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ftm Radio Page - week ending January 15, 2021

New Consumer Habits, Direction Unknown
where am I? It has been a year of enduring misfortune for much of the media world. As consumers changed habits new ones emerged. Some traditional media has been cast away. There was little time to prepare. Radio broadcasting has been stunned by dwindling audiences. The great unknowns - will listeners return - is often imponderable.

Show hosts warned about conspiracy theories, some suspended
hush, you'll scare the media buyers

Much of the media chatter since far-right mobs last week trampled the US Capital building migrated to social media and other tech providers seeking distance from the rabble. Twitter, Facebook and others blocked, suspended or flagged the most fuming. Self preservation being the overwhelming motivation of these days, other more traditional media - with a notable exception - have sought to lower the rhetorical temperature.

“There will be no dog whistles about ‘stolen elections,’ ‘civil wars’ or any other language that infers violent public disobedience is warranted, ever,” wrote Cumulus Media VP/Content Brian in an email to staff, quoted by US radio trade portal Inside Music Media (January 6). “Please inform your staffs that we have ZERO TOLERANCE for any suggestion otherwise.” Cumulus Media operates about 400 US radio stations and owns syndicator Westwood One, which offers several right-wing radio shows. (See more about hate speech here)

Right away, a talkshow host at the Cumulus-owned station in Fresno, California was suspended for telling his audience “certain news editor should be hanged.” The suspension - and a forlorn apology - arrived as a Fresno City Council member pushed to terminate city ad contracts with the company. Predicably, the US right-wing radio fold, which numbers about 1,500 stations, moaned about the “hidden hand” of broadcast station owners choosing to “mollify advertisers that are concerned about being associated with programs that could be inciting listeners to violence,” wrote talk radio trade sheet Talkers (January 11).

Symbolism is important to successful outreach
records were always round

Public broadcasters of a certain scale constantly entertain measures of organizational improvement. This is due, normally, to a mix of internal and external forces. The swell of populism has brought in greater sensitivity to perceptions of elitism.

The Paris headquarters of Radio France will be renamed Maison de la radio et de la musique (House of Radio and Music), the last bit just added, said president Sibyle Veil to Le Journal du Dimanche (January 10). In Paris it’s known as La maison ronde, the Round House, because it is indeed round. It is something of a landmark. Parisians are unlikely to call it anything else in polite company.

The renaming comes as Radio France undertakes an expansive diversity program, Egalité 360, meant to give the institution a more inclusive feel, to “resemble more” French society. Greater outreach in employment recruiting is the major talking point, outlined in a statement (January 11). “Human resources ambassadors” are being sent to all parts of France in search of new voices and faces. With agreement of the unions about 8% of the Radio France headcount, about 340 persons, will depart voluntarily by 2022. About half will be replaced with digital specialists. (See more about media in France here)

The admirable initiative means to tackle gender inequality issues and improve opportunities for persons with disabilities and attract younger colleagues. More specific to the broadcasting role, there will be outreach into “working-class neighborhoods” with regional network France Bleu and youth channel ‘Mouv.

As for the Round House renaming, it is a deeper step into cultural matters, always expected of public broadcasters. “It is a strong symbolic act after a year in which, more than ever, we have supported the cultural and musical sector,” said Mme Veil. “It is finally an act of commitment: we are doing it at a time when we have many new musical projects, for example a big music festival at Radio France.” That, of course, would be presented virtually.

Competition concerns block media transaction, elections in sight
protection, always

Poland’s competition authority has blocked media house Agora SA from acquiring radio broadcaster Eurozet. The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) (January 7) said the transaction would unfairly disadvantage local broadcasters in certain regions. “The damage to the market and competition would be extremely serious,” said UOKiK president Tomasz Chrostny, quoted by media news portal wirtualnemedia.pl (January 7).

Two years ago Agora SA acquired a 40% stake in Eurozet, as French media house Lagardère Active exited Eastern European assets. SFS Ventures, a Czech company, took the remaining 60%. In October 2019 Agora SA filed to acquire that 60% stake. Thus, it was on to the UOKiK.

As such, a comprehensive market study was conducted. “The activity of both capital groups overlaps mainly in the field of radio broadcasting, selling advertising and brokerage in selling advertising time on the radio,” it said. In denying the transaction, it said, “Agora’s competitors would be protected.”

The move by the competition regulator come just weeks after German publisher Verlagsgruppe Passau sold its Polska Press newspaper assets to state-owned oil refiner and gas (petrol) station chain PKN Orlen. That transaction was cheered by supporters of right-wing nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party as a step toward “repolanization,” removing foreign owners from the Polish media landscape. Other observers were horrified that the government remains intent on following the lead of Hungary’s right-wing xenophobic government, which has ruthlessly consolidated media outlets under compliant ownership. (See more about media in Poland here)

Agora SA plans to appeal. “The company substantively disagrees with the decision of the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection,” said a statement, quoted by Reuters (January 7). The Agora SA management board called the decision an "unparalleled breach of the rule of impartiality and objectivity of UOKiK” and the company would “take all actions provided for by law in this matter.”

Publicly-traded Agora SA publishes daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, often critical of the right-wing positions of the PiS party. It also operates news/talk channel TOK FM, Radio Zlote Przeboje and Radio Padoga. Eurozet operates Radio Zet, Radio Plus, Antyradio, Meloradio and Chillizet. Local media watchers observe that Agora SA and Eurozet (SFS Ventures) could, in fact, simply continue the current ownership structure “for several years, until the government changes.” Parliamentary elections will be held in late 2023.

Radio Page week ending January 8, 2021
Media And The Virus, coronavirus, radio broadcasting, radio audience, local radio, digital radio, FM

Radio Page week ending December 11, 2020
radio in Hungary, radio license, Spirit FM, Klubradio, NMHH, radio in Afghanistan, Merman Radio, Reporters sans Frontieres, 2020 Press Freedom Awards, audio news, mobile media, advertising

Radio Page week ending December 4, 2020
radio in the Czech Republic, Radio Hana, fairytales, radio in Belgium, radio audience, coronavirus, digital radio, FM radio

Radio Page week ending November 27, 2020
radio in France, radio audience, radio in Paris, France Inter, RTL, France Info, Skyrock, France Culture, radio in Germany, media support, Neustart Kultur, radio in Hamburg, coronavirus, radio technology, radio and automobiles, Radioplayer

Radio Page week ending November 20, 2020
radio in France, Médiamétrie, radio audience, France Inter, RTL, NRJ, France Info, RMC, Radio France, radio advertising, environment

Radio Page week ending November 13, 2020
radio in Switzerland, DAB, digital radio, media support, digital transition, coronavirus, radio in Greece, radio license, pirate radio, sports radio, ESR

Radio Page week ending November 6, 2020
radio in Portugal, radio audience, Bareme Radio Marktest, coronavirus, RTP, Radio Comercial, RFM, radio in Hungary, Klubradio, radio license, online radio, NMHH

Radio Page week ending October 30, 2020
radio audience, streaming audio, Spotify, radio in Bulgaria, Bulgarian National Radio, Council of Electronic Media, public radio

Radio Page week ending October 23, 2020
radio in Poland, Polskie Radio, Radio Trojka

Radio Page week ending October 16, 2020
radio in France, Radio France, podcasts, Deezer, radio in Brazil, online radio, social media, Kantar

Radio Page week ending October 9, 2020
radio in Poland, online radio, start-up, business model, crowdfunding, Radio Nowy Swait, Radio 357, radio in Denmark, Radio Loud, Berlingske Media

Radio Page week ending October 2, 2020
radio in Denmark, DR, P6 Beat, P8 Jazz, Ministry of Culture, radio in Norway, Christmas Radio, Juleradioen

Radio Page week ending September 25, 2020
radio in Ukraine, Crimea, jamming, radio in Hungary, Civil Radio, Inforadio, NMHH, radio licenses

Radio Page week ending September 18, 2020
radio in Switzerland, Swiss Music Day, SSR-SRG, coronavirus, radio in Germany, cultural media, public broadcasting, Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenberg, rbbKulturradio

Radio Page week ending September 11, 2020
radio in Italy, sports and media, Radio Kiss Kiss Italia, radio in Hungary, digital radio, NMHH

Radio Page week ending September 4, 2020
automobiles and radio, digital radio, automobile dashboard, radio in Germany, online radio, digital radio, podcasts, podcasting, coronavirus, radio in Hungary, radio in Budapest, radio frequency, Music FM, NMHH

Radio Page week ending August 28, 2020
radio in Poland, Polskie Radio, Trojka, radio in France, radio audience, radio advertising, coronavirus

Radio Page week ending August 7, 2020
radio in the UK, radio audience, RAJAR, coronavirus

Radio Page week ending July 31, 2020
radio in the UK, radio audience, RAJAR, radio in France, digital radio

Radio Page week ending July 24, 2020
radio in Hungary, Best Radio, Radio 1, KESMA

Radio Page week ending July 17, 2020
radio in Switzerland, Mediapulse, public broadcasting, SSR-SRG, LFM, Radio Ticino, radio in Poland, radio audience, Radio Track, RMF FM, Radio Zet, Polskie Radio, TOK FM

Radio Page week ending July 10, 2020
radio in the UK, Ofcom, licensing extensions, DAB multiplex, analogue radio, radio in Germany, radio in Bavaria, BLM, local radio, radio audience

Radio Page week ending July 3, 2020
radio in Sweden, public broadcasting, Sveriges Radio, P1, radio audience, radio in Norway, Bauer Media, media support, radio in the UK, Times Radio, News UK, brand extensions

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