NJBA Weekly Newsletter, Friday, December 19, 2008

Newspaper Woes Create New AD Revenue Opportunities for Broadcasters
A growing number of daily newspapers are beginning to curtail and/or stop production and home delivery of their normal print editions for early weekdays. Notable major dailies like the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News have announced that they will discontinue the print production of their Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday editions, which will be available on their websites!  This may create a valuable opportunity for broadcast advertisement executives to seize early week news-print ad accounts, thereby capturing a larger percentage of the advertisement market for their stations. Enterprising Ad Execs should begin analyze ad copy found in archived early week editions of local daily news papers in anticipation of such an opportunity emerging in New Jersey markets.

New Jersey DEP Chief Heads to Washington

New Jersey’s own Lisa Jackson was nominated by President-elect Obama to be the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency this week. Jackson, who has been a long time faithful friend of NJBA, was the former commissioner of the DEP and was selected to serve as Governor Corzine’s next chief of staff before being chosen by the President-elect. Designee Jackson is a serious and experienced leader who is credited with playing a major role in crafting the Garden State’s new energy plan, which promotes the expanded development of environmentally friendly wind and solar power. The NJBA wishes her good luck as she embarks on this exciting next step in her impressive career.  

NJ Broadcasters Feel Economic Pinch
The downturn in the national/global economy has hit the Garden State with many NJ Broadcasters laying off staff to meet severe budget concerns. This is consistent with other states around the nation, but many broadcasters are planning to combat the economic climate with innovative marketing and fiscal initiatives, which they hope to implement in the rapidly approaching New Year.

NAB to Launch National DTV Hotline
The NAB will soon create a national hotline to field calls from TV viewers caught in confusion caused by the national switchover on February 17^th. The transition, which New Jersey Broadcasters have been instrumental in promoting, will be the topic of several TV commercials and another national DTV “soft test” is scheduled for January 12^th. Until then, viewers may call the FCC at 888-CALL-FCC for further information.