ftm Radio Page - February 28, 2014

The web delivers for radio
A question of counting

Digital radio is a broad palate. Big radio broadcasters in France have, unsurprisingly, their own view. Digital radio of the terrestrial kind – DAB and DAB+ - has largely been forsaken, web radio preferred.

The benefits of one platform over another and, more broadly, the whole of digital platforms to a broadcaster is one of those conference topics from consultants looking for clients. A study by the OJD, nominally the reporter of newspaper circulation, audited the live streams of more than 6,000 French web radio channels in January and discovered – voilà – web radio brand extensions certainly attract listeners or users or somebody. (See more on digital radio here)

The secret, also unsurprising, is having lots of those web radio brand extensions. NRJ Group, according to the data reported by Le Figaro (February 27), has an advantage with 233 web radio channels, 157 of which are direct NRJ brand extensions. NRJ claims 20% of listening attributed to web radio compared with a 9% average. Of course, this is all about advertising: more ad space available on web radio channels makes a great sales tool.

French measurement institute Médiamétrie does not currently gather listening data on all those web radio channels.

Vague rules OK because they’re vague
The sum of the parts rules

Private sector radio broadcasters have often marched onto the regulatory battleground to face their public sector counterparts. The war – excuse the analogy – covers considerable territory. The banner unfurled by radio broadcasters in the private sector often proclaims that public broadcasters have encroached on its territory.

In 2011, Austrian private radio association VÖP complained to media regulator KommAustria that the radio channels of public broadcaster ORF, particularly pop music channel Ö3, overstepped the public service mission by offering more music, less speech and lots of commercials. Specifically, the VÖP argued the speech percentage in ORF radio programs is too low.

After studying this question for two years the policy masters at KommAustria finally issued a decision (February 20). No, the public broadcaster doesn’t violate that public service mission because the enabling legislation, the ORF Act, is non-specific on spoken word content. And further, the ORF’s public service mission is aggregated across all radio channels. The VÖP had argued ORF radio channels should be evaluated separately.

“If the ORF Act is so porous that it misses even basic questions, it must be redrafted as soon as possible,” said VÖP chairman Klaus Schweighofer in a press statement. He also suggested the VÖP might seek redress at the European Commission even though it has long considered issues in the radio broadcasting sector best determined by national regulation. (JMH)

Radio Page week ending February 21, 2014
digital radio, European Broadcasting Union, media in Poland, RMF Group, radio in Russia, Ekho Moskovy, Gazprom Media, radio in Hungary, Klub Radio

Radio Page week ending February 14, 2014
radio in Austria, digital radio, DAB+, radio in Sweden, audience measurement, PPM, World Radio Day, UNESCO, radio in Germany

Radio Page week ending February 7, 2014
radio drama, radio in Spain, RNE, BBC Radio 4, radio in the UK, radio audience, RAJAR, 6Music, Planet Rock, Communicorp

Radio Page week ending January 31, 2014
radio in Germany, digital radio, BR Klassik, BR Puls

Radio Page week ending January 24, 2014
radio in Italy, radio advertising, RadioCompass, radio in Switzerland, Mediapulse, SSR-SRG, private local radio, Radio 3i, Radio Swiss Pop, radio in France, Médiamétrie, Paris audience, Europe 1, Radio Latina

Radio Page week ending January 17, 2014
radio in France, Médiamétrie, radio audience, Europe 1, RTL, France Inter, NRJ, Skyrock, Nostalgie, France Bleu, radio in Germany, MDR 1 Sachsen, radio in the Czech Republic, CRo Sever, public radio, radio in Switzerland, Radio 105, BAKOM, Radio 1

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

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• UK - National Radio Audience (February 2014)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (February 2014)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (February 2014)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• 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
• Bulgaria - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (12/12/2013)
  public and private radio channels, management, platforms, market share
• 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

More Resources

Also see ftm Knowledge

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Digital Radio - Possibilities and Probabilities

Digital radio has many platforms. From broadcast platforms to internet radio and rapidly emerging smartphone platforms, listeners and broadcasters have choices galore and decisions to make. Some regulators have made up their minds, others not, some hedging their bets. This ftm Knowledge file details the possibilities for digital broadcasting and the probabilities for success. Includes Resources 149 pages PDF (August 2012)

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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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