BIA/Kelsey Reveals Top Ownership Groups of 2009

RADIO ONLINE | , , | :am CT

Clear Channel was the top radio ownership group of 2009, with revenues of $2.3 billion according to the new edition of "Investing In Radio Ownership Report" from BIA/Kelsey. CC was followed by CBS Radio ($1.2 billion), Citadel ($595 million), Cumulus Media ($412 million) and Entercom ($384 million).

Cox Radio (362.4 million), Univision (324.9 million), Radio One ($226.2 million), Bonneville ($216.1 million) and Emmis ($182.7 million) round out the top ten followed buy Salem ($165.1 million), Greater Media ($152.4 million), SBS ($134.2 million), Saga ($107.8 million) and Beasley (92.6 million).

"Last year's top 15 companies were the same as the year before (with small differences in ranks). In fact, the same could be said of even four years ago. Clear Channel, CBS Radio, Citadel, Cumulus, Entercom, are the perennials. What is interesting is that the industry decreased uniformly overall, with no clear out-of-the-box performer," said VP Mark Fratrik in a blog entry.

He continued, "We'll see a similar uniformity as these broadcasters get more involved in mobile, digital, and online endeavors and these same groups continue as the leaders."

Fratrik also noted that besides the huge 847 stations that Clear Channel owns, the average number of stations owned by these major groups is around 96. "We observe that groups in the 40-230 scale seems to have reached a valuable level of efficiency to help them maintain effective control, while also being be cost effective in purchasing equipment, testing things in the market, and being nimble enough to make change."