PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Overview
We are a multi-platform media company whose primary business is operating radio stations throughout the United States. We offer local and national advertisers integrated marketing solutions across audio, digital and event platforms. We own and operate stations in the following markets: Atlanta, GA, Augusta, GA, Boston, MA, Charlotte, NC, Detroit, MI, Fayetteville, NC, Fort Myers-Naples, FL, Las Vegas, NV, Middlesex, NJ, Monmouth, NJ, Morristown, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Tampa-Saint Petersburg, FL, and Wilmington, DE. We refer to each group of stations in each market as a market cluster. Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation, was formed in 1999. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this report to “the Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” are to Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Strategy
We seek to secure and maintain a leadership position in the markets we serve by developing high quality local content, through our audio, digital and esports platforms, including events and experiences in the communities we serve and, in turn, offer advertisers access to a highly effective marketing platform to reach large and targeted local audiences. We operate our stations in clusters to capture a variety of demographic listener groups, which we believe enhances our stations’ appeal to a wide range of advertisers. Current rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) do not permit us to add more AM or FM stations to our Augusta, GA and Philadelphia, PA market clusters, or more FM stations to our Boston, MA, Charlotte, NC, Fayetteville, NC, Fort Myers-Naples, FL, Las Vegas, NV and Tampa-Saint Petersburg, FL market clusters.
The primary source of revenue for our stations is the sale of advertising time to local, regional and national advertisers and national network advertisers who purchase commercials in varying lengths. A growing source of revenue is from station-related digital product suites, which allow for enhanced audience interaction and participation, and integrated digital advertising solutions. A station’s local sales staff generates the majority of its local and regional advertising sales through direct solicitations of local advertising agencies and businesses. We retain a national representation firm to sell to advertisers outside of our local markets.
We own the Houston Outlaws, an esports team that competes in the Overwatch League, and an esports team that competes in the Rocket League. Ownership of the Houston Outlaws partners us with Blizzard Entertainment and its parent company, Activision Blizzard, a leading global developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content and services.
Competition
The radio broadcasting industry is highly competitive. Our stations compete for listeners and advertising revenue with other stations within their respective markets. In addition, our stations compete for audiences and advertising revenues with other media, including digital audio streaming, satellite radio, broadcast television, digital, satellite and cable television, video streaming services, newspapers and magazines, outdoor advertising, direct mail, wireless media alternatives, cellular phones and other forms of audio entertainment and advertisement. Competition for advertising revenues also comes directly from competitors such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google.
The following are some of the factors that we believe are important to a station’s competitive position: (i) audience ratings; (ii) program content; (iii) management experience; (iv) sales experience; (v) audience characteristics; and (vi) the number and characteristics of other stations and other advertising media in the market area. We attempt to improve our competitive position with promotional campaigns aimed at the demographic groups targeted by our stations and by sales efforts designed to attract advertisers. We conduct extensive market research in an effort to enhance our audience ratings and, in certain circumstances, to identify opportunities to reformat stations to reach underserved demographic groups and increase advertising revenue.
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