ftm Radio Page - July 8, 2016

Media house consolidates radio and ad sales
“trying to do more”

Italian media house Mediaset has consolidated radio broadcasting assets into a new company, RadioMediaset. Last September Mediaset acquired a substantial majority (72%) of Gruppo Finelco, owner of Radio Montecarlo, Radio 105 and the Italian Virgin Radio franchise. Separately, Mediaset acquired R101 in a Berlusconi family-friendly ledger swap with publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore. Italian competition authorities approved, generally, in April.

“Mediaset is ready to be more and more,” said VP/General Director Pier Silvio Berlusconi, quoted by TGCOM24 (July 5). “Cross promotion is easy but we’re trying to do more.” The plan, he said, is an aggregated radio market share of 30%. Named to head RadioMediaset is Paolo Salvaderi, who ran Monradio and the radio division of sales-house Mediamond, which becomes the ad sales representative. (See more about media in Italy here)

Mediaset has a relationship with French media house Vivendi, the former selling its pay-TV business to the later in May. Vivendi then took a small (3.5%) stake in Mediaset. “We are looking around at free television in France, Germany or the UK,” said Pier Silvio Berlusconi, quoted by Il Sole 24 Ore (July 5), adding that the possible Brexit would be a problem for UK expansion.

Unrelated, family scion Silvio Berlusconi, mending from heart surgery, indicated he is selling football club AC Milan to Chinese investors, believed led by search engine Baidu founder Robin Li.

Publisher goes to radio for sports, hates Facebook
“network effect”

In a world full of recent surprises, UK and Irish radio got their last week. Publisher News UK, a subsidiary of News Corporation, announced an agreement to acquire Wireless Group, owner of UK national commercial channel TalkSport, UK digital channels TalkSport 2 and Virgin Radio,, Dublin stations Q102 and FM104, two stations in Cork (98FM), one in Limerick (Live95), one in Belfast (U105) and one in Louth/Meath (Northern Ireland) (LMFM) plus UK free weekly Sport Magazine. Wireless Group is also a partner in UK DAB multiplex D2. The all-cash offer of GBP220 million (€266 million, exchange rates recently in flux) is subject to requisite regulatory approvals in the UK and Ireland.

It’s all about the sports. “We plan to leverage Wireless’ portfolio of radio and digital audio sports rights, including the Premier League, in the UK, Ireland and beyond, through News Corp ‘s digital platforms,” said News Corporation CEO Robert Thomson in a statement. “We believe the businesses together can be far more than the sum of their parts.” TalkSport holds radio and digital audio rights to UK Premiere League football and News UK has digital highlights rights.

Belfast, Northern Ireland-based Wireless Group was created in February when UTV Media sold Ulster TV and UTV Ireland to UK television broadcaster ITV. For 2015 the company reported profit of GBP13 million, off 10% year on year, on GBP75 million sales. UTV Ireland is again subject of takeover speculation, reported hearld.ie (July 4), with Liberty Global’s Virgin Media Ireland looking at “strategic business opportunities.”

Radio broadcasting is not new to News Corporation. Before the transfer of to UTV Media, News Corporation held a 25% stake in TalkSport. In the Russian Federation the company owned Nashe Radio, Best FM and Ultra in a joint venture with the late Boris Berezovsky until 2010. At about the same time News Corporation exited Dutch broadcaster Radio Veronica. (See more about News Corporation here)

Taking advantage of the press announcement, Mr. Thomson also offered a few uncomplimentary words about the recent Facebook News Feed algorithm changes. (See details of that story here) "For media companies that have become dependent on a social network – and sometimes anti-social when it comes to other media providers – it highlights the imperative of having a powerful network and having powerful relationships,” reported CampaignLive (July 1). He added that media companies need a “network effect” counter Facebook.

Radio Page week ending July 1, 2016
radio in Greece, ERT, Voice of Greece, ERT3, radio in Austria, KommAustria, ORF, radio in France, Fun Radio, Mediametrie, audience measurement, RTL Group

Radio Page week ending June 24, 2016
radio in France, music quotas, radio in Ukraine, language quotas, New York Festivals, radio awards, BBC, ORF

Radio Page week ending June 17, 2016
radio in Spain, community radio, M21 Directo, radio in Germany, ma IP Audio, streaming audio, 1Live, SWR3, Spotify, advertising, Turkish Airlines, radio in France, radio audience, Mediametrie, audience measurement, Fun Radio, RTL Group

Radio Page week ending June 10, 2016
radio in Poland, Polskie Radio, digital radio, Radio Czworka, Radio 24, Radio TOK FM, radio in Hungary, Klubradio, radio licensing

Radio Page week ending June 3, 2016
radio in Switzerland, digital radio, OFCOM/BAKOM, digital transition, radio in Russia, international broadcasting, RFE/RL, China Radio International, Radio Sibir

Radio Page week ending May 27, 2016
radio in Spain, Catalunya Radio, media laws, radio in Africa, business models, radio in Norway, digital radio, DAB+, FM shut-off

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• France - National Radio Audience (July 2016)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Italy - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (July 2016)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, audience reach/share, management
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2016)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (May 2016)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2016)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• Czech Republic - Radio Audience (May 2016)
  Top stations, national survey, reach trend
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (April 2016)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Spain - National Radio Audience (April 2016)
  national channels, reach share, trend
• Germany - Radio Audience (March 2016)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• Sweden - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (February 2016)
  public and private radio channels, owners, management, national market share trend
• Switzerland - Radio listening by region (January 2016)
  public and private sectors, penetration, time spent listening
• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (January 2016)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (January 2016)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (January 2016)
  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
• 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
• Greece - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (June 2015))
  public and private broadcasting, owners, executives, market share

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