ftm Radio Page - week ending October 29, 2021

Audience survey returns... no comparisons
folks in cars listening on phones

Media watchers have three attractions. Scandals, of course, come first and ranges from criminal activity to embarrassingly stupid stuff. Movement is next; buying, selling, trading, growing, shrinking, hiring, firing, moving and, of course, changing. Position also holds particular sway with media watchers. This relates to status; having it or losing it. These three attractions interrelate for opinion formation. Robust measurement of listeners, viewers, readers, searchers, clickers and such adds focus to these attractions.

The agency organizing radio listening measurement in the UK - Radio Joint Audience Research (RAJAR) - released audience estimates this week (October 27) covering the Q3 period, July through September. Due to the effects of coronavirus restrictions and safety concerns RAJAR suspended radio measurement just under two years ago. During that period of time the shareholders of the joint industry committee (JIC) - public broadcasters, commercial broadcasters and, of course, the advertising people - took the opportunity to seriously revamp collection and data systems. RAJAR implored all media watchers to refrain from comparing the new dataset with any that came before. Some did and others could not restrain themselves. (See more about measurement here)

The biggest news, arguably, is that radio broadcasting in the UK reaches 89% of the population. This came as a relief for broadcasters and, certainly, the advertising people. Listening to public broadcaster BBC channels is roughly tied with commercial broadcasting, the BBC slightly leading. Commercial radio listeners in the national survey tend to be younger, BBC listeners older. Digital platforms are widely used in the UK, smart speakers and “voice assistants” competing with DAB+ multiplexes. Radio listening in automobiles is eclipsed by other locations. The automobile is the place for mobile phone listening. (See more about media in the UK here)

In the national audience estimates BBC Radio 2 is top rated, 16.2% reach share. BBC Radio 4 follows with 12.1% reach share. The Hits Radio brand, several extensions, ranks with 7.3% reach share. It is followed by the Heart Radio brand, several extensions, with 6.2% reach share. BBC Radio 1 is next with 5.3% reach share.

London market audience estimates are always different from the national survey. In the Q3 2021 report BBC Radio 4 is on top with 13.6% reach share followed by BBC Radio 2 with 11.6%. Commercial talk station LBC is 3rd at 8.1% reach share. Next is legacy commercial channel Classic FM with 5.1% reach share. Music station Heart London is 5th at 5.0% reach share.

FM broadcasting lives to fight another day... and decade
"public indifference"

When the Norwegian government ordered national radio broadcasters to abandon their FM transmitters in 2017 local broadcasters were given a special reprieve until 2022. Under a lobbying campaign by the formidable Local Radio Association (Norsk Lokalradio Forbund), that was extended last year until 2026. FM shut-off for national broadcasters did not engender great public clamour for digital radio of the DAB+ variety, particularly in rural areas. (See more about media in Norway here)

Two weeks ago the two political parties holding sway in the Norwegian parliament (Storting) - Arbeiderpartiet (Ap) and Center Party (Senterpartiet - SP) - indicated local radio will stay on FM at least until 2031. “It is important for our media diversity that local radio gets the best possible framework conditions and the opportunity to develop in the way they think is best,” MP (SP) Aslaug Sem-Jacobsen to lokalradio no (October 13). “Local radio is, together with other local media, very important to us in SP.” Earlier, political support to return public broadcaster NRK main channel P1 to FM failed to attract sufficient support. (See more about digital radio here)

A week later the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) protracted the life of FM broadcasting “until at least 2030,” reported UK radio trade portal Radio Today (October 21). Previously, DCMS suggested a timetable for FM switch-off would be established when digital radio (DAB+) exceeded 50% of all listening. That threshold past a couple of years ago. DCMS - and broadcasters - are far more worried about the rise and rise of smart speaker usage and are poised to mandate Alexa, Siri and others operating in the UK to platform every single radio channel. (See more about media in the UK here)

This got the attention of (quite snarky) UK technology news portal TheRegister (October 22). “DAB has long been criticized for its technical quality and audience take-up has been much slower than optimistic civil servants and radio lobbyists hoped for,” it wrote. “Meanwhile, DAB receivers themselves are becoming obsolescent as different technology bypasses them altogether – and both DCMS and radio lobbyists appear worried that traditional radio stations might become obsolete commercial failures. As public indifference to DAB stubbornly refuses to shift, the future of on-demand podcasts and multi-function voice assistants looks like it might bypass the unloved digital radio tech in the next few years.”

Culture committee changes radio channel name, sounds familiar
harken back

The ancient Buddhist parable - Blind Men and the Elephant - has long been used to illustrate the miscalculations of expert committees. We hear it still, these words of sage. “Such folks only see one side of a thing”

Denmark’s Radio Loud will disappear at the first of the new year. It has been, arguably, a disaster for its creators, largely the Danish Culture Ministry and a committee of politicians. A performance report issued this past summer showed it had no listeners.

The digital radio channel - available on DAB+ multiplexes - was created as something new for 15 to 32 year olds, unencumbered by meddling from public broadcaster DR. It replaced Radio24syv, a news/talk channel that was operated for several years by newspaper publisher Berlingske Media under a similar publicly-funded directive. It was generally well-regarded. When the committee in charge - mostly from the Danish People’s Party (DF) - directed that station employees be distributed across Denmark, mostly away from that hot-bed of elitism Copenhagen, Berlingske threw in the towel. (See more about media in Denmark here)

Not only will Radio Loud be renamed 24syv, Berlingske Media will return as operator. Former Radio24syv news director Simon Andersen returned as program director three weeks ago. Other Radio Loud folks have departed.

It is "a pretty important prerequisite for a radio station that someone actually listens to it,” observed Venstre party media spokesperson Jan E. Jørgensen, quoted by Journalisten (October 23). “You also have to be careful about romanticising Radio24syv far too much. A lot of it was good, and some of it was shit, to put it like it is.”

"I don't care about the name,” said Danish People’s Party media spokesperson Dennis Flydtkjær. “They can call it the Seven Dwarfs if they want to. It is the content that is crucial.” That, of course, will be determined by the committee.

Radio Page week ending October 22, 2021
radio in Palestine, online radio, community radio, Radio Alhara, radio in the US, Chicago Public Media, WBEZ, podcasts, Chicago Sun-Times, mergers and acquisitions, paywalls, radio in France, Radioplayer France

Radio Page week ending October 15, 2021
New York Times Company, podcasts, podcasting, radio in France, DAB+, AirZen, digital radio, European Commission, Digital Markets Act, European Broadcasting Union, EBU, Association of European Radios, AER, Alexa, Siri, smart speakers

Radio Page week ending October 8, 2021
radio in Australia, radio audience, audience measurement, coronavirus, news radio, talk radio, ABC, Sweden, podcasts, podcasting, Bauer Media, PodPlay, Schibsted, NENT

Radio Page week ending October 1, 2021
radio in Zimbabwe, radio in Africa, community radio, UNESCO, radio in Denmark, Radio Loud, DAB+, digital radio, mobile media, radio in Australia, Nova

Radio Page week ending September 24, 2021
radio in the UK, Classic FM, classical music, Nigel Kennedy, radio in France, Mediametrie, radio audience, France Inter, France Bleu, Nostalgie

Radio Page week ending September 17, 2021
radio in Ireland, Freedom FM, pirate radio, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, radio in Afghanistan, Milma Radio, radio in France, Europe 1, CSA, elections and media

Radio Page week ending September 10, 2021
radio in Germany, German Radio Prize, Radio Wuppertal

Radio Page week ending August 6, 2021
radio the UK, Radio Caroline, Ofcom, radio license, sports radio, baseball, KDKA, MTV

Radio Page week ending July 30, 2021
radio in Austria, RadioTest, ORF, KroneHit, Radio 88.6, audience measurement, radio in France, Mediametrie, radio audience, greater Paris radio, FIP, coronavirus

Radio Page week ending July 23, 2021
radio in New Zealand, GfK, RNZ National, Newstalk ZB, The Breeze, radio in Germany, Vaunet, FM radio, coronavirus, radio audience

Radio Page week ending July 16, 2021
radio in France, Médiamétrie, radio audience, national reach, RTL, Radio France, France Inter, France Info, RMC, Europe 1, NRJ, Nostalgie, RFM, radio in Spain, EGM, AIMC, Cadena SER, Grupo Prisa, Cadena Cope, Onda Cero, RNE, esRadio, Los 40 Principales, Atresmedia, show hosts, coronavirus

Radio Page week ending July 9, 2021
radio in France, Europe 1, CNews, Vivendi, Lagardere Group, radio in Switzerland, mergers and acquisitions, BNJ Suisse, SSR-SRG, Radio Swiss Pop

Radio Page week ending July 2, 2021
radio in Hong Kong, RTHK, censorship, radio in Germany, Antenne Bayern, Antenne NRW, LfM, radio license

Radio Page week ending June 25, 2021
radio in Sweden, Mix Megapol, Bauer Media, Mad Men Media, Relax FM, radio awards, Prix Italia, radio documentary, radio drama, radio music

Radio Page week ending June 18, 2021
radio in France, Europe 1, SNJ, Vivendi, CNews

Radio Page week ending June 11, 2021
radio in Poland, radio jingles, jingle pirates, RMF FM, Bauer Media, radio in Switzerland, radio broadcasting, FM shutoff

Radio Page week ending June 4, 2021
sports radio, radio in the Czech Republic, Radiozurnal Sport, radio in Germany, Sportradio Deutschland, radio in France, Skyrock, Skyrock Klassiks, radio in Romania, ARA, Romania Actualitati, Kiss FM, Europa FN, Radio ZU, Radio Antena Satelor, radio audience, coronavirus

Radio Page week ending May 28, 2021
radio in Denmark, RadioDays, Audiodays, podcasts

Radio Page week ending May 21, 2021
radio in Greece, public trust, news radio, Skai, Real FM, ERT, radio in Hong Kong, RTHK, DJs

Radio Page week ending May 14, 2021
radio in the Czech Republic, Radioprojekt, Radiozurnal, Radio Impuls, radio in Norway, digital radiko, DAB, local radio, Hallo Ski

Radio Page week ending May 7, 2021
radio in Germany, MABB, disinformation, radio in Denmark, radio licenses, Radio Loud, digital radio

Radio Page week ending April 30, 2021
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Radio Page week ending April 23, 2021
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Radio Page week ending April 16, 2021
radio in France, radio audience, Mediametrie, France Inter, RTL, France Info, NRJ, Lagardere Group, Europe 1

Radio Page week ending April 9, 2021
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Radio Page week ending April 2, 2021
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Radio Page week ending March 26, 2021
radio in Sweden, Sveriges Radio, Trust Barometer, Kantar Sifo, radio in Slovenia, Radio Ognjisce, FM frequencies, ITU

Radio Page week ending March 19, 2021
radio in the US, radio in the UK, mergers and acquisitions, Global Media, iHeartMedia, radio brands, rock radio, radio rock, radio in the Czech Republic, KMET

Radio Page week ending March 12, 2021
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Radio Page week ending March 5, 2021
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Radio Page week ending February 26, 2021
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Radio Page week ending February 19, 2021
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Radio Page week ending February 12, 2021
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Radio Page week ending February 5, 2021
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Radio Page week ending January 29, 2021
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Radio Page week ending January 22, 2021
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Radio Page week ending January 15, 2021
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Radio Page week ending January 8, 2021
Media And The Virus, coronavirus, radio broadcasting, radio audience, local radio, digital radio, FM

Radio Page week ending December 11, 2020
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Radio Page week ending December 4, 2020
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Radio Page week ending November 27, 2020
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Radio Page week ending November 20, 2020
radio in France, Médiamétrie, radio audience, France Inter, RTL, NRJ, France Info, RMC, Radio France, radio advertising, environment

Radio Page week ending November 13, 2020
radio in Switzerland, DAB, digital radio, media support, digital transition, coronavirus, radio in Greece, radio license, pirate radio, sports radio, ESR

Radio Page week ending November 6, 2020
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Radio Page week ending October 30, 2020
radio audience, streaming audio, Spotify, radio in Bulgaria, Bulgarian National Radio, Council of Electronic Media, public radio

Radio Page week ending October 23, 2020
radio in Poland, Polskie Radio, Radio Trojka

Radio Page week ending October 16, 2020
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Radio Page week ending October 9, 2020
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Radio Page week ending October 2, 2020
radio in Denmark, DR, P6 Beat, P8 Jazz, Ministry of Culture, radio in Norway, Christmas Radio, Juleradioen

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• France - National Radio Summer Audience (September 2021)
  national channels, summer period 2016-2021 trend
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (July 2021)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (July 2021)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Spain - National Radio Audience (July 2021)
  national and regional channels, reach share, trend
• Romania - Radio Audience (May 2021)
  national and Bucharest surveys, market share, trend
• Belgium - Flemish region, Radio Audience (April 2021)
  market share, Jan-Apr 2019 to Sep 2020-Feb 2021 trend
• Belgium - French region, Radio Audience (April 2021)
  market share, Jan-Apr 2019 to Sep 2020-Feb 2021 trend
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (April 2021)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Austria - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (February 2021)
  public and private broadcasters, owners, management, audience trend
• Portugal - National Radio Audience (November 2020)
  leading stations, audience share, trend
• Switzerland - Radio listening by region (July 2020)
  public and private sectors, penetration, time spent listening
• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (July 2020)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (July 2020)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (July 2020)
  share, trend
• Poland - National Radio Audience (July 2020)
  national survey, market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2020)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (May 2020)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (May 2020)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• Italy - National/Regional Radio Audience (January 2020)
  weekly reach, AQH trends 2017-2019
• Poland - National Radio Audience (January 2020)
  national survey, market share, trend
• Ireland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (May 2019)
  national public and commercial radio channels, major local/regional stations, management, listening share
• Netherlands - Radio Audience (May 2018)
  national survey, market share, trend
• Czech Republic - Radio Audience (November 2017)
  Top stations, national survey, reach trend
• Turkey - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (October 2017)
  ownership, management, program formats, platforms, audience estimates
• Portugal - National Radio Audience (May 2017)
  leading stations, audience share, trend
• Germany - Radio Audience (March 2017)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• Italy - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (July 2016)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, audience reach/share, management
• Spain - National Radio Audience (April 2016)
  national channels, reach share, trend
• Sweden - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (February 2016)
  public and private radio channels, owners, management, national market share trend
• Poland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (January 2016)
  public and private radio channels, owners, management, platforms, market share
• Estonia - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (December 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• Spain - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (December 2015)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• Ireland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (November 2015)
  national public and commercial radio channels, major local/regional stations, management, listening share
• Finland - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (September 2015)
  public and private radio channels, management, market share, platforms
• Ireland - National Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• Ireland - Dublin Radio Audience (August 2015)
  market share, 07h00-19h00, trend
• Greece - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (June 2015))
  public and private broadcasting, owners, executives, market share

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