The Local Marketing Trends Podcast

Two big things are about to ripple the $150 billion local advertising pond. But Corey & Gordon acknowledge completely ignoring them in their newly released annual missive on the state of local advertising. Was it an oversight, or is there something else behind the omission? The podcast features an interview with Allison Schiff, managing editor of AdExchanger, who offers her thoughts on the speed of one of the approaching comets.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Jeff Warshaw doesn't plan to participate in radio's "race to the bottom." The CEO of Connoisseur Media just bought Alpha Media, expanding Connoisseur from 11 stations to 218. It's a move that bucks the industry trend to lay off people and cut budgets -- particularly because of what Warshaw says about his plans to hire and invest even more. In an interview, Jeff responds to Gordon's question, "Did you miss the news that radio is dying?"Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Local broadcasters are pinning hopes on NextGenTV reviving their industry. But more than a decade after the first tests of ATSC 3.0 standards, consumer adoption remains stalled below 10%. Co-hosts Corey and Gordon see a maze of hurdles and take their skepticism to Madeleine Nolan, president of the ATSC: The Broadcast Standards Organization, seeking answers.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Eleven years old and profitable, Patch is reversing the trend of so-called news deserts. And it's using AI to supercharge its expansion efforts to tends of thousands of communities. This episode features an interview with Patch CEO Warren St. John, who describes how Patch has gone from delivering information for 1,900 sites to now offering information to 30,000 more.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Have hypercharged opinions and rampant banner ads opened up an opportunity for online subscriptions? Recent reports by newspaper companies Gannett, Lee Enterprises, and The New York Times show increasing revenue from online consumers of news and information, and one New Zealand publisher is seeing remarkable success by scaling back ads, vastly improving the user experience and banning opinion columns. Corey & Gordon examine the issue and talk to Todd Scott, owner of New Zealand's National Business Review and developer of an innovative subscription platform called New Media Solution. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists.As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

In this mythbusters-styled episode, the hosts focus on three oft-stated facts: Many legacy media companies are investing heavily in digital; the unprofitability of digital products is curtailing their sales; and their core strength is tied to large audiences of local consumers. Gordon & Corey are joined by longtime sales expert Jim Brown, who helps dredge up the facts. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Gordon & Corey see signs of Phoenix-style rebirth for a handful of media companies. These survivors have begun generating enough digital growth to completely offset declines in their legacy media businesses. The hosts identify three of them and focus on one -- KSL.com in Salt Lake City, operated by Deseret Digital Media. An interview with its key executive, Nate Hatch, reveals why the operation has been so successful. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

With the ebbing of political ad dollars and cable retransmission fees, 2025 will likely be a lean year for TV broadcasters. In this episode, Gordon & Corey review the industry's woes, debate the survival strategies, and seek insights from the co-CEO of one of the nation's biggest local broadcasters, Gray Media.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

The hosts profess to know the secret to driving exponential growth in ad sales, but they've also witnessed an ugly problem associated with it: churn. The episode features an expert on the issue, who shares some scary numbers on that percentage of digital ad buyers that sign up, then disappear in short order.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Corey & Gordon uncover surprises from a Q4 survey of local advertisers. They discuss what's hot for 2025, and ponder why one form of print media continues to defy gravity. They look at the good, bad, and just plain ugly -- including how advertisers rate their local ad-sales reps on overall marketing expertise and digital savvy. Spoiler alert: That's the "ugly" part of their discussion. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

The failure point for incumbent businesses faced with a disruptive technology comes when they interpret it as being supportive of their existing business. Yet that's exactly how most media companies view the Internet. In this episode, Corey & Gordon turn to an expert, Jim Cutler, who describes how today's swipe-happy world has made traditional media's content look like gabby fluff.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

True to form, CTV and OTT advertising is a disruptive innovation that appeals more to a NEW set of would-be TV buyers -- smaller businesses. In this episode, transformation expert Jim Wilson, who founded OTT platform Premion and is now president of Madhive, discusses what it takes to reach and serve businesses whose typical CTV buy is pretty small -- about $4,000. He also talks about his appointment to the board of Audacy, the radio company that has just emerged from bankruptcy. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Newspapers are still vanishing at a rate of one every three days, but this year more papers have actually been snapped up by willing buyers. In this episode, Gordon & Corey explore what's attracted 28 different buyers to acquire more than 300 titles so far this year. The show features an interview with Sara April, president of media brokerage firm Dirks, Van Essen, and April.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Gordon & Corey explore how AI is unlocking the hidden gold for local broadcasters, newspaper publishers, and online publishers not only in archived content, but also in live news content. The show features an interview with an executive from AI software provider Veritone, who says she's getting about a dozen requests daily from researchers, political campaigns, people producing documentaries, and others looking for local news content.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Gordon & Corey talk with a 37-year-old software entrepreneur who's taken over a hyperlocal new site in Red Bank, NJ., with a goal of surving 100 years, just like the newspaper that preceeded it. His formula is an intriguing one that doesn't so much focus on local news as it does on helping local businesses, the core source of site revenue.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Are we really in a final phase in which only a few local media companies will successfully make the digital transition? Gordon & Corey turn to advertising executive Shawn Riegsecker, who foresees the swift demise of two large and popular types of media but also sees a great deal of opportunities arising from it. "This is the moment," he says, "that this industry has been waiting for." Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

While national podcasts are on fire, Hosts Corey & Gordon have been wondering when local podcasting might become "a thing." They turn to podcast guru Steve Goldstein of Amplifi Media. Fresh back from the Podcast Movement in D.C., Steve details new business models at the local level and opines about one that might actually yield significant revenue.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

If digital marketing services are used by more than two-thirds of advertisers, why are so many media companies -- especially TV stations -- shunning them? Are they low-margin? Too messy to implement? The hosts dive into the stats and develop what they call the "chiclet theory." Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

With the summer of our discontent brewing, Corey & Gordon discuss the value of nonstop headlines to news media. Could local media rise like a phoenix? They ask a fan club member, retired media analyst and self-proclaimed iconoclast Terry Heaton, to weigh in. Brace yourself for Heaton's unvarnished take.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Gordon & Corey double-down on their prediction that local media companies are in their "final phase," with many destined to become the equivalent of small hobby shops. But they also see some rising like a phoenix. What's the secret? Here's a hint: The podcast features an interview with the dean of one of the nation's most prominent schools of mass communication.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

What's the preferred medium when it comes to business communications?  What's the top choice of advertisers when purchasing ads?  What do people readily give up as "currency" for accessing content, getting a discount coupoun, or entering a contest?   Email!  This episode focuses on why email is so pervasive and powerful, yet so overlooked by many in the business of marketing and advertising.  Curtis Barton, the executive in charge of strategy at Voice Media Group, agrees that an email address is valuable, but offers insights on how applying a little extra effort can make email addresses exponentially more valuable. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists.As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Gordon & Corey ruminate why radio people are so scrappy and seek answers from Mike Hulvey, the newly appointed CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau. During the interview, Mike reveals a genetic secret that suggests he might be radio's natural-born superhero.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Most media companies seem to be using internal committees to explore Generative AI. Beasley Media Group, however, is thinking differently, engaging an outside expert with a degree in AI from MIT. This episode features an interview with that expert, as well as the Gordon's and Corey's musings on which approach might yield better results.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

The mad rush to embrace Artificial Intelligence feels a lot like the mad rush to embrace the Internet two decades ago, with one exception: Nobody seems to be tackling AI by "hiring a guy." In this episode, Gordon & Corey talk to Ed Busby, head of strategy for one of the nation's largest TV companies, TEGNA, which has discovered AI genius within its ranks.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Google may be the dominant search engine, but not within the ranks of GenZ. What are these 20-somethings using to look up products, telephone numbers, store hours, and event information? With Corey absent, Gordon turns the episode into a family affair by consulting his kids, a social media expert, and the ultimate authority – his wife.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

What will impresses advertisers these days? It's not your giant on-air or online audience. It's the size of your email list. In this episode, Corey & Gordon take a look at phenomenal progress some media companies have made in building up email relationships, and they suggest a lofty goal for those trying to prepare for the transition to 1st-party data sets. The show features an interview with email expert Creighton Green, co-founder of Audience.io.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

In the spirit of not wanting to drink from a firehose, Gordon & Corey kick off a series of podcasts looking at the first steps being taken to incorporate Generative AI into company operations. They talk with the president of a small group of radio stations in the Midwest who was surprised at his staff's reaction when he gathered them to discuss his thoughts on AI.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Could hyperlocal TV programming be the future of local television? Cox Media is headed in that direction, enjoying early success with its plan to expand television news coverage to dozens of neighborhoods surrounding North Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C. In this episode, Gordon & Corey discuss how 2024 is shaping up to be a breakout year for OTT, and how Cox's well-timed strategy to surround urban markets might be headed for a rollout in other markets. The show features an interview with Eric Kozik, Head of Development for Cox Media Group.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

It's tough being in ad-sales these days. Even tougher remaining positive. With advertisers migrating to DIY platforms, "no" has been replaced by the sound of crickets. In this episode, Corey & Gordon turn to a woman they think might be "the world's oldest living sales rep." Mary Campbell gets up every day, hops in her Cadillac SUV, and drives to work with a refreshing attitude and some well-weathered words of advice for her fellow reps.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Gordon & Corey claim they've talked to "a lot of really smart people" about Generative AI, and now concur that the local media universe is on the precipice of big change. For verification, they turn to a bigwig, Deloitte Digital Managing Director Todd Brownrout, who offers his own take.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Gordon & Corey offer a pulse check on how Generative AI has revved up the advertising and marketing industries and talk with entrepreneur Steve Han, founder and VP of Operations for Frequence.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Radio reversed a decade-long trend since the pandemic and has started growing total revenue again, mostly because of fast-growing digital sales. Some stations started up hyperlocal news sites, filling the gaps where newspapers pulled back. In this episode, Corey & Gordon explore a few key reasons for radio's resilience, and turn to outgoing Radio Advertising Bureau CEO Erica Farber for some answers.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Corey and Gordon pour over predictions for 2024 and pick, well, hardly any that seem worthwhile. They do, however, find a few brilliant gems for the new year. The podcast features an interview with the inimitable Mike Blinder, who talks about how media companies are trying to hire outside their individual industries, and how he's developed a way to help.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Episode 110 hinted about a potential windfall for news organizations next year. That podcast broke a record for downloads. Gordon & Corey theorize that the reason is the message represented hope for a beleaguered industry. In this episode, Corey channels Debbie Downer while Gordon uncovers yet another ray of hope from a Deloitte consultant: a goldmine that Generative AI engines will likely pay to access news archives.Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists. As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review!  Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Register for our December 12 webinar HERE. Thank you to this episode's sponsors:Rate Optics by Revenue Analutics and SEPBO Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists.As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Register for the webinar here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2040197036826794329Catch past episodes from Corey's Local Marketing Minute here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLotYB2MglBOZXScqlPwxvHrmHI4x2r402&si=0YLBoWIPR0zSPraA

More media companies are selling SaaS marketing tools, which begs the question, are machines replacing sales reps? For answers, our hosts turn to longtime SMB marketing expert Gordon Henry, the Chief Strategy Officer for thryv. Henry discusses recent growth in thryv's SaaS client base, and, oh yeah, the company's other business -- publish 1,000 yellow pages books.

Traditional media companies that also sell digital advertising have seen gross profit margins slip over the past decade. Could digital sales be a drag? Gordon & Corey offer preview the intriguing questions being asked of CFOs in an attempt to gauge just how profitable digital sales might be. They also turn to an expert on digital expenses, Todd Handy, the CRO of Sebpo, who identifies areas where margins can be improved.

A battle is raging in Canada between the government and two goliaths -- Google and Facebook.  At the center are Canadian news sites, which have seen site visits plummet as much as 50% since Meta blocked news links last summer.  Will there be a ripple effect in The States?  In this episode, Gordon & Corey offer their take on what's happening, and turn to Jeff Elgie, the founder of 21 hyperlocal sites who foresees a devastating effect if Google blocks Canadian news links by a Dec. 19 deadline.

Corey & Gordon hear a rumbling in the pipeline for OTT sales and turn to the "Superwoman of OTT," Pooja Midha, for her perspective. Midha, the EVP and GM at Comcast's advertising division, Effectv, unveils new research that leads her to be "extremely bullish" on OTT.

Corey returns from a monthlong hiatus for the big reveal: his local advertising outlook. All signs look good headed into the holidays. As for 2024, there's a surprise (the good kind) for traditional media. Corey discusses his forecasts, and Gordon gets a gut check from an executive of one of the largest local ad agencies in the nation, Rob Mudd from Mudd Advertising in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Local businesses have grown smarter about marketing over the past five years -- a lot smarter. Instead of relying on ad-sales reps to guide them, many have hired their own marketing managers and have become familiar with industry mechanics. In short, the deer have the guns. In this episode, Gordon is joined by guest co-host Taryn Tatarinowicz, who delivers evidence of how frustrated advertisers have become with less-than-savvy sales reps. The remedy? The duo offers a few creative ways to attack the issue.

With Corey "gone dark" to compile ad-spending updates, Stephanie Garfrerick from Revenue Analytics joins the show as guest co-host. A longtime listener, Steph offers her assessment of the last five episodes on Artificial Intelligence and comes to her own conclusions. This final episode in our summerlong series offers practical suggestions on what those in the media, advertising, and marketing industries should be doing right now. (Spoiler alert: Gordon admits to cloning himself and lists a few sites where listeners can try it out.)

Is the buzz about A.I. signaling one of those "tectonic shifts" we often hear about but never see? Why are some really smart people saying that A.I. will affect society more profoundly than electricity, the Internet, or even fire? Gordon & Corey turn to one of the brightest minds in the industry, Paul Roetzer, founder and CEO of the Marketing A.I. Institute, to get his take. And, as is their wont, our co-hosts render their unfiltered opinions.

A milestone achieved, Gordon & Corey review highlights and low points from the last 99 episodes. Gordon's clone reads a knock-knock joke, and the co-hosts speculate that they'll be replaced by clones before the 200th episode airs. The podcast features a snippet from a mystery guest on the upcoming 101st episode, who likens A.I.'s impact to the discovery of fire. (Yeah, fire.)

The E.W. Scripps Co. has survived 150 years by making all the right moves. Recently, those "right moves" included shedding its iconic newspaper and radio brands. So, what next? In this episode, CEO Adam Symson talks about whether he foresees an advertising rebound in the 2nd half of 2023, how it's important to stay focused amid all the distractions, and what's on the horizon for Scripps. Corey & Gordon offer their critique.

In the second episode of a six-part series designed to get you smart on A.I., Gordon & Corey assess some practical uses for email copy and video commercials. With the help of the Waymark CEO Alex Persky-Stern, they learn that flaws in AI can be what leads to a sale.

If you feel overwhelmed by the latest phantasmagoria -- Artificial Intelligence -- Corey & Gordon have the remedy. Give them your ear over the summer, and they'll get you smart fast by interviewing the best, the brightest, and the most influential in the field of A.I. The first of six podcasts features Kate Scott-Dawkins, Global President of Business Intelligence for Group M. In this episode, she describes how, unbeknownst to many, A.I. already drives half of all advertising.

Twenty years ago, Knight Ridder had $3 billion in annual revenue, a 19% operating margin, and a relentless determination to conquer the digital world. It was the second-largest newspaper company in the U.S. and perhaps the most focused on building a digital empire, even moving its headquarters to Silicon Valley. Within a few years, everything fell apart. In this episode, Gordon & Corey ask the man at the helm, Tony Ridder, why all the right moves never paid off.

While everyone races toward niche local content, many seem to have forgotten the most-demanded content of all. From GenZ to Boomers, this topic is at the top of everybody's daily list. Gordon & Corey explore why everybody talks about the weather, but nobody seems to do anything about it. The podcast features an interview with weather advertising expert Justin Tuggle from The Weather Co.

An influencer who calls himself Antenna Man is calling out companies such as Nexstar, Sinclair, TEGNA, and iHeart, amassing a quarter-million YouTube followers. This episode features an interview with the notorious Antenna Man. Despite the fact that he's urging investors, "please do not fund these multibillion-dollar" companies and claims that radio conglomerates are "almost bleeding the industry dry," Gordon & Corey discover that he's actually a nice guy with a valid point.