August 25th, 2009 
joel Editor’s Note: Tip of the hat to Jerry Del Colliano’s Inside Music Media for pointing this one out.
Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal’s theater critic Terry Teachout gave readers a history lesson that the media elite should contemplate.
Fred Allen
His article, The New Media Crisis of 1949, points out the massive change in the media landscape when the initial television networks were formed. Before 1949, network radio was the medium for news, dramas, comedies, and the home of big stars like Fred Allen. However, when the TV stations began stringing the original networks together, viewing shot up, and nighttime radio listening crashed overnight.
Couple important points Teachout makes include that much like the current online media, the new media of television in 1949 lost lots of money. However, once the networks firmed up programming, the sets were purchased in homes, and advertising and commerce commenced. The stars of radio who were willing to figure out how TV worked won in the new medium. Those who didn’t were forgotten like an old Philco tube set nearly overnight.
Teachout’s point is that for those patient enough to accept the losses now, try creative approaches to monetization, while journalists and entertainers build their online brands will make it in the new space. The others might be relegated to conversations of “remember when we watched videos on an actual TV set?”
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Deep Background for November 15-21, 2009
Whispers became a shout this week as executives at Citadel Broadcasting are indicating that they may have to go Chapter 11 ahead of a scheduled January debt payment that the owners of WXKC, WXTA, WQHZ, and WRIE don’t have. To hear Jerry Del Colliano of Inside Music Media talk, there could be consequences for the last remaining local morning show in the group: The Breakfast Club.
For me, I think it would be crazy for Citadel to gore their only real cash cow, Classy 100. But a note of appreciation for Chuck and Brenda to the station would be timely.
I just sounded off, how about you? What’s your take on this challenging media environment? Did you spend any funny money on last week’s ETN millionaire auction? What’s the latest scoop at your media outlet? For all this and more, this open forum is our sounding board.
You can leave a comment, e-mail me at joel@nataliemedia.com or tweet@pressandtower.
Embrace the chaos!