ftm Radio Page - week ending September 4, 2020

Digital platform group wants to claim more of the dashboard
watch the road

The symbiotic relationship between radio and the automobile has been accepted truth for decades. Car dealers and manufactures knew this. Radio broadcasters knew this. Dealers knew the radio - and accompanying sound system - made the sale. Broadcasters knew listening during the morning commute made the ratings. As with everything else, things have changed.

The 2020 Deloitte Global Automotive Consumer Study showed dashboard navigation systems most in demand. The dashboard screens are huge; nice maps pointing out everything important from donut shops to police radar. These are interactive; nice voices saying “turn left now.” Speed, fuel and climate controls also have screens. Don’t forget the phone. And the clock. Radio is being squeezed on the automobile dashboard. There is a button or two with a tiny screen for text. (See more about radio audience here)

WorldDAB, digital radio’s support group, is asking for more dashboard space “to encourage broadcasters to use their visual assets to keep digital radio prominent in car dashboards,” said a statement (September 1). “As car dashboard screens get even bigger, radio station metadata will be even more important to power a rich user experience. It is vital that broadcasters prioritize metadata for car manufacturers to ensure their station information is clearly and correctly shown on dashboards.” That “metadata” includes channel and DJ names, logos, song titles and “album artwork.”

Radio is still radio but it ain’t the same
turn it up, Alexa

Radio is in the midst of a platform shift. The whole of the media world is going through this digital transformation, laggards notwithstanding. Radio - now commonly referred to as audio - is feeling this as much if not more than the rest. Don’t worry. Be happy.

Several German regional media regulators, private media association Vaunet and the Federal Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW) released its Online Audio Monitor report this week (September 2) backed up by survey of about 8,500 Germans over age 14 years. Representatives of those organizations offered perspectives on the findings at the ALEX Berlin digital event. One speaker observed that podcasts are the new FM. (See more about podcasts and podcasting here)

About 50 million Germans, the survey estimates, are listening to web radio and on-demand audio services, an increase of 6.1 million year on year. While folks under 30 years and those with higher educational levels have already been invested, so to speak, in new audio platforms the greatest growth has come from persons over 50 years, women and those with lower educational attainment. The survey was conducted from the end of April through the end of June, the nexus of the coronavirus lockdowns. (See more about media in Germany here)

The details show one-quarter of Germans surveyed access radio channels via the internet daily “or almost daily.” Just under one-third visit music streaming services at least once a week, 21% daily. Podcast usage weekly is up dramatically - more than 60% year on year - to one in 7 Germans. Three-quarters are accessing audio via the mobile phone. (See more about digital radio here)

“Even with audio content, listeners are no longer willing to live by our clock. Here too, they want to plan their day themselves, ” said RTL Germany head of audio Stephan Schmitter, quoted by Tagesspiegel (September 2). In the morning web radio rules, noted the study. The afternoon and evening belong to music streaming and podcasts. RTL Group operates several major radio channels across Germany, France and the Netherlands. Parent company Bertelsmann recently adopted an all-digital operating strategy. Herr Schmitter has long championed the podcast.

Vacant radio frequency raises suspicions
use it or lose it

Brilliantly conceived and executed programming drives success say many observers of radio broadcasting. Seasoned broadcasters know the real key: distribution, loud and clear. That fact seems to be lost in the digital age of weak, flat and crowded signals. Real estate, even in this sense, counts.

The disappearance of Budapest FM frequency 89.5 MHz for more than 18 months has been investigated by Hungarian daily Magyar Hang reporter László Zsolt Szabó (August 28). Music FM, a popular hit music station, operated on the frequency until February 2019, when media regulator NMHH did not renew its concession. The authorized power of the 89.5 MHz frequency was 77.6 kilowatts, the most powerful in Hungary. Prior to Music FM, the frequency was used by Juventus Radio, one of the first privately-owned radio stations in Hungary. Music FM, like Juventus Radio before it, delivered to millions of listeners. Now: crickets.

Curious reporter Zsolt Szabo inquired with the NMHH about a possible tender for another operator to takeover the 89.5 MHz frequency. As the regulator calculates the concession fee on coverage and potential audience reach, previous owner Prodo Voice Studio was paying €395,000 annually. No career-minded regulator wants to turn down that much money. A NMHH spokesperson said there is no plan to issue a tender for the concession. Anyway, their meetings are always secret. (See more about media in Hungary here)

The suspicion did arise that the Radio 1 network, using a far weaker signal in Budapest, might want to change frequencies with its concession expiring in 2023. Radio 1 is part of the pro-government broadcaster Radio Holding, which operates all but two Budapest radio outlets.

The NMHH might want to more quickly resolve the silence on 89.5 MHz. Under international conventions on radio spectrum allocations, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) allows unused frequencies to be moved to other countries.

Radio Page week ending August 28, 2020
radio in Poland, Polskie Radio, Trojka, radio in France, radio audience, radio advertising, coronavirus

Radio Page week ending August 7, 2020
radio in the UK, radio audience, RAJAR, coronavirus

Radio Page week ending July 31, 2020
radio in the UK, radio audience, RAJAR, radio in France, digital radio

Radio Page week ending July 24, 2020
radio in Hungary, Best Radio, Radio 1, KESMA

Radio Page week ending July 17, 2020
radio in Switzerland, Mediapulse, public broadcasting, SSR-SRG, LFM, Radio Ticino, radio in Poland, radio audience, Radio Track, RMF FM, Radio Zet, Polskie Radio, TOK FM

Radio Page week ending July 10, 2020
radio in the UK, Ofcom, licensing extensions, DAB multiplex, analogue radio, radio in Germany, radio in Bavaria, BLM, local radio, radio audience

Radio Page week ending July 3, 2020
radio in Sweden, public broadcasting, Sveriges Radio, P1, radio audience, radio in Norway, Bauer Media, media support, radio in the UK, Times Radio, News UK, brand extensions

Radio Page week ending June 26, 2020
radio in the UK, pop-up radio, Bauer Media, Magic Eurosong, Netflix, Eurovision Song Contest, radio in Hungary, artificial intelligence, radio news, Central Media Group, radio in the Czech Republic, radio licenses, RRTV, speech content, Media Bohemia, Hit Radio

Radio Page week ending June 19, 2020
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Radio Page week ending June 12, 2020
radio in the Netherlands, NLO, radio audience, coronavirus, radio in the UK, Huntingdon Community Radio, Black Lives Matter, community radio, Capital Xtra, Global Media

Radio Page week ending June 5, 2020
radio in Germany, audience measurement, AG MA, radio in France, media support, coronavirus, Radio France

Radio Page week ending May 29, 2020
radio in the UK, Bauer Media UK, Hits Radio Brand Network, radio in France, media support, SIRTI, Radio France

Radio Page week ending May 22, 2020
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Radio Page week ending May 15, 2020
radio in Germany, media support, local radio, Media Authority NRW, Vaunet

Radio Page week ending May 8, 2020
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Radio Page week ending May 1, 2020
radio in Poland, Radio Olsztyn, music radio, Polskie Radio, radio in the UK, Absolute Radio 40s, Bauer Media, pop-up radio, brand extensions

Radio Page week ending April 24, 2020
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Radio Page week ending April 17, 2020
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Radio Page week ending April 10, 2020
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Radio Page week ending April 3, 2020
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Radio Page week ending March 27, 2020
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Radio Page week ending March 20, 2020
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Radio Page week ending March 13, 2020
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Radio Page week ending March 6, 2020
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Radio Page week ending February 28, 2020
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Radio Page week ending February 21, 2020
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Radio Page week ending February 14, 2020
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Radio Page week ending February 7, 2020
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Radio Page week ending January 31, 2020
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Radio Page week ending January 24, 2020
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Radio Page week ending December 13, 2019
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Radio Page week ending December 6, 2019
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Radio Page week ending November 29, 2019
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Radio Page week ending November 22, 2019
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Radio Page week ending November 15, 2019
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Radio Page week ending November 8, 2019
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Radio Page week ending November 1, 2019
radio in Denmark, Radio24syv, Radio Loud, Radio MTV, Viacom

Radio Page week ending October 25, 2019
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Radio Page week ending October 18, 2019
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Radio Page week ending October 4, 2019
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Radio Page week ending September 27, 2019
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Radio Page week ending September 20, 2019
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Radio Page week ending August 2, 2019
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Radio Page week ending July 26, 2019
radio in France, Paris radio audience, FIP, Mediametrie, radio audience, RTL, Radio France, France Inter, NRJ, Nostalgie, RMC, Europe 1, Lagardere

Radio Page week ending July 19, 2019
radio in the Czech Republic, RRTV, Active Radio, Radio Zet, seznam.cz, Radio Expres, Radio CAS, radio in Germany, radio audience, Media-Analyse, Radio NRW, Bayern 1, WDR 2, Antenne Bayern, SWR 3, Spotify

Radio Page week ending July 12, 2019
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Radio Page week ending July 5, 2019
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Radio Page week ending June 28, 2019
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Radio Page week ending June 21, 2019
radio in Poland, Eurozet, Agora Group, mergers and acquisitions, radio in the Czech Republic, Radio Zet, Czech Media Invest, Lagardere Active Radio, Media Bohemia

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• Switzerland - Radio listening by region (July 2020)
  public and private sectors, penetration, time spent listening
• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (July 2020)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (July 2020)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (July 2020)
  share, trend
• Poland - National Radio Audience (July 2020)
  national survey, market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2020)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (May 2020)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2020)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (April 2020)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (April 2020)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Italy - National/Regional Radio Audience (January 2020)
  weekly reach, AQH trends 2017-2019
• Poland - National Radio Audience (January 2020)
  national survey, market share, trend
• France - National Radio Summer Audience (September 2019)
  national channels, summer period 2014-2019 trend
• Spain - National Radio Audience (released June 2019)
  national channels, reach share, trend
• Ireland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (May 2019)
  national public and commercial radio channels, major local/regional stations, management, listening share
• Belgium - Flemish region, Radio Audience (February 2019)
  market share, Sep-Dec 2017 to Sep-Dec 2018 trend
• Belgium - French region, Radio Audience (February 2019)
  market share, Sep-Dec 2017 to Sep-Dec 2018 trend
• Netherlands - Radio Audience (May 2018)
  national survey, market share, trend
• Czech Republic - Radio Audience (November 2017)
  Top stations, national survey, reach trend
• Turkey - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (October 2017)
  ownership, management, program formats, platforms, audience estimates
• Portugal - National Radio Audience (May 2017)
  leading stations, audience share, trend
• Germany - Radio Audience (March 2017)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• Romania - Radio Audience (January 2017)
  national and Bucharest surveys, market share, trend
• Italy - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (July 2016)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, audience reach/share, management
• Spain - National Radio Audience (April 2016)
  national channels, reach share, trend
• Sweden - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (February 2016)
  public and private radio channels, owners, management, national market share trend
• Poland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2016)
  public and private radio channels, owners, management, platforms, market share
• Estonia - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (December 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• Spain - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (December 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• Ireland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (November 2015)
  national public and commercial radio channels, major local/regional stations, management, listening share
• Finland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (September 2015)
  public and private radio channels, management, market share, platforms
• Ireland - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• Ireland - Dublin Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• Greece - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (June 2015))
  public and private broadcasting, owners, executives, market share

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