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The Tickle File is ftm's daily column of media news, complimenting the feature articles on major media issues. Tickle File items point out media happenings, from the oh-so serious to the not-so serious, that should not escape notice...in a shorter, more informal format.

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Week of May 16, 2016

Teens and their smartphones, radio envy
tuning in later, of course

About one in eight radio listeners in France hear their favorite channels via a digital device, reported measurement institute Médiamétrie this week (May 18) in its Global Radio report for the first quarter 2016. French teens – 13 to 19 year olds – are even more attached, 27%. Comparative data from previous periods is, unfortunately, not available.

Mobile phones, PCs, TV sets, tablets and iPad-type devices are used by 12% of French radio listeners 13 years and older. Nearly half – 5.8% - are listening on their smartphones, PCs next at 3.2%. Certain to awaken the curiosity of French broadcasters and media buyers, digital device listening peaks, Monday through Friday, at 10:00 rather than 8:00 for those listening via more traditional devices. (See more about mobile media here)

Also this week, UK radio measurement joint industry committee RAJAR reported 25% of persons 15 years and older listening via a mobile device in the first quarter 2016, up year on year from 22%. Among young people 15 to 24 years, mobile device listening rose to 36.9% from 33.9%. Earlier this year Spanish media research institute AIMC reported 35% of all persons using the internet had downloaded a mobile app for radio listening.

Ad limits could be lifted just as people hate ads more
These things take time

Invited each year to the Cannes Film Festival come European Commission (EC) executives carrying messages to movie and TV people and the wider media world. And this year’s message from EC vice president for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip relates to quotas and restrictions, semantic difference notwithstanding. Television ad restrictions, as inscribed in the Audiovisual Services Directive (AVMS), “should be relaxed,” he said, quoted by Les Echos (May 17).

Most TV broadcasters in EU Member States are limited to 12 minutes of commercial advertising per hour averaged between 7:00 in the morning and 11:00 in the evening. Several EU Member States, notably Spain, vigorously opposed this restriction now set in EU law. It is far from clear what, exactly, would be the effect of a “relaxed” commercial ad restriction. Would the number of ads per hour float up or down?

Publishers sorting through their won advertising peril may have insight to share. This year’s WAN-IFRA World News Media Congress will feature a “high-level discussion” on ad blocking, universally recognized by online publishers as the end of the digital dividend. More mobile users leads to more mobile ads, often to a nauseating level; hence, ad blocking on digital devices soars.

Ahead of the World News Media Congress WAN-IFRA teased with a report on ad blocking. There are no easy solutions but, said the WAN-IFRA rpreview statement (See here), “readers are actual people. If publishers are going to stop more people from resorting to ad blocking, everything must flow from… trust.”

Commissioner Ansip’s other Digital Single Market priority is holding Netflix at bay. The EC seems ready to place European content quotas on SVoD services, perhaps 20% on their catalogue. A precise figure is still under discussion.

No proposed change to the AVMS – or a succeeding Directive – will happen quickly. First, the EC needs to draft something (perhaps appearing rather soon), then the 28 Member States, individually, will debate the changes. Then the European Parliament gets its word.

Gutting public broadcaster not a government priority
Bake Off not moving

A buoyancy in the voices of BBC hosts and reporters from late Thursday afternoon was palpable. There will be no massive roll-back in services or funding cuts, said the Culture Ministry’s white paper, the UK government’s position paper on the BBC Charter Review released last week. The world’s most admired public broadcaster lives on… for another decade plus one year so not to interfere with general elections.

Changes below the level of basic funding and services will be part of the package. Under the bus goes the BBC Trust as a single “unitary board” is created for big picture governance. It will have 12 or 14 members, the BBC appointing a majority, the government the rest. UK media regulator OFCOM will, then, treat the BBC as any other broadcaster. (See more about the BBC here)

In the days and week ahead of the white paper’s release Culture Minister John Whittingdale sowed fear in the hearts of BBC supporters suggesting top-rated TV shows not be scheduled to interfere competitor’s less than stellar offerings, including news programs, and license fee revenues be shared with newspapers. To a private meeting with conservative students at Cambridge University he “joked” that the demise of the BBC was “a tempting prospect,” reported the Guardian (May 4).

Clearly cooler heads in the current UK government prevailed. With four of five British finding the BBC doing very well, thank you, it would be an unnecessarily contentious debate as the referendum on European Union membership looms larger. After the summer holidays Members of Parliament, knowing the BREXIT vote results, will debate the BBC white paper and move on with the Charter Review.

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