By now you’re probably familiar with the recently announced initiative from FOX that will reduce commercial content to just two minutes per hour by 2020. This comes as audiences are spending less time on network TV and more time on OTT (over the top) platforms like Amazon and Netflix. While in some cases younger demographics have opted away from traditional TV altogether, the greatest problem is the reduced time spent viewing on traditional TV, particularly among younger demo

Disney wants Fox…Now what? And… What consumers REALLY want from brands. And… Consumers are running away from advertising in droves. Plus, rants and raves about Netflix’s personalization not just of recommendations but even artwork images, James Franco’s terrific movie, The Disaster Artist, and more. It’s episode 76 of Media Unplugged with branding authority Tom Asacker and media strategist Mark Ramsey. Listen as we go inside media to reveal the ugly truth! Click the play butt

This was the headline: “Fox adopting YouTube’s Six Second Ad Format.” “This is the first time that a broadcast television company has committed to the ad format, which YouTube introduced last year,” the companies said. That means Fox TV will be airing six second spots across its platforms, including linear television. And don’t think that this trend will stop there, folks. At my hivio event last year I presented research which explicitly tested what consumers – listeners – wa

If there’s any medium more cluttered with commercials than radio, that medium would be TV. Or is it? Some signs suggest that the powers-that-be in TV-land sense a turning point. Witness these words from Kevin Reilly, president of the TBS and TNT cable nets last week at the TCA winter press tour: We have overstuffed the bird. We need to create a better viewing experience. A “better viewing experience”? How about a “better listening experience,” radio broadcasters?How about a b

Here’s what radio can learn from Fox TV, courtesy of The Wrap: Fox’s emphasis next season is on “eventizing,” entertainment chief Kevin Reilly said at the network’s upfront presentation to advertisers Monday….“American Idol,” like sports shows, benefitted from fans who felt they had to watch for fear of missing a big television event. Now Reilly is trying to turn even regular scripted shows into big events. In Fox’s case, that means things like a “Simpsons”/ “Family Guy” cros

Recently I was given a slim but potent handbook made for FOX Sports’ TV commentators.  It was created by FOX’s David Hill in 2010. Every one of their commentators gets a copy of this terrific little gem, and I wanted to share some of its highlights with you, since the lessons apply to communicators in radio, too. So I whipped up this handy little presentation to illustrate some of the key themes.  Enjoy! (And if you can’t see the presentation for whatever reason, click on the