JonInMiddleGA
06-04-2009, 11:55 AM
What had been rumored was confirmed yesterday, as The Nielsen Company ceased publication of Radio and Records, effective immediately.
Most of the 40 or so employees are unemployed, a few may have a chance to stick around with sister publication Billboard and there's at least some hope that the R&R music charts will be integrated into the (infinitely weaker IMO) charts there.
One article (http://www.earbender.com/2009/06/03/radio-and-records-shut-down/) on the demise notes that Hits, College Music Journal’s New Music Report, Friday Morning Quarterback and online trade Dusted Magazine are all that remain beside Billboard. A few others we have lost in the past ten years include Cashbox, Album Network and The Gavin Report.
For anyone who spent time in radio from the late 70's through the 80's especially, this is probably pretty sad stuff. From the charts (although I personally preferred The Gavin Report) to the Street Talk column, R&R was must read stuff and I mean every issue pretty much cover to cover. Over half the writers on the business worth reading worked for R&R at some point it seems and even today they offered the best access to more accurately niched format charts (like Active Rock vs Mainstream Rock) available for free anywhere (okay, that probably didn't help their cash flow).
Meanwhile Nielsen (as VNU at the time) has some egg on their face on this one, having spent a reported $18 million to acquire it & then ultimately doing little except presiding over it's death and discomfitting MediaBase 24/7 briefly when they dropped them for chart data & replaced them with a VNU owned product.
Also yesterday, Performing Songwriter magazine was quietly killed off and rumors remain that trade publication Brandweek is on the chopping block for either a merger with a slimmed down Adweek or being axed by Nielsen altogether.
Signs of the times I know, but nothing requires me or anyone who couldn't wait for those magazines to arrive to like it.
Most of the 40 or so employees are unemployed, a few may have a chance to stick around with sister publication Billboard and there's at least some hope that the R&R music charts will be integrated into the (infinitely weaker IMO) charts there.
One article (http://www.earbender.com/2009/06/03/radio-and-records-shut-down/) on the demise notes that Hits, College Music Journal’s New Music Report, Friday Morning Quarterback and online trade Dusted Magazine are all that remain beside Billboard. A few others we have lost in the past ten years include Cashbox, Album Network and The Gavin Report.
For anyone who spent time in radio from the late 70's through the 80's especially, this is probably pretty sad stuff. From the charts (although I personally preferred The Gavin Report) to the Street Talk column, R&R was must read stuff and I mean every issue pretty much cover to cover. Over half the writers on the business worth reading worked for R&R at some point it seems and even today they offered the best access to more accurately niched format charts (like Active Rock vs Mainstream Rock) available for free anywhere (okay, that probably didn't help their cash flow).
Meanwhile Nielsen (as VNU at the time) has some egg on their face on this one, having spent a reported $18 million to acquire it & then ultimately doing little except presiding over it's death and discomfitting MediaBase 24/7 briefly when they dropped them for chart data & replaced them with a VNU owned product.
Also yesterday, Performing Songwriter magazine was quietly killed off and rumors remain that trade publication Brandweek is on the chopping block for either a merger with a slimmed down Adweek or being axed by Nielsen altogether.
Signs of the times I know, but nothing requires me or anyone who couldn't wait for those magazines to arrive to like it.