ftm Radio Page - July 10, 2015

Consternation Befits The Independent Regulator
There’s a reason politicians need to be kept a safe distance from media regulators. Actually, there are several. Tempted as they are by everything, politicians like rules administered conveniently. Interests must be served. And so many politicians reward themselves for electoral success with a hammer, terms in office spent searching for a nail.

Broadcasters muse on time-space barriers, Orwell and 80 aunts
“like everything in life”

Roundtable gatherings of major industry sector chief executives are typically public relations opportunities, very friendly and not particularly newsworthy. The four leaders of Spain’s major radio broadcasters appeared together last week to conclude a radio week organized at the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP) campus in Santander. They had a lot on their minds.

The four - public broadcaster RNE director general Alfonso Nasarre, COPE general director Ignacio Armenteros, Onda Cero general director Ramón Osorio and Cadena SER CEO Vicente Jiménez - agreed that radio in Spain “is in good health.” Coming as it did shortly after the latest EGM audience estimates were released, turns were taken talking about measurement. “One of the challenges for Spanish radio is to change this system,” said Sr. Nasarre, quoted by El Mundo (July 6). “With the current system we cannot make important decisions.”

More sanguine were the others. “As the radio (audience) leader it won’t be me who criticizes the EGM,” said Sr. Jiménez. “That would be bad business.” Sr. Armenteros urged “support for the only system we have.” The measurement system could be improved, offered Sr. Osorio, “like everything in life.” (See more about media in Spain here)

As the conversation made its inevitable way to digital media the four radio riders shared their views of the future of radio. “We will have radio without towers and the networks,” said Sr. Osorio. “It is the elimination of the barriers of time and space. We will have to generate more content to reach more audience and encourage hybrid radio that does not consume as much data as smartphones but rather connect FM broadcasts and the internet.”

"You can not go against technological development,” said Sr. Nasarre. “That is stupid.” Continuing that theme, he referred to the internet as “something Orwell might have included in 1984.” Taking a shot at social media, Sr. Jiménez observed that “a trending topic is 80 aunts tweeting on the same subject.”

Broadcaster very sorry for selling time
“almost nobody listens”

Broadcasters will broker airtime to other broadcasters for the re-transmission of programs. Some turn this into a reasonably lucrative business. A radio broadcaster in Poland is in trouble with the regulator for that decision.

Poland’s media regulator KRRiT has started proceedings against Radio Hobby, located in Legionowo slightly north-east of Warsaw, for transferring control over its transmission for money. At issue is re-transmission of Radio Sputnik, the notorious propaganda service of the Russian Federation, for one hour a day. Radio Hobby has been re-broadcasting the hour from Radio Sputnik, and previously Voice of Russia, for four years. The station’s concession is in jeopardy. (See more about media in Poland here)

Radio Hobby is paid €1,400 a month for the hour between 21h00 and 22h00. “This is not big money,” said station manager Tomasz Brzezinski to wirtualnemedia.pl (July 7). “But it does allow us to hire four or five people. At that hour almost nobody listens.”

“It’s a political decision,” he added, noting that complaints were only raised after Russian military involvement on Ukrainian territory. The contract with Radio Sputnik expires in 2016. “We would gladly opt out of it as soon as possible,” said Mr. Brzezinski. “I'm trying to find other sources of livelihood, but it's a very difficult market.”

Radio Page week ending July 3, 2015
radio advertising, Cannes Lions, Radio Lions, Soundcloud, audience measurement, PPM, Nielsen, Voltair, radio in Bulgaria, BNR

Radio Page week ending June 26, 2015
radio in Italy, Gruppo Finelco, RCS Media, Radio 105, Radio Monte Carlo, Virgin Radio

Radio Page week ending June 19, 2015
radio in Sweden, digital radio, DAB, Fm shut-off, radio in Russia, Ekho Moskovy, Gazprom Media, radio in Belgium, FM Brussel

Radio Page week ending June 12, 2015
radio in Ukraine, audience measurement, Radio Committee

Radio Page week ending June 5, 2015
radio in the UK, local radio, Juice FM, Global Radio, UTV Media

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• 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
• Montenegro - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (May 2015)
  public and commercial radio channels, management, platforms
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2015)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (May 2015)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2015)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• Czech Republic - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (May 2015)
  public and private radio channels, management, audience reach
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (April 2015)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Portugal - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (April 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• FYR Macedonia - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (April 2015)
  public and private stations, management
• Malta - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (March 2015)
  public, private, educational and religious stations, ownership, management, platforms, audience reach
• Germany - Radio Audience (March 2015)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• Italy - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (February 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, audience reach/share, management
• Switzerland - Radio listening by region (February 2015)
  public and private sectors, penetration, time spent listening
• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (February 2015)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (February 2015)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (February 2015)
  share, trend
• Bosnia/Herzegovina - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2015)
  public and private broadcasters, management, descriptions, regulator, broadcaster association
• Albania - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2015)
  public and private radio channels, national, regional, religious and community stations
• Turkey - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2015)
  ownership, management, program formats, platforms, audience estimates

More Resources

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