ftm Radio Page - January 30, 2015

Radio station rebrands to make everyday Friday
most popular day

Radio Friday is set to appear in Ukraine, replacing national channel Super Radio. Media regulator National Council for Radio and Television approved the changes this week, which go considerably farther than just a new name. The station is owned by United Media Holding (UMH), one of Ukraine's biggest media houses.

"Knowing the situation in Ukraine, we decided we would do much better with a radio station for the middle class and slightly raise the age to make a station for people who work a lot," said an unnamed station spokesperson, quoted by Telekritika (January 29). "Friday is the most popular day for those who work."

Super Radio has targeted young people with foreign hit music, earning a warning from the regulator last September for falling far below the 50% Ukrainian music quota. "We will play over 50% Ukrainian music," said the station spokesperson. "We will have many Ukrainian artists." Radio Friday's target audience will be people 30 to 50 years. (See more about media in Ukraine here)

The license renewal for Retro FM, also owned by UMH, was delayed at the previous weekly meeting of the regulator. There seems to be a slight issue with payment of the broadcasting license fee. UMH is owned by reclusive energy sector billionaire Serhiy Kurchenko, who fled Ukraine a year ago, assets frozen by European Union sanctions. He hasn't been heard from since.

Gala Radio, an early foreign investment arrival in Eastern European media, has also undergone a name change to Radio EU. The new station's focus is, obviously, all things European, sort of. The music format targets women 25 to 49 years, 50% Ukrainian music quota observed. The Ukrainian regulator did not disclose new ownership, believed to be domiciled in the Netherlands.

Government not quite ready to push the off button
yet to come

Decisions to fully convert radio broadcasting to digital from analogue platforms have slowed considerably from the excitable days earlier this century. Inevitable as it might seem from throngs chanting "the future is digital" media regulators have become more cautious about shutting down FM broadcasting. Only a few have set clear deadlines and those who have are having second thoughts.

Switzerland's government and media regulator BAKOM were early adopters of digital radio platforms, allowing broadcasters to experiment and multiplex operators to look for business models all the while staying attached to FM. A broad industry consortium recently informed the government that FM could be shut down by 2024. So, is the government ready to make it official?

"This is not quite so," said BAKOM head of media services Marcel Regnotto, "at least not yet," quoted by Austrian newspaper Der Standard (January 27). "There is a proposal from the industry leading to a date and a whole outline of scenarios of how to get to that point. But the government has not pressed the red button. That is yet to come." (See more about digital radio here)

When the Swiss government pushes a red button, as we've seen in recent days, many people notice. That could come for FM broadcasting, he said, sometime in 2016.

Mr. Regnotto also noted that the digital context for radio broadcasting now includes internet distribution. An "industry solution" is essential, he said, with "clear signals from the regulator. If the industry does not know where policy stands, it is a bit helpless."

Radio Page week ending January 23, 2015
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Radio Page week ending January 16, 2015
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Radio Page week ending January 9, 2015
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Radio Page week ending January 2, 2015
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Radio Page week ending December 12, 2014
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Radio Page week ending December 5, 2014
radio in France, digital radio, Libé Radio, Radio Nova, radio in Sweden, radio in Switzerland, radio in Germany, DAB, digital transition

Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• 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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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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