..Is Broadcasting Gain Cable Company Pain? Wall Street Transcript Interview with Perry A. Sook, the Founder, Chairman, President and CEO of Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. (NXST)
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......67 WALL STREET, New York - November 14, 2012 - The Wall Street Transcript has just published its Entertainment, Toys and Games Report offering a timely review of the sector to serious investors and industry executives. This special feature contains expert industry commentary through in-depth interviews with public company CEOs, Equity Analysts and Money Managers. The full issue is available by calling (212) 952-7433 or via The Wall Street Transcript Online.

Topics covered: Cable Subscription Rates - International Paid Television Growth - Digital Advertisement Trends - Mobile Device Gaming Prospects - Content Quality

Companies include: Nexstar Broadcasting Group Inc (NXST) and many others.

In the following excerpt from the Entertainment, Toys and Games Report, the CEO of Nexstar discusses the outlook for his company for investors:

TWST: Please begin with an overview of the main areas in which Nexstar Broadcasting is active, and highlight what was most significant in the company's recent earnings call.

Mr. Sook: Sure. Well, we saw substantial growth in core revenues, which is basically local and national revenues on a television station, even excluding political revenues, core revenues were up 7.4%. We obviously saw a substantial amount of political revenue in the third quarter, which we would expect in the political year, but our immediate revenue continues to grow and retransmission fee revenue continues to grow, all contributing to a 20% increase for the third quarter in net revenue, which led to 67% increase in EBITDA and a fivefold increase in free cash flow.

TWST: Would you talk about the Nextstar/Mission Broadcasting agreement to acquire 12 Newport properties? What's the background behind that deal?

Mr. Sook: Sure. Nexstar is acquiring 10 of 12 stations from Newport - 10 of the 12 stations that have been acquired from Newport in a deal that we will close on November 1 - I'm sorry, December 1. The Mission Broadcasting is acquiring two of those 12 stations in Little Rock, Arkansas, but it was an opportunity for us to make a transformative acquisition. It's the largest acquisition in the company's history by dollar volume at a free cash flow accretion to the company of approximately 45%.

So it was - we are opportunistic but disciplined in looking to grow the company via acquisition, and these markets are in or adjacent to markets that we already operate in, and in the case of Salt Lake City, which is the geographic outlier, we have just been three years in that market running a television station for - a pair of television stations for Cerberus Capital and their Four Points Group before they sold that to Sinclair. So we felt very comfortable in the markets and added scale to the company, but most importantly, from our point of view, it was a 45% accretion to free cash flow on a pro forma basis by making the acquisition, and that obviously we are here to create and add value for shareholders.

TWST: What is the state of capital availability for local broadcasters? Are there subordinated debt lenders in the market? Are commercial banks aggressive about funding new acquisitions? What's going on there?

Mr. Sook: Well, I think that coming out of the recession of 2008 and in 2009, most companies in our industry, including ours, have focused on debt reduction and strengthening the balance sheet. And in particular to Nexstar, we've conducted a couple of capital market transactions to reduce our cost of capital, and we are in the market now with a substantial $445 million bank deal on top of the $250 million bond deal that we did two weeks ago...

For more of this interview and many others visit the Wall Street Transcript - a unique service for investors and industry researchers - providing fresh commentary and insight through verbatim interviews with CEOs, portfolio managers and research analysts. This special issue is available by calling (212) 952-7433 or via The Wall Street Transcript Online.

..

I am dumb

Well, it's pouring rain outside, and I managed to get myself up at 8:30 as usual for my 9:30 Tuesday/Thursday class, 9.15 (biochemistry and pharmacology of synaptic transmission).

But I got outside and the wind was blowing so hard that my new umbrella broke in 30 seconds, and then I was running horribly late because I decided it was too windy to ride my bike, and I got soaked from the knees down in the torrential rain. And then I got to the classroom and discovered that class had been cancelled for the day and I had forgotten to check the schedule.

Way to go, Mollie.

So instead I came to Athena and worked on my application to UC Berkeley's Molecular and Cellular Biology PhD program. So I guess it wasn't a total waste, even if I am still soaking wet. But applications still make me nervous, and so I'm sitting here in the cluster trying to figure out the difference between "upper division GPA" and "junior/senior GPA" and if I need to even write either one of these because I have no idea if my "department requires this information".

A Few Answers to Questions:
1. There were a few comments about messy kitchens. Ahem, my personal opinion (as someone who perhaps is one of the kitchen slobs) is that if you want something clean, you're gonna have to clean it yourself. I occasionally go on frantic cleaning sprees in my suite kitchen (usually when I'm stressed out about something) and do everybody's dishes and scour the kitchen from top to bottom. Now, if everybody did that every once in a while, wouldn't the world (and the kitchen) be a better place? Unfortunately, other people don't agree with me (and it's easier to clean a suite kitchen shared by 6 people than a floor kitchen shared by many more than that, I do realize).
2. Diana asked how my mom liked 5.60. Actually, she read Redbook and Women's Health Weekly (or something like that, you know the genre) the entire time. I was kind of disappointed, because here I was sitting there all studious with my mom, and she's the one flipping through magazines to look at the pictures...
3. Don't get scurvy! It's not a good idea.

Why I Play Dumb - The Perks of Playing Dumb

The fine art of playing dumb gets way too much flack these days. What makes pretending to be smart such a good idea? Why is it so important to feign competence and control when more often than not, we lack both?

Don't get me wrong- I have plenty of reason to pretend that I know what I'm doing. Or at least, I apparently have grounds for pretending to be smart. I graduated salutatorian from high school, and graduated at the top of my class in business school. I even gave one of them fancy speeches at graduation, and they gave me a bunch of medals and a big shiny clock (the clock, by the way, runs slow, which is a perfect metaphor for my mental capacity).

If I'm smart, I'm only smart enough to know that I'm dumb. And that playing dumb is, on the whole, much more efficient and beneficial than being the know-it-all. To argue my case, I'll share with you the top benefits of playing dumb. After reading this article, you might find yourself playing the fool right along with me.

Playing Dumb Helps You Get Smart
I thought I'd start this out with a real zinger. Yep- I bet you never thought that playing dumb actually helps you become a more intelligent individual, but guess what: it totally does.

Let us observe this truth in a classroom setting. Student A likes to believe she's smart. And she would like her classmates to believe that she's smart as well. For this reason, she tries to hide her ignorance, and avoids asking what she sees to be dumb questions. The obvious problem with this approach is that her ignorance goes uncured.

Student B, on the other hand, is fine with playing dumb. Fully comfortable with playing the fool, Student B is perfectly happy to ask dumb questions should he not understand something being taught, and is therefore more likely to get a firm grasp on whatever concepts are being taught.

In the end, Student B is able to get more out of classes than Student A because he is willing to go the extra mile to resolve any gaps in understanding he might confront through the course of a lecture. Student B is even helping his fellow students out from time to time by asking questions (dumb and otherwise) as chances are that other students (including Student A) are wondering the same thing he is, but don't have the gumption to speak up.


See all 5 photosDumb down and nom on some humble pie!
Source: Visit Hillsborough on flickrWhy Bother?
Why would you want people to think you're smart?
I want to impress them.
Because I *am* smart, bi***!
Because I need to get ahead.
Meh- I don't really care what people think of me. I am who I am.

See results without votingPlaying Dumb Keeps You Humble
Another small problem with insisting on being the smart person in the room is it puts one at risk at getting a big head. On the other hand, when one plays dumb, one constantly reminds oneself that there is room to grow and room to learn from others.

I will admit that there is a time and a place for everything, and sometimes it is very important to play up one's strengths. But doing so constantly closes more doors than it opens. In addition to turning other people off, taking the smart angle all the time can close one's mind to new people, opportunities, perspectives, and ideas.

When one is humble, one is far more likely to have an open mind and to be willing to explore and accept new concepts and possibilities. To a full mind, the world is closed. Discrete. Finite. To a vacant, humble mind, the world is vast, mysterious, and open.

I would much rather be humble and dumb than smart, proud, and isolated. And playing dumb helps me to maintain that fresh perspective, no matter how much disdain or disillusionment I might be encouraged to harbor.

Playing Dumb Makes for an Excellent Poker Face
There are many sorts of poker faces- the straight one, where someone remains utterly constant and unreadable, the decoy one, where someone reveals a fake tell to manipulate your actions (think bleeding-eye-dude Le Chiffre in Casino Royale), and my personal favorite, the playing dumb fake.

The playing-dumb poker face only works once, but it still makes for an excellent upset if you can pull it off.

In the classic poker game scenario, it works thusly: the kids all invite you in on their poker night, and you bashfully agree to join in, not admitting that you're absolutely brilliant at the game, but rather saying that you're a total beginner and you hope they go easy on you. They guffaw, say they'll play nicely, and anticipate, with great relish, absolutely tearing you to pieces. Then, come poker night, you trounce them, mercilessly. It makes for an incredibly satisfying upset.

This exact same fake can be applied to pretty much anything. What's more, the playing-dumb-poker-fake is a great way for smarty pants to dip their feet into the playing dumb pool as, at least in the end, they still come away looking like a big fat smarty pants.


See all 5 photosGuy with gun: Heheheh I got such a good deal - this fool knows NOTHING of negotiation Guy with hood: LOL. I just played dumb and got his horse in exchange for that cigarette he's smoking.
Source: Wikimedia CommonsYou Get Excellent Deals
Many people approach negotiations- financial and otherwise, by being exceedingly shrewd. But if two shrewd people enter a negotiation, the situation quickly reduces to a stalemate.

The best way around this is to still enter negotiations with a shrewd and sharp mindset, but to appear outwardly dumb or gullible. In this manner, your counterpart will have a less clear idea of what you're going for, or might even let his/her guard down, in which case you'll be free to manipulate negotiations in your favor.

I have found that playing dumb while also feigning disinterest can really bring on the discounts. Another fun trick is to really do your research, play dumb, and then reveal just a hint of your extensive knowledge after your opponent has tried to pull a fast one on you. This really breaks him/her down, and may even encourage him/her to give up an agressive stance altogether, as you have just demonstrated that you're much smarter than your counterpart thought you were.

Folks Take Care Of You
I play dumb a lot when I travel. Part of this is because I am legitimately extra dumb in foreign environments, however I also play up my stupidity when traveling alone because people are more likely to help me out.

Now, maybe it helps of you're a relatively young girl wearing little dresses and the like, but I have found that when any typical person comes across a genial, polite foreigner who is utterly clueless, one feels compelled to help out.

People have done the nicest things for me because of my apparent (and real) stupidity. I have done the nicest things for clueless people. Generally nice people just feel compelled to take newbies and other clueless folks under their wings. Hence playing dumb can be an excellent means of getting some extra help from time to time.


See all 5 photosPlay dumb to spare people from their own embarrassing mishaps
Source: Alex E. Proimos on flickrPlaying Dumb Gives You (& Others) Plausible Deniability
Every day, tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people play dumb in the pursuit of plausible deniability. I am by no means independent from this group, however when I play dumb in such cases, the plausible deniability I generate is for others and not myself.

Let me put it this way- I am a complete coward when it comes to relationships. That, and I am exceedingly picky (and Stormtroopers are hard to come by these days). So chances are if a guy has a thing for me, I have to find a way to turn him down.

Because I generally do not want to hurt feelings, I play dumb when guys start suggesting a more-than-friends friendship. This grants them plausible deniability and enables them to reverse their tactics without openly admitting they might have feelings for me, which spares their pride and saves them from any embarrassment. The clueless-to-special-feelings act also spares me the uncomfortable act of overtly rejecting anyone, which I suck at doing.

This tactic should be able to work for guys trying to lightly let down girls just as well as it works for me. It might even work better, since sometimes gals are a bit better at taking a hint. So if you're a coward, take this one for a spin!

Everybody lies.  It may only be ?white? lies, but everyone tells lies or ?omits the truth? sometimes. We start lying at around age 4 to 5 when children gain an awareness of the use and power of language.  This first lying is not malicious, but rather to find out, or test, what can manipulated in a child?s environment.  Eventually children begin to use lying to get out of trouble or get something they want. White lies, those concocted to protect someone?s feelings, are not a big deal at all.  The person, however, who seems to feel compelled to lie about both the small and large stuff has a problem. We often call these folks pathological liars (which is a description, not a diagnosis).  They lie to protect themselves, look good, gain financially or socially and avoid punishment.  Quite often the person who has been deceived knows that this type of liar has to a certain extent deluded him or herself and is therefore to be somewhat pitied.A much more troubling group is those who lie a lot ? and knowingly ? for personal gain. These people may have a diagnosis called antisocial personality disorder, also known as being a sociopath, and often get into scrapes with the law

Final Hints
By Aaron Shepard
(Tell a Story! ~ Part 4)
Part of the booklet Tell a Story! first published by Simple Productions, Arcata, California, 1990


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For more resources, visit Aaron Shepard?s Storytelling Page at
www.aaronshep.com/storytelling

Copyright © 1990, 1996 by Aaron Shepard. May be freely copied and shared for any noncommercial purpose as long as no text is altered or omitted.


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Here are some ways to go further with storytelling.

See and hear as many good storytellers as you can. You?ll pick up performance techniques, new stories, and general storytelling magic. Storytelling festivals are wonderful events held all over North America and the United Kingdom.

Read folktale collections. You?ll not only find stories to tell, you?ll develop a feel for what makes a folktale. This will help if you want to alter a tale or create a new one.

Take a class. Many colleges, universities, and other organizations sponsor them. This is a fairly ?safe? way to begin storytelling, with support and helpful comments.

Join a local storytelling group. Many communities have groups that meet to try out stories or organize performances.

Above all, tell, tell, tell, as often as you can. That?s the best way to learn storytelling!

Telling Your Story
By Aaron Shepard
(Tell a Story! ~ Part 3)
Part of the booklet Tell a Story! first published by Simple Productions, Arcata, California, 1990


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For more resources, visit Aaron Shepard?s Storytelling Page at
www.aaronshep.com/storytelling

Copyright © 1990, 1996 by Aaron Shepard. May be freely copied and shared for any noncommercial purpose as long as no text is altered or omitted.


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Don?t think you have to be perfect the first time you tell your story. It?s not likely! But, if you love your story and have prepared it reasonably well, you will surely give pleasure to your listeners and yourself. And, each time you tell the story, you and your story will improve.

If possible, tell your story first to friends in a small group. As you gain confidence, perform for larger, less intimate groups. Before long, you?ll think nothing of telling to a large room full of strangers.

Storytellers have their own styles, differing widely. If a suggestion here doesn?t fit your idea of how you want to tell stories, ignore it. Don?t be afraid to try something different, if it feels right.

A good storytelling space is comfortable, intimate, and free of distractions. Check the space ahead of time, so you can spot problems and arrange any special needs?a stool, a glass of water. You may also want time alone just beforehand, to collect yourself, or to ?warm up? your voice and body.

Give your listeners the full force of you. Aim your voice at the back row. Make your words ring. Avoid verbal trash like ?um? or ?y?know.? Sit or stand, but face your audience squarely, and with a straight back. No fidgeting, hands in pockets, or shifting from foot to foot.

Storytelling is magic in part because it?s personal?so make a personal contact with your listeners. Talk to them?not at them?and don?t be afraid to talk with them.

Look them in the eyes. If there are too many of them, or you can?t see them all, look mostly at the ones in front. If some aren?t paying attention, focus on those who are.

As you tell your story, take your time, and give time to your listeners?time to ?see? the story, time to laugh, time to feel, time to reflect, time to hang on the edge of their seats for what comes next. It?s easy to go too fast, hard to go too slow. If you?re losing their attention, you may need to slow down! After the story, be sure to leave time for the audience to appreciate you.

Storytelling is interactive. As your listeners respond to your story, let your story respond to your listeners. Make your voice and gestures ?bigger? or ?smaller.? Stretch or shrink parts of the story. Pay attention to what works and what doesn?t, so next time you can change, add, or subtract.

Above all, trust yourself, your audience, and your story. Remember, anyone who comes to hear a storyteller is already on your side. Just being a storyteller is magic?even before you say a word.

Preparing Your Story
By Aaron Shepard
(Tell a Story! ~ Part 2)
Part of the booklet Tell a Story! first published by Simple Productions, Arcata, California, 1990


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For more resources, visit Aaron Shepard?s Storytelling Page at
www.aaronshep.com/storytelling

Copyright © 1990, 1996 by Aaron Shepard. May be freely copied and shared for any noncommercial purpose as long as no text is altered or omitted.


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Storytellers learn their stories in many different ways. Some read or listen to a story over and over. Some meditate on it. Some type or write out the story. Some draw charts. Some begin telling the story at once.

However you do it, you must absorb the story until it becomes second nature. Find the best way for you.

Some parts of the story can be memorized word for word?beautiful beginnings and endings, important dialog, colorful expressions, rhymes and repeated phrases. But don?t try to memorize an entire folktale that way. Strict reciting creates a distance from your listeners that is hard to bridge.

Instead, picture the story. See the scenes in your mind, as clearly as you can. Later, these pictures will help you recreate your story as you tell it?whether or not you consciously call them to mind.

It?s best to practice your story with a ?mirror.? This can be a real mirror, or an audio or video recorder, or a friend?anything that helps you ?see? how you?re doing.

First practice to get the storyline. Your version won?t convey everything from the story you found, but it must convey enough to make sense. Then, once the story is straight in your mind, focus on how you tell it.

Use repetition. In folktales, events often repeat themselves in threes?a magic number. Pay special attention to repeated rhymes and phrases. Repetition helps your listeners stick with the story by providing familiar landmarks.

Alongside repetition, use variety. Vary the tone, the pitch, and the volume of your voice, your speed, your rhythms, your articulation (smooth or sharp). Use silences. Remember, variety catches and holds attention.

Use gestures, but only ones that help the story. Use them to mime the action, or just for emphasis. Make them big! Gestures keep the eyes on you.

In your story, pay special attention to beginnings and endings. You may want to practice an introduction along with the story. This introduction can tell something about the story or about you. But don?t give away the plot!

Endings should be clear, so your listeners know that your story?s over without your telling them. You can do this by slowing down and adding emphasis. For example, many story endings use a ?slow three???happily ever after,? ?that?s the end of that,? ?and they never saw him again.?

Pay special attention also to how you portray your characters. Good characters bring a story to life?so put life into them, with face, voice, gesture, body posture. Try to make each of them different enough so they?re easily told apart.

When portraying two characters talking together, try a trick called ?cross-focus": Make each one face a different 45-degree angle.

You?ll tell stories at your best if you prepare not only your story but yourself. Your voice and body are your instrument, and it helps to use them well.

To project and sustain your voice, you must breathe deeply and correctly. To check this, place your hand on your stomach. As you inhale and your lungs expand, you should feel your stomach push out. Many people do the opposite, holding in their stomachs and breathing only with their upper chests. Also be sure to keep your back straight, so your lungs can expand fully.

Don?t push your voice too hard or use it unnaturally (except maybe when speaking as a character.) To avoid strain, relax your throat and jaw muscles, and the rest of your body as well. A big, loud sigh will help this. Also try the ?lion?s yawn??open your mouth wide and stick your tongue out as far as it goes.

Pronounce each sound of each word distinctly. Tongue twisters are good for making the tongue more nimble.

Professional storytellers must be careful about copyright protection on stories they wish to tell, but this is less important for an amateur. If you have relied on only one version of the story, it is courtesy to at least mention your source. Be aware, though, that some storytellers?including many native Americans?feel you?ve stolen their stories if you tell them without personal permission.

Finding Your Story
By Aaron Shepard
(Tell a Story! ~ Part 1)
Part of the booklet Tell a Story! first published by Simple Productions, Arcata, California, 1990


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For more resources, visit Aaron Shepard?s Storytelling Page at
www.aaronshep.com/storytelling

Copyright © 1990, 1996 by Aaron Shepard. May be freely copied and shared for any noncommercial purpose as long as no text is altered or omitted.


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Your first step is to find a story. Not just any story. Find a story you love! You?ll tell it often, and you want to enjoy it every time.

A story for telling could be

?a folktale, meaning a story from the oral tradition. This could be a fairy tale, hero tale, humorous tale, tall tale, wisdom tale, animal story or fable, love story, ghost story, myth, or legend.

?a ?literary tale,? by a single author, originally meant to be read.

?a real-life story, from history or personal experience.

For most beginners, folktales are easiest, because they?re made for telling. They?re simple, direct, and lively, with built-in memory aids. So from here on, we?ll focus on folktales.

You can gather folktales from books, storytelling recordings, and word of mouth. Find books and recordings in both the adult and the children?s sections of your library and bookstore.

Start with short tales?one to three pages of text, or a few minutes of recording. Look for stories with clear action, strong characters, and simple structure. Of course, pick a story that also suits your listeners, if you know who they?ll be. Modern retellings are easiest to work from, because they are already refined and adapted for listeners in our culture. But you too can alter a story to suit yourself or your audience.

Tanya from Reliable Document Processing left a message to call Samantha Wright at 702-208-9862 document case # 1065321-CA13 for Giovanen Martinez, some deadbeat who had my number eight years ago.  I called the number and the operator did not identify the organization but asked how to direct the call. I asked for Samantha Wright and got a young man. I gave him the case number and told him the phone number did not belong to Giovanen Martinez and that I had it for eight years. He asked me if I knew Giovanen Martinez and I told him when one is assigned a new phone number, one isn't generally introduced to the person who had it previously. To this he responded snottily: I'm not asking if you were introduced to him, I'm asking if you know him. I simply couldn't call the person stupid or a bonehead, I just laughed. I did ask him to identify his firm which he said was Newman and Associates and when I asked where they were located, he said California.

Why is someone from Nevada calling me?Caller said he was from Reliable Document Processing and that I needed to contact Samantha Wright at 702-208-9862 with complaint # 1022126-CA48. That's it.