generally making life miserable for everyone around us.
10.Break the law. America is a nation of laws and, civil or criminal, they’re black and white for a reason. For some reason, executives will sometimes risk everything - power, wealth, careers, families, everything - for motives most of us will never understand. We’re talking accounting, securities, bank, wire, and mail fraud; insider trading; bribery; obstruction of justice; conspiracy; discrimination; harassment; it’s a long, long list
By Steve Tobak | October 25, 2011
We’ve all had bosses do things we didn’t like, appreciate, or respect. And every manager has done things they later regret. The business world is, by necessity, one of real-time decisions and judgment calls that sometimes turn out to be bad choices, in retrospect.
After all, nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes. And that’s a good thing, since that’s are how we learn lessons, including how to do our jobs better. That goes for every employee, manager, executive, business owner, CEO, everyone.
But sometimes a mistake can become a slippery slope. An exception can all-too-easily become the rule. Simply put, there are lines that managers should not cross, behavior they should not exhibit, and not to be overly dramatic, pathways that lead more or less to the dark side.
In 10 Things Great Managers Do, I went back in time to the best characteristics of the best CEOs I’ve worked for and with over the past 30 years. I decided to do the same thing here for the simple reason that I learned as much from the negative experiences as I did from the positive ones.
Keep in mind, this isn’t meant to be a whine-fest to get employees riled up and pissed off at their bosses. Think of it instead as a standard that employees and managers alike can agree upon and, perhaps, a wakeup call for those who need one.
10 Things Managers Should Never Do
1.Order people around like dictators. Contrary to popular belief, managers are not dictators. Every manager has at least one boss. Even CEOs serve the board directors and shareholders. Any manager who thinks he can order people around or abuse his authority because he’s the boss is a terrible leader. Employees are not soldiers or children. You can tell them what their job is and even fire them, if you want, but if you order them around, the good ones will up and quit, as they should.
2.Forget about customers. It never ceases to amaze me how many managers forget that organizations and companies exist for just one reason - to win, maintain, and support customers. Business is about business, and when you make it about you - your issues, your fears, your empire, your thin skin, whatever - you cease to be an effective manager.
3.Behave like arrogant jerks that are better than others. Just to be clear, I’m not saying managers or bosses can’t be jerks. A lot of people are jerks, including plenty of employees, and almost everybody’s a jerk under certain circumstances. I’m specifically talking about the arrogant “I’m better than the little people” thing. It makes you look like a little brat and completely neuters your authority and credibility.
4.Let their egos write checks that reality can’t cash. Oftentimes, leaders attain their position because they believe they’re special - a fascinating misconception that’s nevertheless often self-fulfilling. The problem with that is the slippery slope of drinking your own Kool Aid. Either you grow up or, sooner or later, things end up unraveling. I’ve seen it time and again and it isn’t pretty.
5.Publicly eviscerate employees. Of all the things I’ve experienced over the decades, this is not only the most dehumanizing but also the most demoralizing to employees. I had a couple of CEOs that practiced this on a regular basis and both were universally despised, as a result. Moreover, both self-destructed in the end.
6.Wall off their feelings. This may sound touchy feely, but it’s far from it. Researchers are fond of classifying executives and leaders as psychopathic, but the mechanism by which that happens is compartmentalizing of emotions. If you’ve ever wondered how people who seem to lack any semblance of humor or humility can behave the way they do, the answer is, if you’re not connected to your emotions, you’re far less human.
7.Surround themselves with bureaucrats, BSers, and yes-men. When you encourage the status quo and discourage dissent, you doom the organization to stagnation and eventual decline.
8.Threaten. Threats don’t work. They’re just as likely to motivate the opposite behavior of what you’re trying to achieve. They diminish your authority and make you appear weak and small. You should communicate what you want and why, then act on the results. That works. Threats don’t. And for God’s sake, never threaten an employee with his job or a vendor with your business. That’s just out of control.
9.Act out like little children. Everyone goes through the same stages of human development on the road to adulthood and maturity. Unfortunately, some of us get stuck in one stage or another, stunting our growth and rendering us dysfunctional. We look just like ordinary adults, but we actually behave a lot more like children, acting out, throwing tantrums, and generally making life miserable for everyone around us.
10.Break the law. America is a nation of laws and, civil or criminal, they’re black and white for a reason. For some reason, executives will sometimes risk everything - power, wealth, careers, families, everything - for motives most of us will never understand. We’re talking accounting, securities, bank, wire, and mail fraud; insider trading; bribery; obstruction of justice; conspiracy; discrimination; harassment; it’s a long, long list
Cable's latest targets:Broadcast's fall hits
Better watch out...better not cry....better start sellin' I'm tellin' ya why..........Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher
TVNewsCheck & Media Life
By Toni Fitzgerald
Oct 26, 2011
Cable Networks are pitting their top shows against the Big Four's top series
For years cable networks showed their strongest shows during the summer, when they faced minimal broadcast competition. It was their time to shine, and shine they did.
Now cable is challenging broadcast in that time of year when the Big Four networks long monopolized viewers' attention, the fall.
The best example of that is AMC's "The Walking Dead," the second-year zombie drama that is drawing such strong ratings opposite strong broadcast competition that it was renewed for season three yesterday.
"Dead" was the No. 1 scripted show on both broadcast and cable Sunday at 9 p.m., averaging 4.5 million adults 18-49, according to Nielsen, some 800,000 more than ABC's timeslot competitor "Desperate Housewives" and 2 million more than CBS's "The Good Wife."
"Dead" is on pace to set a record for most-watched non-sports original basic cable show ever in 18-49s, despite airing opposite one of broadcast's highest-rated programs, NBC's "Sunday Night Football."
And AMC isn't the only one airing its premier content in the fall. MTV's "Jersey Shore" was the No. 1 non-sports show at 10 p.m. last week among 18-49s, beating broadcast competition like "The Mentalist" and "Private Practice."
MTV could have scheduled the show's fourth season to air entirely during the summer, but instead it started "Shore" in August, a month before the broadcasters rolled out their fall schedules, and faced off against broadcast's new season for five weeks.
Showtime premiered its most anticipated new show of the year, "Homeland," in September, when its No. 1 drama, "Dexter," also returned.
Starz chose last week to debut "Boss," its highest-profile new show to date because of series star Kelsey Grammer.
And TNT is kicking off its first-ever series of original movies next month during the highly competitive November sweeps.
There are risks for cable networks in airing their top shows in the fall. They can get lost amidst the broadcast hype, or see ratings fall opposite tougher competition.
But the upside is that the broadcast networks have trained viewers to expect new shows in the fall, and cable markets its new shows so aggressively that those viewers can't escape the hype.
Plus airing highly rated shows opposite broadcast in the fall helps cable prove to advertisers that it is a viable option year round and not just in the summer months.
TVNewsCheck & Media Life
By Toni Fitzgerald
Oct 26, 2011
Cable Networks are pitting their top shows against the Big Four's top series
For years cable networks showed their strongest shows during the summer, when they faced minimal broadcast competition. It was their time to shine, and shine they did.
Now cable is challenging broadcast in that time of year when the Big Four networks long monopolized viewers' attention, the fall.
The best example of that is AMC's "The Walking Dead," the second-year zombie drama that is drawing such strong ratings opposite strong broadcast competition that it was renewed for season three yesterday.
"Dead" was the No. 1 scripted show on both broadcast and cable Sunday at 9 p.m., averaging 4.5 million adults 18-49, according to Nielsen, some 800,000 more than ABC's timeslot competitor "Desperate Housewives" and 2 million more than CBS's "The Good Wife."
"Dead" is on pace to set a record for most-watched non-sports original basic cable show ever in 18-49s, despite airing opposite one of broadcast's highest-rated programs, NBC's "Sunday Night Football."
And AMC isn't the only one airing its premier content in the fall. MTV's "Jersey Shore" was the No. 1 non-sports show at 10 p.m. last week among 18-49s, beating broadcast competition like "The Mentalist" and "Private Practice."
MTV could have scheduled the show's fourth season to air entirely during the summer, but instead it started "Shore" in August, a month before the broadcasters rolled out their fall schedules, and faced off against broadcast's new season for five weeks.
Showtime premiered its most anticipated new show of the year, "Homeland," in September, when its No. 1 drama, "Dexter," also returned.
Starz chose last week to debut "Boss," its highest-profile new show to date because of series star Kelsey Grammer.
And TNT is kicking off its first-ever series of original movies next month during the highly competitive November sweeps.
There are risks for cable networks in airing their top shows in the fall. They can get lost amidst the broadcast hype, or see ratings fall opposite tougher competition.
But the upside is that the broadcast networks have trained viewers to expect new shows in the fall, and cable markets its new shows so aggressively that those viewers can't escape the hype.
Plus airing highly rated shows opposite broadcast in the fall helps cable prove to advertisers that it is a viable option year round and not just in the summer months.
Friday, October 21, 2011
7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
bNET
By Steve Tobak | October 20, 2011
Want to know why so many employees focus so much attention on the boss these days? Because the boss controls their work lives? That’s true, but it’s not the main reason. Because the boss holds the key to untold treasures, raises, and promotions? True again, but that’s not it either.
Employees focus on the boss because it’s so much easier to complain about someone else ruining their lives than it is to take responsibility for their own careers, actions, issues, and decisions, not to mention the occasional self-destructive behavior.
While a shrink may find all that childish behavior fascinating and more than a little lucrative, I guarantee that your boss won’t find it amusing. Not one bit. What’s that? You don’t think your boss is aware of that stuff? Come on, he may be a micromanaging control freak, but he’s not an idiot.
Think your boss doesn’t notice that you smirk or sneer when he walks into the room? Think he can’t read your body language? Or that he doesn’t have people telling him what goes on behind the scenes?
Look, I was a manager and executive for over 20 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that, unless your boss is completely clueless, he knows all he needs to know about you. No, there’s no such thing as Santa Claus, but there is a Santa Boss, and he knows when you’ve been bad or good, that’s for sure.
The point of all this is that you have a choice and it’s the single most important choice every employee makes:
Are you going to be a good employee or a bad employee? Are you going to believe in yourself, become the best you can be, and trust that that will pay off for you in the end? Or are you going to turn to the dark side and spend your life jealous, angry, and bitter?
If your answer is the former, then you need to pay attention to these …
7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
1.You do what it takes to get the job done. This is, or should be, number one on every manager’s list of things they value most in employees. This was one of the first lessons I learned early on and it made a huge difference in my career.
2.You meet your commitments. When you say you’re going to do something by a certain date, you’ll find a way. When you say it’ll cost $x, your boss can take that to the bank. You hold yourself accountable so your boss doesn’t have to. Just knowing you’re there reduces your boss’s stress.
3.You’re brave. You realize that business is a full-contact sport and you’re going to take some body blows. You can take some punishment. Competition doesn’t freak you out. Confrontation doesn’t scare you. You don’t shy away from visibility. Rather, you get a charge out of it.
4.You challenge the status quo. You’re genuine, direct, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. You tell it like it is and say what’s on your mind. You don’t drink the Kool-Aid or sugarcoat the truth. You don’t BS; when you don’t know, you say so. Authority doesn’t scare you so you don’t treat your boss or the CEO like some demon from the underworld.
5.You’re an innovative problem solver. You look at things from different angles and turn problems on their side to come up with unique solutions. The harder the problem, the greater the challenge, the more you dig in to find the answer. You live to solve problems.
6.Your razor-like focus. You don’t lose it at the first sign of trouble or complexity. Instead, you’re calm and steady. You stay focused when everyone else is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You’re an island of order in an ocean of chaos.
7.You’re low maintenance. You don’t whine and complain. You don’t need to have your hand held for every little thing. You don’t take things personally. You’ve got reasonably thick skin. Folks don’t have to walk on eggshells around you and worry about offending you.
Granted, this post assumes your boss is confident and competent enough to handle and benefit from an employee with all these great attributes. They’re certainly not all worthy of the effort. But the point is you can’t control your boss. You can only control you.
So look at this way. If you work for a crappy boss, sooner or later, you’ll get out and work for a good one. You may have to kiss a few frogs, so to speak, but eventually, you’ll find one or more that know what they’re doing and how to recognize an employee who’s got something special going on.
And when that happens, this advice will come in handy. And you know what? If you can master these traits - at least most of them - then someday, you’re going to be the boss. And you’ll be a damn good one who inspires her employees to be the best they can be. No kidding.
By Steve Tobak | October 20, 2011
Want to know why so many employees focus so much attention on the boss these days? Because the boss controls their work lives? That’s true, but it’s not the main reason. Because the boss holds the key to untold treasures, raises, and promotions? True again, but that’s not it either.
Employees focus on the boss because it’s so much easier to complain about someone else ruining their lives than it is to take responsibility for their own careers, actions, issues, and decisions, not to mention the occasional self-destructive behavior.
While a shrink may find all that childish behavior fascinating and more than a little lucrative, I guarantee that your boss won’t find it amusing. Not one bit. What’s that? You don’t think your boss is aware of that stuff? Come on, he may be a micromanaging control freak, but he’s not an idiot.
Think your boss doesn’t notice that you smirk or sneer when he walks into the room? Think he can’t read your body language? Or that he doesn’t have people telling him what goes on behind the scenes?
Look, I was a manager and executive for over 20 years, and I can tell you with absolute certainty that, unless your boss is completely clueless, he knows all he needs to know about you. No, there’s no such thing as Santa Claus, but there is a Santa Boss, and he knows when you’ve been bad or good, that’s for sure.
The point of all this is that you have a choice and it’s the single most important choice every employee makes:
Are you going to be a good employee or a bad employee? Are you going to believe in yourself, become the best you can be, and trust that that will pay off for you in the end? Or are you going to turn to the dark side and spend your life jealous, angry, and bitter?
If your answer is the former, then you need to pay attention to these …
7 Traits Managers Find Irresistible
1.You do what it takes to get the job done. This is, or should be, number one on every manager’s list of things they value most in employees. This was one of the first lessons I learned early on and it made a huge difference in my career.
2.You meet your commitments. When you say you’re going to do something by a certain date, you’ll find a way. When you say it’ll cost $x, your boss can take that to the bank. You hold yourself accountable so your boss doesn’t have to. Just knowing you’re there reduces your boss’s stress.
3.You’re brave. You realize that business is a full-contact sport and you’re going to take some body blows. You can take some punishment. Competition doesn’t freak you out. Confrontation doesn’t scare you. You don’t shy away from visibility. Rather, you get a charge out of it.
4.You challenge the status quo. You’re genuine, direct, confident, and comfortable in your own skin. You tell it like it is and say what’s on your mind. You don’t drink the Kool-Aid or sugarcoat the truth. You don’t BS; when you don’t know, you say so. Authority doesn’t scare you so you don’t treat your boss or the CEO like some demon from the underworld.
5.You’re an innovative problem solver. You look at things from different angles and turn problems on their side to come up with unique solutions. The harder the problem, the greater the challenge, the more you dig in to find the answer. You live to solve problems.
6.Your razor-like focus. You don’t lose it at the first sign of trouble or complexity. Instead, you’re calm and steady. You stay focused when everyone else is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. You’re an island of order in an ocean of chaos.
7.You’re low maintenance. You don’t whine and complain. You don’t need to have your hand held for every little thing. You don’t take things personally. You’ve got reasonably thick skin. Folks don’t have to walk on eggshells around you and worry about offending you.
Granted, this post assumes your boss is confident and competent enough to handle and benefit from an employee with all these great attributes. They’re certainly not all worthy of the effort. But the point is you can’t control your boss. You can only control you.
So look at this way. If you work for a crappy boss, sooner or later, you’ll get out and work for a good one. You may have to kiss a few frogs, so to speak, but eventually, you’ll find one or more that know what they’re doing and how to recognize an employee who’s got something special going on.
And when that happens, this advice will come in handy. And you know what? If you can master these traits - at least most of them - then someday, you’re going to be the boss. And you’ll be a damn good one who inspires her employees to be the best they can be. No kidding.
Are You A Clueless Boss? 3 Steps to Self-Awareness
bNET Oct. 21, 2011
By John Baldoni | October 20, 2011
inShare.43
Sometimes you can get to the top of the heap and still be utterly clueless.
This thought came to me as I read recent comments that Bob Nardelli, who was CEO of Chrysler during the brief period when the car company was owned by Cerberus, the investment firm. When Chrysler went bankrupt and got the government bailout, Cerberus was forced to give up its ownership and turn Chrysler over to Fiat, which promptly made Chrysler a big success.
But Nardelli told The Detroit News that Cerberus deserves credit for that. “If the government gave [Cerberus] the deal they gave Fiat, we’d be doing just fine.”
Nardelli’s comments were at odds with how others see his tenure. Says Rebecca Linland of HIS Automotive:
“This is like a foster parent who briefly raised a child at age 5 taking credit when they grew up to be president of the United States or an Olympic athlete..I don’t think many people at Chrysler would agree with [Nardelli's assessment of Cerberus].”
Failure to understand what you actually accomplished (versus what you think you accomplished) is fundamental to self-awareness. But that can be hard for top execs, who tend to suffer from an ability to overstate their contributions.
It takes a strong character for an accomplished individual to recognize one’s shortcomings. Such moments of self-awareness often involve the willingness to look hard at the proverbial mirror, or very often listen to close friend or spouse. Once this moment is accepted the door to self-improvement opens.
But for the door to stay open, the leader must do three things:
Understand what is at stake. It is one thing to understand a flaw; it is another issue to recognize its importance. Take poor communications, for example. Leaders need to know that improving their communications is not just a matter of self-polishing; it is important means of setting direction for others to follow. Poor communicators cannot lead.
Change your approach. Very often the process of self-improvement involves stopping one behavior in favor of doing something else. For example, a manager who has a tendency to micromanage must learn to stop looking over the shoulder of his direct reports. He must learn to let go of this urge to control everything in favor of letting his people figure things out for themselves. In return, he needs to channel energy expended in close supervision on things of a more strategic nature. The explanation is straightforward but it takes genuine commitment to put into practice.
Invite feedback, lots of it, even if it hurts. To reinforce the development process one option is continuous feedback. One style of feedback, developed by Marshall Goldsmith, is called “feedforward.” This is the practice of asking an individual or two to observe your actions and note your progress (or lack thereof) on a given behavior.
For example, an executive might tell a colleague that he is working on being more open-minded. The colleague will observe how well the executive listens without interrupting, enables others to voice their point of view, and tones down the practice speaking first at meetings. Relaying those observations to the executive helps him or her improve her ability to act with a more open disposition.
Self-awareness requires self-discipline, the strength to look at ourselves flaws and all and resolve to do something to correct them. All it takes is a lifetime of practice
PS Nardelli was also a disgrace when he was CEO at Home Depot destroying employee morale and corporate profitability...yet one of his appointed board of directors voted to give him a $200M parachute before he wrangled his way into Chrysler...Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher
By John Baldoni | October 20, 2011
inShare.43
Sometimes you can get to the top of the heap and still be utterly clueless.
This thought came to me as I read recent comments that Bob Nardelli, who was CEO of Chrysler during the brief period when the car company was owned by Cerberus, the investment firm. When Chrysler went bankrupt and got the government bailout, Cerberus was forced to give up its ownership and turn Chrysler over to Fiat, which promptly made Chrysler a big success.
But Nardelli told The Detroit News that Cerberus deserves credit for that. “If the government gave [Cerberus] the deal they gave Fiat, we’d be doing just fine.”
Nardelli’s comments were at odds with how others see his tenure. Says Rebecca Linland of HIS Automotive:
“This is like a foster parent who briefly raised a child at age 5 taking credit when they grew up to be president of the United States or an Olympic athlete..I don’t think many people at Chrysler would agree with [Nardelli's assessment of Cerberus].”
Failure to understand what you actually accomplished (versus what you think you accomplished) is fundamental to self-awareness. But that can be hard for top execs, who tend to suffer from an ability to overstate their contributions.
It takes a strong character for an accomplished individual to recognize one’s shortcomings. Such moments of self-awareness often involve the willingness to look hard at the proverbial mirror, or very often listen to close friend or spouse. Once this moment is accepted the door to self-improvement opens.
But for the door to stay open, the leader must do three things:
Understand what is at stake. It is one thing to understand a flaw; it is another issue to recognize its importance. Take poor communications, for example. Leaders need to know that improving their communications is not just a matter of self-polishing; it is important means of setting direction for others to follow. Poor communicators cannot lead.
Change your approach. Very often the process of self-improvement involves stopping one behavior in favor of doing something else. For example, a manager who has a tendency to micromanage must learn to stop looking over the shoulder of his direct reports. He must learn to let go of this urge to control everything in favor of letting his people figure things out for themselves. In return, he needs to channel energy expended in close supervision on things of a more strategic nature. The explanation is straightforward but it takes genuine commitment to put into practice.
Invite feedback, lots of it, even if it hurts. To reinforce the development process one option is continuous feedback. One style of feedback, developed by Marshall Goldsmith, is called “feedforward.” This is the practice of asking an individual or two to observe your actions and note your progress (or lack thereof) on a given behavior.
For example, an executive might tell a colleague that he is working on being more open-minded. The colleague will observe how well the executive listens without interrupting, enables others to voice their point of view, and tones down the practice speaking first at meetings. Relaying those observations to the executive helps him or her improve her ability to act with a more open disposition.
Self-awareness requires self-discipline, the strength to look at ourselves flaws and all and resolve to do something to correct them. All it takes is a lifetime of practice
PS Nardelli was also a disgrace when he was CEO at Home Depot destroying employee morale and corporate profitability...yet one of his appointed board of directors voted to give him a $200M parachute before he wrangled his way into Chrysler...Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D. Publisher
Monday, October 17, 2011
Mobile Ad-Using SMBs Offer Advice to Media Sales Reps
MediaSalesToday
Monday, Oct 10, 2011
by Kathy Crosett
During last week’s Local Mobile Advertising Conference, hosted by Borrell Associates in Chicago, attendees heard from industry experts and platform providers. The buzz grew about local mobile opportunities. But what made the conference real for most audience members was the panel discussion by small business owners and their honest talk about how they advertise and what they really think about media sales reps and mobile.
For the folks who run Santa’s Village, an amusement park based in the Chicago area, advertising is seasonal. The business operates from early spring to late fall. Their ad budget, at $140,000 a year, has typically been spent on traditional media. This season, the company began a mobile marketing campaign with American Marketing and Publishing. The goal of the program was to build a list of followers who wanted to receive simple text messages about Santa’s Village promotions. Over the course of several months, the business accumulated 1,364 subscribers, sent out over 11,000 messages, and experienced immediate and positive feedback.
William McMahon, owner of the Lincoln Inn in Dekalb also started a mobile marketing campaign. Using text-message promotions, he sent out offers ranging from heavily discounted lunches to menu specials. This year, about $1,000 of his $24,000 marketing budget went to mobile . McMahon said customers appreciate a deeper discount being offered on a less frequent basis, perhaps weekly, instead of being texted every day. As far as the rest of his advertising goes, he is overwhelmed by the number of sales reps contacting him. One way for reps to close the sale, according to McMahon, is to help the business owner learn about his or her customers.
Likewise, the owners of European Tan, a 4-bed salon in the Chicagoland area, started using mobile marketing this year. Simplicity and the low cost were the 2 key selling points of this advertising format. The owners also appreciate that they can use SMS text messaging to control business volume. When they have extra staff available, they know that a text message campaign offering a discount will immediately increase traffic. SMS text messaging has also been far less expensive than direct mail coupon packages which can cost between $400-500 quarterly. Co-owner Mary Jo Edwards remarked, “Sure, those coupons reach 60,000 homes – but do any of those consumers want a tan?” Using her proprietary list and mobile text messaging, she knows she can generate traffic with a buy one get one deal.
The business owners also maintain Facebook pages but they “don’t see what social media is doing for them.” The mobile text marketing approach is seen as much more immediate, interactive, and effective. Email marketing was also mentioned as another effective strategy. The life of an SMS text message is several hours while the life of an email might be one week.
And their advice for sales reps? Be honest. Come to the table with knowledge about exactly what you are selling and how it fits the business owner’s needs. And always remember that a small business has a small advertising budget
Monday, Oct 10, 2011
by Kathy Crosett
During last week’s Local Mobile Advertising Conference, hosted by Borrell Associates in Chicago, attendees heard from industry experts and platform providers. The buzz grew about local mobile opportunities. But what made the conference real for most audience members was the panel discussion by small business owners and their honest talk about how they advertise and what they really think about media sales reps and mobile.
For the folks who run Santa’s Village, an amusement park based in the Chicago area, advertising is seasonal. The business operates from early spring to late fall. Their ad budget, at $140,000 a year, has typically been spent on traditional media. This season, the company began a mobile marketing campaign with American Marketing and Publishing. The goal of the program was to build a list of followers who wanted to receive simple text messages about Santa’s Village promotions. Over the course of several months, the business accumulated 1,364 subscribers, sent out over 11,000 messages, and experienced immediate and positive feedback.
William McMahon, owner of the Lincoln Inn in Dekalb also started a mobile marketing campaign. Using text-message promotions, he sent out offers ranging from heavily discounted lunches to menu specials. This year, about $1,000 of his $24,000 marketing budget went to mobile . McMahon said customers appreciate a deeper discount being offered on a less frequent basis, perhaps weekly, instead of being texted every day. As far as the rest of his advertising goes, he is overwhelmed by the number of sales reps contacting him. One way for reps to close the sale, according to McMahon, is to help the business owner learn about his or her customers.
Likewise, the owners of European Tan, a 4-bed salon in the Chicagoland area, started using mobile marketing this year. Simplicity and the low cost were the 2 key selling points of this advertising format. The owners also appreciate that they can use SMS text messaging to control business volume. When they have extra staff available, they know that a text message campaign offering a discount will immediately increase traffic. SMS text messaging has also been far less expensive than direct mail coupon packages which can cost between $400-500 quarterly. Co-owner Mary Jo Edwards remarked, “Sure, those coupons reach 60,000 homes – but do any of those consumers want a tan?” Using her proprietary list and mobile text messaging, she knows she can generate traffic with a buy one get one deal.
The business owners also maintain Facebook pages but they “don’t see what social media is doing for them.” The mobile text marketing approach is seen as much more immediate, interactive, and effective. Email marketing was also mentioned as another effective strategy. The life of an SMS text message is several hours while the life of an email might be one week.
And their advice for sales reps? Be honest. Come to the table with knowledge about exactly what you are selling and how it fits the business owner’s needs. And always remember that a small business has a small advertising budget
Gannett TV Revenue Down 6.1%
The dependency of TV stations on political often reeks havoc with the balance sheet as witnessed within this report below. Good solid local-direct revenue raises good long-term cash and helps offset politically oriented dollar losses. While political is good to have...it's mostly at firehouse rates which begin at the floor. Loading up on good local-direct monthly revenues raises the rate bar so while political campaigns get the lowest unit rate which, when factoring in long-term direct contract rates, political pricing is more in the station's best inventory management and cash flow interests. Philip Jay LeNoble, Ph.D.
While Gannett TV revenue is down, factoring out the lower political revenue, that changes to a 4.7% gain, driven by improving auto advertising. Retrans revenue was up 26.7% and online grew 27.5%.
the following is provided by TVNewsCheck Staff
TVNewsCheck, October 17, 2011 9:12 AM EDT
Gannett Co. today reported third quarter 2011 financial results that included television revenues of $168.8 million, $10.8 million lower compared to $179.6 million last year, despite a net decrease of $18.4 million in political spending.
Total adjusted television revenues, defined to exclude the incremental impact of the cyclical ad demand related to political spending, were 4.7% higher. The increase was due, in part, to strengthening demand for auto advertising in September, Gannett said.
Retransmission revenues increased 26.7% in the quarter and totaled $20 million.
Online revenues at its television stations were up 27.5%.
The company said that based on current trends and comparing against the substantial level of political advertising which totaled $52.4 million in last year's fourth quarter, it expects the percentage decline in total television revenues for the fourth quarter of 2011 to be in the low teens compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding the incremental impact of political spending, total television revenues are expected to increase in the very high single digits in the fourth quarter this year compared to the fourth quarter last year.
While Gannett TV revenue is down, factoring out the lower political revenue, that changes to a 4.7% gain, driven by improving auto advertising. Retrans revenue was up 26.7% and online grew 27.5%.
the following is provided by TVNewsCheck Staff
TVNewsCheck, October 17, 2011 9:12 AM EDT
Gannett Co. today reported third quarter 2011 financial results that included television revenues of $168.8 million, $10.8 million lower compared to $179.6 million last year, despite a net decrease of $18.4 million in political spending.
Total adjusted television revenues, defined to exclude the incremental impact of the cyclical ad demand related to political spending, were 4.7% higher. The increase was due, in part, to strengthening demand for auto advertising in September, Gannett said.
Retransmission revenues increased 26.7% in the quarter and totaled $20 million.
Online revenues at its television stations were up 27.5%.
The company said that based on current trends and comparing against the substantial level of political advertising which totaled $52.4 million in last year's fourth quarter, it expects the percentage decline in total television revenues for the fourth quarter of 2011 to be in the low teens compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding the incremental impact of political spending, total television revenues are expected to increase in the very high single digits in the fourth quarter this year compared to the fourth quarter last year.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Television Still The Big Bucks Leader In Ad Spend Thru 2013
ZenithOptimedia
by Jack Loechner, Oct 10, 7:25 AM
Despite the stock market's double digit drop in the last quarter, ZenithOptimedia is projecting a 2.2% increase in advertising for 2011, up from the agency's 2.1% forecast in July. The report also forecasts a 3.5% increases in both 2012 and 2013.
The media agency sees cable TV growing 12% this year, while the broadcast networks decline 2% and syndication slips 4%, taking into account current economic conditions and its knowledge of its clients' plans for the upcoming season.
The report notes that woes on Wall Street often are not necessarily followed by an ad market decline. In 12 market crashes over the past 31 years. the agency said. "... half of the stock market crashes preceded an advertising downturn, but half did not." Most recently, says the report, "the sharp drop in the Dow in the U.S. after September 11 did not prevent the recovery of growth in 2002, though growth remained weak."
Top Ten Ad Markets (US$ Million, Current Prices; Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates)
2010 2013
Rank Country Adspend Rank Country Adspend
1 USA $151,665 1 USA $165,977
2 Japan 46,153 2 Japan 47,630
3 China 26,122 3 China 38,854
4 Germany 23,791 4 Germany 25,429
5 UK 18,086 5 UK 19,656
6 Brazil 14,716 6 Brazil 17,587
7 France 12,564 7 France 13,465
8 Australia 11,246 8 Australia 12,313
9 Italy 10,296 9 Canada 12,098
10 Canada 10,041 10 Russia 11,413
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011
The report expects that cable networks will continue to build momentum, largely because of the return of big-spending automotive and financial advertisers. The forecast calls for cable to grow:
• 12.0% in 2011
• 10.0% in 2012
• 10.5% in 2013
The agency expects the spot marketplace to be extremely volatile in 2012 with the presidential election year cycle generating a billion dollars or so in political spending. Adding to the frenzy will be the Olympics in August, bringing new and returning business to the local markets. All considered the report expects spot to TV to turn in annual increases of:
• 4.0% in 2011
• 8.0% in 2012
• 2.0% in 2013
Advertising Expenditure By Medium (US$ Million, Current Prices Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates); And Share Of Total Adspend
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Newspapers 96,973 23.0% 95,416 21.5% 92,802 20.2% 91,911 19.0% 91,334 17.9%
Magazines 43,633 10.5 43,741 9.8 43,224 9.4 43,060 8.9 42,909 8.4
Television 160,199 38.4 176,826 39.8 184,929 40.2 196,182 40.5 207,056 40.5
Radio 31,778 7.6 32,169 7.2 32,899 7.1 33,906 7.0 35,117 6.9
Cinema 2,107 0.5 2,315 0.5 2,423 0.5 2,564 0.5 2,718 0.5
Outdoor 27,774 6.7 29,917 6.7 31,503 6.8 33,357 6.9 35,122 6.9
Internet 54,683 13.1 64,026 14.4 72,531 15.8 83,457 17.2 96,392 18.9
Total * 417,147 444,410 460,311 484,436 510,648
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011
Video ads are "... becoming the main form of brand advertising in the digital space," the report says, adding that the streaming video category will see two out of every five ad dollars coming from local advertisers. The agency projects:
• 12.6% Internet ad revenue growth in 2011
• 16.2% growth in 2012
• 17.3% in 2013
Internet Advertising By Type (US$ Million, Current Prices Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates)
Ad Type 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Display $18,349 $21,875 $25,282 $29,713 $35,218
Classified 9,911 10,950 11,990 13,078 14,246
Paid search 26,423 31,202 35,259 40,666 46,928
Total 54,683 64,026 72,531 83,457 96,392
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011
The analysis has made a reduction to its forecast for global ad expenditure growth in 2011 to 3.6%, down 0.5 percentage points from the forecast made in July. The slowdown in economic recovery in the developed markets, coupled with rising fears of double-dip recession, have caused some advertisers to trim back budget increases planned for the end of 2011, but with no sign of the cancelled campaigns and sharp budget cuts that signaled the beginning of the last advertising downturn in 2008.
The report predicts global ad expenditure at 5.3% growth in 2012, and 5.5% in 2013. TV's share of total ad spent was 38.4% in 2010 and should grow to 39.8% in 2011 and settle at 40.5% by 2013.
In summary, this picture is consistent with a history of ad market growth after many previous stock market shocks, assuming the world economy does not deteriorate dramatically:
• Global ad expenditure forecast to grow 3.6% in 2011 after a modest slowdown in expenditure growth towards the end of the year
• Growth forecast for 2012 remains a reassuring 5.3%
• Developing markets to increase their share of the global ad market from 31.0% in 2010 to 34.9% in 2013
• Internet the fastest-growing medium between 2010 and 2013 (14.6% a year) Television to contribute most new ad dollars (46% of total)
by Jack Loechner, Oct 10, 7:25 AM
Despite the stock market's double digit drop in the last quarter, ZenithOptimedia is projecting a 2.2% increase in advertising for 2011, up from the agency's 2.1% forecast in July. The report also forecasts a 3.5% increases in both 2012 and 2013.
The media agency sees cable TV growing 12% this year, while the broadcast networks decline 2% and syndication slips 4%, taking into account current economic conditions and its knowledge of its clients' plans for the upcoming season.
The report notes that woes on Wall Street often are not necessarily followed by an ad market decline. In 12 market crashes over the past 31 years. the agency said. "... half of the stock market crashes preceded an advertising downturn, but half did not." Most recently, says the report, "the sharp drop in the Dow in the U.S. after September 11 did not prevent the recovery of growth in 2002, though growth remained weak."
Top Ten Ad Markets (US$ Million, Current Prices; Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates)
2010 2013
Rank Country Adspend Rank Country Adspend
1 USA $151,665 1 USA $165,977
2 Japan 46,153 2 Japan 47,630
3 China 26,122 3 China 38,854
4 Germany 23,791 4 Germany 25,429
5 UK 18,086 5 UK 19,656
6 Brazil 14,716 6 Brazil 17,587
7 France 12,564 7 France 13,465
8 Australia 11,246 8 Australia 12,313
9 Italy 10,296 9 Canada 12,098
10 Canada 10,041 10 Russia 11,413
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011
The report expects that cable networks will continue to build momentum, largely because of the return of big-spending automotive and financial advertisers. The forecast calls for cable to grow:
• 12.0% in 2011
• 10.0% in 2012
• 10.5% in 2013
The agency expects the spot marketplace to be extremely volatile in 2012 with the presidential election year cycle generating a billion dollars or so in political spending. Adding to the frenzy will be the Olympics in August, bringing new and returning business to the local markets. All considered the report expects spot to TV to turn in annual increases of:
• 4.0% in 2011
• 8.0% in 2012
• 2.0% in 2013
Advertising Expenditure By Medium (US$ Million, Current Prices Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates); And Share Of Total Adspend
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Newspapers 96,973 23.0% 95,416 21.5% 92,802 20.2% 91,911 19.0% 91,334 17.9%
Magazines 43,633 10.5 43,741 9.8 43,224 9.4 43,060 8.9 42,909 8.4
Television 160,199 38.4 176,826 39.8 184,929 40.2 196,182 40.5 207,056 40.5
Radio 31,778 7.6 32,169 7.2 32,899 7.1 33,906 7.0 35,117 6.9
Cinema 2,107 0.5 2,315 0.5 2,423 0.5 2,564 0.5 2,718 0.5
Outdoor 27,774 6.7 29,917 6.7 31,503 6.8 33,357 6.9 35,122 6.9
Internet 54,683 13.1 64,026 14.4 72,531 15.8 83,457 17.2 96,392 18.9
Total * 417,147 444,410 460,311 484,436 510,648
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011
Video ads are "... becoming the main form of brand advertising in the digital space," the report says, adding that the streaming video category will see two out of every five ad dollars coming from local advertisers. The agency projects:
• 12.6% Internet ad revenue growth in 2011
• 16.2% growth in 2012
• 17.3% in 2013
Internet Advertising By Type (US$ Million, Current Prices Currency Conversion At 2010 Average Rates)
Ad Type 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Display $18,349 $21,875 $25,282 $29,713 $35,218
Classified 9,911 10,950 11,990 13,078 14,246
Paid search 26,423 31,202 35,259 40,666 46,928
Total 54,683 64,026 72,531 83,457 96,392
Source: ZenithOptimedia, October 2011
The analysis has made a reduction to its forecast for global ad expenditure growth in 2011 to 3.6%, down 0.5 percentage points from the forecast made in July. The slowdown in economic recovery in the developed markets, coupled with rising fears of double-dip recession, have caused some advertisers to trim back budget increases planned for the end of 2011, but with no sign of the cancelled campaigns and sharp budget cuts that signaled the beginning of the last advertising downturn in 2008.
The report predicts global ad expenditure at 5.3% growth in 2012, and 5.5% in 2013. TV's share of total ad spent was 38.4% in 2010 and should grow to 39.8% in 2011 and settle at 40.5% by 2013.
In summary, this picture is consistent with a history of ad market growth after many previous stock market shocks, assuming the world economy does not deteriorate dramatically:
• Global ad expenditure forecast to grow 3.6% in 2011 after a modest slowdown in expenditure growth towards the end of the year
• Growth forecast for 2012 remains a reassuring 5.3%
• Developing markets to increase their share of the global ad market from 31.0% in 2010 to 34.9% in 2013
• Internet the fastest-growing medium between 2010 and 2013 (14.6% a year) Television to contribute most new ad dollars (46% of total)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Novelty Wears Thin For Mobile Ads, Creativity Crucial
OnlineMediaDaily
by Mark Walsh, Oct 6, 1:42 PM
Research in recent years has shown that performance rates for mobile advertising are often higher than for online advertising. Millward Brown unit Dynamic Logic, for instance, has found mobile campaigns increase ad awareness 22.5% and purchase intent 5.7% compared to 4.3% and 1.3% for online campaigns. The novelty of mobile ads has often been cited as one of the main factors contributing to their relative advantage over traditional Web ads.
But a new report from Dynamic Logic warns that as mobile matures, the novelty is wearing off, making creativity more crucial than ever in the emerging medium. "Today, poor creative can even have a negative impact on a brand, compared to the past three years when creative quality did not matter as much within mobile display advertising," said Ali Rana, senior vice president and head of Dynamic Logic's Emerging Media Lab.
What are the biggest mistakes advertisers are making in mobile? The study highlighted three:
*Repurposing online creative by cropping it for a mobile environment
*Showing one's brand only through a product shot
*Cluttering ads with too much text or too many logos
Based on its findings showing the importance of strong mobile creative, Dynamic Logic said it is developing a new copy-testing system specifically for mobile display advertising. The new testing solution to be released later this year promises to help agencies and advertisers optimize mobile creative to make the most of their ad buys.
The firm's latest research also identified three key elements that drive a successful mobile campaign:
*Left-side brand placement is generally most effective and has a strong impact on advertising recall
*Clear and persistent branding is important for brand awareness
*A strong call-to-action encourages interactivity and engagement to help drive purchase intent
In addition to novelty, Dynamic Logic said mobile ads have also benefited from the larger proportion of the screen devoted to advertising compared to online. Furthermore, the copy and content are typically more focused due to size and technology constraints. And as consumers become more accepting of mobile ads, the medium offers better targeting than most media.
The report also suggested mobile works well at communicating messages for "high-involvement" categories, like financial services. Even so, some of the best campaigns have come in low-involvement categories such as CPG, where ads are more effective in moving persuasion metrics, like favorability and purchase intent.
The question is whether marketers are willing to spend more to develop specialized ad creative for mobile. At the Mobile Media Summit in New York Wednesday, Eric Bader, president and chief strategy officer at Initiative, pointed out that mobile accounted for just 0.3% of ad spending in 2010.
He suggested that taking dollars from what he called "underperforming channels" such as direct mail, e-mail and search could increase mobile budgets.
At the same time, Bader advised that mobile should be used to extend exposure from traditional media including TV, radio, print and out-of-home advertising. "The success of mobile will start when we stop segregating it as a separate medium," he said
by Mark Walsh, Oct 6, 1:42 PM
Research in recent years has shown that performance rates for mobile advertising are often higher than for online advertising. Millward Brown unit Dynamic Logic, for instance, has found mobile campaigns increase ad awareness 22.5% and purchase intent 5.7% compared to 4.3% and 1.3% for online campaigns. The novelty of mobile ads has often been cited as one of the main factors contributing to their relative advantage over traditional Web ads.
But a new report from Dynamic Logic warns that as mobile matures, the novelty is wearing off, making creativity more crucial than ever in the emerging medium. "Today, poor creative can even have a negative impact on a brand, compared to the past three years when creative quality did not matter as much within mobile display advertising," said Ali Rana, senior vice president and head of Dynamic Logic's Emerging Media Lab.
What are the biggest mistakes advertisers are making in mobile? The study highlighted three:
*Repurposing online creative by cropping it for a mobile environment
*Showing one's brand only through a product shot
*Cluttering ads with too much text or too many logos
Based on its findings showing the importance of strong mobile creative, Dynamic Logic said it is developing a new copy-testing system specifically for mobile display advertising. The new testing solution to be released later this year promises to help agencies and advertisers optimize mobile creative to make the most of their ad buys.
The firm's latest research also identified three key elements that drive a successful mobile campaign:
*Left-side brand placement is generally most effective and has a strong impact on advertising recall
*Clear and persistent branding is important for brand awareness
*A strong call-to-action encourages interactivity and engagement to help drive purchase intent
In addition to novelty, Dynamic Logic said mobile ads have also benefited from the larger proportion of the screen devoted to advertising compared to online. Furthermore, the copy and content are typically more focused due to size and technology constraints. And as consumers become more accepting of mobile ads, the medium offers better targeting than most media.
The report also suggested mobile works well at communicating messages for "high-involvement" categories, like financial services. Even so, some of the best campaigns have come in low-involvement categories such as CPG, where ads are more effective in moving persuasion metrics, like favorability and purchase intent.
The question is whether marketers are willing to spend more to develop specialized ad creative for mobile. At the Mobile Media Summit in New York Wednesday, Eric Bader, president and chief strategy officer at Initiative, pointed out that mobile accounted for just 0.3% of ad spending in 2010.
He suggested that taking dollars from what he called "underperforming channels" such as direct mail, e-mail and search could increase mobile budgets.
At the same time, Bader advised that mobile should be used to extend exposure from traditional media including TV, radio, print and out-of-home advertising. "The success of mobile will start when we stop segregating it as a separate medium," he said
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