September 12th, 2011 by Gary Osberg
Why Radio?
We heard something recently that people in radio can really embrace because it lays out the case that radio remains a vibrant medium and the key source for people to experience music. What may surprise you is the source of the quote.
Can you guess who the following quote is from? Was it…
A. Jeff Haley, President and CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau
B. Joe Kennedy, CEO of Pandora Media
C. Bob Pittman, Chairman of Media & Entertainment Platforms, Clear Channel Communications
Here is the quote:
“A lot of people are surprised at how huge radio remains today – AM and FM. According to Arbitron, 93% of the US population age 12 and over tunes in to radio every week. That there were 234 million Americans, on an average they listen for over 13 hours a week, almost two hours a day. That constitutes fully 80% of the music that the average American consumes. We believe that radio remains huge today and will continue to be used into the future for really two reasons: The first is serendipity. The way our brains are wired, music is at its most entertaining when we don’t know what song is coming next. We don’t know what note or what chord change is coming next. There’s an element of surprise and discovery that keeps the experience fresh and vital. Second, audio entertainment is unique among the forms of entertainment in that we most frequently consume it while we’re multi-tasking. We’re driving. Or partying. Or cooking. Or working at spread sheets. So it shouldn’t be surprising how huge radio remains, nor how important the car and the home are as the places where all this listening takes place.”
The correct answer is B. That was Joe Kennedy speaking Tuesday, September 6, 2011 to the Citi 2011 Technology Conference in New York.
Of course, he went on with the pitch we’ve heard from him before that Pandora is taking the best part of what has made radio successful and doing radio one better via the Internet.
Know the habits and intentions of today’s consumer – which is the listener – then radio wins. It is not about radio ratings it is about retail consumer data.
September 9th, 2011 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
Five beautiful days in a row. I can’t remember a nicer week of weather in central Minnesota. What a stroke of luck if someone planned a vacation this week. My nephew Grayson started kindergarten this week and Barby’s grandson Luke will start kindergarten next week. What a big day for their parents. I am sure that many tears flow at times like this. The DNR is forecasting the best fall colors in ten years, so plan accordingly.
I met Joe on campus yesterday. Joe owns Granite Pest Control Service. We first met in 1980 when we both rented office space from Jim Younger, the Allstate Insurance man on 31st Avenue in St. Cloud. I was in the energy management business and that effort cost me my first fortune. Joe had selected a more stable industry and now he is poised to turn the business over to his son. He is listed in my cell phone as “Bee Guy”. I use my cell phone as a mini-yellow pages with some numbers listed not by personal names but rather by “Service provided”. That way, it is a lot easier to find someone who has a proven track record for providing a special service that is not required that often. Hence, listings such as “TV Guy”, “Tree Guy” and others.
A big share of business for Joe is Bed Bugs. He recommends leaving your suitcase in the garage and never bringing any of the suitcase contents into your house. Instead, use plastic bags and zip lock bags for items and then take everything to the Laundromat and wash in hot water. His parting words were, “You may choose to ignore my advice, but then you may have to call me and it will be expensive.”
The show this week is a “back-to-school” bumper crop compilation featuring bits and pieces from the Universities of Michigan, South Dakota, Minnesota and Purdue. Special guests include Jerry Douglas, The Purdue Glee Club, Becky Schlegel and Robert Sonkowsky – Latin professor from the U of M, reciting a bit of Horace. In addition, Bella Hristova plays Kreisler. Enjoy the show.
On Sunday, 9/11/11, the MPR news network will have special programming all day and their will not be any underwriting sponsor messages.
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1945)
September 2nd, 2011 by Gary Osberg
Good morning from Collegeville,
Bass fishing was pretty good on Cedar Lake last Friday. It turned out to be a beautiful day, sunny and not too hot. We no longer use live frogs and a number 2 hook. Now we use jigs with a plastic worm. Erik did earn the dollar for the first fish and the biggest fish, but I forgot to pay up. Of course it is strictly, catch and release. We were the only fishing boat on the lake. There is a lot for sale on the south side, but you would have to cross the highway to get to the lake.
Erik did take a look at the cabin near Akeley, but we are going to pass. It is over two hours drive from St. Joe and I am getting too old to worry about another place to take care of. I told Dan that when he gets ready to list the property I would include the hot link in this weekly note. You will never find a place with nicer neighbors.
I turned 68 on Tuesday and except for an occasional muscle ache, all seems to be well. All 20 members of the MPR top management team were here on Monday to tour the studio and get a feeling for where it all began in January of 1967. It is a great organization to be a part of and I don’t plan to leave any time soon. I simply don’t have enough hobbies to retire.
The show this week is a broadcast of the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand show from this evening. There may still be tickets available. Special guests include the Minneapolis twang-rock heroes The Jayhawks and singer-songwriter-fiddler Sara Watkins. Both of the sound effects guys, Tom Keith and Fred Newman will be there along with the giant summer squash champions. If you can’t be there in the grandstand, then tune in at the regular times. If you need a map of the MPR stations, let me know and I will mail it to you.
Have a great Labor Day weekend.
“The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character.” Walter Scott (1771-1832)
August 29th, 2011 by Gary Osberg
Good afternoon from Collegeville,
Today would have to be labeled as a “10” here in central Minnesota. I am planning to go fishing tomorrow on Cedar Lake west of Upsala with Erik, so this weekly note is going out early. It may be raining tomorrow, but it will not be cold, so that’s ok.
I taught Erik how to catch bass on that lake and now there is a wonderful boat landing where Emie Hippe’s tavern used to be. We were able to get the DNR to post a sign noting it as “Hippe’s Landing”. Emie sold it to the DNR for a bargain price because the American Legion put up a fence which cut off the path for a lot of her pop and candy customers that were camping at the American Legion camp ground nest door. Emie was a tough business woman who refused to sell Coca-Cola products because during the war, the Coke distributor asked her husband Ben Hippe to not bring the empty bottles to them, but to hold on to them. After the war, the distributor would not take the bottles, so Emie and Ben dug a deep hole and buried them. For over 50 years no Coke was sold, only Pepsi and Dr. Pepper. Whenever a new driver was hired for the Coke Product delivery truck, someone would have to explain to the driver why he need not bother to stop at “Hippe’s Tavern”. After a while there was no outdoor sign anyway so it may not have been much of a problem unless the Pepsi truck was there when the new guy drove by. Always keep your promises no matter what.
This week I purchased a Texas Instrument calculator for my granddaughter who is going to be taking calculus at Upsala High School. It cost over $140, but I recalled purchasing a Texas Instrument calculator that did nothing but add, subtract, multiply and divide in 1970 for $90 at Target. Using the attached inflation calculator, the current value of $90 spent in 1970 is $524.04, so $143.87 is not a bad deal for a “graphing” calculator purchased at a college bookstore. You may want to save this link for your own use. Inflation Calculator:
The show this week is a mosaic of memorable moments from Saint Louis with Jearlyn Steele singing the “St. Louis Blues”, Del McCoury and his band playing “Quicksburg Rendezvous” and the legendary guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli performing Prince with pianist and singer Tony DeSare. Erin Bode sings “Be Still My Soul”. Enjoy the show. Next Friday night the show will be live from the State Fair Grandstand.
“In the best institutions, promises are kept no matter what the cost in agony and overtime.” David Ogilvy
http://www.coinnews.net/tools/cpi-inflation-calculator/
http://www.coinnews.net/tools/cpi-inflation-calculator/
August 19th, 2011 by admin
August 15th, 2011 by admin
Good evening from Collegeville,
I am in between cabins. We spent three days on Big Bass Lake near Akeley and tomorrow we are heading up to Blue Lake near Aitkin. We need to gather some more provisions and pack some clean clothes. We had beautiful weather for the last two days and the lake we were on is a wonderful swimming lake. There is a cabin for sale next door to Russ & Carols and of course I am tempted. It is a crazy idea I know. I hope that the weather holds for the next adventure.
The show this week is another summer compilation, this time it is made up of acts from shows at the Ryman Theater in Nashville, including an episode of The Lives of The Cowboys with Emmylou Harris and Sara Watkins and a young and hip Nashville duo called the Civil Wars. Other guests include Chet Atkins, Buddy Emmons, Mary Chapin Carpenter and John Prine. Enjoy the show.
“The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed.” Henry Ford
August 5th, 2011 by admin
Good morning from Collegeville,
The cucumbers are very good. These are also from seeds that I purchased from the oldest seed catalog in the US. They even taste great after they have spent two days in the trunk of the car. The cherry tomatoes do have to be picked every day and the mosquitoes make that a little tough, since the ripe ones are way inside the huge plants. I did buy some very sturdy tomato cages from Ace Hardware in St. Joe that are holding up quite well. The flimsy ones are kind of a waste of money. Next week, Barby and I are going to a cabin near Ackley, so if you want some cukes and tomatoes, help yourself. The garden is north of the parking lot behind Millstream Shops and Lofts. It has white tape surrounding it.
On Saturday we attended our third outdoor concert of the summer. No root beer floats, but an awesome pork chop for me and Wok noodles for Barby. Two of the three acts that we caught were from Manhattan. Natalia Zukerman is the daughter of famous violinist and conductor, Pinchas Zukerman. I purchased her latest CD, “Gas Station Roses”, and there is not one bad song on the cd. I love it when I spend money on something and have no regrets. The other eastener was April Smith & The Great Picture Show. The organizers of the Riversong Music Festival do an awesome job of picking acts and the Masonic/West River Park in Hutch is a great place to have a festival. Put it on your calendar for next year and maybe they will add root beer floats.
Tomorrow we are going to my 50 year class reunion. Fifty years is a long time. We are going to gather at the newly built railroad depot in Bowlus. The home of Duane Bobick, the heavy weight boxer who won the Gold Medal at the Olympics. I think it was Ken Norton that took him out of the march to the title. It should be fun to compare notes with some of the 32 classmates that show up.
The show this week is another compilation of past broadcasts, this time from Town Hall in New York City. Special guests include the legendary Leon Redbone, troubadour Tom Rush, brother-guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad, young pianist Shai Wosner and a little taste of Broadway from the Stephen Sondheim Theater with Colin Donnell and Susan Foster.
“Out of quarrel with others we make rhetoric; out of the quarrel with ourselves we make poetry.” William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
July 29th, 2011 by admin
Good morning from Collegeville,
Today is forecasted to be a perfect summer day. Sunshine, warm and not too humid. It is hard to believe that this is the last weekend of July. So much to do and so little time to do it. I have yet to water the new St. Joe garden. It seems to rain right on schedule. Too much moisture has created some sort of root rot on the squash, so they may not produce. And these are the special seeds from Connecticut from the oldest seed house in the United States. The cucumbers seem to be ok and the cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen on a daily basis. There may even be some sweet corn.
Last night I attended the Celebration of Life for Tom Ritsche. It was held at the Eastside Boys & Girls Club next to Raymond Park. Tom’s was a very successful business man as the CEO of Woodcraft Industries in St. Cloud. Tragedy struck when he lost two of his three children to automobile accidents ten years apart and later on he was stricken by Parkinson’s disease. In spite of the difficulties in his life, Tom was known as a very generous giver. He actively supported the Boys & Girls Club, the Tri-County Humane Society and the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. The Kimberly Ritsche Auditorium on the campus of St. Cloud State University stands as a memorial to his daughter.
Contibutions in memory of Tom can be made to Central Minnesota Community Foundation, 101 South 7th Avenue. St. Cloud 56301.
Later on last evening, Barby and I attended the final Sunset Stage concert at the Darnall Amphitheater on the campus of CSB. Prudence Johnson brought a cellist and a guitar player along to entertain us with folk songs, some of which were written hundreds of years ago. This will be the third time that I have had a root beer float at a summer outdoor concert. These concerts were free due to the Legacy Amendment. Let’s hope that the folks at CSB/SJU Fine Arts can bring these concerts back next summer.
Today and tomorrow the River Song Music Festival is at the Masonic West River Park in Hutchinson. This is a great event that the whole family can enjoy. There are multiple stages and lots of great food booths. Check it out at
The APHC show this week is another summertime compilation featuring bits and pieces from the shows run last fall at the Fitzgerald Theater. Special guests include Ricky Skaggs, Heather Masse, Storyhill and Butch Thompson. Enjoy the show.
“When I come to the end of the road and the sun has set for me, I want no rites in a gloom filled room. Why cry for a soul set free? Miss me a little, but not too long, and not with your head bowed low. Remember the love that we once shared, miss me but let me go. For this is a journey we all must take, and each must go alone. It’s all part of the master plan, a step on the road to home. When you are lonely and sick of heart, go to the friends we know and bury your sorrows in doing good deeds. Miss me but let me go” from the service for Tom Ritsche July 28, 2011
July 22nd, 2011 by admin
Good morning from Collegeville,
It was too hot this week. Yesterday, the weather turned just in time to enjoy an evening at a free concert on the campus of the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph. Also, Kim Poganski, the Director of Events and Conferences, hosted a Business After Hours in the Gorecki Center late in the afternoon. The food was awesome. The new chef at CSB is living down the way from me in the Millstream Shops & Lofts. He and his wife have two beautiful Collies and one of the two of them can be seen taking long walks with the dogs every evening.
At the BAH, I met a lovely couple that are retired and every summer they rent an apartment on campus. It was so typical of CSB to invite them to the BAH. John and Judy met at St. Cloud State in the late fifties. They are sad, because soon the students will be back and they will have to go back to Fort Meyer, Florida. If anyone knows of a short term rental in the St. Joseph area with no stairs to climb, let me know and I will forward the info to Judy.
Next Thursday evening, Prudence Johnson will be on campus at the Darnall Amphitheater on the north side of the Benedicta Arts Center. The show starts at 7:30. Just follow the folks walking along with their chairs and blankets. If you come late, you may be able to sit on the stage like I did last night.
This morning Greg and Tama Theis hosted Chamber Connection at 912 Regency Plaza in downtown St. Cloud. The founder of Helps International, Steve Miller, was there and he did a marvelous job of explaining the mission and focus of the organization. Greg took 12 days in January to go to Guatemala to help in providing some of the folks with a special stove, the Onil Stove, which saves thousands of trees and provides a safer environment in the huts. It costs only $150 to provide a stove and I plan on doing that. Should you be interested in doing the same, please contact Greg at
grege@gethomeinspections.net
The show this week is compiled from events onboard the ‘MS Maasdam’ as the cast sailed the Northwest Atlantic, the Canadian Maritimes and the Saint Lawrence River. Special guests include the master of foot-stomping French Canadian folk music, LeVent du Nord and Genticorum, the reunited Hopeful Gospel Quartet and some of the regulars like Peter Ostroushko, Storyhill, Andra Suchy, Vern Sutton and Butch Thompson. Enjoy the show. During the summer months, you can also catch the show on Sunday evening from 6 to 8 on the news network of MPR stations. If you need a station location and frequency map and program schedule simply contact me.
“Clear thought requires courage rather than intelligence.” Thomas Szasz
July 15th, 2011 by admin
Good rainy morning from Collegeville,
Here we are at the mid-summer point already. Barby has two days of summer school left and then she gets to relax for a while. Teaching English to 11th & 12 grade ALC students is no picnic. That reminds me, I hope that this summer we can find an old picnic basket and get that one scratched off of our “bucket list”. Wow, it is dark as night out there. Batten the hatches folks.
A lot of new businesses are opening in downtown St. Joe. The Minnesota Street Market, a food
co-op, is opening where Loso’s Grocery was. Closet to Closet is opening next door in August. The St. Joseph Chamber has reached 75 members and is growing. There may be a ice cream cone drive up opening soon.
I live in a loft in the Millstream Shops and Lofts on the corner of College Avenue and Minnesota Street in downtown St. Joe. My loft is above a space that has been designed for a bistro or café . It has a terrific, sunny patio attached. If you know someone who might have the talent and be interested, in opening a cafe, here is the information:
http://www.millstreamshops.com/shops_restaurant.php The building owners would love to show you the space.
The show this week is a summertime compilation featuring bits and pieces from last year’s show in Seattle.
Special guests include, Brandi Carile, The Wailin’ Jennys and Nellie McKay. Enjoy the show.
“There are two days in the week about which and upon which I never worry. Two carefree days, kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday….and the other day I do not worry about is Tomorrow.” Robert Jones Burdette
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