followthemedia.com - a knowledge base for media professionals
The Numbers

Commercial radio takes another hit

Lousy music and too many bad commercials drive listeners away. So do stupid DJs. None of this is new for radio programmers. The bigger threat to commercial radio is consolidation, too few channels all sounding alike. It could be fatal.

the graph points downSweden’s SIFO Research released first quarter audience figures – called II 2009 – and the market share for commercial radio sank to 28.3% from 30.4% one year on. Public broadcasting Sverige Radio (SR) increased its market share to 64.9% from 63%. Average time spent listening to all radio has fallen to 148 minutes from 159 minutes in the same period 2005. The research provider changed along the way and methodological differences could account for some of the difference.

The brief history of Sweden’s commercial radio is the story of consolidation. Two companies – SBS/ProSiebenSat and Modern Times Group (MTG) – own or operate virtually all of the stations once licensed as private local radio (PLR), mostly as four quasi-national channels. The several dozen local radio stations originally licensed in 1993 fell to consolidation as initial investment was spent and ad revenue great enough to support it all never materialized. SBS owns 44 stations and MTG 45.

Recent changes in Sweden’s commercial radio audience landscape are largely due to shuffling frequencies among the existing owners.  RIX FM dropped to 13.4% reach from 17.2% in like periods one year on mostly on several of the RIX FM frequencies being given up for the Mix Megapol format when SBS took over the Stampen Group stations which had been broadcasting MTG’s RIX FM program. SBS Radio A/B, a wholly owned subsidiary of SBS/ProSiebenSat, sold 20% of its equity to Stampen Group.  SBS also consolidated the Radio City stations, which had a 7.7% reach in the first quarter 2008, into the Mix Megapol format.

Mix Megapol, now 2nd place among commercial channels in terms of gross reach, gain a bit, quite logically, now with 10.3% reach up from 9.7% reach one year on. “They (Mix Megapol),” said MTG program director Christer Modig to Dagens Media, “only managed to pick up half (from RIX FM), and it is so clearly not good for commercial radio.”

MTG has done its share of frequency and format shuffling. In an operating agreement with NRJ Group, the RIX FM format appears on 10 of the NRJ owned stations. Several of the Lugna Favoriter frequencies, once owned by RTL, were ceded to RIX FM. NRJ has a 1.9% reach, down from 2.1% one year on, and Lugna Favoriter 2.8%, down from 4.0%. (See national audience chart here)

Public broadcaster SR benefits, perhaps, from the dearth of choice on the commercial side and the shuffling of format brands to and from FM frequencies. SR’s P4 network of local and regional channels holds a 30.6% reach, up from 30.2% one year on. News and talk SR P1 increased reach to 11.3% from 10.9% and pop music SR P3 increased to 10.4% reach from 10.2%. Classical music and arts channel SR P2 held 1.4% reach.

“To increase (listening), we need more stations,” said MTG’s Modig. “It is a political process that both we and the SBS are working hard with. Swedes have now a poor choice of commercial radio.”

The SIFO radio audience survey (II 2009) was conducted January 19th through March 29th interviewing persons 9 to 79 years of age.

 

 


related ftm articles

The first syllable in consolidation is con
Clear Channel Communications stock price fell 20% on the revelation that banks are unwilling to finance a leveraged buyout. America’s largest radio broadcaster by leaps is falling to a reality of its own creation. Consolidation fails. And UK broadcasters want to follow the same path.

RIX FM Leads Sweden’s Commercial Radio to Record Shares
Shuffling brands and frequencies, consolidating further Sweden’s commercial radio spectrum, yields benefits to large group owners. Modern Times Group (MTG) – owner of RIX FM and Lugna Favoriter - took over the 20 frequencies licensed to NRJ Group. Ten were given to RIX FM and 7 to Lugna Favoriter with one in the three major cities remaining under the NRJ brand and format. Nationally MTG Radio increased market share to 23.8% from 18.1% one year on.

Buy Out Firms Buy Out SBS Broadcasting
After fifteen years, 16 television stations and 11 radio networks Harry Sloan delivered for SBS Broadcasting (SBS) investors, selling the company to leveraged buy out firms Kohlberg, Kravis & Roberts (KKR) and Permira Advisors Ltd for an estimated €1.7 billion.


advertisement

ftm Knowledge

Media in Spain - Diverse and Challenged – new

Media in Spain is steeped in tradition. yet challenged by diversity. Publishers hold great influence, broadcasters competing. New media has been slow to rise and business models for all are under stress. Rich in language and culture, Spain's media is reaching into the future and finding more than expected. 123 pages, PDF. January 2018

Order here

The Campaign Is On - Elections and Media

Elections campaigns are big media events. Candidates and issues are presented, analyzed and criticized in broadcast and print. Media is now more of a participant in elections than ever. This ftm Knowledge file reports on news coverage, advertising, endorsements and their effect on democracy at work. 84 pages. PDF (September 2017)

Order here

Fake News, Hate Speech and Propaganda

The institutional threat of fake news, hate speech and propaganda is testing the mettle of those who toil in news media. Those three related evils are not new, by any means, but taken together have put the truth and those reporting it on the back foot. Words matter. This ftm Knowledge file explores that light. 48 pages, PDF (March 2017)

Order here

More ftm Knowledge files here

Become an ftm Individual or Corporate Member to order Knowledge Files at no charge. JOIN HERE!

ftm resources

copyright ©2004-2010 ftm partners, unless otherwise noted Contact UsSponsor ftm