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Search’s end – bah-dah-bing! --- Michael Hedges June 1, 2009
The fastest growing slice of worldwide advertising is search advertising. As wireless broadband expands projections for the mobile ad market – search traffic being significant – cause that Pavlovian response from the ad people. One challenge remains; getting eyes to the right place at the right time.

Pop music less popular on the radio --- Michael Hedges April 27, 2009
Radio listeners are connecting with music channels, just not the ones you would expect. Anxiety bitten broadcasters, honing playlists to 300 of the best researched titles, can’t stop the audience drift. Maybe they are asking the wrong questions.

Public radio breaks out the champagne --- Michael Hedges April 18, 2009
Public broadcasters watch audience surveys carefully, despite protestations to the contrary. Since the commercial radio’s arrival more or less a generation ago public broadcasters have braced themselves for the release of audience figures. Champagne days may be returning.

The proximity effect - distance is everything --- Michael Hedges February 1, 2009
Students of management and almost anyone who has worked for a large organization know about the proximity effect. Results decrease proportionate to geographical distance from headquarters. Tantalizing evidence piles up showing far-flung divisions outperform those nearest the boss.

Music radio falls hard --- Michael Hedges January 19, 2009
Music fans, largely young people, now shun radio channels. Music players and the internet give them exactly what they want, exactly when they want it. Or do they? Or is it, perhaps, that radio listeners are really attracted to voices on the air?

French radio audience – surprise! --- Michael Hedges November 20, 2008
True to form French radio listeners offered up a few surprises. They come at a good moment, and better for some than others. This audience is never, completely, predictable. And broadcasters are facing the music.

State Council overturns regulator on community radio --- Michael Hedges September 1, 2008
Tiny community radio stations, always very local, sometimes quite original, dot FM dials. Their financing is often flimsy with programming bordering on the indescribable. With the FM ‘shelf-space’ ever more valuable regulators feel pressure to maximize every channel slot. But the health of the medium depends on reaching real people, no matter how small the audience

Radio listening drops in France --- Michael Hedges July 21, 2008
Listening levels in France drop noticeably. RTL stays on top. French public radio channels rise. Music channels keep moving up and down as they move programmers in and out.

French radio audience tumbles, not RTL --- Michael Hedges April 21, 2008
Each audience survey release seems to put broadcasters a bit more on edge. Some more than others, obviously; the French national radio audience is making a painfully obvious shift away from music to news and talk.

The secret is having something to talk about. Credibility counts, too. --- Michael Hedges January 28, 2008
There is so much to talk about in France these days it’s just no real surprise that the national news and news talk stations continue to increase market shares.

Two radio guys in two countries take hold of two newspapers called Tribune --- Michael Hedges January 7, 2008
Just as the old guard newspaper people digested Rupert Murdoch’s take over of Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal, populating both with old guard newspaper people, the radio people slipped in the back door of the Tribune Company in the United States and La Tribune in France.

French Follow Presidential Race on Radio --- Michael Hedges April 25, 2007
One conclusion from the just released Médiamétrie radio audience figures is a Presidential election effect. Or, so it seems. Overall listening is up, taking news and information stations higher and music stations lower.

Zen And The Art of NRJ --- Michael Hedges September 14, 2006
NRJ Group launches more internet radio channels. Yes, one of them is Chérie FM Zen.

Austria Radio Audience Drifts --- Michael Hedges July 30, 2006
Radiotest audience results for the first half of 2006 didn’t exactly raise alarms but there were no fireworks either. Public broadcaster ORF edged lower, raising questions about the trends.

French Radio Audience Drops. Radio France Suffers --- Michael Hedges July 20, 2006
The lowest radio listening levels in three years shocks French broadcasters

French National Radio Audience Softens --- Michael Hedges April 27, 2006
Think of the French national radio market as an automobile. Each quarter Médiamétrie measures the amount of air in the tires. Those rear tires, on which the power-train puts most pressure, are slowly going flat.

No Spring Flowers for Radio France --- Michael Hedges July 20, 2005
Spring quarter Médiamétrie audience figures for French national radio channels showed listener losses for biggest Radio France channels

Pierre Fabre SA exits radio, selling Sud Radio to group of independent owners --- Michael Hedges June 9, 2005

Media Moves into the Personal Space --- Michael Hedges May 30, 2005

Berlin’s First Private Commercial Radio Station Goes Bankrupt - April 28, 2005 --- Michael Hedges April 28, 2005

Big Stations, Well-known Brands Suffer Losses in Médiamétrie National Radio Survey --- Michael Hedges April 25, 2005
The top three national channels hold their market positions, Fun Radio recovers, Europe 2 doesn’t, RMC Info and Les Independants move ahead

Goodbye to the Services Directive --- Michael Hedges March 24, 2005

Put on Your Dancing Shoes, More Reports of Ad Spend Increases --- Michael Hedges March 9, 2005
IREP France and IRM Sweden release final 2004 figures along with a few predictions.

Observatoire de la Radio: Intensité et attachement --- Michael Hedges March 8, 2005
IP France offers an extraordinary look at French national radio channels content and the listeners.

The Very Rich Are the Fastest Growing Web Users --- Philip Stone February 28, 2005

UK Radio Audience: What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? --- Michael Hedges January 28, 2005

Scandinavia Radio Ratings – New Commercial Channels Pressure Public Broadcasters --- Michael Hedges January 27, 2005

Médiamétrie Paris Radio Audience : RTL ! --- Michael Hedges January 26, 2005

RTL Broadens Lead Médiamétrie Audience Survey, Radio France Channels Continue to Slide --- Michael Hedges January 19, 2005

Médiamétrie France Radio Audience --- Michael Hedges November 18, 2004

It’s the Internet For News --- Philip Stone November 15, 2004

Music Quotas for German Radio --- Michael Hedges October 10, 2004

‘Big Bang’ Proposed for French Radio --- Michael Hedges March 1, 2004
A proposal moving through the French National Assembly could re-draw the entire FM radio landscape within the next four years.

Digital radio for toi et moi --- Michael Hedges May 29, 2009 (Follow on Twitter)
Dismal economics notwithstanding, digital radio broadcasting keeps edging forward. Listeners are firmly attached to their iPhones and broadcasters need to keep them happy. How to get from here to there is a weighty question. But, no fear, there’s always a step backward.

Private Equity Calls Time --- Michael Hedges April 27, 2011 Follow on Twitter
When a private equity firm invests in a company a clock, genetic certainly, starts ticking. Nobody hears it at first, the sound drowned out by plaudits and arriving cash. The volume increases gradually until nothing else can be heard.

The Format Radio Brand ---

The Format Radio Brand

Michael Hedges
The Format Radio Brand is a product with a name on it. Function and structure work together to define the benefit. The choice and placement of program elements is systematic and consistent. As competition for audience and ad revenue becomes fierce, producers adopt the Format Radio Brand to separate theirs from the vague General Radio Brands. Brands names and positioning become shorthand for consumers; saving time, effort and minimizing risk.

The Secret: One Thing --- Michael Hedges January 14, 2015 Follow on Twitter
Ratings can be so cruel. Getting folks to tune in is difficult. Getting them to say the right things to survey interviewers even more so, or so it can seem. Losing is always a surprise, winning far too simple.

Wisdom Of The Tables Turning --- Michael Hedges April 16, 2013 Follow on Twitter
Ratings are not a spectator sport. You show your cards every day. Some days you win. And then there are others. When you come to the table be prepared to play.

The Audience Doesn’t Suffer, They Change Channels --- Michael Hedges November 16, 2018 Follow on Twitter
Show hosts attract and hold audiences. Every broadcaster knows this. It’s the jokes, the stories, the wink, nod and tone. There’s more. They give voice to the brand. Messing with this can be a disaster… and expensive.

Holidays No Gift To Music Channels --- Michael Hedges January 17, 2012 Follow on Twitter
Reviewing another slice of the recently ended holiday season shows how audiences remain undeterred by fun and frivolity. Economies are tanking and listeners just can’t get enough news, albeit in slices. And, too, there’s a lot of button pushing going on. It’s a trend.

Getting To Know Where People Live Is No Mean Feat --- Michael Hedges April 17, 2015 Follow on Twitter
Nothing affects a media environment more than dramatic, breaking news. Media outlets offer details, often non-stop, and, also notable, escape from agonising subjects. People universally want to know what’s going on where they live. Leading edge outlets keep this firmly in mind.

More Talk Raises Ratings --- Michael Hedges November 18, 2009 Follow on Twitter
Whether it is the spirit of the times and people want to hear voices on the radio or theirs is just so much to talk about, the trend toward more talk is growing. Perhaps music listeners are attached to their iPods or maybe music just stinks. Perhaps programmers should be spending more time with show hosts and DJs and less with the music computer.

Not Good News When The News Cycle Turns Down --- Michael Hedges July 19, 2010 Follow on Twitter
In the news business, it’s a given that ratings rise and fall with big news. Only so much can be done to pump up ratings when nature and politicians turn quiet. Not to worry: something always happens.

Change In Habits Make Folks Change Habits ---

Michael Hedges November 19, 2021 Follow on Twitter

Humans are creatures of habit. From philosophers to economists this has been long observed. Psychologists say our habits can make us happy. Disturbing those habits make us very cranky. Neuroscientists have found our habits - good and bad - live deep inside our brains. "Once these patterns form, it becomes extremely difficult to break the habit," said one. This explains a lot.

It’s the music. It’s the measurement. It’s awful! --- Michael Hedges January 20, 2010 Follow on Twitter
Judging from early returns – ratings, that is – this year starts almost where it left off. Audiences are still falling. It’s the fault of everything. The best advice may be to keep a good sense of humor.

Reflecting Again On A Calm Winter --- Michael Hedges April 20, 2011 Follow on Twitter
It’s said that all politics, all advertising and all ratings are local. And winter quarter ratings reflect very little excitement anyway so any changes seem really important. But listeners eventually come out of hibernation.

Audience Drifting Away Focuses Broadcasters On Transitions ---

Michael Hedges November 20, 2020 Follow on Twitter

Surprises in audience behavior, sometimes, are not surprises at all. Trends were there all along, some say. Special circumstances pop-up all the time, say others. Broadcast management tends to prioritize the here and now, relatively speaking. That's where the media buyers live; virtually, of course. A longer view just muddies the waters.

Taking The Bull By The Horns And Other Advice --- Michael Hedges July 21, 2014 Follow on Twitter
It is a daily struggle, hourly actually, that fight for ratings. New ideas are always welcome, except when the audience gets irritated. Having a big, recognizable brand is always good, except when it gets tired. Then sometimes people go on holiday and everything changes.

The Audience Is Angry --- Michael Hedges November 21, 2013 Follow on Twitter
Conventional wisdom holds that programmers must not upset the audience. With so many buttons to push, figuratively, people easily change channels. The challenge for broadcasters is to share the same moment. Music and news are only ingredients. More emotion is necessary.

Silver Lining For Public Broadcaster in Gloomy Audience Survey ---

Michael Hedges July 22, 2022 Follow on Twitter

The media world simply moves from one disruption to the next. In easier times these would be more graceful passages, concentrated on fulfilling wants and needs as well as profits. Radio broadcasting, most evidence shows, is far from crashing and burning, unlike newspapers or, even, digital media. Radio holds a certain safety, so far.

More Good News For Broadcasters, Some At Least… --- Michael Hedges April 23, 2010 Follow on Twitter
National stations and local stations are different. Big city stations are different, too. Within it all, audiences are increasing. Broadcasters are finding opportunity as the folks continue to spin that dial.

Zapping One Thing For Another --- Michael Hedges July 23, 2012 Follow on Twitter
Predicting what moves the ratings needle has never been easy. Too many variables, the researchers say. Some days you get the ratings and some days the ratings get you. The audience is fickle and travels in a pack.

Too Much Good Weather Spoils The Ratings --- Michael Hedges July 23, 2018 Follow on Twitter
Radio listeners are, and always have been, consistent. They know what they like and like what they know, said a minor authority on the subject decades before Spotify. Rare is the occasion when listeners break with established orthodoxy as long a programming and marketing remain steady. Streaming is making that difficult.

Listeners Flee The Turmoil, Broadcasters Flee The Heat ---

Michael Hedges July 23, 2019 Follow on Twitter

Radio broadcasters, by and large, are the domaine of their listeners. Without people tuning-in, figuratively if no longer literally, radio becomes like the proverbial tree in the forest. If nobody hears it, it isn't there.

When News Is Serious Fun Rises Quickly --- Michael Hedges January 28, 2016 Follow on Twitter
Serious news is all around, every day. Media outlets rise to the occasion informing, certainly, and reflecting public anxieties. But the popular reflex also seeks reassurance and, often, relief. People find what they need, when they need it, many places.

Market In Turmoil, Big Brands Offer Comfort, Stability --- Michael Hedges April 16, 2020 Follow on Twitter
At a time when attention spans are challenged, advantage goes to the strongest brands. Weight is tipped to those with proven benefit. Marginal offers are, for the most part, set aside for easier times. Such is the reality of choice and novelty.

Public Channels Still Leading, Still Slipping --- Michael Hedges July 22, 2016 Follow on Twitter
As audiences shift public broadcasters face a certain quandary. With money and wherewithal to adopt new technical platforms legacy brands can be victims on institutional inertia. New channels can be developed easily. Older ones, typically with huge structures, seem to run out of energy. Private sector broadcasters don't have that problem.

New Watch Takes Over Radio Measurement --- Michael Hedges July 27, 2009 Follow on Twitter
The fun – for some – in looking at new audience figures is seeing which stations are up and which are down. Measurement companies take that fun away when changing methods and systems. Oh, well, we must look forward.

Losing audience, losing energy --- Michael Hedges July 16, 2009 Follow on Twitter
There are few secrets to attracting and holding audience. Programmers learn to spot a trend and make the best of it. Obvious trends are finite, duration limited. Meta-trends are harder to spot.

Look Carefully! It’s A New Digital Landscape --- Michael Hedges January 25, 2012 Follow on Twitter
Where public broadcasters are ubiquitous and well-funded, private channels have a tough fight. But fight they will for audience and advertising. Some are turning in some quite good numbers by emphasizing local content, good marketing sense and a boost from digital platforms.