RAB News Release - Radio a Reach Medium used to build brands

Farber aims to position radio as a reach medium that builds brands. The Radio Advertising Bureau doesn’t forecast revenue but RAB president Erica Farber says there’s reason to be optimistic when radio’s position is looked at on a global scale, where corporate America’s marketing budgets aren’t growing. “It’s still a positive for us when you consider how many new entrants there are that we’ve held our own,” she says. As the industry crafts its story for advertisers, she believes it should position itself as a medium that builds brands rather than just a vehicle to deliver a “price and item” message. “Radio never positioned itself as a reach medium,” Farber says. “And yet what PPM has shown us is that there are more people listening to us than we ever thought and it’s proving that radio is a great way to develop a brand and that is a major shift as far as positioning our medium.” In the nearer-term, it appears 2014 has begun with still no strong direction evident. Some public companies have said winter weather is weakening sales, and Farber says, “When we start to see first quarter results there are going to be some major challenges because the weather has slammed advertising.” Clearly, the winds of change are still blowing for radio.