A recent Bridge Ratings study took a look at the competitive media landscape and the usage of the U.S. population. The results are pretty interesting...

The survey found that about 450,000 people say they listen to HD Radio daily.

Now, 57 million Americans listen to some form of Internet radio in a typical week, according to the study. Compare this to Sirius and XM, who combined pull in nearly 15 million subscribers.

Still, terrestrial radio continues to dominate, and MP3 players also hold a massive amount of earshare. An amazing 280 million Americans listen to terrestrial radio in an average week. While MP3 players - yes, including the iPod - reach 90 million Americans.

So let's break this down in percentages:

• HD Radio: 0.0015% of the U.S. population
  
• Satellite Radio: 4.8% of the U.S. population
• Internet Radio: 21% of the U.S. population
• MP3 Players: 30.4% of the U.S. population
• Terrestrial Radio: 93.7% of the U.S. population

[Bridge Ratings]

The NAB yesterday sent a letter to the FCC in response to XM and Sirius' request to deny the NAB's FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request for information related to FM modulators and terrestrial repeater compliance.

In the letter, the NAB says they would like the records made public so that they may evaluate Sirius and XM's "character qualifications."

The NAB also wants to determine "whether the companies can be relied upon in the future to comply with FCC rules or with any conditions imposed or offered as part of the merger."

How noble.

[Read the full letter (PDF) via FMQB]

Now this is truly amusing. Clear Channel Radio Chief Executive John Hogan, in an interview with Forbes, said that there "certainly isn't much variety" in satellite radio's music programming.

The strikingly ironic comments came about from a question about satellite radio's influence on Clear Channel's programming decisions.

"Satellite actually has not influenced us at all--consumers have," Hogan said. "What you're hearing on our radio stations and hearing and seeing on our Web sites is really a reflection of consumers, and not of a competitor."

But of course, this impartial attitude quickly disappeared when John Hogan started describing what it is that satellite radio - particularly XM - offers listeners:

"We currently program ... [10] radio stations on XM, that's one of our distribution platforms. I think that the stations we're programming on XM are far and away the best programmed and the best produced," said the Clear Channel Radio chief. "I'm sort of underwhelmed by satellite. I think what they have is a lot of really interesting channel titles. But when you listen to them, there's not much there."

"There certainly isn't much variety, and what I think is really the essence of radio--that is, what is between the records--is really pretty lame."

(and cue laughter... now) 

[Forbes]

New York's 92.3 FreeFM WFNY is reportedly dropping their "hot talk" format as of today. The flip occurred at 9am ET.

According to the New York Daily News, CBS Radio's 92.3FM WFNY is switching from their all-day talk format back to contemporary rock as it was during the Stern days. WFNY's website right now has a clock counting down to 5pm ET.

The status of XM/CBS Radio hosts Opie & Anthony and Ron & Fez are currently unknown. But if WFNY drops the talk format completely, that would leave O&A without a home for terrestrial syndication.

CBS Radio President Dan Mason (who replaced Joel Hollander last month) reportedly has made it clear Free-FM isn't his favorite format. Since he arrived, the Free-FM tag has been dropped at Chicago's WCKG and San Francisco's Free was moved from FM to a smaller AM frequency.

CBS Radio created Free-FM in reaction to Howard Stern leaving terrestrial radio back in 2005.

[via AllAccess] 

UPDATE: AllAccess is now reporting that Opie & Anthony will indeed remain in mornings, but that the other on-air staff (including Ron & Fez) are out. John Mainelli is also reportedly getting the boot. Mainelli came on board as WFNY's PD after being ousted from the New York Post due to "disagreements" with Howard Stern.

The recent advertising campaign by Mercury that prominently promotes a free 3-years of Sirius Satellite Radio, is being called into question - by Jacobs Media.

Jacobs Media, of course, is a terrestrial radio supported organization. But let's ignore that.

The whole reason why the campaign is being questioned, is because Jacobs own research shows that MP3 player integration and GPS navigation are more popular new car features than satellite radio. Now, the research was based off of a survey that polled "Rockers" specifically, which may (or may not) be Mecury's target audience. But let's ignore that.


Using this research, we see that 16% of respondents are "very interested" in seeing satellite radio in their next vehicle. Compare this to the 19% of respondents "very interested" in GPS navigation - and the relative costs incurred between satellite radio and GPS nav - and you can figure out exactly why Mercury is promoting Sirius instead. (Hint: $195 vs. $2,295) But let's ignore that too.

Instead, let's question whether Fred Jacobs would be taking the same accusing tone (hinting that partnerships like this artificially inflate satellite radio's subscriber numbers) if the promotion was for... oh I don't know, maybe HD Radio instead? Would Jacobs would take issue with Ford's partnership with Sirius, if it weren't for the Big Three automakers saying that there's no interest in HD Radio? Nah, of course not.

Let's just ignore all that.

[Jacobs Media Blog]

In the wake of the Imus, JV & Elvis firings and the Opie & Anthony suspension - Mancow (of all people) has crafted his "Ten Commandments for Radio Personalities" - preaching responsibility in radio.

Keep in mind that only last month, Mancow described a caller to his show as a "a brain dead fetus" and a "late term abortion that somehow climbed out of a dumpster."

Responsible radio indeed.

For whatever it's worth, here are Mancow's Commandments:

1. Thou shalt never endanger listeners.
2. Racism is always a dumb idea.
3. Complacency on the inside loses listeners from the outside. Work at your art.
4. Contests must always be straight forward. (Being too cute with contests can be costly.)
5. Advertisers pay you. They are your friends.
6. Have a delay button (preferably 20 seconds or more) and when in doubt use it.
7. Don't dis someone's religion.
8. Don't let anyone curse in your studio ever. Get them out of that habit. If they are comfortable with cursing, it can someday accidentally get on the radio.
9. Instruct guests on your radio standards so they don't get you in trouble.
10. Do good. (We're not on earth to mark time. We're here to make a difference).

[Radio Ink]

Don Imus is going to sue CBS for $120 million, according to a draft copy of the suit - expected to be filed next week - that ABC News has obtained.

The lawsuit reportedly says that CBS Radio expected Imus to be "controversial" and "irreverent" under the terms of his contract. He also claims the show was on a 5-second delay that let the network censor him if they wanted.

In a statement released by CBS in response to news stories about the impending lawsuit, CBS said that "We terminated Mr. Imus for cause. Based on the comments in question and relevant contract terms, we believe that the termination was appropriate and CBS would expect to prevail in any attempt by Mr. Imus to recover money for his actions."

CBS is expected to rely on a clause in the contract that says Imus can be terminated for 'just cause' if CBS determines that he used "distasteful or offensive words or phrases, the broadcast of which [CBS] believes would not be in the public interest or may jeopardize [the networks's] Federal license to operate..."

But Martin Garbus, a well known First Amendment attorney who represents Imus, says CBS breached Imus' contract, pointing to the clause: "Company [CBS Radio] acknowledges that Artist's [Imus'] services to be rendered hereunder are of a unique, extraordinary, irreverent, intellectual, topical, controversial and personal character and that programs of the same general type and nature containing these components are desired by Company and are consistent with Company rules and policies."

The $120 million suit covers the $40 million remaining on Imus' multiyear contract (which began in 2006), stock options, damages to his "reputation and future prospects" and "damage to Imus' charitable and business endeavors."

[ABC News] 

All five FCC commissioners hosted a public hearing in Tampa yesterday to take comments about potential changes to media ownership rules. Localism, or more precisely the lack-thereof, was a hot topic.

Commissioner Michael Copps had some harsh words for the media not reflecting the local diversity of their markets, "You know, minorities are now nearly a third of our country's total population, but people of color own just 3.2 percent of the full-power commercial television stations and only about two percent of total broadcast assets. Could it be this is why minority interests and issues don't get covered very well?"

"Our media have an obligation to reflect our country's diversity. They have an obligation to nourish our country's diversity. It's a job not getting done," Copps added.

Many of those from the audience - reported in the range of 300 attendees - also felt that their local areas weren't being represented as they should be.

"If I want to hear local bands, I have to go to MySpace.com, even though there's a station just five miles away - but they only play preprogrammed junk," said Gavin Baker, a political science student at the University of Florida who drove down for the event.

"Anyone with a computer can now compete to serve the local audience," said Bill Carey, general manager of WFTS-TV and incoming president of the Florida Association of Broadcasters. Those new outlets are serious competitors for news, Carey said.

It seems that the FCC is giving a clear message here. Sirius and XM should take note.

[The Tampa Tribune via FMQB]