The Rising Star of Glenn Beck

Glenn Beck is nothing short of a media phenomenon. In his own words, a mere five years ago, he was just a DJ on the radio. Today he has the third highest rated show on cable news (this, after being on the Fox News network for only a month), a rapidly expanding radio audience, a very popular magazine, and an excellent career as a successful author. So how did Beck go from "no one" (as he likes to describe himself ) to one of the hottest properties in media today? The following are just a few of the reasons:

• Beck knows his limitations. He has no problem making fun of himself, reminding people of his humble roots (including a long time sufferer of alcohol addiction), and simply telling guests that he "doesn't understand." When he says that, he's sincere. He wants to assume the person on the program who is trying to destroy jobs through excessive taxation on capital formation or whatever terrible policy, is doing it with the best of intentions. "Help me understand what you are doing?" This is disarming and I think he asks questions in the same way many other Americans would if they had the opportunity to visit with these decision makers.


• Beck is about philosophy and not party. Beck could care less about party affiliation. Many radio hosts lost credibility in the last election cycle by making it a war between McCain and Obama. The real battle is between socialistic worldviews and those who support freedom. To support McCain was to support different forms of socialism, not economic freedom. Sure, Beck reluctantly supported McCain as the lessor of two evils, but never became a cheerleader, which was a common practice of many radio hosts.


• Beck doesn't take himself too seriously, but he does take his issues seriously. New viewers of Beck might disagree, in light of the very serious tone he has taken since Obama's inauguration, but the host is also a noted comedian in his own right and uses humor as a powerful tool to get his message out. Even today with his sober tone, he may take the issues seriously, but he doesn't over play his own importance.


• Beck does his homework. He doesn't merely depend upon others to be informed and he provides original perspectives. He is actually a "thinking" radio host and not a mere talker. Unlike many pundits who have good "gut instincts," Beck is different. Many of the major names in talk radio tend to be more "feelers" about major issues than thinkers. This is seen in their often inconsistent take on policy issues and their lack of understanding of the Constitution. These are not the kind of issues facing Beck.
  

There is no doubt that Beck is articulate and charismatic, but those are not the main reasons for Beck's success. It is his thoughtfulness and convictions that makes him a rising star.

Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business, the longest running show on CNN 650 (M-F at 11 am). Eric Bolling of Fox News and Fox Business and says that Price’s Blog “is very influential and moves the blogosphere.” Steve Moore of the Wall Street Journal calls Price the “best business talk show host in the country.” Find out why and visit his blog at www.BizPlusBlog.com and his show site at www.PriceofBusiness.com.

When the Internet Acts Like TV

The convergence of media -- TV, radio, Internet, and print -- is one of my favorite subjects. It isfascinating to see how the various media compliment each other and how the lines between each of them continue to become more blurry. For quite some time the move has been towards making the Internet "more legitimate." In the history of the World Wide Web, sites have evolved from print, slowly added audio, and now has video. The "on demand" power of the Internet makes it the rising star of all media.

How great the influence of the Internet was recently demonstrated when I was watching my TV and turned the channel to CNN. As I watched the network a "button" popped up that reminded me of something you would see online. The blue image on the screen said "Press Select for CNN Enhance." Of course, I quickly succumbed to temptation.


I hit select and a minute or so later (it seemed rather slow), my TV became even more like the Internet. It is interesting that media sees a web page as a more "enhanced" media than a television set. So much for its self-esteem. The site (I am not sure what else to call it) has CNN wallpaper in the background, the CNN logo in the corner, video on another top corner, images lined across the bottom that reflect a category you are on that goes from top to bottom. You can see the top stories, review US and world news, get the latest in business content, find out about technology and science, and more. As you hit these major categories, you find images of numerous subcategories, and when you hit them you find multi-page articles.


To get you more involved in the CNN experience, you can see how people are voting today on a policy issue under "Quick Vote." In order to participate, you are encouraged to go to CNN.com to state your opinion.


I view the enhanced features of CNN to be a significant win for the Internet and only further demonstrates how that media continues to grow. I have been to websites who offer the type of features on CNN Enhanced and it begs the question, do we actually need TV? Only time will answer that question.





Kevin Price is a syndicated columnist whose articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media. Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

Lessons from the Slightly Famous

The pursuit of one’s “fifteen minutes of fame” is easier now than any time in history. No longer do the masses have to live in the shadow of the famous because they have the tools to cheaply make a name for themselves.

YouTube has been a significant driver in this effort. People are battling it out with mattresses in a college dorm, a kid jumps from a second story window on a trampoline (bad idea), a person cries out in defense of an actress taking a pounding from the media. These people become the talk of the web for a least a day or so. There are those who seeking fame for reasons other than ego and entertainment purposes and they are a growing breed of entrepreneurs.

In the old days the media drove information. Occasionally a person got his letter to the editor in the newspaper, he or she would get on the radio as the “person on the street.” Besides such scenarios, there was a huge chasm between the media and the average person. The Internet is changing all of that.

In the book, Get Slightly Famous, author Steven Van Yoder writes about the forces available online for the average person to leave his mark and to get noticed. They do so in order to set themselves apart as the expert and to get the notoriety and recognition of such. This becomes a way to attract new customers.

In the early days of the Internet people simply had a website. These domains were little more than 24 hour brochures. Now there are far more tools available.

Blogging. People create their own web platforms where they tell people their unique opinion on politics, finance, marketing, movies, and more. Whatever their passion, vocation, obsession, or all of the above. Recently an article I wrote had close to 120,000 impressions on one day on Reuters.com. An article I wrote on Neil Cavuto of Fox News and Business led to his office contacting me and wanting to find out if I would be interested in having him on my show. The reach of blogging is breath taking.

Podcasting. This includes video and audio. Audio is cheap to start, in some cases it is even free. Video costs more, but could leave a bigger impression. The web is about the convergence of media – bringing several types of media to one place. Essentially, individuals can create a media network of their own.

Social networking. Twitter, Plaxo, and LinkedIn are just a few of the tools that business leaders are using to tell others about their influence.

But the Internet is not the only vehicle available:

People are writing books like never before. With Print on demand technology, people can self-publish at a fraction of what it use to cost and not fill their garage with books that may or may not get sold. Such books are not typically being written in order to become rich, but to be semi-famous.

People are buying air time on the radio and TV. They are not buying commercials where they can be lost among the many who merely sell, buy are buying programs that demonstrate their expertise as a way to attract customers.

People are giving speeches. Most towns have numerous organizations that are looking for speakers. Chambers of commerce, Rotary Clubs, and networking groups to name a few. When you give a speech to such groups you further differentiate yourself as the expert and find it very easy to find the clients that create more business.

The only downside to such activities is that it is difficult to make your website the place to be found without traffic or to be identified as the person to give speeches. Furthermore, there is an opportunity cost to pursuing such activities. You are trading the thing you do for a living to pursue the opportunity to get more business.

There is a company I am working with that is making this transition easier for entrepreneurs called USBusinessDaily.com. They have a free white paper that is available for the asking at Info@HoustonBusinessShow.com. I strongly encourage you to request it today.

Kevin Price articles frequently appear at ChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com, USAToday.com, and other national media.

Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

What Happened to Sharper Image?

Sharper Image was one of the hottest companies in America for years and in the 1980s, it reached near iconic status. Today, I learned on the news that the company has declared bankruptcy.

I remember talking to my friends in college who talked about the quality of a mall based on whether it had a Sharper Image. The store became the benchmark separating the good, from the bad and ugly. One of my favorite movies is "When Harry Met Sally" (yes, I am a romantic) and one of the most enjoyable scenes (and memorable) scenes is in a Sharper Image. There, the two main characters sing on a karaoke and stumble upon Harry's ex-wife in a most uncomfortable and humorous scene.

Back in those days, Sharper Image was decidedly geared towards the affluent. The products weren't cheap, but they were believed to be of a higher quality and a cut above in creativity, over others. Some where along the way, Sharper Image became common in price and image.

* Right now, if you visit the Sharper Image Site, you will find a digital frame key chain for less than $30.

* You can find a hydrogen fuel rocket set for less than $20.

* You can find a Sharper Image Turbo Groomer for less than $30.

I think you get the point, Sharper Image products are quickly beginning to look like the cheap products we associate with "as seen on TV." We come to that conclusion, because that appear to be exactly what they have become. I believe that the lure of being like everyone else on TV was the very thing that led to its decline. He (or she) that lives by low prices, often dies by low prices. Write that up in the Sharper Image obituary.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher of the Houston Business Review. Hear the show live and online at HoustonBusinessShow.com. Visit the archive of past shows here.

Creating the New Media

The Internet has turned the world upside down. Brick and mortar has been rapidly replaced by click and portal. People have huge businesses without a building and the hottest TV networks are online.

For example, YouTube wasn't just another "website", but was the first new major network of the 21st century. Clever websites are not purchased by companies like Google for over $1.6 billion. A completely new media platform that has the convenience of the web and the visual qualities of TV apparently are.

The changes going on through the Internet are becoming an obsession of mine, something I discuss on my radio show (see video above), write about in this blog, and even think about when I'm alone (while looking at websites that fuel this interest).

Adding to this Internet debate is a website I recently stumbled on called Brightcove.com. The purpose of the site is to help people and businesses to create online TV networks of their own. Their client list is impressive, including A&E and CBS News (broadcast and cable), The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (newspapers), as well as Time and Prevention (magazines). However, the site's value isn't limited to companies in the media, but to any company trying to develop creative ways to attract and keep customers.

What is most interesting about Brightcove is that you don't have to be a mega corporation to create your own online network. Instead, they offer options that allows small businesses to have the platform at no cost and share revenue for advertisements that they can run on the site they give you (with plenty of room for additional inventory). This makes it possible to have a very powerful media platform with minimal investment.

In addition, the site offers several lengthy articles on how to make the most of this impressive tool. I've spent hours on the site and I suggest you spend time there too.

Kevin Price is Host of the Houston Business Show (M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and is Publisher of the Houston Business Review.

Phantom Cell Phone Sensation

Let's face it, our lives are better because of technology for many reasons. We can access the information we want quicker and at unheard of locations just a few years ago. But I have been noticing a recent down side lately.

Have you ever sat in a comfortable chair watching a TV and feel a vibration in your pants leg and you think it is your phone? Sure enough, if you are my age, getting to it isn't as easy as it use to be so you struggle to get your hand in your pocket and you find the phone isn't even there. In fact, this problem has become so common that I actually now feel the outside part of my leg and make sure before I dive in.

It appears I am not the only one with this problem. Medical professionals have a name for it. They call it "phantom cell phone sensation." It is similar to what amputees feel after they lose a limb. There is the feeling that it is still there. In our case, we feel the vibration with no cell phone around.

Unfortunately for me, this problem will not go away any time soon. I'm on the air M-F, I also do weekly TV shows, and in between such I am in meeting after meeting. I have to keep it in vibrate mode or off (which I do on TV because of static it generates on my microphone even in vibration mode).

So if you were concerned that you were developing health issues, it appears there is no concern. It is just the "haunting" effect of technology. However, I will remind you that I'm not a doctor and don't play one on TV, so visit a doctor's second opinion if you have any questions. There is nothing like our litigation nation; but that will be another blog topic. Note on the video. I found this on YouTube, an example of others who suffer from this same issue.

Order Kevin Price's audio program The Accumulators, which explains the impact that the Internet is having on marketing and consumer behavior. It is available online here for only $10 plus p and h. Receive the Houston Business Review e-zine free each week by clicking here.

Why Do Women Always Win in Commercials?

I just saw a commercial for Sprint in which a man and woman had a race to determine who had a faster phone (I think it was to get online, or something, but I was too interested in the demographics of the race). The woman, of course, won. The same is true with virtually every commercial that includes men and women. In these commercials, generally speaking:

* Women are smarter. I'm amazed that men are able to get their pants on in light of what the media conveys.

* Women work harder. Unless a man can turn it on or off from a couch, he isn't going to do it.

* Women are better. If a job is going to get done, it will require a women.

I have been trying to figure out why this has happen (men generally being seen as weak idiots in the media), and I think it could be a consequence of several things:

* The culture in general seems to be largely anti-male. Unfortunately, this isn't completely without cause. Men cause most of our crime and they are much more inclined to abandon their responsibilities to their families. I doubt if beating them up in the media will do anything to reverse this sad trend.

* I believe that many of of the institutions that affect culture (TV, magazines, art, etc.) are becoming increasingly dominated by women. I believe this is particularly true of the marketing and advertising fields that use to be dominated by "Ad Men" and is increasingly being over taken by women in these posts. I believe there is a general consensus that women are more creative and artistic, making them ideal for these fields.

In the end, I'm sure there are other factors driving these trends and I think the move in this direction should be a little disconcerting to all of us, including women, because many of them have sons whom they would prefer to be better men. Media is powerful and will, in my opinion, have a direct impact on the type of men we raise in our culture.

See How They Run: The First in a Series on the 2008 Elections

There are few things that have a bigger impact on a business's bottom line than government. In fact, government is a huge shareholder in virtually every business that takes huge amounts of money without helping a company's performance and actually undermines their productivity through excessive regulations and licensure laws (ask me how I really feel). Therefore, being informed about who is running is crucial in order to make sure that the people that are chosen do as little damage as possible. So over the next two years (can you believe it) I intend to do several articles on some of the dynamics of the race, discuss who is running, and in a very bold move describe very closely the next president even before the first primaries are held. In fact, you should be able to guess who that candidate will be by my description (just wait, I think it will be impressive).

In the posts on this subject that come I will discuss:

* Why they are running so early.

* Do candidates getting started this early weaken sitting incumbants?

* What role race, gender, and religion will play in the election.

* Who each of the candidates are (in both parties) and what their chances of winning.

* The role the Internet will play in these elections (like TV, a largely new media in 1960 destroyed Richard Nixon; the Web is knocking off candidates with tongues that slip and other behaviors).

I'm sure over time that several other items will come up and I would love to hear from others on other issues I should cover. With the possibility of the election of a woman, an African American, Hispanic, Mormon, and who knows what else I am missing, 2008 promises to be a very interesting year indeed. And even if we elect another white guy again this election will be historic because we will not have had an incumbant President or Vice President on the ballot in any Primary. We haven't seen that since 1928.

What Advertisers Could Learn from Super Bowl Commercials

I know, I'm running a little behind, but ever since the Super Bowl I have wanted to comment on an observation I have made. An observation that might unlock the secret to successful television advertising. Although recent surveys have indicated that more people watched this year for the game rather than the commercials, commercials have been a substantial driver for the big game for several years. The question is, why?

The reasons we see, read, and hear about in the news is that the companies save their best for this special occasion. We also hear about the huge amount of money being spent on these particular commercials. All of these may be true, but there is one thing that stands head and shoulders above these others -- the commercials during the Super Bowl are virtually all original and are seen for the first time during the game. Other than a few "sneak previews" in the weeks proceeding, the spots during this game have never been seen before. This is a concept that commercials can and, in my opinion, should apply as much of possible throughout the year.

Currently, two of the more successful ad campaigns are the spots for Geico and Aflac. Geico, with its current "caveman" campaign (see photo above) is providing a continuous story line that people enjoy following. Meanwhile, Aflac's spots with the duck remind me of a book a little kid would read, with each spot having a completely different storyline. What they have in common is that they both compel the viewer to check out the spot and to see what is going on in the lives of the primary characters. They are, essentially, very short TV programs with heavy product placement. The caveman is now taking his anguish of being made fun of in the Geico commercials to a therapists (the theme of the spots are that getting a rate is so easy, "even a caveman can do it") and has even defended his species on a news program. We all want to know what is going to happen next. These companies incorporate "Super Bowl" originality on an on going basis.

I believe companies should learn from Geico, Aflac, and the Super Bowl. Companies might want to turn to TV show writers or create an online forum where people could submit story ideas and make the commercials actually "customer driven." The latter could be very affordable and make perfect sense in the "YouTube" world in which we live. Consumers are very tough on media these days. They are not going to patiently trade time for programming, especially since they can increasingly get their content free online. If commercials are going to survive, they are going to have to give viewers a reason to watch.

TV Lovers Simply Don't Get It

For quite some time the rumor has been that TV is in trouble because of the rise of the Internet. The theory is that, with the rapid expansion of more portable devices, the growth of bandwidth in Internet connections, and the 24/7 availability of entertaining content, will make the TV increasingly obsolete. Geoff Colvin of Fortune Magazine begs to differ and believes that either in spite of the Web or because of it, more people are watching more TV than ever. Colvin argues that since (according to polls) the average American is spending over four hours a day watching TV, the box has nothing to worry about. He couldn't be more wrong.

Americans are already spending a significant amount of time watching DVDs on TV. Others are watching TV programs online, making the distinction between TV and computer time quite blurry (e.g., the average age of nightly news viewers is 60, younger viewers are getting their stories online and when they want it). In my opinion, people only spend time watching TV because the link between the computer and TV hasn't become more simplified (although it is getting there). When people begin to instantly pull what they want from the Web to their TVs, individuals will become their own program directors and will largely ignore what is being offered by broadcast or cable.

Sure, some shows and their networks will survive, but the television landscape will be changing forever. Colvin is right that the boxes and screens that we are watching today will continue to survive (and even improve), but the content that goes into them will be increasingly driven by the Web and not by the networks. And all the more the Web is driven by users. I believe the best proof of this is YouTube, which I call the first major TV network of the 21st century that happens to be on the Internet. Google knew exactly what it was doing when it purchased that site for over $1.6 billion. They know that the future of the programming you will want to watch will be driven, not surprisingly, by you.

Saturday Morning Talking Heads

I typically watch Fox News every Saturday for their block of "Cost of Freedom" programs and I clearly see why it is the most watched two hours in business talk. Although I don't always agree with all the participants, they are very entertaining and many provide the best thought in business and the economy in the media.

A few observations from this week's programs:

* Social Security tax increases are still tax increases on job creation. We continually hear that Social Security is in a crisis and the answer to such always seems to be to raise taxes. If increases of taxes on income hurt the economy, so will Social Security taxes. In both cases it makes it difficult for the business owner to hire employees. Let's fix Social Security, but let's do it without hurting the economy.

* Let Wal Mart go into banking. The retail giant is interested in creating retail banking options at very low costs to consumers, and critics are concerned about their ability to do such. One commentator actually said "they don't know how to do it, so they won't do it well." Give me a break, as if Wal Mart won't hire the best people they can find to protect their assets and their customers. Wal Mart won't compete against the vast majority of banks, but make it possible to attract customers who have never had accounts, pumping huge amounts of money into the economy to be leveraged in a way it could never be done in a cookie jar, like many of these potential customers are doing now. If it is legal and Wal Mart wants to do it, I bet they will figure out how to do it well.

* Taxes on wealth creation must remain minimal in order to compete in a global economy. This may have been the smartest thing I have heard all day. How has Ireland, India, China, and other historically weak economies turned things around in recent years (two of these becoming economic powerhouses)? It isn't merely cheap labor, which India and China has had for years, but a tax system that puts the burden increasingly on consumption and a way from wealth creation (the source of jobs). If the US wants to compete on the international scene, they need to reduce or eliminate as many taxes on wealth creation as possible. Now more than ever they should consider eliminating income tax and replacing it with a consumption tax.

* How Tax Cuts Increases Revenue. Ben Stein is known by many as a TV and even movie personality (remember the history teacher in Ferris Bueller's Day Off?), but he is also quite brilliant when it comes to understanding the economy. One area he has come up short on, in my opinion, is understanding the power of the tax cuts in eliminating the deficit. On the news today he said that the increase in revenue the government has seen has been due to "business cycles" improving, which naturally generate higher revenues and not due to cutting taxes. Yet, I have also heard him state that the economy responded favorably to tax cuts and created a positive economic cycle. In other words, Stein has created a sequence of events in his mind but fails to see the bridge between the positive business cycle and higher revenues. That bridge was the tax cuts.

Some of these issues deserve, and will receive, more attention later, but I wanted to get them down as soon as possible. There is some excellent intellectual capital when it comes to business information available, one simply needs to know where to find it.

You Know It Is a New Year When...

Happy New Year! And just to prove that it is officially that time of the year, I wanted to point out a few indicators:

* You know that it is a new year when virtually every commercial on TV deals with smoking, over eating, drinking, and every other vice that people swore they would give up just a week or so ago.

* You know it is a new year when you receive several notices from non-profit organizations indicating how much they suffered during the holiday season.

* You know it is a new year when you finally find your resolutions you made a year ago under that stack of paper that you had as item #1 to organize last year. No, you didn't finally get around to organizing it, it just fell in an avalanche when you put on one more sheet of paper.

* You know it is a new year when that car you bought last year looks terribly outdated. Ditto on your shoes, suits, sports equipment, etc.

* Finally, you know it is a new year when every check you date needs to be corrected. We finally get it right around July!

Any way, Happy New Year!

Meet the Accumulators and How to Reach Them

The economy and market place are changing rapidly. The growth of the Internet are making consumers more demanding than ever. As a result, marketers have begun to identify a class of people that is quickly being defined as the "Accumulator Class." This group is one of two major trends in marketing that this article will focus on and it has has the following unique characteristics:

• Typically, they are in their mid 30s to early 50s.
• They are one of the top income generating groups. They are affluent or are optimistic in their ability to be affluent and want to leverage their time towards that objective.
• They are at the point in their careers where earning income for their families and future are among their greatest goals.
• They have come to realize that the leveraging of their time is the most important thing they can do to increase their wealth. Therefore, unlike earlier generations that would be inclined to do it themselves, this group realizes it makes more sense to pay someone else to do it (whatever "it" is). They tend to center their lives around convenience and are very demanding.
• This group takes control over as much of their time as possible. No longer do they read stale weeklies with yesterday's news or agree to meet Brian Williams or even Katie Couric at a specific time for information. Many go to the web and tie a few video or audio programs into their own, customized, news broadcast (or podcast). In fact, the average viewer of nightly news is 60 years old. This group is still comfortable with being where its told to be to get the information they want, but they are of little interest to most marketers.
• If you are interested in reaching this group of Accumulators, you are going to have to design your marketing towards meeting the specific demands of these drivers.
  

A second major trend after recognizing the accumulators is the rise of educational marketing. In many respects, this is the corollary to the first point. People have grown impatient with advertising and will usually only trade their time for information. Currently, radio stations are trying to persuade listeners to stay with so-called free radio rather than paying for it. Currently, approximately 10 million Americans, most in the demanding Accumulator Class, have made the shift to XM or Sirius. They are willing to pay not to hear advertising. So how are advertisers reaching a reluctant audience? The following are a few examples:

• They are sponsoring shows and putting their name on it, like the old days.
• They are requiring the audience to look at advertising before they can get their information. Apparently, busy consumers are willing to make a trade off, since recent data has shown that the fastest growing way for getting news is through on-demand resources.
• Increasingly, businesses are buying air time in order to convey information, rather than merely doing an infomercial. Many of the radio and TV shows you now see are far more sophisticated than their infomercial ancestors. They know that people will not watch a 30 minute commercial any more than a 30 second one.
• These same sources take a multi-informational approach. They provide free newsletters, have programs on TV and/or radio, and virtually always have a website.
• Virtually every business is developing innovative ways to use educational marketing and find it essential to their future success.

In sum, highly sophisticated consumers are forcing advertisers to give them what they want, the way they want it, and when they want it. These individuals drive the new marketing environment. The only businesses that will thrive are those who develop a marketing plan that acknowledges such.