Blurred Lines: The CBS/Time-Warner Fiasco

"Here's the inside scoop on retransmission fees."

All summer long, everybody's been talking about it.  You can't turn your eyes away as the controversy rages:  Is it demeaning to viewers or just reflective of the industry's direction?

Forget Robin Thicke's music video.  I'm talking about CBS vs. Time-Warner.

Having worked for both cable and broadcasters (as have most have you), I don't see this ending well.  Even if it gets resolved on NFL Eve.

If only it were this simple...

I can see both sides in this showdown.  As retransmission rates increase dramatically and subscribers continue to cut the cord (over 300,00 in the past year), TW is drawing a line for itself and other cable systems (as well as satellite).  However, their argument that broadcast stations are available for free is a fallacious one, as this is outside the contract they have with subscribers.

Meanwhile, broadcasters are more connected to their communities, with public service responsibilities and involvement unlike any other local business.  Although advertising is up in the past few years, so are production costs.  And once retrans fees became federally-mandated in 1992 (with new agreements every 3 years!) and became a viable stream of profit, there was no turning back.

What I can't see... is the real end game of both sides.

Is TW really in this to protect subscribers' rates?  Give me a break.  Just like any corporation bordering on a monopoly, their responsibility is to their shareholders.  Period.

Is CBS really in this to ensure viewers get the shows they want?  Hardly.  Otherwise, why would they block access to their website?

So... what does TW really want?  They're not showing their cards, but are certainly in no rush to resolve this mess, no matter how many cancellations their systems absorb.  I suspect there are internal discussions about eliminating broadcast altogether. If broadcast really is too expensive and the halcyon days of cable are long-gone, why not just dump it altogether?

Or is this?

Is this the future of television?

Although they appear similar, broadcasters and cable operators view the world differently.  This time, I'll wager it's going to lead to a fundamental change in the business.  One in which newer delivery systems will be key and both sides will be more profitable.  Movies and series from Netflix, network shows from OTA and Aereo, cable nets from cable, that sort of thing. 

As always, the bottom line is the bottom line.  And there's nothing blurred about that.

-Ed Roth
edrothshow@gmail.com

Marketing with Social vs. Legacy Media: What Wins?

Recently, my wife's co-worker was discussing media buying with another buyer, who asked if he buys "legacy media."  I've been buying for years and never heard that term, have you?   I had never heard television, radio, print and outdoor called that, but I kind of like it.  Legacy.  Classy.

I get it.  It really helps separate more traditional media as it's been known with social media, internet and other electronic or guerilla marketing.

The fact is, of course, that as buyers, we need to be tuned in to both legacy and whatever non-legacy media is called.

But, as Hamlet said, "Therein lies the rub."  To buy traditional or focus on free social media?

As consumers, we may not watch as much television as in the past, and there are twice as many choices as there were even ten years ago, but it's still the fastest way to reach a ton of people in thirty seconds.  Mostly, these spots contain enable you to make a maximum emotional impact that nothing on the web can hope to attain.

I know you've seen Target's great Back to School campaign with Another One Bites the Dust, Under Pressure and Rocky being played by penny whistle and kazoo,  Genius.  Social media can't give you that...unless it's a link to YouTube.  If you're a fan of the company, it can make you feel like part of their mission and reinforce the brand.

Target Back to School (Under Pressure)
Target Back to School (Rocky Kids)

But balance should you strike between social media and legacy media?    The answer is you have to do both.

Social Media
Does it help increase sales?  Not usually.

I agree with a lot of marketers that putting a lot of effort into Facebook and Twitter to make direct sales is a huge waste of time.  There is a reason they call it social media.  Think of it as a way to begin and establish a relationship with customers.  Due to the fact that it's free, social media looms as an inexpensive way to market your brand as a replacement for traditional media.  Don't fall into that trap.

The trick is to get those clients getting interested with your posts to make the move to your site to seal the deal.  Facebook will not seal any deal.  As a matter of fact, your hard sell will likely drive people away, never to return.  Use social media as an opportunity to interact with your customers, not to squeeze them.

Legacy Media
I know you're bound by a budget (we all are), but if you want to make that direct sale using mass media, I'm still big fan of television and radio to reach a large quantity of people with your branding.  With my main client located in a suburb, I am a big fan of using heavily targeted cable to "laser in" on specific counties, when broadcast television or cable would be a huge waste.  Round up those zip codes and let 'er rip.

Finally, don't forget direct mail.  This is an inexpensive way to target and coupon your audience, and a great way to measure results.

For more info and some great insight, check out this recent blog from Social Steve: Why are We Doing Social Marketing Anyway?

There are as many great (and poor) marketing approaches as there are clients.   It will always come down to a few ingredients for success:

1.  Know your audience
2.  Know what each differing medium will get you
3.  Create a consistent message delivered differently for the appropriate medium.
4.  Use a variety of media to reach your target audience as possible.
5.  Don't bore me!!!

Here's to common sense.  One size does not fit all.  What are some other marketing tips to follow that are outside the box?

--Rich Brase
redrich24@gmail.com

3 Reasons Creative Partnerships Rarely Last

You can't buy mutual admiration like this.

It starts with absolute certainty - in fact, it would be crazy not to be partners in a creative venture.  You're outstanding writers, top-notch artists, or unparalleled performers.  You get along so well that the synergy alone would be worth the price of admission.

So you go ahead and take the plunge.  Sometimes, it's official; other times, it's a loose collaboration.  But make no mistake, (cue the trumpets) a partnership is born.

But somewhere down the line - a few weeks, several months, a couple of years - you can't stand of the sight of your partner.  You even ignore calls just to avoid the inevitable argument.  Or worse yet, you keep it all inside, until one day...KABOOM!

You agree to break up as doubts and anger fill your being.  How could I have been so blind?  If only my partner would have (fill in the blank)...

And my favorite (c'mon, say it with me)... What was I thinking?

Simon & Garfunkel:  It was Paul, but was it Art?

Mired in doubt, you wonder how other creatives pull it off; your partnerships never seem to bear long-term fruit, despite early success.  The answer is (cue drum roll, then cymbal crash)...

Creative partnerships don't work, or at the very least, don't work for long.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're better off going to Vegas and putting it all on black.  Better yet, put it on 12. 

I hear your muffled chagrin, or perhaps even gasping (nah, you're probably not gasping) as you recite famous partnerships that lasted longer than a JLo marriage.

Yes, I'm aware that some exist, but it's not a statistically significant number.

Instead, think of your creative partnerships.  All those show treatments, movie scripts, books, advertising agencies, design studios, recording studios, post houses, and songs,  They all followed The March Syndrome.  In like a lion, out like a lamb.  A lamb that couldn't stand the sight of wool anymore.

What happened? 

Here is why you and virtually every other partnership had little or no shot:

1. You don't complement each other.  Two people who do the same thing know in their heart of hearts that their approach is the smart way to go.  But you can't have two headlines.  Better to find someone whose skill complements yours.  You gotta fill each other's gaps, to paraphrase Rocky Balboa.

2. You're convinced you do way more work than your partner.  Back and shoulders hurt from carrying that freeloader?  It's easy to feel resentment, but it would be preferable to understand shifting work flow.  Hey, sometimes your partner isn't pulling their weight, at least as not as much as you'd like.  And sometimes, it's vice versa (hmmmm....)

3. You're both creatives. As such, you're more right brain than left.  You jump in.  When the creative juices are flowing, you just assume everything else will fall in line. Unfortunately, it just ain't so.  And when the train stops, it's smart to admit the trip has just run its course.

Like these two on the right, sometimes creative juggernauts can only be stopped by their own hand; well, that and bad ratings.

Of course, the major exception to the rules here would be The Promo Code.  After all, this is way more than a partnership - it's a mutual adventure in tombloggery.  One with blue skies and green pastures as far as the eye can see.

That's my story, and I'm definitely sticking to it.

-Ed Roth
edrothshow@gmail.com

Is Your Mentor a Stinker?

I really screwed up when I first got into the business--I believed that I would be judged on the quality of my work and not who I knew.  Stupid!

I kept to myself, worked overtime and let my work speak for itself.  I never made any attempt to get close to my managers.  That would be considered "kissing up," right? In short, I never allowed myself to be mentored.  I won awards and helped my stations thrive, but the fact is that I certainly could have used a mentor.  My father died when I was in college, so I never really had that strong male influence, especially when it came to business.

We can all use a little help, not only in our careers, but in our lives and it's funny that people, especially business superiors, want to help.  Most bosses I've had and met actually love mentoring younger, less experienced employees.

This sort of friendship, advice and guidance is invaluable and will certainly help you achieve successes you could not achieve just on the value of your work.

"It's not what you know, but who you know."  Isn't that the phrase we all know?  Well, the truth lies in both parts of the sentence.  If you are an untalented idiot, you might bluff your way into some jobs, but ultimately will hit your ceiling.

But if you're qualified and have integrity, gravitating toward like-minded executives, whether or not you work for them, it certainly couldn't hurt.   Being liked and believed-in by a great manager can make your career.

What happens, though, if the person who has taken an interest in you as a protege, has ethics that are (how do we say it?) questionable?

Who's your mentor now?

I once worked for a general manager who was a real hard charger, a great negotiator and a well-known broadcaster.  But this GM was also known as unethical, had a habit of bending the truth and had a brusque "take no prisoners" philosophy. If you mildly disagreed with him even once, you were out of sight and out of mind.

When a great producer of mine asked nicely that he not make fun of where she went to college, he punished her by never talking to her again and tried to get her to quit (which she did, to my unhappiness).   Sound stupid?  Get the picture?  Every bit of success at the station rotated around him.

Unfortunately, this guy really liked me,  gave me guidance and pushed me to do things I never thought I could.  He also paid me a lot of money.

What do you do when your mentor is a stinker?

Slowly, I took on his traits and was becoming everything I hate in a manager--unreasonable, inflexible and hard to deal with.   Prior to meeting this boss, I had worked mostly for ex-sales people who had no understanding or tolerance for creatives.  You know the kind--every pitch on every idea is met with the kind of look when a dog cocks its head when it hears something it doesn't understand.  "You want to do whaaat?"

Don't get me wrong, I've had a great career and worked with and for some great broadcasters, but
your mentor should be one who is in lock step with your career--one who will not only inspire you but move you up as he or she moves up.

Unfortunately, I took these hard-charging characteristics with me to a few stations where it was not part of their culture, and I had to adapt.  


Here's a great article on 10 Tips for getting the most from your mentor.

I've had the pleasure to mentor dozens of younger people throughout my career.  I only hope they picked up better traits than I did, and became great managers themselves.

So, make sure you hitch a wagon to a superstar who will let your true light shine.  Hopefully, your mentor won't be someone who is reviled and causes you to develop a management style you end up regretting.  Just use your best judgment to keep their best traits and discard the worst.  Be yourself...only better.

You can't do it alone, but hopefully you'll have fun learning and growing under the tutelage of someone who will help you blossom and bloom and help you become the success you were meant to be.

If your mentor turns out to be a stinker, move on to another.  There are plenty of good mentors in the sea.

--Rich Brase
rich@richideas.net