ftm Radio Page - September 18, 2015

Summer heatwave benefits news stations
checking that beach forecast, tunes not so much

It was a long, hot summer. French holiday makers tuned in to their favorite radio channels more than ever… at least the last decade. Research institute Médiamétrie indicated 41.5 million French people, 77.9% of the population, listened on average 2 hours and 50 minutes a day during July and August. A change in methodology, definitions of vacationers and second homes, caution comparisons with previous summer radio audience estimates, say their statisticians.

Be that as it may, some national radio channels benefitted from increased listener activity. RTL led, as usual, with 11.3% audience share (Monday-Friday, 5h00-midnight, persons 13+). Indeed, most all news and news-talk channels were in the top ranks: public channel France Inter 8.7%, regional public network France Bleu 7.5% and Europe 1 6.9%. Excusing comparisons with previous summer surveys, RMC took a hit, dropping to 5.3% audience share and 6th place. Public all-news channel France Info ranked 13th. (See French national radio summer audience trend chart here in Resources)

Iconic hit music channel NRJ placed 5th in the summertime national audience estimates, 6.3% audience share, perhaps affected negatively by the methodology changes. Oldies channel Nostalgie ranked 7th, Fun Radio 8th, RTL2 and RFM tied for 9th. Skyrock was next.

Broadcasting realignment, largely stress related
loan me a dime

Suffering legacy Italian radio broadcaster Gruppo Finelco will have a respite, however brief, from bankers demanding money. Earlier this week RCS Media Group sold its “non-core asset” 44.45% stake in the radio broadcaster to the founding Hazan family exercising right of first refusal through a Portuguese holding company for €21 million. Within hours Mediaset announced it had snapped up 50% of non-voting and 19% voting shares in Gruppo Finelco. Mediaset, principally controlled by the Berlusconi family, made a financial contribution of €19 million, reported Corriere Della Sera (September 16).

Mediaset’s statement referred to the arrangement as a partnership with the Hazan family “with the aim of giving further development to its activities.” The investment “fits into a new line of investment focused on radio broadcasting.” The Berlusconi family recently shifted a majority stake in Monradio subsidiary of family owned publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore to Mediaset. Monradio operates radio channel R101. The Monradio/R101 acquisition was loan financed sufficient to pay for the Finelco deal. (See more about media in Italy here)

The Hazan family, with the aid of Mediaset, will be renegotiating Finelco’s bank debt estimated at €34 million. Much of Italy’s private sector radio broadcasting business has been in torment over unpredictable ad revenues and even more unpredictable radio listeners.

New digital channel nostalgic for James Dean
no ads or voices

Digital platforms have unlocked opportunities for radio broadcasters to try new ideas. Traditional FM distribution, licenses being limited, is less and less a gatekeeper. Selling listeners on digital platforms succeeds, it seems, when multiplex operators offer channels different from those accessible on analogue platforms. A memorable name, the marketing basic, helps.

Czech Republic media regulator Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting (RRTV) has authorized a nationwide digital license for jamesdean.fm, currently an online radio channel. The station is operated by the James Dean Company, proprietor of the Prague bar of the same name. The current webstream of jamesdean.fm offers non-stop music, largely from the 1950’s and 1960’s, with no ads and no voices. (See more about media in the Czech Republic here)

This month 60 years ago film legend James Dean died in an automobile accident. Everything and anything related the James Dean name and image worldwide is controlled by CGM Management, a US licensing company. The apparent licensee of the Czech digital radio channel, Kristina Nesvadbová, previously attempted to develop a theme park, Krtkoland, based on the Krtko cartoon character but trademark owners prevented the project from going forward, according to digizone.cz (September 11).

The James Dean bar in Prague’s Old Town is a thematic American-style diner with jukeboxes, pictures and even old cars.

Radio Page week ending September 11, 2015
digital radio, IBC, DAB+, mobile media, radio in the Netherlands

Radio Page week ending September 4, 2015
radio in the Netherlands, commercial licenses, digital radio, DAB+

Radio Page week ending August 7, 2015
radio in the UK, radio audience, digital radio, RAJAR, BBC, Radio 2, Radio 1, Radio 4 Extra, commercial radio, Heart, Smooth, Magic, Kiss, Absolute Radio, radio in Ireland, JNLR, Today FM, 2FM, Sunshine 106.8, radio in the Czech Republic, DAB, radio in Serbia, international broadcasting, International Radio Serbia

Radio Page week ending July 31, 2015
radio in Italy, RAI, digital radio, Radio6Teca, Radio7Live, Radio8Opera

Radio Page week ending July 24, 2015
radio in Germany, MA radio 2015/II, audience measurement, Antenne Bayern, NRW, FFN, Radio Hamburg, Radio Regenbogen, radio in France, Mediametrie, Radio France, France Inter, RTL, Nostalgie, Radio Latina, Voltage, radio in Russia, digital radio, DAB+, RTRS

Radio Page week ending July 17, 2015
radio in Spain, EGM, show hosts, Kiss FM, Cadena SER, RNE, ITU, audio quality, Neil Young, radio in Serbia, B92, radio news, radio in France, Mediametrie, audience measurement, Radio France, France Inter, RTL, Nostalgie

Radio Page week ending July 10, 2015
radio in Latvia, NEPLP, media regulator, Latvijas Radio, Radio Skonto, radio in Poland, KRRiT, Radio Hobby, Radio Sputnik, radio in Spain, RNE, COPE, Onda Cero. Cadena SER, audience measurement

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

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• France - National Radio Summer Audience (September 2015)
  national channels, summer period 2010-2015 trend
• Ireland - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• Ireland - Dublin Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (July 2015)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Germany - Radio Audience (July 2015)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• 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

More Resources

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