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ftm Radio Page - February 25, 2011

Bad Rules Come From Bad Habits
corruption Legal process can be arduous when claims cross borders. Broadcasters and publishers continue to struggle against governments intent on imposing control and political favoritism. International venues established by treaties often afford claimants a neutral hearing.

 

 

New partner tipped for national channel
courage and mindset

Denmark will likely get a new national radio channel sometime this year. So far, all but one bidder dropped out of the running, citing restrictions imposed by the Culture Ministry. The last bidder standing seems to be publisher Berlingske Media.

CEO Lisbeth Knudsen has found a partner in the radio channel venture, and perhaps more, is PeopleGroup, said the company in a statement (February 23), reported by Politiken. PeopleGroup is a Danish marketing and communications agency.

“Berlingske Media and PeopleGroup complement each other in a very fine way and we share the courage and the mindset to explore new avenues,” said the statement. Together we are a creative powerhouse and it is an exciting new alliance in the Danish media landscape.”

Deadline for bids to operate FM4, a national channel taken away from public broadcaster DR, is February 28th. (JMH)

Web radio popular among web users
Not going to the phones

As broadband internet becomes universally available it’s logical that interest in web radio would rise with it. Web radio development has, though, varied widely country to country. A study of German internet users by TNS Infratest shows about one-third of internet users are tuning into radio channels via the web.

But it’s the well-known radio brands available on FM, cable or satellite that attract virtually all (80%) the web radio listening, says the TNS study released this week (February 22). Only 10% of the internet users choose web-only radio channels. Of internet users 14 to 59 years 32% regularly listen to radio via the web, mostly through PCs and laptops. Younger internet users are, of course, more active, 45% of 14 to 29 year olds using web radio.

Very few German internet users, said the TNS Infratest release, are listening to radio channels via the mobile phone.

The study was conducted between October and December 2010. (JMH)

DAB launch date set
One more time

August 1st is the date now set for the launch (re-launch) of digital radio in Germany on the DAB platform. Actually, the chips have been upgraded to DAB+. Ten national private sector radio channels will begin operating just a month before the all-important IFA consumer electronics show.

Digital radio support group Digitalradio Deutschland completed negotiations last year with private broadcasters, public broadcasters and infrastructure provider Media Broadcast to the satisfaction of all. The new private channels will be unique to the DAB+ platform, thought essential for new receiver sales. Germany’s private sector broadcasters withdrew from all DAB discussions two years ago, disagreeing with just about everything. (See more on digital radio here)

National public channels Deutschlandfunk und Deutschlandradio Kultur will, presumably, be added to the bouquet soon enough. (JMH)

National broadcasters form new support group
“beneficial for all”

Three major Czech Republic broadcasters have formed a new association to “coordinate the transition to digital radio.” Founders include Lagardere Active CR (Frekvence 1, Evropa 2, Radio Bonton, Dance Radio), Londa (Radio Impuls, Rock Zone) and Czech public radio Cesky Rozhlas. The new Association of Broadcasting Organizations (Asociaci rozhlasovych organizaci – ARO) will also lobby for self-regulation and measurement changes, said public statements of principals (February 17).

”I think there is another unique opportunity for cooperation between public service radio and commercial stations,” said Czech Radio interim director Peter Duhan, quoted in Digizone.cz (February 18) “Closer mutual communication will certainly be beneficial for all involved.”

“The new association has the ambition to be an important platform for nationwide radio stations for cooperation and coordination of their interests,” added Lagardere Active CR CEO Michel Fleischmann.

Discussions about forming a support group specifically for national radio broadcasters began in December after Czech public radio announced its digital radio plans. Two years ago several regional and local broadcasters split from commercial radio industry association APSV (Asociace provozovatelu soukromeho vysilani) largely over internal voting rules forming their own association (Národní rozhlasovou asociac – NRA). APSV, orientated generally toward ad sales support, has survived while NRA seems to have faded. (JMH)

Tax break for radio proposed
There’s a catch

Members of Ukraine’s Parliament proposed (February 18) an amendment to a tax bill giving a huge tax break to radio station operators. A five year tax exemption could be available to broadcasters offering 100% Ukrainian language speech and 80% Ukrainian music. Broadcasters were not amused.

Under current Ukrainian law all broadcasters must comply with a 50% Ukrainian content rule, stiffer than any Eastern European country with one exception: Belarus, of course. Culture police are steadfast in efforts to defy the laws of the market.

“Name, please, one industry in Ukraine that is required to sell 50% products made in Ukraine,” said Taurus Media head of radio Igor Chernyshov to Telekritika (February 19). “It’s like going into a restaurant and ordering a salad and being told you must eat a pound of bacon because that supports Ukrainian producers. Is that normal?” (JMH)

State agency takes over radio news
Still “fair and balanced”

Hungarian State news agency MTI has officially taken over (February 14) news production of all Hungarian public radio channels and related websites. The consolidation, which eventually will include Hungarian public television, was announced last year as part of a series of new media laws. A not-for-profit State funded agency was formed to centralize news programming at MR1-Radio Kossuth, MR2-Radio Petofi, MR3-Bartok Radio and others managed by MTI.

Radio news production will be relocated to the public TV MTV facility in September, said MTI CEO Belénessy Csaba. Public radio and television employees staged protests when consolidation plans were announced last year, which included significant downsizing. For now, individual employment contracts remain with each channel.

Announcement of the consolidation comes as details emerge of an agreement between the European Commission (EC) and the Hungarian government on controversial provisions in the Media Act passed last December. Changes demanded by the EC mostly concern online media. Dropped is a requirement that online news media pre-register with the newly formed media council before commencing publication. Instead websites have 60 days to register. Also dropped was a provision that online media and newspapers provide “fair and balanced” news coverage, a requirement maintained for Hungarian broadcasters. (See more on media in Hungary here)

The Media Act included a schedule of hefty fines for violations, which would include media outlets from other EU Member States. The EC saw that as a violation of the country of origin principle and it was dropped. EC Vice President Neelie Kroes said she is “very pleased.” A Hungarian government spokesperson characterized the negotiated changes as “clarifying ambiguity,” reported Vilagguzdasag (February 17). The Hungarian Parliament has two weeks to amend the Media Act. (JMH)

Radio Page - February 11, 2011

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Radio Page - January 7, 2011

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