ftm Radio Page - week ending July 1, 2022

Regulator looks to restructure radio licensing, smaller stations a priority
"an asymmetrical distribution"

That media outlets are bunched into metropolitan areas and sparse elsewhere is oft observed by media watchers, particularly in the recent decade. Advocates for media diversity and inclusion speak of “news deserts,” typically in terms of publishers withdrawing from towns and rural spaces. Consolidation is blamed; so too, economics. The problem, quite real, is tough to fix.

It is not limited to the weekly local newspaper, says a report from Portugal’s Media Regulatory Authority (ERC), published this week (June 30). There is “an asymmetrical distribution” of licensed radio channels benefitting the “largest population centers” over “more interiorized, depopulated and aged areas.” The agency’s report evaluated a “decade of regulatory intervention.” (See more about media in Portugal here)

Over the decade 2011 to 2020, “a development pattern at two speeds is apparent, large radio (broadcasters and) small traditional radio stations,” said the report. “Radio (broadcasters) are small, both in terms of assets and operating revenues.” About half had assets valued at less than €100,000, slightly more than half had revenues at that level. “The vast majority” are single station operations. Regulatory intervention during that period mainly focused on adjusting license localities, program definitions, transmission coverage and ownership.

The ERC intends to undertake a “strategic assessment for the reorganization of the national radio broadcasting landscape.” One proposal is regional licensing “covering a set of two or more contiguous municipalities.” It will be “fundamental to value smaller (operations)… as they fulfill a tangible and irreplaceable public service.”

Talkshow host assassinated day before new president inaugurated
vanished on a motorcycle

With a fair amount of media attention on the Philippines with the inauguration of Ferdinand “BongBong” Marcos as president the deliberate killing of a media worker a day earlier underscores the woeful legacy of previous president Rodrigo Duterte, infamous for remarking that journalists should be killed. As with most attacks on media workers, this was not symbolic. It was criminal.

Federico “Ding” Gempesaw was a long-time talkshow host on local Cagayan de Oro station Raydo Natin. The first bullet struck Mr. Gempesaw in the neck, the second to the head, reported Rappler (June 30). Two assailants vanished on a motorcycle. The local police spokesperson said officers were looking for witnesses, hopeful that CCTV might reveal more information. Mr. Gempesaw was known for biting commentaries about colorful, well-known personalities.

Cagayan de Oro is a large city in Northern Mindanao. There are about two dozen radio stations. The Raydo Natin network of 100 news and talk stations operates in several cities. It is owned and operated by Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC). Raydo Natin is its largest radio network.

Mr. Gempesaw was the third Mindanao media worker killed by assassins this year, noted the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP). He was the 24th murdered in the country since Mr. Duterte came to power in 2016 and the 196th since democracy was restored to the Philippines in 1986.

Weird radio stunt transfixes media watchers
fire the DJs

The seasonal weirdness cycle has begun. At Vancouver, Canada soft rock radio station KiSS FM the mission has been to satisfy yearnings for distraction. Whether or not this attracted the attention of radio listeners in the Pacific Northwest it certainly did move news reporters looking for anything to write about other than wars, coups and the price of gasoline.

“Mysterious,” said the (UK) Guardian (June 29), as the station’s automatic playback bots repeated “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against The Machine. The naughty words were edited out: this is Canada. The tune is a ’90’s heavy metal protest piece originally penned by the band in response to the LA police beating Rodney King. More recently it has been appropriated by supporters of former US president Donald Trump. UK music news portal NME (June 30) suggested the non-stop single selection was some sort of a protest.

By late in the afternoon, the tune still on repeat, local newspaper Vancouver Sun (June 29) had all the details and a bit of speculation. Before the one-tune playlist took over, three of the station’s DJs were given their walking papers. Other employees may have also been sent home. The discharged morning duo sent out a long message to fans expressing thanks to the owners and managers, suggesting a generous settlement package. “New employees” were seen “around the control room.”

A spokesperson for station owner Rogers Sports and Media, one of Canada’s biggest, would only say “there will be more details to share tomorrow.” A music format change seems likely. KiSS FM Vancouver has been a soft rock music station, perhaps to something a bit louder. Setting the music playback system to automatic ahead of a format change is fairly common.

Radio Page week ending June 24, 2022
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Radio Page week ending May 13, 2022
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Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (April 2022)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (January-March 2022, published April 2022)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• France - National Radio Audience (November-December 2021, published January 2022)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• France - National Radio Summer Audience (September 2021)
  national channels, summer period 2016-2021 trend
• 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

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