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ftm Radio Page - September 13, 2013

Many partners for democracy building radio
On the air now

Media projects in transitional regions are challenging in the best of situations. Many organizations with specialized skills apply their talents every day. In the west African nation of Mali, plagued by armed conflict for the last 18 months, these specialists are creating partnerships to provide a unique and positive addition to a difficult media landscape.

Swiss-based Fondation Hirondelle, long associated with media development projects in Africa, has developed a news and information radio service in Mali – Studio Tamani – that provides programming to radio stations in the URTEL network. Financial support comes from the European Union through peacebuilding NGO Interpeace, also based in Switzerland. (See Fondation Hirondelle presser here – in French) Managing the Studio Tamani project in Mali, training for local journalists and technicians, is former Swiss-French public radio chief Gérard Tschopp. The first programs were heard in mid-August on 24 partner radio stations. (See more on media in Africa here)

Another partner is Fondation Passerelle, set up by Malian singer Rokia Traoré, which has contributed special production music. (JMH)

Digital plan from digital man, radio plan from radio man
Last chance?

There’s a spotty record for the youth-oriented radio channels from European public broadcasters. And most have one. Some are hugely successful, many modestly so. The rest either never gained traction or succumbed to the advantages of private commercial stations.

French public radio channel Le Mouv’ has just about hit bottom. Audience estimates are so low Médiamétrie can’t find them. Still, Radio France president Jean-Luc Hees has hope. “Le Mouv’ is the most beautiful project of Radio France,” he said in May, “but it remains unproven.” After the last Médiamétrie audience figures were released he said the channel needed to be “resuscitated.”

Hired to direct Le Mouv’ is Joel Ronez, for two years head of new media at Radio France. And his background is definitely digital but not necessarily radio. The mission, said M Hees, is to create a “total digital radio.” Of course, this will be within the general remit; it’s a rock music channel targeting 18 to 30 year olds. And it has a huge French music content quota. “This is clearly a new challenge,” he said to Les Echos (September 10), “but we can afford to take risks.”

Others in the French radio scene have offered suggestions for Le Mouv’. Oui FM owner Arthur suggested that Le Mouv’ could broadcast Oui FM, a Paris-based station that could certainly benefit from national FM coverage. “Oui FM has twice the audience of Le Mouv’ with six times fewer FM frequencies,” he told Les Echos (September 5). “We are the only rock radio station in France.” Arthur has appealed to media regulator CSA for a joint venture with Radio France “to save Le Mouv’” (JMH)

Broadcaster allowed to re-brand
Name tricks?

Branding and re-branding are established journeys for media operators. Radio broadcasters, particularly in the private sector, immerse themselves in a constant search for new marketing tricks to entice listeners and advertisers. But, as all have hopefully learned, branding is more than finding a new name.

Austria’s Antenne Wien could be changing its name to oe24. The adult contemporary station operates in Vienna and the Tyrol and is owned by the Fellner family, newspaper and web news portal publisher. The name change to oe24 has been rumored for several months, anticipating common branding with the news portal. The Austrian Media Authority recently said it has no objection, reported der Standard (September 5).

In the fifteen years since privately owned radio has been allowed, several operators have pushed their brands against the formidable power of Austria’s public broadcaster ORF. Until recently, it’s seemed like pushing a boulder through the Alps. The first half 2013 radio audience estimates, released in July, showed the first signs of cracks in ORF’s branding armor. (See Austria – Radio Broadcasters – in Resources here)

ORF brands almost all of its radio channels the same: Ö1, Ö2 and Ö3, using the German letter with umlaut as in “Österreich” (Austria). Anglicized, which is necessary for website names, it becomes “oe”.

Good luck to all. (JMH)

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