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ftm Radio Page - February 11, 2011

St. Valentine radio contests draw calls
from “morally bankrupt” to “confessions of love”

A promotional contest from New Zealand radio station Rock FM has attracted loads of attention. The premise – timed around St. Valentine’s Day – is simple: enter to win a wife. The winner, yet to be selected, will fly to Ukraine for 2 weeks to meet a mail-order bride. Return trip ticket for the bride to New Zealand, immigration issues notwithstanding, is not provided. Promotional announcements on Rock FM refer to the contest as “morally bankrupt.”

Members of the New Zealand Parliament were dutifully and publicly appalled, adding certain brand value for the rock music station. “These sorts of competitions (are) from a bygone era,” said one MP.

“We like to have a bit of a laugh and not take things too seriously,” said Rock FM program director Brad King quoted by stuff.co.nz (February 10), “so rather than playing cupid we decided we would play stupid on this, and send a listener over to the Ukraine with the chance of finding a connection.”

A bit more conventional is the promotion by Croatian station Soundset Plavi. Contestant couples will spend the St. Valentine weekend at a resort and, if biology takes its course, winning couples will receive baby clothes, vitamins and other stuff.

Far more conventional is French network Cherie FM. One February 14th the station will be given over to men for “confessions of love.” Very French, yes? (JMH)

Russian broadcaster wins Swiss license
Medium wave is not dead

The Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) awarded to international broadcaster Voice of Russia a medium wave (AM) frequency, program to commence March 1st. This particular frequency covers the Italian-speaking part of southern Switzerland and northern Italy. (See OFCOM presser here)

Many, many international broadcasters seek local broadcast licenses in target countries and regions. Very few choose medium wave, the AM band. But FM is saturated and there are many issues with digital platforms.

OFCOM looked at broadcasters interest in the medium wave band 18 months ago and decided there was none. Swiss public broadcaster SSR-SRG shut down its medium wave transmissions about a year ago. (JMH)

Interest drops in new radio channel
“inconsistent with our concept”

Several months ago, the Danish government stripped public broadcaster of one of its radio channels, commonly known as P4. The idea was to keep the channel license-fee funded but operated by a private sector operator. Initially, several potential candidates stepped forward. They keep dropping out.

“After seeing the final tender documents, we must sadly observe that we can not compete for the license for the fourth nationwide radio channel, since the material at some points is inconsistent with our concept of editorial freedom,” said JP/Politikens Hus Executive Vice President Stig Ørskov to Politiken (February 4). JP/Politikens Hus, a major Danish publisher, had pursued the P4 license in a joint venture with TV2. They found unacceptable the condition that the Radio and Television Board would approve all personnel. “Editorial independence begins and ends with individuals,” added Mr. Ørskov.

Dagbladet Information, Fynske Medier and production house Douglas Entertainment have also dropped out of the bidding leaving Berlingske Media and, possibly, Radio 100.

“We would basically have to hire ten lawyers before we could hire the first creative employee,” said Dagbladet Information director Mette Davidsen-Nielsen on dropping out of the race, quoted by Politiken (February 4).

The new radio channel, known as FM4 or Radio Møller for Culture Minister Per Stig Møller who proposed the plan, is intended to be a news/talk channel. Formal bids are due February 28th with a final decision expected in early April. (JMH)

Radio Page - February 4, 2011

Radio Page - January 28, 2011

Radio Page - January 21, 2011

Radio Page - January 14, 2011

Radio Page - January 7, 2011

Radio Page - December 17, 2010

Radio Page - December 10, 2010

Radio Page - December 3, 2010

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