ftm Radio Page - January 17, 2014

Anxious Audience Goes For Talk, Sometimes Music
National audience estimates, particularly those measuring most every person breathing, serve an important purpose. They focus the attention of owners, operators, media watchers and, sometimes, the public at large on broad strokes; winners and losers. Only media buyers tangle themselves in detail. And everybody knows the next ratings period is more important than the last.

“Adversity” claims radio station
Bankruptcy trustee claims license

Music First Network, owner of Zürich local radio station Radio 105, entered bankruptcy this week, effectively closing the station and throwing broadcasters in the Swiss-German speaking part of Switzerland into a bit of turmoil. Radio 105 had been a cable-only channel for many years, riding out the storms of competition to be awarded an FM license in 2011. But a sales-house deal with Radio Energy collapsed at the end of 2012 followed by investor exit.

The company cited “considerable market resistance” and a “difficult market situation” in a posting to the station’s website. “Adversity finally made a successful continuation impossible.”

Swiss law on these matters is rather blunt. Once declared, the bankrupt party loses all control of the business and assets. A court appointed bankruptcy trustee takes over. The filing took place Tuesday (January 14) and a loop of endless music appeared on the FM frequency.

The Radio 105 broadcasting concession and associated FM frequency authorizations are now under the control of the bankruptcy trustee. Proposals to transfer the concession, assuming agreement of all parties, first goes to BAKOM, a federal agency, which decides whether or not to submit something to the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communication. “In the case of Radio 105, BAKOM supports a sustainable solution,” said regulator spokesperson Deborah Murith, quoted by Klein Report (January 15).

Several Swiss-German region broadcasters beat a path to the offices of media regulator BAKOM, each with their own solution. Radio 1 owner Roger Schawinski proposed taking over the Radio 105 FM frequencies, broadcasting from the Radio 1 facility and holding onto some of the 20 now unemployed staff members. Indeed, the music loop broadcast on the Radio 105 frequencies, plus a brief explanation of the current situation, originated from the Radio 1 studios, which amused Swiss media watchers but not the bankruptcy trustee who ordered it halted. Mr. Schawinski began his radio career operating a pirate station before private radio was legalized.

Cross border radio cooperation
from traffic reports to orchestras

Public radio broadcasters in Germany and the Czech Republic are to begin a new working agreement that will include exchanging editorial content. Initially MDR 1 Sachsen and CRo Sever will jointly produce cross border traffic reports but also share “information of programming, technical and legal matters,” said the joint statement (January 9). Editors from both organizations will meet to explore further cooperation that could include orchestras and choirs.

MDR1 Radio Sachsen is the main general interest radio channel of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR – Central German Broadcasting) serving the German Länder Saxony. CRo Sever is the regional Czech public radio channel in the Liberec and Usti regions that border Saxony. “Europe growing together is an important part of the public broadcasting mission,” said MDR managing director Karola Wille.

The agreement is “possible inspiration in the future” for more cooperation, “particularly for news and current affairs stations MDR-Info and CRo Plus,” said CRo director general Peter Duhan.

Public broadcasters in different countries have long cooperated on various ad-hoc projects, often with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU as intermediary. Direct and ongoing joint efforts are increasingly discussed between neighboring public broadcasters. Last year a similar cooperative agreement was signed between MDR and Polish public radio. (JMH)

Radio Page week ending January 10, 2014
radio in France, public radio, Le Mouv', radio in Poland, Radio Trojka

Radio Page week ending January 3, 2014
radio in Italy, RCS MediaGroup, Finelco, radio in Spain, Radio Marca

Radio Page week ending December 20, 2013
radio in the UK, radio in Switzerland, digital radio, DAB, DAB+, BAKOM, Frontier Silicon, Euro-chip, EBU

Radio Page week ending December 13, 2013
radio in Spain, news radio, RNE, Radio 5

Radio Page week ending December 6, 2013
radio in Poland, Eska Rock, VOX FM, Time Radio Group, disco, radio in the UK, BBC Radio 1, Official Chart Show, Karrang, OFCOM

Radio Page week ending November 29, 2013
radio in France, digital radio, CSA, Médiamétrie, Paris audience, Radio Latina, Europe 1, talk radio, radio in the Czech Republic, Radio Impuls, radio in Italy, Radio Number One

Radio Page week ending November 22, 2013
radio in France, Médiamétrie, NRJ, RTL, Europe 1, Skyrock, radio in Russia, Sochi Winter Olympics, radio in Germany, WDR, Valerie Weber, Antenne Bayern

Radio Page week ending November 15, 2013
radio in Ukraine, United Media Holding, radio advertising, radio in the UK, digital radio, EBU, radio sports

Radio Page week ending November 8, 2013
radio in Africa, international broadcasting, Radio France International, Citi FM, African Story Challenge

Radio Page week ending November 1, 2013
radio in Africa, Radio Shabelle, radio in Sweden, Radio 1, MTG

Radio Page week ending October 25, 2013
radio in Germany, media policy, VPRT, RadioDNS, radio in Switzerland, DETEC, Radio Argovia, radio in the UK, RAJAR, BBC Radio 1, radio audience, commercial radio, KISS, Absolute Radio, LBC

Radio Page week ending October 18, 2013
radio in Finland, radio advertising, RadioMedia, radio in France, Médiamétrie, digital devices, mobile phones

Radio Page week ending October 11, 2013
radio in Switzerland, music quotas, radio in Sweden, Retro FM, radio news

Radio Page week ending October 4, 2013
radio in Greece, ERT, public radio, First Program, radio in France, Médiamétrie, radio audience, radio in Poland, Polskie Radio, digital radio

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (January 2014)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Switzerland - Radio listening by region (January 2014)
  public and private sectors, penetration, time spent listening
• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (January 2014)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (January 2014)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (January 2014)
  share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (14/01/2014)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Bulgaria - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (12/12/2013)
  public and private radio channels, management, platforms, market share
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (26/11/2013)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (24/10/2013)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (24/10/2013)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (24/10/2013)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• France - National Radio Summer Audience (03/10/2013)
  national channels, summer period 2008-2013 trend
• Austria - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (09/09/2013)
  public and private broadcasters, owners, management, audience trend
• Belgium - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (French region) (28/08/2013)
  Wallonia region, radio broadcasters, public, private, owners, platforms, audience trend
• Belgium - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (Flemish region) (28/08/2013)
  Flemish region, radio broadcasters, public, private, owners, platforms, audience trend
• Turkey - Major Media - Radio broadcasting (15/08/2013)
  ownership, management, program formats, platforms

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