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ftm Radio Page - July 1, 2011

New Media: Excited About Being Excited
dart and target Slice by slice, media consumption is a battlefield. Advantage goes the strongest, most savvy and fleetest afoot. How that’s applied makes a difference but, sometimes, a new trick or two changes the landscape.

 

 

 

 

Easy Steps To Killing A Media Market
storm in Budapest The perfect storm cliché falls powerfully short in describing the havoc to befall the media sector in recent years. As digital media took its place in the sun economic malaise brought turbulance. Crony capitalism and poor public policy replaced crony statism and weak public policy. Riding out this storm is infinitely difficult.

 

Radio conference venue announced
A very cool spot

The venue for the 2012 RadioDays Europe conference will be the Center for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona, Spain next March. Conference organizers hope to attract more radio broadcasters by heading south at the end of winter. (See RadioDays Europe presser here)

In its first two years – 2010 and 2011 – RadioDays Europe has attempted to consolidate several national radio conferences, notably in Scandinavia. The US National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) produced a radio conference and expo for more than a dozen years. That ended with Great Recession blues in 2009 when travel budgets were cut forcing cancellation. RadioDays Europe offered a radio conference at a more attractive price and one more attractive to public broadcasters. (JMH)

New radio license granted, old one shuffled
Hot hits expected

Bulgarian media regulator Council for Electronic Media granted (June 29) one new radio license in Sofia and, it seems, transferred another to a new owner, who might be the old owner. Some things never change.

Radio Company LTD was the successful applicant for 90.1 FM and will operate as Radio Antenne, targeting listeners 20 to 45 years. The owner is a partnership of Dodo Films and broadcast equipment vendor Deva Broadcast. The new station is expected to pursue a hot hits music format.

The 93.4 FM frequency in Sofia currently occupied by Radio Melody, an oldies station, appears to have been transferred to Geo Advisors LTD from Central European Media Enterprises (CME), which acquired the station in its purchase of television station bTV from News Corporation. But a relationship between the two companies might linger. Geo Advisors appears, according to Capital (June 29), to be related to rich Bulgarian businessman Krassimir Guergov who was News Corporation’s Bulgarian partner in bTV and is currently CME’s Bulgarian partner.

There were eight applicants for the 90.1 FM license, vacated by the BBC World Service, and six applicants for the 93.4 FM frequency, currently occupied by Radio Melody and once occupied by Vibe FM. Later this year the CEM will take applications for a Sofia frequency vacated by German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

More than 30 stations, including public channels, serve the Sofia market. (JMH)

Radio stations hit the beaches
Promotional zip

That holiday season is fast arriving, in the northern hemisphere at least. That means escape, something different, fun, radio promotions. While it’s true that there’s “nothing new under the sun” every summer broadcasters change the schedules and fire up the promotional barbeques. Does this attract listeners? Sure. Does it attract advertisers? Sure. Are there any other questions?

Lithuanian hot hits station ZIP FM caused a bit of a stir, announcing it would end broadcasting in Vilnius of July 4th. Listeners and local media wags were shocked and amazed as there was no warning, no problem with authorities. “We are in the process of deciding key issues of the radio station’s development,” said a terse statement by program director Simona Albaviciute.

Fans of the six-year old station went to the phones and Facebook page. Within a day the station opened up about their summer promotion. For a month they’ll be broadcasting from a portable studio on the beach at the popular Palanga Baltic Sea resort.

Baltic Russian Radio in Latvia opened a free “Summer Discotheque” for dance music in a “summer mood.” There’s also a barbeque by the sea.

Also in resort mode is Polish radio network Radio Plus. They will be moving across the shoreline, 14 stops in all, broadcasting live from the Radio Plus Summer Gazebo. Sister channel Radio Zet, both owned by Lagardère, is offering a summer concert promotion – Summer Zet – in four cities. Competitor RMF FM will take its concert series – Best music under the sun - to ten venues. (JMH)

International radio slashed but not TV
Large hole created

A final government decision on cuts for international broadcaster Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW) stunned the organization. Annual funding will be slashed by 70%, forcing severe reductions in services from 2013. The center-right coalition government concluded that radio services for Dutch citizens living abroad are no longer necessary. (See more on international broadcasting here)

“Our country wants to be known as an important and reliable trading nation,” said Editor-in-Chief Rik Rensen in a statement (June 24). Radio Netherlands Worldwide is contributing to this, in ten languages, around the clock. Tens of millions of people all over the world consider RNW an important source of information, and the Netherlands' journalistic calling card. Is our country really retreating behind the dykes?” (See the RNW statement here)

The Netherlands government, like others, is in the midst of overhauling public broadcasting to reduce government spending. Sorting through it, Netherlands Minister of Education, Culture and Media Marja van Bijsterveldt has proposed cutting by half all government spending on public broadcasting. The RNW budget will be trimmed to €14 million annually from about €45 million.

RNW has been a leader in international media development support, an effort the government intends to continue.

What won’t be cut is satellite and cable television channel BVN, a joint venture of RNW and other Dutch public broadcasters. BVN offers Dutch language news, sports, entertainment and children’s programming. And politicians love their TV. (JMH)

Russian radio channel chooses Eurovision loser over B Team spook
Who’s hot and who’s not

Since 1996 the incomparable Russian radio channel Silver Rain has awarded its Silver Boot for dubious achievement. Nominated this year was Anna Chapman, the B Team spook busted in the US a year ago and deported to Russia.  “America booted her out and now she’s all over our television,” said the station. (See more on media in Russia here)

After the nomination a message went out from lawyer Vladimir Krasyukov, supposedly representing Ms Chapman, that a lawsuit against the station would be forthcoming. Many tabloids around the world picked up that part of the story referring to the “90-60-90 hottie.” Ms Chapman, said a letter from Krasyukov to Silver Rain, considered the nomination an “insult.”

About a day later Ms Chapman circulated a message that Mr. Krasyukov wasn’t her lawyer and had not been authorized to make a statement. “I am shocked by the fact that he uses my name for his own PR,” she said to Life News (June 24). Since returning to Russia Ms Chapman’s career has combined TV talk show host, investment banker and lingerie model, giving extra credibility to every intelligence service. (Full disclosure: I live in Geneva, crowded with A Team “hottie” spooks)

As it turned out, the Silver Boot was awarded (June 25) to singer Alexej Vorobjov who placed 16th at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Russia’s worst ranking since 1995.

Silver Rain celebrates 16 years on the air July 4th. It’s an amazing radio station. (JMH)

Radio Page week ending June 24, 2011
radio advertising, Cannes Lions, radio in Poland, Radio ZET, Lagardère

Radio Page week ending June 17, 2011
radio in Switzerland, OFCOM, SSR-SRG, classic rock, radio in Ireland, audience measurement, JNLR

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Radio Page week ending February 11, 2011
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Recently added radio audience figures and resources

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Europe’s Radio – Northern Europe

Northern Europe’s radio has a very digital sound. And change is in the air. Economic challenges abound for both public and commercial broadcasters. The ftm Knowledge file reports on Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the UK. 101 pages PDF includes Resources (February 2011)

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Europe's Radio - Southern Europe

Radio broadcasting in southern Europe ranges from highly developed to developing highly. Italian, Spanish and Portuguese radio is unique, creative and very popular. Radio in Croatia, Serbia and Greece has had ups and downs. The ftm Knowledge file includes Resources. 48 pages PDF (November 2010)

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Digital Radio - Possibilities and Probabilities

Digital radio has many platforms. From broadcast platforms to internet radio and rapidly emerging smartphone platforms, listeners and broadcasters have choices galore and decisions to make. Some regulators have made up their minds, others not, some hedging their bets. This ftm Knowledge file details the possibilities for digital broadcasting and the probabilities for success. Includes Resources 110 pages PDF (August 2010)

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Europe's Radio - Western Europe

Opportunity meets tradition in Western Europe's radio broadcasting. Change has come fast and yet oh, so slowly. This ftm Knowledge file contains material and resources on public and private radio broadcasting in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland. 107 pages. PDF (June 2010)

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Europe’s Radio – Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe’s radio writes new rules. In fact, most everything about radio in this region is new... and changes often. The ftm Knowledge file reports on Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Russia and Slovakia. 65 pages PDF (February 2010)

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The Six Radio Brands is about the uniquely European development of radio brands. Competition among broadcasters - and certainly between the public and commercial sectors - gives radio in Europe a rich dynamic. As consumers become more media-literate and demand more attachment broadcasters find target markets illusive.
Regulators, advertisers and broadcasters take turns trying to influence radio brands. Culture and technology makes an impact. More and more, the greatest influence comes from consumers.
The Six Radio Brands describes advantages and pit-falls of brand strategies, with illustrations from current radio practice.

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