October 1, 2024 • 16 mins
Based in Memphis, Howard Robertson, CEO and Founder of Spotset Radio Network, is laser-focused on bringing political advertising to Black radio.
With the Power of Urban Radio Forum scheduled for October 9-11 in Washington, D.C., it’s a perfect time for stations targeting African American communities to step up their voter outreach efforts and increase their electoral ad dollars.
How they can do it is Robertson’s specialty, and he wonders if the Harris-Walz campaign is truly capitalizing on the ways Black-owned media can connect with consumers. To learn more, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes Robertson to this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.
With the Power of Urban Radio Forum scheduled for October 9-11 in Washington, D.C., it’s a perfect time for stations targeting African American communities to step up their voter outreach efforts and increase their electoral ad dollars.
How they can do it is Robertson’s specialty, and he wonders if the Harris-Walz campaign is truly capitalizing on the ways Black-owned media can connect with consumers. To learn more, RBR+TVBR Editor-in-Chief Adam R Jacobson welcomes Robertson to this InFOCUS Podcast, presented by dot.fm.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is the RBR TVBR in Focus podcast. Here's your host,
Radio and Television Business Report Editor in chief Adam R. Jacobson.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hello and welcome to the podcast, which is presented by
dot fm, streaming social podcaster broadcast get at dot fm
domain name by heading over to get dot fm today
and today we're pleased to have Howard Robertson, the CEO
and founder of Spotset Radio Network, on the podcast. Based
in Memphis, Robertson is laser focused on bringing political advertising
(00:37):
to black radio and with the power of urban radio forms.
Scheduled for October ninth to eleventh and Washington, d C.
We thought it was a perfect time for stations targeting
African American communities to step up their voter outreach efforts
and increase their electoral and dollars. And how they can
do it is Robertson's specialty. So without further Ado, welcome
(00:59):
to the podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
How Thank you very much, Adam, a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Last week RBR and TVBR and our co owned publication
Radio Inc. Reported that the Harris Waltz campaign had launched
radio ads targeting Rule and Republican voters in Pennsylvania. This
led Robertson to contact us to suggest that the campaign
also connected with African American voters through black owned radio.
(01:25):
We're wondering our station super serving the African American consumer
groups under indexing when it comes to political dollars. Are
they there but just not as big as the total
market or are they pretty much non existent? What's the
gap that you're seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
That's a great question. They are, yes, under under indexing.
To be you know, just to be modest about it,
they are in a lot of cases not on the
radar at all and not being utilized as they should.
(02:02):
And particularly given the power and influence that black radio
has and has had in Black communities across America for many,
many years. They've been the trusted voices in communities for generations.
They are grandchildren and great grandchildren that are listening to
(02:27):
radio stations that their great grandparents listen to because it's
become a family tradition. So I think for a couple
of reasons, uh, there are these radio stations do not
get served typically with political advertising. I think one of
the reasons is a lack of education everybody. I mean,
(02:52):
you know, black folks. As a mentor of mine told me,
many years ago. Black folks are not just dark white people. Uh,
we it is. It is very very different, and we
are reached and affected differently through different media. And black
radio is the is the most pervasive and influential. But
(03:15):
if if you don't know that, you don't you know,
you don't know to do it. And typically uh, in
the political space, they go, you know, go straight to
television initially right off the bat, and now digital and
uh in most of the and in both of those
(03:36):
not saying that they are missing the black community, but
they are missing, uh, the influence and the power, uh
and the pervasiveness of black radio. So uh, that's what
we're saying. We're saying that the that black voter should
not be taken for granted and that this media is
uh and medium is as is as powerful as the
(04:01):
of what you guys reported on the rural radio stations. Yeah,
you know, let's look at rural radio stations. You have
to talk to people where they are, They have to
know that you're talking to them. You got to call
them by name. And that's the same same principle of
using black radio.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
So let's talk about black radio and black owned radio,
because there is an argument that black owned radio and
stations owned by large companies that attract African American audiences
should not be treated differently. And we look at Black
Information Radio bim's owned by iHeart Radio run by Tony Klarks,
who is a veteran African American programmer who is very
(04:42):
well respected. As you have companies as diverse as Beasley
Media Group, Odyssey, in Uelo Media and Los Angeles which
each enjoys strong Black listening audience. So why black owned radio?
What's the differentiation point there that the Harris Walls can
and paign might want to take into account or perhaps
other advertisers.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Great question. The differentiation is that one is that they
are small businesses, and the Vice President has talked about
how the priority of small businesses and things that she's
going to do and her administration is going to do
(05:24):
to help boost and increase black business. The black black
owned radio stations that we're talking about are in a
lot of cases legacy state legacy businesses and passed on
from generation to generation, and it has it is important
(05:49):
that they be given the same type of opportunities, especially
in the sense of political advertising and spending as any
body else. The ones that the ownership groups that you
named are fantastic, and they do indeed have black and
(06:10):
urban format radio stations. But the National Association of Black
Owned Broadcasters, which as you well know, is the advocacy
group especially for in the largest aggregation of black owned
media black media owners that there is, would tell you
(06:33):
that it is very, very important that access, that same
kind of access be given to black owned media.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
But this is where I need to interject, Howard, because
you say access, and it's a well established fact that
most marketers, when they look at a media buy it,
they look at ratings. Sure, so let's look at our
home market of West Palm Beach. Yes, there is a
black owned radio station in one oh four point seven,
the Flame, But when you look at the ratings, they're
(07:06):
sharing listening with Hot one oh five out of Miami
and X one oh two point three in West Palm Beach.
Those are stations that are respectfully owned by Cox Media
Group and Hubbard Radio. Are you suggesting that the Harris
Walls campaign ignore those stations and put their money into
a lesser rated radio station because of family traditions or
because it's simply black owned.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
No, not at all. We're not saying not to use
those particular stations. But let me tell you something about ratings. Okay,
ratings are very very expensive, and there are some there
are quite a few radio stations on our network that
(07:48):
cannot afford the huge cost of hiring a ratings service
to report that there are.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yes, yes, I understand that. But WFLM is well rated
in Nielsen Audio. Let's look at KJLH in Los Angeles,
a very well respected radio station. Their ratings are far
lower than the Wave, which is an excellent radio station
on iodicsy. So, again, when it comes to putting your
dollars in effective media, explain to me why even though
(08:20):
the ratings are lower, it is an effective buy.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
It is an effective buy because number one, the ratings
aren't the be all and end all in terms of
the value and the benefit and the worth of that
radio station. Okay, the ratings are and and for those
stations that cannot afford a Nielsen, okay, they aren't. They
(08:48):
aren't rat So it's like they don't exist. Does that
mean they have no audience? Does that mean they have
no worth? Does that mean they have no value? No,
of course not. It means they can't afford they can't
ford to a lot all of that money to be
to be rated by by the ratings. So that does
not mean that they are any less. That does not
(09:11):
mean that they do not they aren't effective and don't work.
Ratings should not have that much power in terms of
the be the sole determining factor of somebody who wants
to reach and effect the African American market across America.
(09:31):
So uh, just because the ratings aren't as high, or
just because they aren't uh, they don't exist at all.
In the case of if they don't subscribe, they should
not be eliminated from the opportunity to and and And
it takes somebody who understands that dynamic and who knows
(09:53):
that dynamic to look beyond just the just the spots
and dots.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Speaking of spots and SPOTSET Radio Network is the largest
network of black and independently owned radio stations across the country.
I'm wondering, aside from political advertising, what you can say
about the stations that you may work with and there
are overall advertising strengths or perhaps challenges in today's environment.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Well, we are working very very diligently and very very
hard to make sure that major major brands and major
major advertising advertisers and agencies understand about the power of
the radio stations on our network, and so and there's
(10:41):
been there's been a lot of success with P and
G for example, with GM, for example, with AARP for example,
who have been a advertisers with spot st radio stations,
and so we're just we've been out here getting the
(11:01):
word out. There's no other aggregation of radio stations like
this that exist anywhere. And these are again, these are
radio stations that are influential voices in their respected marketplaces.
But they're you know, to your point, they're still challenges
and it's a fight that we fight every day.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Turning back to the Harris Walls campaign, do you believe
that the black media dollars may not be as large
as NABOB members would hope because the campaign might believe
these listeners will simply not vote for Trump vance come
election day? As such? What about issues oriented advertising or
down ballot advertising? Is there anything being done there to
(11:46):
increase those media buys ahead of November fifth?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Well, we would We do have some that are you know,
some business in that area that we have on the network,
But we are with the dollars. To your question about
what the dollars be, I mean, you know, the expectation
(12:12):
is certainly that the dollars are not going to be
anywhere close to the level of as I've seen reported
over two hundred plus million in television or one hundred
and seventy or eighty million in digital so far. So
(12:34):
you know, they're not expecting certainly they're not expecting anything
of that magnitude. But they just want to be in
the game. They know that they are an important voice
in important markets across the country, especially most especially in
swing states which are vital, and they also know this.
(12:57):
They also know that again as I said earlier, in
terms of black voters, like black consumers, you have to
call us by name. Please do not sleep and this
is a message directly to the campaign, Please do not
sleep on African American voters across the country and take
(13:18):
them for granted as if they are going to automatically
get up, fall in line, and stand in line some places,
probably for hours, as they did with President Obama. They
motivation is the key. That's not saying they're not going
to vote. They're going to be very very engaged. But
(13:40):
we want I mean basically across the Black community folk
to get up and go vote. This is a very
very as everybody says, important election and nobody should be
taken for granted and most particularly most particularly African American voters.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Wrap up the podcast, I'm wondering, how word, if you
have any closing thoughts on African American focused media and
its continued importance in an age when digital and social
channels have learned so many consumers.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
I would say this, yes, not taking anything away from
digital and social but there is a need for more
authentic media, which I think black radio brings to the table.
(14:34):
Authenticity is key to every most everybody in every market.
This is this is real deal on radio radio. Black
radio does something that social media only does to a
(14:54):
certain degree. Black radio drives word of mouth and word
on the street. That's very very important to mention. Okay,
barbershop talk, church talk, you know, fraternity and sorority talk
and all of that, all of the institutions, all of
(15:16):
the places across the Black community that people talk and
exchange information. Black radio drives so much of that, so
much of that, So I think that authentically drives so
much of that. So I think that it's important to
(15:36):
point that out. You know, you get character, you get personality,
you get so much other stuff out of black radio
that you do not get in digital or social media.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Well, thank you so much for being our guest on
this podcast. We're at a time, but I really appreciate
the conversation and all the best as we head into
November fifth and a very important election day.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Thank you, Adam. I appreciate it. We appreciate the opportunity
to uh to talk about this very very important subject
and we you know, we hope for the best going
forward and a large, large voting period turnout across the country.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Well, with that, we want to thank you for being
our guest, and we want to thank our listeners for
tuning into this radio and Television Business Report and Focused podcast.
It was presented by dot fm, streaming social podcaster broadcast
to get a dot fm domain name by heading over
to get to dot fm Today from the global headquarters
of Streamline Publishing and the home of the Radio and
Television Business Report and Radio, Inc. I'm Adam R. Jacobsen
(16:38):
book for his own Florida. We'll see you next time,
and remember please vote
This is the RBR TVBR in Focus podcast. Here's your host,
Radio and Television Business Report Editor in chief Adam R. Jacobson.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hello and welcome to the podcast, which is presented by
dot fm, streaming social podcaster broadcast get at dot fm
domain name by heading over to get dot fm today
and today we're pleased to have Howard Robertson, the CEO
and founder of Spotset Radio Network, on the podcast. Based
in Memphis, Robertson is laser focused on bringing political advertising
(00:37):
to black radio and with the power of urban radio forms.
Scheduled for October ninth to eleventh and Washington, d C.
We thought it was a perfect time for stations targeting
African American communities to step up their voter outreach efforts
and increase their electoral and dollars. And how they can
do it is Robertson's specialty. So without further Ado, welcome
(00:59):
to the podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
How Thank you very much, Adam, a pleasure to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Last week RBR and TVBR and our co owned publication
Radio Inc. Reported that the Harris Waltz campaign had launched
radio ads targeting Rule and Republican voters in Pennsylvania. This
led Robertson to contact us to suggest that the campaign
also connected with African American voters through black owned radio.
(01:25):
We're wondering our station super serving the African American consumer
groups under indexing when it comes to political dollars. Are
they there but just not as big as the total
market or are they pretty much non existent? What's the
gap that you're seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
That's a great question. They are, yes, under under indexing.
To be you know, just to be modest about it,
they are in a lot of cases not on the
radar at all and not being utilized as they should.
(02:02):
And particularly given the power and influence that black radio
has and has had in Black communities across America for many,
many years. They've been the trusted voices in communities for generations.
They are grandchildren and great grandchildren that are listening to
(02:27):
radio stations that their great grandparents listen to because it's
become a family tradition. So I think for a couple
of reasons, uh, there are these radio stations do not
get served typically with political advertising. I think one of
the reasons is a lack of education everybody. I mean,
(02:52):
you know, black folks. As a mentor of mine told me,
many years ago. Black folks are not just dark white people. Uh,
we it is. It is very very different, and we
are reached and affected differently through different media. And black
radio is the is the most pervasive and influential. But
(03:15):
if if you don't know that, you don't you know,
you don't know to do it. And typically uh, in
the political space, they go, you know, go straight to
television initially right off the bat, and now digital and
uh in most of the and in both of those
(03:36):
not saying that they are missing the black community, but
they are missing, uh, the influence and the power, uh
and the pervasiveness of black radio. So uh, that's what
we're saying. We're saying that the that black voter should
not be taken for granted and that this media is
uh and medium is as is as powerful as the
(04:01):
of what you guys reported on the rural radio stations. Yeah,
you know, let's look at rural radio stations. You have
to talk to people where they are, They have to
know that you're talking to them. You got to call
them by name. And that's the same same principle of
using black radio.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
So let's talk about black radio and black owned radio,
because there is an argument that black owned radio and
stations owned by large companies that attract African American audiences
should not be treated differently. And we look at Black
Information Radio bim's owned by iHeart Radio run by Tony Klarks,
who is a veteran African American programmer who is very
(04:42):
well respected. As you have companies as diverse as Beasley
Media Group, Odyssey, in Uelo Media and Los Angeles which
each enjoys strong Black listening audience. So why black owned radio?
What's the differentiation point there that the Harris Walls can
and paign might want to take into account or perhaps
other advertisers.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Great question. The differentiation is that one is that they
are small businesses, and the Vice President has talked about
how the priority of small businesses and things that she's
going to do and her administration is going to do
(05:24):
to help boost and increase black business. The black black
owned radio stations that we're talking about are in a
lot of cases legacy state legacy businesses and passed on
from generation to generation, and it has it is important
(05:49):
that they be given the same type of opportunities, especially
in the sense of political advertising and spending as any
body else. The ones that the ownership groups that you
named are fantastic, and they do indeed have black and
(06:10):
urban format radio stations. But the National Association of Black
Owned Broadcasters, which as you well know, is the advocacy
group especially for in the largest aggregation of black owned
media black media owners that there is, would tell you
(06:33):
that it is very, very important that access, that same
kind of access be given to black owned media.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
But this is where I need to interject, Howard, because
you say access, and it's a well established fact that
most marketers, when they look at a media buy it,
they look at ratings. Sure, so let's look at our
home market of West Palm Beach. Yes, there is a
black owned radio station in one oh four point seven,
the Flame, But when you look at the ratings, they're
(07:06):
sharing listening with Hot one oh five out of Miami
and X one oh two point three in West Palm Beach.
Those are stations that are respectfully owned by Cox Media
Group and Hubbard Radio. Are you suggesting that the Harris
Walls campaign ignore those stations and put their money into
a lesser rated radio station because of family traditions or
because it's simply black owned.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
No, not at all. We're not saying not to use
those particular stations. But let me tell you something about ratings. Okay,
ratings are very very expensive, and there are some there
are quite a few radio stations on our network that
(07:48):
cannot afford the huge cost of hiring a ratings service
to report that there are.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Yes, yes, I understand that. But WFLM is well rated
in Nielsen Audio. Let's look at KJLH in Los Angeles,
a very well respected radio station. Their ratings are far
lower than the Wave, which is an excellent radio station
on iodicsy. So, again, when it comes to putting your
dollars in effective media, explain to me why even though
(08:20):
the ratings are lower, it is an effective buy.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
It is an effective buy because number one, the ratings
aren't the be all and end all in terms of
the value and the benefit and the worth of that
radio station. Okay, the ratings are and and for those
stations that cannot afford a Nielsen, okay, they aren't. They
(08:48):
aren't rat So it's like they don't exist. Does that
mean they have no audience? Does that mean they have
no worth? Does that mean they have no value? No,
of course not. It means they can't afford they can't
ford to a lot all of that money to be
to be rated by by the ratings. So that does
not mean that they are any less. That does not
(09:11):
mean that they do not they aren't effective and don't work.
Ratings should not have that much power in terms of
the be the sole determining factor of somebody who wants
to reach and effect the African American market across America.
(09:31):
So uh, just because the ratings aren't as high, or
just because they aren't uh, they don't exist at all.
In the case of if they don't subscribe, they should
not be eliminated from the opportunity to and and And
it takes somebody who understands that dynamic and who knows
(09:53):
that dynamic to look beyond just the just the spots
and dots.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Speaking of spots and SPOTSET Radio Network is the largest
network of black and independently owned radio stations across the country.
I'm wondering, aside from political advertising, what you can say
about the stations that you may work with and there
are overall advertising strengths or perhaps challenges in today's environment.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Well, we are working very very diligently and very very
hard to make sure that major major brands and major
major advertising advertisers and agencies understand about the power of
the radio stations on our network, and so and there's
(10:41):
been there's been a lot of success with P and
G for example, with GM, for example, with AARP for example,
who have been a advertisers with spot st radio stations,
and so we're just we've been out here getting the
(11:01):
word out. There's no other aggregation of radio stations like
this that exist anywhere. And these are again, these are
radio stations that are influential voices in their respected marketplaces.
But they're you know, to your point, they're still challenges
and it's a fight that we fight every day.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Turning back to the Harris Walls campaign, do you believe
that the black media dollars may not be as large
as NABOB members would hope because the campaign might believe
these listeners will simply not vote for Trump vance come
election day? As such? What about issues oriented advertising or
down ballot advertising? Is there anything being done there to
(11:46):
increase those media buys ahead of November fifth?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Well, we would We do have some that are you know,
some business in that area that we have on the network,
But we are with the dollars. To your question about
what the dollars be, I mean, you know, the expectation
(12:12):
is certainly that the dollars are not going to be
anywhere close to the level of as I've seen reported
over two hundred plus million in television or one hundred
and seventy or eighty million in digital so far. So
(12:34):
you know, they're not expecting certainly they're not expecting anything
of that magnitude. But they just want to be in
the game. They know that they are an important voice
in important markets across the country, especially most especially in
swing states which are vital, and they also know this.
(12:57):
They also know that again as I said earlier, in
terms of black voters, like black consumers, you have to
call us by name. Please do not sleep and this
is a message directly to the campaign, Please do not
sleep on African American voters across the country and take
(13:18):
them for granted as if they are going to automatically
get up, fall in line, and stand in line some places,
probably for hours, as they did with President Obama. They
motivation is the key. That's not saying they're not going
to vote. They're going to be very very engaged. But
(13:40):
we want I mean basically across the Black community folk
to get up and go vote. This is a very
very as everybody says, important election and nobody should be
taken for granted and most particularly most particularly African American voters.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Wrap up the podcast, I'm wondering, how word, if you
have any closing thoughts on African American focused media and
its continued importance in an age when digital and social
channels have learned so many consumers.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
I would say this, yes, not taking anything away from
digital and social but there is a need for more
authentic media, which I think black radio brings to the table.
(14:34):
Authenticity is key to every most everybody in every market.
This is this is real deal on radio radio. Black
radio does something that social media only does to a
(14:54):
certain degree. Black radio drives word of mouth and word
on the street. That's very very important to mention. Okay,
barbershop talk, church talk, you know, fraternity and sorority talk
and all of that, all of the institutions, all of
(15:16):
the places across the Black community that people talk and
exchange information. Black radio drives so much of that, so
much of that, So I think that authentically drives so
much of that. So I think that it's important to
(15:36):
point that out. You know, you get character, you get personality,
you get so much other stuff out of black radio
that you do not get in digital or social media.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Well, thank you so much for being our guest on
this podcast. We're at a time, but I really appreciate
the conversation and all the best as we head into
November fifth and a very important election day.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Thank you, Adam. I appreciate it. We appreciate the opportunity
to uh to talk about this very very important subject
and we you know, we hope for the best going
forward and a large, large voting period turnout across the country.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Well, with that, we want to thank you for being
our guest, and we want to thank our listeners for
tuning into this radio and Television Business Report and Focused podcast.
It was presented by dot fm, streaming social podcaster broadcast
to get a dot fm domain name by heading over
to get to dot fm Today from the global headquarters
of Streamline Publishing and the home of the Radio and
Television Business Report and Radio, Inc. I'm Adam R. Jacobsen
(16:38):
book for his own Florida. We'll see you next time,
and remember please vote
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