ftm Radio Page - September 25, 2015
Brace yourselves; music streaming services are pitching radio advertisers
lots of data, of course
Music streaming platforms are, despite protestations to the contrary, a concern to radio broadcasters. They’re cool. They’re what’s happening. They’re on mobile phones. They’re popular with young people. And now, they’re coming after advertising.
To amplify their status with the advertising people, music streaming service Spotify released this week a pitch piece - The New Audio - backed up with a TNS survey of listeners in ten European countries: the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Spain, Italy and Turkey. The point is to show Spotify competitive with radio stations in reach. And, too, music streaming listeners are “more active,” always important to media buyers. TNS surveyed online about two thousand people 15 to 64 years in each country comparing the ad-supported Spotify Free service to commercial radio stations. (See more about online advertising here)
Among the known knowns, Spotify is attractive to young people. In Germany, for example, Spotify Free users are 8.5 years younger than radio listeners. Spotify Free’s weekly reach among 18 to 34 year olds in France is 15%. Two-thirds of 15 to 24 year olds in Turkey are “aware” of the Spotify brand.
And Spotify Free is a competitor. If it were a radio station in Italy Spotify Free would be number 3 in weekly reach among 15 to 34 year olds, after RTL 102.5 and Radio Deejay. It would also be number 3 in Spain, same age group, after Los 40 Principales and Europa FM. Among 15 to 64 year olds in Norway it’s number 3 after P4 and Radio Norge and number 4 in Sweden after Mix Megapol, Riks FM and NRJ. The rankings are generally limited to commercial radio as many public broadcast channels offer significant speech content, not something that generally attracts Spotify listeners.
In Germany Spotify Free has the greatest weekly reach among other streaming services (8.8%, iTunes 7.2%). Weekly reach in Spain also leads iTunes, 27.7% vs 11.6%. In the UK iTunes leads Spotify Free, 16.5% vs 14.4%. In each country Spotify Free listening is greatest at night, commercial radio having the greatest reach during the morning hours.
Broadcasters seek hiatus as digital transition loses clarity
“completely cuckoo”
When responsible authorities in Sweden, Norway and Denmark declared over the last two or three years the inevitable end of FM radio broadcasting in favor of the DAB+ digital radio platform private sector broadcasters accepted, more or less, epistemic certainty if not closure. At the very least, with imposed deadlines decisions could be made. Public broadcasters were gleeful, owners as they are of DAB multiplexes.
In the ensuing months much has changed other than the passage of time. From small town mayors and automobile dealers to, imagine, voters shutting down FM radio broadcasting now carries a bit of a risk for the authorities. In Sweden there is a deadline, October 1st, for major private sector broadcasters to begin DAB+ transmission, though many have already taken the leap. In June Green Party MP and Culture Minister Alice Bah Kuhnke effectively drew digital radio transition to a halt as “associated with excessive confusion.” (See more about digital radio here)
The six major Swedish private sector radio broadcasters, including MTG and Bauer Media, formally requested from the Swedish Broadcasting Authority (MRTV) a postponement until July next year. “The prerequisites to transmit digital commercial radio has changed and there is need for greater clarity on the future conditions for a potential overall transition to digital broadcasting,” said the letter, quoted by radionytt.se (September 21). Obviously, radio broadcasters are not excited about enduring the expense of two transmission platforms. (See more about media in Sweden here)
“Ultimately, it was a political decision by the Culture Ministry in a weak government with easier decisions to make,” said the exasperated Swedish public radio (SR) director general Cilla Benkö at the Swedish Radio Day (September 19). "The Green Party had a Congress which took the decision that SR should not leave the FM band. They did not say that we must not move to DAB+. To broadcast on two platforms of all time is completely cuckoo and economically indefensible.”
Radio Page week ending September 18, 2015
radio in the Czech Republic, RRTV, jamesdean.fm, digital radio, radio in Italy, Gruppo Finelco, Mediaset, RCS MediaGroup, radio in France, Médiamétrie, radio audience, summer audience
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
Recently added radio audience figures and resources
- Finland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (September 2015)
public and private radio channels, management, market share, platforms - 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
Also see ftm Knowledge
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The Six Radio Brands is about the uniquely European development of radio brands. Competition among broadcasters - and certainly between the public and commercial sectors - gives radio in Europe a rich dynamic. As consumers become more media-literate and demand more attachment broadcasters find target markets illusive. 100 pages. 2004 Available at no charge to ftm Members, €49 for others. Email for more information |