Posted by chicagomedia.org on April 02, 2009 at 18:28:13:
ABC Radio Networks Becomes Citadel Media
DALLAS -- April 2, 2009: ABC Radio Networks has a new name: Citadel Media. The company says the new name represents its "dedication to connecting audiences with advertisers across multiple platforms beyond its core radio business including mobile, out-of-home, digital and experiential marketing" and will "allow the company to capitalize on synergistic opportunities throughout the marketplace." All the ABCRN brands will remain in place, and Citadel Media will continue to represent such programming as ABC News Radio and ESPN Radio. The newly renamed company introduces itself with a video, http://www.citadelmedianetworks.com/splash.asp.
Citadel Media SVP/Programming & Distribution Carl Anderson told Radio Ink that, although radio is no longer part of the company name, "Radio is truly our foundation. One of the things that we know is that media is changing, it seems like every day, and advertisers are asking for not only greater accountability, but multiple platforms. And so our foundation will always be radio, but the opportunity for us to be able to bring our strong brands, like ABC News Radio and Michael Baisden and Mark Levin and Perez Hilton to the marketplace and to be able to expand that into the digital world and into the mobile world and different opportunities that way, is pretty exciting for us."
Citadel Media President Jim Robinson added, "All the brands remain, all those great advertising relationships that we have remain, but we continue to create new programming tools, new sales tools, that make buying across our programs easier for the media buyers and planners out there, and we continue to develop new lifestyle segmenting pieces to assist them in that."
Asked whether there's excitement about the company's new identity, Anderson said, "Yes -- this is a company that has exciting brands that affiliates and advertisers want." Robinson quoted a congratulatory note he received from a major-market News station about the change that said, "The new name will absolutely describe the products and the mission of this ambitious and evolving enterprise."
Citadel Media En Espanol
As ABCRN becomes Citadel Media, ABC Radio Networks en Espanol becomes Citadel Media en Espanol.
Citadel Media en Espanol VP/Programming & Operations Elisa Torres said, "As part of ABC Radio Networks, our Hispanic division has enjoyed tremendous growth as we have added significant talent to our portfolio in the past two years. We are strongly positioned for continued success as we provide our affiliates with compelling content designed to drive audience ratings and build revenue for their stations. Our goal as Citadel Media en Espaņol is to remain a valuable resource to these broadcasting partners who place their trust in us."
(Radio Ink)