ftm Radio Page - November 6, 2015
New spin on eighties nostalgia
what comes around goes around
Legacy Hungarian broadcaster Juventus Radio changed its name this week. After a quick decision from regulator NNMH (National Media and Infocommuncations Authority) it is now known as Slager FM. The station, operating a Budapest license, offers “especially music of the eighties,” said managing director Zoltan Hauk, quoted by hvg.hu (October 30).
Juventus Radio was, until this week, Hungary’s oldest - more or less - continuously operating commercial radio brand, first on the air in 1989. It went through several owners - including Metromedia International and Communicorp - as well as program and distribution changes. Ayudate Investment Group bought the station in October 2013 then sold it to Tematic Media Group in June this year. (See more about media in Hungary here)
Slager FM is an interesting choice for the station’s name. Slager Radio operated as the top rated national channel until 2009 and a questionable license renewal decision. Danubius Radio, actually the country’s first commercial station, was also caught up in the same licensing problem.
Owners of Slager Radio and Danubius Radio - Emmis International and Advent Capital, respectively - appealed, sued and gave up. Neo FM replaced Slager Radio and it, too, eventually disappeared. Class FM replaced Danubius Radio and survives. Tematic Media Group also operates thematic TV channels, including Slager TV.
Legacy broadcasters up-ended for culture
out with the old and in with something else
The oldest commercial music radio station in Russia, dating from the days of the Soviet Union, has left the FM band. First appearing in 1990 for St. Petersburg fans of foreign rock music, Radio Roks has been replaced on 102.0 FM with Country FM. The station continues online and via satellite.
Country FM, described on its website, is “to acquaint listeners with the culture of major cities and the Russian hinterland, to tell everybody about what a wonderful country we live in and are proud of.” (See more about media in Russia here)
Turmoil in Russian radio broadcasting has brought about many changes in ownership and programming. Radio Chanson owners Vladimir Maslov and Igor Yarkov acquired Radio Roks St. Petersburg and Moscow FM frequencies in July, along with others. They acquired the Keks FM Moscow frequency from European Media Group. Keks FM licensed the Canadian/US pop music format Jack FM. It, too, has been switched to Country FM. The Radio Roks Moscow FM frequency now offers Radio Chanson.
Russian Media Group announced last July intention to transfer broadcast assets to Russian State concert promoter Gosconcert, part of the Culture Ministry. Included is Radio Maximum, the oldest Moscow commercial radio station. Shortly thereafter the entire team of Radio Maximum morning show High Society was fired for being “insufficiently patriotic.”
Young people missed in measurement
"fundamentally correct"
Audience measurement has never been an exact science. Adapting to the great digital dividend providers developed a range of technical solutions to, ostensibly, better pin-point new consumer behavior. New is, of course, fleeting. Measuring that mobile premium is the next challenge.
“It is fundamentally correct that radio consumption through headphones cannot be measured with the MediaWatch,” said Swiss measurement institute MediaPulse spokesperson Christopher Wehrli, quoted by media portal kleinreport.ch (November 2). Headphones, he explained, block the audio signal that the MediaWatch collects and reports. MediaPulse plans “a variety of improvements” in 2017, he added, but solving the headphone dilemma isn’t in the plan for “the foreseeable future.” (See more about audience measurement here)
Who has not noted gaggles of teens permanently, it seems, attached by headphones or earbuds to mobile phones? A 2011/2012 time use study found 7.9% of 15 to 24 year olds in the Swiss German-speaking region listening to radio with headphones. What are they listening to?
We may never know, unless chips are installed in every teenager. “Apparently not all involved have noticed how much radio and audio consumption has changed,” said Swiss broadcaster Giuseppe Scaglione. “You can just shake your head.”
Radio Page week ending October 30, 2015
radio in the UK, radio audience, RAJAR, BBC, commercial radio, digital radio, DAB, Radio 2, Radio 1, Radio 4 Extra, 6Music, Heart, Smooth, Magic, Kiss, Absolute Radio, LBC, Global Radio, Bauer Media
Radio Page week ending October 23, 2015
radio in Norway, The Voice, Bauer Media, radio in Germany, Medientage Munich, VPRT
Radio Page week ending October 16, 2015
radio in Iceland, talk radio, Utvarp Saga, Capacent Gallup, Bylian, Ras 2, radio in Belgium, DAB+, digital radio, BBC World Service, Radio X
Radio Page week ending October 9, 2015
radio in Slovakia, music quotas, Europa 2, RTVS
Radio Page week ending October 2, 2015
radio in Finland, radio audience, RadioMedia, Finnpanel, YLE, Spotify, Bonnier, NRJ Group, Nelonen Media, Bauer, radio in France, music quotas, broadcaster boycott, RTL Group, NRJ Group, Lagardere Active, Sirti, Fleur Pellerin, radio in Latvia, Radio SWH, media ownership, Communicorp
Recently added radio audience figures and resources
- Ireland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (November 2015)
national public and commercial radio channels, major local/regional stations, management, listening share - UK - National Radio Audience (October 2015)
market share, trend, sectors - UK - London Radio Audience (October 2015)
market share, trend - UK - National Radio Audience (October 2015)
BBC/commercial 'gap' - Finland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (September 2015)
public and private radio channels, management, market share, platforms - France - National Radio Summer Audience (September 2015)
national channels, summer period 2010-2015 trend - Ireland - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
market share, 07h00-19h00, trend - Ireland - Dublin Radio Audience (August 2015)
market share, 07h00-19h00, trend - France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (July 2015)
national and local channels, market share, trend - Germany - Radio Audience (July 2015)
leading stations, audience trend, daily reach - France - National Radio Audience (July 2015)
national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL - Spain - National Radio Audience (July 2015)
national channels, reach share, trend - Spain - Major Media - Radio (July 2015)
public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates - Greece - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (June 2015))
public and private broadcasting, owners, executives, market share
More Resources
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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. 144 pages PDF includes Resources (November 2012)
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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 149 pages PDF (August 2012)
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