ftm Radio Page - week ending October 8, 2021

Lockdown buzz for news and talk stations, background music not so much
tied down, like that

Every radio programmer knows - or finds out the hard way - that coronavirus lockdowns spur audience gains for news and talk stations. Listeners tune-in to hear the breaking news and weather or to indulge ranting talkshow hosts. Music stations find it difficult competing with either. The pattern has spread around the world.

Radio listening estimates for major Australian cities were released this week by measurement provider GfK for the mid-July to mid-September. For those unfamiliar with geography, that’s summer in Australia. Sydney and Melbourne were in complete lockdown. (See more about Media and the Virus here)

In Sydney audience share for talk station 2GB (Nine Entertainment) rose to 16.4% among persons 10 years plus Monday-Sunday 5:30 am to midnight from 14.2% year on year. Public radio news talk channel ABC Sydney placed second with 13.0% audience share, up from 10.5%. Hot AC KIIS 1065 (ARN) placed third, 8.0% audience share, slightly down from 8.2%. Tied for third was easy listening smoothfm 95.3 (Nova Entertainment) with 8.0% audience share, down from 9.9%. Classic hits WSFM (Pure Gold) placed 5th, 7.6% audience share, down from 8.1%. (See more about media in Australia here)

In Melbourne talk station 3AW (Nine Entertainment) literally ran away with the listeners, topping the list with 18.2% audience share, up from 16.9% one year on. Public radio channel ABC Melbourne placed second with 12.0%, down from 12.7%. Oldies station Gold 1043 (Pure Gold) took 3rd place with 10.9%, up from 8.7%. Easy listening smoothfm 91.5 (Nova Entertainment) placed 4th with 6.8% audience share, down from 7.5%. Fifth spot went to hot AC station 101.9 Fox FM (Southern Cross Austereo), 6.6% audience share, up from 5.9%.

Other Australian cities like Perth and Brisbane were not under continuous lockdown during the survey period. In both Nova branded stations topped the respective lists. Australian city dwellers have notoriously long commutes to work, which lockdowns trimmed to about 3 minutes getting from the bed to kitchen table. Not much to do but yell at the radio.

More adventures in podcasting, just like live radio
"meet the listeners"

There is no end, seemingly, to the digital transformation. Broadcasters are treating podcasts as a primary platform. Programming is developed only if “podcastable,” otherwise move on to something else. All of this is looking forward - not even that far - to 5G mobile distribution and subscription revenue.

Bauer Media Sweden is “testing” broadcasting podcasts live, noted Swedish radio news portal radionytt (October 4). “We are curious to test the live format with our creators and listeners,” said Podplay product manager Anna West in a statement. “Partly how we keep the podcast feeling even in live broadcast, but also how the dialogue between creators and listeners develops.” Bauer Media Audio brought forward the Podplay platform last year in Norway, Sweden and Finland. (See more about media in Sweden here)

The first Swedish live podcast on the platform is very Gen Z: an interactive relationship advice advice podcast called Beloved Psychopath (Älskade psykopat). “Live broadcast is as close to a real meeting as you can get,” said host Emilie Olsson. “Here and now we meet the listeners in a completely uncut and authentic section where you as a listener get the opportunity to ask questions in the chat and get answers in the broadcast directly.” Yep, sounds like a radio talkshow. (See more about podcasts and podcasting here)

Elsewhere in Scandinavia, publishers and broadcasters see the podcast business as a competitive strategy. Norwegian media company Schibsted acquired Swedish subscription-only podcast platform PodMe in August to operate in both countries. NENT (Nordic Entertainment Group), on the other hand, is backing away from podcasting in favor of streaming video.

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Radio Page week ending September 24, 2021
radio in the UK, Classic FM, classical music, Nigel Kennedy, radio in France, Mediametrie, radio audience, France Inter, France Bleu, Nostalgie

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Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• France - National Radio Summer Audience (September 2021)
  national channels, summer period 2016-2021 trend
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (July 2021)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (July 2021)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Spain - National Radio Audience (July 2021)
  national and regional channels, reach share, trend
• Romania - Radio Audience (May 2021)
  national and Bucharest surveys, market share, trend
• Belgium - Flemish region, Radio Audience (April 2021)
  market share, Jan-Apr 2019 to Sep 2020-Feb 2021 trend
• Belgium - French region, Radio Audience (April 2021)
  market share, Jan-Apr 2019 to Sep 2020-Feb 2021 trend
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (April 2021)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Austria - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (February 2021)
  public and private broadcasters, owners, management, audience trend
• Portugal - National Radio Audience (November 2020)
  leading stations, audience share, trend
• 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'
• Italy - National/Regional Radio Audience (January 2020)
  weekly reach, AQH trends 2017-2019
• Poland - National Radio Audience (January 2020)
  national survey, market share, trend
• Ireland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (May 2019)
  national public and commercial radio channels, major local/regional stations, management, listening share
• 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
• 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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