Radio

For years, politicians have relied upon various media outlets to relay their campaign messages to potential voters. One outlet that receives little interest from researchers but remains a ubiquitous media presence in American life, including political campaigns at every level of the governmental spectrum, is radio. New research from the University of Missouri-Columbia shows that while the general public may have less exposure to radio than to television ads, radio ads are more likely to provide citizens with greater optimism in the political process.

Arbitron Inc. released a summary of response rates, consent rates and return rates for the 296 markets measured in the Spring 2005 survey.

Arbitron Inc. announced that it will establish an Advertiser / Agency Advisory Council as a standing forum for collaboration with advertisers and their agencies.

According to Radio & Records magazine, the FCC on Friday granted permission to GLR Networks to deliver Spanish-language programming to XTRA-AM/Tijuana-San Diego — a step in the expected transfer of control of the 690 kHz powerhouse’s programming and sales agreements from Clear Channel to Madrid-based Grupo Prisa S.A., which will later acquire the station outright through a Mexican subsidiary.

Prompted by a deal made by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Sony/BMG Music Entertainment, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin has launched his own investigation into radio stations taking bribes from music labels to play specific songs.

As recently as 10 months ago, even the keenest observers of Spanish-language radio didn’t seem to put much stock in reggaeton’s potential as a full-fledged format. By then, reggaeton had already flexed its muscle, as reflected by the resurgent numbers at Tropical Latin WSKQ New York last spring and the success of bilingual Hip-Hop outlet WVOZ Puerto Rico. But many still saw it as a fringe sound in the continental U.S., and one that meant more lyrically to denizens of San Juan than anybody else.

The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) released The Economic Impact Study of the Portable People Meter (PPM) on the Radio Industry.

Univision Communications Inc. and Entravision Communications Corporation announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Univision will acquire radio stations KBRG(FM) and KLOK(AM) serving the San Francisco/San Jose, California market from Entravision for $90 million. It is expected that Univision will pay for the acquisition with shares of Entravision common stock held by Univision.