Donna Quoted in CBS Marketwatch

[Dan Billings]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "rogerkirk" <rogerkirk@mail.ttlc.net>
To: "Dan Billings" <billings@suscom-maine.net>
Cc: "BRI" <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 10:07 PM
Subject: Re: Donna Quoted in CBS Marketwatch


> "Dan Billings" said:
> >Commercial news stations provide a headline service for people who
> >tune in for a short time to get the headlines, sports, traffic, and
> >weather.  People do not tune in for 6 minute stories and do not want
> >six minute stories.
>
> You make it seem as if people would only tune to a non-commercial station
for 6-minte stories, but tune to commercial stations only for short ones.
>
> Are people's expectations driven by the commerciality of a broadcast
outlet?

NPR exists.  There is no need and no market for a second NPR.  NPR's news
programs do well in the ratings because they are unique.  Is the audience
for that kind of programming large enough to be commercially viable if
fragmented?  I don't think so.

The commercial nature of the station does make a difference.  How many
minutes of underwriting doe comercial stations run per hour?  2 or 3?  How
many commercial units do commercial stations run?  12 to 16?  More?  How
many 6 minute stories can you run with that many commercials?

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine