3 minute read
From the President
Secret Sauces for Success
TFM’s People to Watch share the ways they get ahead in tough but enthralling media environments.
In the introduction to our “People to Watch” special report, TFM editor Janet Stilson writes, “The media industry continues its inexorable, fascinating and sometimes uncomfortable evolution.” That’s the best description I’ve seen for the state of the business as we enter this third decade of the 21st century.
The profiles of the honorees themselves say a lot about what it takes to thrive today.
Take Janet McHugh, now executive director of the TV Music License Committee.
She credits her upbringing in a tough area of Baltimore for giving her the strength and communications skills she now uses to negotiate on behalf of all TV companies.
Carmen Reyes, WarnerMedia’s new director of order to cash, also looks to lessons learned in her rough Brooklyn neighborhood to set her goals and find unique solutions for problems. Hearst’s Ivan Ng trained himself to step outside his comfort zone to help the company transition to new technical systems that meet today’s needs.
Our fourth honoree, former MFM board member Andy Kober, now CFO of Mega
Broadband, leverages lessons from early mentors to determine “where the puck is going.” I encourage you to read the stories of these four shining stars for 2020. They begin on page 25. This issue of TFM includes three other articles you won’t want to miss. Two of them look at big changes in media advertising. BIA’s Mark Fratrik gives his perspective on what is forecast to be an incredible level of 2020 political ad spending. The firm estimates $6.6 billion in local markets alone. The other story pertains to controversial advertising categories, particularly marijuana and CBD products. According to Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth attorneys Daniel Kirkpatrick and Seth Williams, there are a number of legal and business considerations to be weighed before deciding to accept those revenue opportunities.
Finally, Wolfe Research’s Marci Ryvicker, takes on “The Streaming Race.” Her premise is that it will not be about winners and losers, but about survivors. With a thoughtful categorization of the service types, their business models and some interesting projections for 2020 and beyond, she posits that factors for success include service awareness along with content popularity and value.
This issue also includes our four regularly scheduled columns. John Sloan’s “Credit
Where Due” takes on the conventional wisdom that it’s better to run an ad that might not be paid for than to run no ad at all. His argument, which considers sales and licensing costs, is quite compelling.
Media Staffing’s Laurie Kahn writes this issue’s “Human Factor” column. She recommends companies reevaluate long-standing policies around part-time employment, flexible schedules, candidate credentials and working remotely to attract and keep the most productive workforce.
Finally, our “Dear Expert” and “Last Word” columns bookend this issue with two looks at the Federal Communications Commission’s ownership rules. Lerman Senter’s Sally Buckman explains why the commission reverted to pre-2017 regulations after a 2019 ruling by the Third
Circuit Court of Appeals. In what Meredith Senter, also of Lerman
Senter PLLC, terms a “remarkable” situation, that court has retained the right to consider future appeals. The FCC’s next move involves the Supreme Court, which is not required to take the case.
It’s an exciting time to work in media and entertainment. MFM and BCCA are proud to be your choice to keep abreast of this changing business.
Happy New Year!
Mary Collins is president and CEO of MFM and BCCA; Mary.Collins@MediaFinance.org.
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
MICHAEL DENSON Director, Credit Services NMCP
GREG LECHOWSKI Market Controller, Phoenix Bonneville International
CAL MOSTELLA Vice President, Treasurer WarnerMedia
JOHN SANDERS Principal Bond & Pecaro
MEREDITH SENTER Member Lerman Senter PLLC
C. ROBIN SZABO President Szabo Associates
JAMIE GRANDE MFM/BCCA Staff Liaison
CONTRIBUTORS
SALLY BUCKMAN Lerman Senter PLLC
MARK FRATRIK BIA Advisory Services
LAURIE KAHN Media Staffing Network
DANIEL KIRKPATRICK Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth
MARCI RYVICKER Wolfe Research LLC
MEREDITH SENTER Lerman Senter PLLC
JOHN SLOAN
SETH WILLIAMS Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth
