ftm Radio Page - February 27, 2015

A Pinch Here And A Pinch There
It is a sign of the times that broadcasters, when faced with a restless audience and restive advertisers, struggle for balance. "Build an audience and the money will follow" rings hollow in the digital era, automated media buying only one challenge. Big media brands are at greatest risk because when money is scarce doing "more with less" pinches. And the audience notices, of course.

All about the base, er, coverage
tunnels and vision

Supporters of DAB digital radio platform have lobbied long and hard for coverage competitive with FM distribution. Multiplexes offering digital radio - DAB in some countries, DAB+ in others and something altogether different in France - have sprung to life with a variety of radio channels, often changing. And, so, folks have been buying those digital radio receivers, more often for the kitchen, less often for the automobile.

DAB+ receiver sales in Switzerland hit 382 thousand in 2014 bringing the country's total digital radio receiver supply to 1.9 million, reported Zürich-based digital broadcast development consultancy MCDT (February 26), 250 thousand of which are in automobiles. DAB+ signals now cover 99% of the Swiss population, "the world's highest coverage, except for Denmark and the Netherlands." In the Swiss-German speaking region listeners can find about 60 DAB+ radio channels.

"Compared to FM and internet radio, DAB+ is democratic, economical and environmentally friendly," said MCDT, which has strong ties to Swiss public broadcaster SSR-SRG, a major financial supporter of DAB/DAB+ development. Swiss media regulator BAKOM recently indicated transition from FM to DAB+ platforms will take place around 2024. (See more about digital radio here)

Moving more quickly to digital radio transition are the Norwegians, all but local radio stations to vacate the FM band in 2017. The coverage requirements set out by broadcast and telecom regulator NKOM have been achieved. "If the other criteria are met, Norway is ready to turn off the FM band, as I see it," said executive director Torstein Olsen, quoted by Telemarksavisa (February 17). "The vast majority now have access to digital radio and it's time to also introduce modern technology for this media as wee did for TV in 2009."

The big sticking point remaining in Norway is, understandably, automobile access. Existing digital multiplexes are focused on urban areas highways, particularly highway tunnels, are dead-DAB spots. "Of course, we had hoped that the development went faster here," said Digital Radio Norge managing director Ole Jørgen Torvmark. "The State highways (department) said the tunnels, which currently have FM (repeaters), will be DAB-ready by 2017."

Young people aren't like old people
what to do?

German audience research institute ag.ma released this week top line data on radio listening for the second half 2014. After a week's pause, the details will follow. Until then German broadcasters and certainly media buyers will feast on a significantly leaner market. Radio's daily reach fell by about a million listeners.

Among listeners most coveted by media buyers - 14 to 49 year olds - time spent listening Monday through Friday dropped by 11 minutes compared with the previous survey. Those under 29 years spent 15 minutes less with radio stations, 2 hours 6 minutes, compared with 30 to 50 year olds listening 3 hours 42 minutes. It's a pattern seen across Europe. (See more about radio audience here)

Young people typically resist just about every life pattern established by, well, older people. Forging their own way is, therefore, their way. None of this is new. Plato complained about it once upon a time.

Following the Radio MA 2015 I audience estimates detail by a week will be a new survey of internet listening, presumably where young people will be found.

Radio Page week ending February 20, 2015
radio in the Czech Republic, public radio, CRo Plus, FM distribution, radio in Crimea, radio in Russia, radio in Ukraine, Gazprom Media

Radio Page week ending February 13, 2015
World Radio Day, ITU, AER, Internews, VPRT, radio in the UK, radio audience, digital radio, RAJAR, BBC, Radio 2, Radio 1, 6Music, commercial radio, Heart

Radio Page week ending February 6, 2015
podcasts, Serial, WBEZ, theater of the mind, radio in Switzerland, audience measurement, digital radio, MediaPulse, SSR-SRG, SFR, RTR, Rete, Radio 3i, Radio Swiss Pop, Radio in France, Radio France, Le Mouv', FIP

Radio Page week ending January 30, 2015
radio in Switzerland, FM shut-off, digital radio, DAB, BAKOM, radio in Ukraine, Super Radio, Radio Friday, Retro FM, Gala Radio

Radio Page week ending January 23, 2015
radio in Greece, radio licenses, VFM, Best FM, Flash 96, radio in France, radio in Paris, Médiamétrie, radio audience, Europe 1, RTL, Radio France, FIP

Radio Page week ending January 16, 2015
radio in France, Médiamétrie, radio audience, Europe 1, RTL, Radio France, France Inter, France Culture, NRJ, Nostalgie, Skyrock, Alouette, radio in Denmark, DR

Radio Page week ending January 9, 2015
radio in Russia, Ekho Moskvy, Gazprom Media, Mikhail Lesin, radio in the Netherlands, Radio Veronica, concession fees

Radio Page week ending January 2, 2015
radio in Turkey, radio audience, URYAD, Kral FM, TRT FM, Power Turk, RTUK

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• Germany - Radio Audience (March 2015)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• Italy - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (February 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, audience reach/share, management
• UK - National Radio Audience (February 2015)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (February 2015)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (February 2015)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• Switzerland - Radio listening by region (February 2015)
  public and private sectors, penetration, time spent listening
• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (February 2015)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (February 2015)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (February 2015)
  share, trend
• Bosnia/Herzegovina - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2015)
  public and private broadcasters, management, descriptions, regulator, broadcaster association
• Albania - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2015)
  public and private radio channels, national, regional, religious and community stations
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (January 2015)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (January 2015)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Turkey - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2015)
  ownership, management, program formats, platforms, audience estimates
• Serbia - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (November 2014)
  public and private, national and regional, management
• Croatia - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (November 2014)
  public, private and religious broadcasters, national and regional, management, audience estimates
• Portugal - National Radio Audience (October 2014)
  leading stations, audience share, trend

More Resources

Also see ftm Knowledge

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Digital Radio - Possibilities and Probabilities

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Europe's Radio - Southern Europe

Radio broadcasting in southern Europe ranges from highly developed to developing highly. Italian, Spanish and Portuguese radio is unique, creative and very popular. Radio in Croatia, Serbia and Greece has had ups and downs. The ftm Knowledge file includes Resources. 74 pages PDF (May 2012)

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