ftm Radio Page - August 7, 2015

This Crystal Ball Looks Like A Tiny Screen
It is immutable. There is something old about radio. And it is not just the listeners getting older. As platforms expand listeners are checking out new channels and taking some seriously. It isn’t the old platforms that are under threat, it’s the old brands.

Small but obvious chinks taken from big broadcaster’s armor
A little Sunshine in your radio

Fragmenting markets are frustrating for some broadcasters as much as opportunity for others. Big national general interest channels, generally, fight off regional and niche competitors with brand strength, market power and, not to forget, money. But, where licensing rules cooperate, the “big station” becomes the big target.

Recently released JNLR audience estimates for Ireland were unkind to national private radio channel Today FM. It is a full-service contemporary music channel owned by Communicorp, Ireland’s biggest private sector broadcaster. For the period June 2014 through July 2015 in the rolling quarterly average Today FM dropped to 7.9% market share among persons 15 years and older between 7h00 and 19h00 Monday-Friday from 9.2% one year on. Irish media watchers pointed to late morning show host Ray D’Arcy leaving Today FM earlier this year for public broadcaster RTE. Today FM remains in second place nationally and 5th in Dublin.

RTE is not a cautious competitor, either for ratings or commercial revenue. RTE Radio 1 has been top ranked forever. The largely news and talk channel slipped to 21.9% market share from 22.7% year on year, continuing a slow but steady decline nationally. Its Dublin market share has not, at all, been shaken; 33.8% up from 33.4%.

RTE 2FM, which competes directly with Today FM, placed 3rd, again, bumping up to 7.1% market share in the national audience estimates from 6.6%. National private channel Newstalk, the name describes it, also saw an increase, 6.6% from 6.1% one year on. RTE’s arts and culture channel Lyric FM was up a bit to 1.9% market share. National radio channels, on aggregate, dropped to 45.9% from 47.1%.

This meant regional and local stations were up; 54.1% aggregate market share from 52.9% year on year. In the Dublin survey area several local stations took hits. FM104 - number 2 in Dublin - was off, 11.1% market share from 11.6% Newstalk was up slightly to 10.3% for 3rd place. Spin 103.8 was unchanged at 7.1% for 4th spot. The original Communicorp station - 98FM - bounced up to 6th place with 6.4% from 5.9% market share. Still sliding, Q102 dropped to 7th with 5.2% market share from 6.9%. Five years ago Q102 was 3rd in Dublin with a 10.2% market share. Also sliding was RTE 2FM, 4.5% from 4.9%.

The noticable winner was easy listening Sunshine 106.8, once a pirate, jumping to 4.0% in Dublin from 2.5% year on year. Local rock music station Radio Nova placed 10th, down a bit to 3.5% market share.

Lots of headroom in digital receiver sales
more channels might help

With new channels entering the airwaves digital radio in the Czech Republic will almost certainly enjoy a growth spurt. A new high-power DAB multiplex goes on the air this week serving the Prague and Central Bohemia regions. All digital radio in the Czech Republic, some Band III and some L Band, is considered experimental.

Unsurprisingly, the Czech public hasn’t exactly been clamouring for DAB receivers. Market research agency GfK estimates about ten thousand sold, reported news agency CTK (August 2). “Sales of radio receivers capable of receiving DAB are still quite low,” said GfK spokesperson Andrea Winklerova. “The share of total radio receiver sales in the Czech Republic is less than one percent.” (See more about digital radio here)

Two factors hindering DAB receiver sales - both obvious - are price and consumer awareness. DAB receivers in the Czech Republic cost about 50% more than traditional radio receivers. And, too, online radio services are notable competition; lots of folks already have a smartphone. GfK notes that automobile sales account for a significant portion of DAB receiver uptake as many new models are shipped with dashboard receivers that include DAB capacity.

Austerity cuts international broadcaster
deadline strikes

Failing to find a buyer, the government of Serbia closed International Radio Serbia. A July 31st deadline had been set to close nearly all state funded broadcasting outlets that could not be privatized. International Radio Serbia offered broadcasts in 12 languages via shortwave and online.

The 96 employees were notified and given a severance, reported uns.org.rs (August 3), the website of the Association of Journalists of Serbia. "Serious analyses and recommendations of renowned experts that this type of global radio service is something Serbia needs to present itself in the best way, that no serious country gives up on this kind of promotion and we could say, cheap but efficient diplomacy, have all been in vain,” said their statement. Some former employees, it seems, intend opening an online radio service. (See more about media in Serbia here)

International Radio Serbia, also known as Voice of Serbia, was the successor to a line of international broadcasters beginning with Radio Belgrade in the 1930’s when Yugoslavia was a kingdom to “defend itself from hostile propaganda.” After a period of silence during World War II while occupied by German forces Radio Yugoslavia emerged as the country’s international voice. It has been operated by state broadcaster Radio Television Serbia (RTS) since 1992 when the government of dictator Slobodan Milosevic fell.

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Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• Ireland - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• Ireland - Dublin Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• 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

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