Planning for the 2025 NAB Show is ramping up, and Radio World is asking exhibitors about their plans and expectations.
Marketron’s roots are in radio. It launched more than 50 years ago with radio traffic systems; as the industry’s needs have evolved, the company’s tech stack now includes digital, electronic services, integration solutions and electronic payments. “We deliver everything radio needs for ad revenue operations, from proposing to order to reporting and billing,” it says.
Todd Kalman is senior vice president, sales, for Marketron Broadcast Solutions Inc.
Radio World: What are your clients telling you about the state of radio sales and the outlook for the coming year?
Todd Kalman: Every market is unique, which makes it hard to generalize. Some are more positive on the outlook than others, with so many factors at play.
Universally, we hear operating costs are rising, they have fewer people, and they want to be more profitable because revenue doesn’t always deliver this. They want streamlined technology that fills the gaps of often having less staff. They also want to simplify the ad sales life cycle. Upskilling and training sales continue to be a priority, and it should be!
They also want more insights from data to drive decision-making. We’re taking our cues from their needs whenever we think about products and services.
RW: Although digital revenue has grown over the years, the pace has felt incremental, even frustrating. But the RAB and Borrell Associates recently reported that the U.S. commercial radio industry generated $2.1 billion in digital revenue in 2024. Marketron sponsored the report. What should we take away?
Kalman: We think this report is a goldmine of insights for digital radio. It looks at the perspectives of local ad buyers and station management. Our Director of Marketing and Content Beth Osborne summed up some great takeaways in an article for the RAB, including:
- Continue to make radio a core part of any media buy — digital and radio work better together.
- Prompt local sellers to talk to companies about shifting budgets from ineffective tactics. Many businesses just keep doing the same thing even if they know it’s not great ROI, so sellers must be strategists.
- Promote the digital savviness and expertise of your station; the report revealed good marks here, so stations should keep educating local businesses and building long-term relationships.
- Keep training and skill development going for your sellers — digital is constantly evolving, and they need to be ready to answer questions from customers.
- Develop and evolve your digital sales strategy to align with your market; it must be fluid.
The big picture is that radio digital will increase this year, so stations need to do all these things to capture it.
RW: What role is streaming video playing in today’s mix of digital offerings by radio companies?
Kalman: OTT/CTV is the fastest-growing local digital tactic for the second year in a row, according to BIA’s local forecast. It’s not necessarily “new” money, as some are shifting from traditional TV. Local companies need to follow consumer preferences, as more people stream than have cable or satellite. It’s localized, targetable and measurable. It’s also not a big lift to produce the content. It’s a big opportunity, and we’re constantly talking about how to sell it effectively and its value in the media plan.
RW: What is Marketron’s main message at the NAB Show?
Kalman: Our message is that we hear you. We understand things are changing, but we see this as a positive. Radio’s edge is its expertise in the local market; competitors can’t match this. We’re working hard to ensure you have visibility and efficiency in revenue operations. We’re investing in you, and our sole focus is radio. We’re future proofing our technology and have the only true integration of digital and traffic. No matter what the next pivot needs to be, we’ll make it with you.
RW: What other trends will you be watching for at the convention?
Kalman: Obviously, there are many factors that impact local media sales, and we’re monitoring those to see what’s happening with the economy and consumer confidence. We’re tracking this, writing about it, and offering strategies.
We’re looking for vertical opportunities where radio should focus attention, like B2B, which is a bit untapped. They advertise locally and often have more budget and less volatility, so it’s something we’re pointing out to our audience. It was the topic of our most recent digital newsletter.
The company posted a web page where interested attendees can book meetings.
