Archive for April, 2009
Changes at WREC-AM in Memphis
Mike Fleming & Ben Ferguson
Earlier this week, we heard that Mike Fleming had been laid off from WREC-AM. Fleming hosted the 4-7pm afternoon talk show. He was one of 500 Clear Channel employees laid off on Tuesday 4/28.
This morning, it was announced on WREC-AM, effective Monday, 5/4, Ben Ferguson will be moving his talk show from 8-11am to 4-7pm, Fleming’s previous time slot. Nationally syndicated Glenn Beck will fill the morning spot vacated by Ferguson.
A recent GP post tells of ICON Radio Network, Ferguson’s new company that will take over his nationally syndicated radio show beginning Sunday, 5/3.
Tags: Ben Ferguson, Clear Channel, Glenn Beck, ICON Radio Network, lay offs, Memphis, Mike Fleming, radio, radio talk show, WREC-AM, WREC-AM 600
FOX’s Unique Marketing Strategy for GLEE
“FOX is breaking more than a few rules with its rollout of “GLEE”, the ambitious musical comedy series from “Nip/Tuck” creator Ryan Murphy.” according to TVWeek.com. The initial episode of GLEE will launch a summer long marketing campaign for the series. GLEE will air on May 19 after American Idol, one of the highest viewed series on television right now. The second episode of GLEE will air late August or September.
According to this story on TVWeek.com, “The way we’re looking at May 19 is, it’s the world’s largest grassroots screening,” said Joe Earley, the executive VP in charge of marketing for Fox. “The show sells itself better than any (campaign) can.” Specifically, Mr. Earley is hoping to convert the millions who watch the pilot into evangelists eager to spend the summer months spreading the gospel of “Glee.”
After the pilot airs, it will be available for on-demand streaming via Hulu, FOX and other websites. They may put the pilot on DVD and distribute soon after the May 19 airing.
To keep the buzz going about GLEE during the summer:
- Characters from GLEE might show up on Facebook and Twitter. Currently, they have groups on Facebook and MySpace.
- Movie theaters will show extended featurettes throughout the summer blockbuster season.
- Street Teams will be in places where people are gathering during major holiday weekends.
- Cross promotion planned with FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance” during the summer.
- GLEE advertising on major summer concert tours.
- Promotion with PhotoBucket.com to encourage viewers to show off their “Gold Star Potential” by submitting photos and videos of themselves.
This is an great marketing campaign to watch. It will be interesting to see if the GLEE buzz created by traditional advertising, social marketing and word of mouth will bring the viewers to watch it on FOX this fall. It looks like a hit to me!
Tags: advertising, Amber Riley, buzz marketing, Cory Monteith, Facebook, FOX, GLEE, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Jessalyn Gilsig, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Mark Salling, Matthew Morrison, media, MySpace, Ryan Murphy, social marketing, Social Networking
LIFE Photographer Henry Groskinsky Photos – The Day MLK was Shot in Memphis
photo by Henry Groskinsky - Martin Luther King
Life Magazine has released the never-before-published photos from Memphis, April 4, 1968. According to Life, “On April 4, 1968, LIFE photographer Henry Groskinsky and writer Mike Silva, on assignment in Alabama, learned that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., had been shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. They raced to the scene and there, incredibly, had unfettered access to the hotel grounds, Dr. King’s room, and the surrounding area. For reasons that have been lost in the intervening years, the photographs taken that night and the next day were never published. Until now.” Here are the photos. Just below each photo, Henry Groskinsky tells about image and his feelings as he chronicled this somber day.
CNN has posted the photos with narration from Life photographer Henry Groskinsky describing the scene at the Lorraine Motel. Click here to listen to his comments on the photos and his observations from the day Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis.
Many of us here in Memphis remember when Martin Luther King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel. These photos bring back memories of that tragic day. You can visit The Civil Rights Museum which is housed at the Lorraine Motel and takes you on the historical journey of the Civil Rights movement, including the site of the assassination.
Tags: April 4 1968, assassination, Civil Rights Museum, CNN, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Henry Groskinsky, LIFE, LIFE Magazine, Lorraine Motel, Martin Luther King, Memphis, Mike Silva, MLK, photographs, photos
Bruce Pearl Raps at Vols’ Award Ceremony
Check out this video of Bruce Pearl rapping at the Tennessee Vols awards ceremony. The story from The Atlanta Journal Constitution about Bruce Pearl rapping says, “wearing an orange-and-white checkered sport coat, orange tie and no shirt, Pearl performed a rap song with three Volunteer athletes Monday night at the “Volscars,” Tennessee’s athletic awards ceremony.” This video is destine to become another shirtless Pearl classic. Like this photo of the shirtless Bruce Pearl cheering at a Lady Vols basketball game.
Coach Bruce Pearl
Tags: Atlanta Journal Constitution, Basketball Head Coach, Bruce Pearl, Bruce Pearl Rapping, Shirtless, Tennessee Vols, Volscars, Volunteers
Memphis TV Household Ratings for March 09 Sweeps
The March Nielsen rating sweeps are over and it’s time to see how the Memphis stations stack up. But first, March 09 Sweep Notes:
1. The February sweeps were moved to March due to the analog to digital transition scheduled for 2/17/09, which has been delayed until June.
2. WREG / CBS aired the NCAA Basketball Tournament 2 of the 4 sweep weeks (Thu-Sun only).
3. The University of Memphis Tigers played 3 times during the NCAA Tournament broadcasts. See game ratings here.
4. American Idol on WHBQ / FOX started the month with 2 Memphis finalists. Only Lil Rounds from Memphis remains.
5. University of Memphis basketball coach John Calipari is offered and accepts the University of Kentucky head coach position. Local and national media aggressively followed minute by minute and reported any information they were told. Read more here.
| March 2009 Sweeps - 3/5-4/1/09 | ||||
| Overnight Nielsen Ratings/Shares | ||||
| WMC-TV | WREG | WHBQ-TV | WPTY | |
| NBC – Ch. 5 | CBS – Ch. 3 | FOX – Ch. 13 | ABC – Ch. 24 | |
| Mon-Fri | HH RTG / Share | HH RTG / Share | HH RTG / Share | HH RTG / Share |
| 6am News | ||||
| Mar 09 | 7.2 / 17.0 | 7.4 / 17.6 | 6.7 / 16.0 | 1.4 / 3.2 |
| Feb 08 | 7.1 / 16.1 | 7.3 / 16.7 | 7.0 / 15.9 | 2.5 / 5.8 |
| 5pm News | ||||
| Mar 09 | 8.5 / 15.0 | 8.3 / 14.7 | 6.4 / 10.9 | 3.1 / 5.4 |
| Feb 08 | 10.5 / 17.2 | 10.4 / 16.9 | 7.6 / 12.4 | 4.6 / 7.6 |
| 6pm News | ||||
| Mar 09 | 10.5 / 16.9 | 9.1 / 15 | 2.2 / 3.5 | |
| Feb 08 | 13 / 19.3 | 10.7 / 15.8 | 3.4 / 5.0 | |
| Late News | ||||
| Mar 09 | 11.4 / 16.6 | 12.1 / 18 | 10.7 / 14.6 | 3.5 / 5.1 |
| Feb 08 | 11.4 / 16.2 | 11.5 / 16.4 | 9.0 / 12 | 4.5 / 6.4 |
| Nielsen Media | ||||
Tags: American Ido, John Calipari, Lil Rounds, March sweeps, media, Memphis, Memphis television, Memphis Tigers, NCAA Tournament, nielsen ratings, sweeps, University of Memphis, WHBQ, wmc, WPTY, WREG