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ftm Radio Page - April 16, 2010

Regulator moves to “sustain” commercial radio
Save DAB, too

UK media regulator OFCOM announced rule changes (April 15) to “create a sustainable future” for commercial radio. "Declining advertising revenue combined with regulatory constraints have led to an uncertain future for many local stations, particularly smaller ones," said the OFCOM statement. The changes are in line with the broader Digital Economy Act recently enacted. (See more on the UK Digital Economy Act here)

Local commercial stations will be allowed to consolidate and local content requirements will be reduced. Commercial broadcasters – including television – have howled that local content requirements, including news, are a pain in the budget.

OFCOM takes pains to note that local news is “valued more than other content” and insists, in return for cutting as much as one-third of locally originated programming, news bulletins be regularly refreshed and updated.

Saving digital radio / DAB figures significantly in the rule changes. The giant quid pro quo allows “large regional analogue stations” to dump regional content. “In exchange, these stations will be required to provide a national version of their programme service on DAB digital radio, either on a national multiplex or a combination of local and regional multiplexes.”

UK broadcasters can apply to OFCOM for the various new provisions, available when the Digital Economy Act becomes law in June. (JMH )

New call to end public radio advertising
No price dumping, either

Advertising on German public radio channels should end, says the private broadcasters association VPRT. The private broadcasters have appealed to parliaments in each German State. (See VPRT statement here – in German)

VPRT wants a staged advertising withdrawal by public broadcasters beginning with a limit of 60 minutes of ads on only one channel per public broadcaster. Germany has 12 public broadcasters, organized geographically. Some sell ads and some don’t.

The VPRT also called for an end to ad rate price dumping by the public broadcasters. The private sector broadcasters say ending ad sales by public broadcasters will effectively curtail one element of market distortion.

German public broadcasters have not responded to the proposal from VPRT.

VPRT and German public broadcasters, organized nationally as ARD, have long battled many issues. Last November VPRT called for ARD advertising restrictions. “Without advertising on public channels,” said ARD radio committee chairman at the time, “radio advertising is finished.” Complaints to the European Commission forced public broadcasters to curtail new media projects. (JMH)

Radio pirate comes to musical stage
Can you remember this?

The warm spot felt for the legendary pirate radio stations has never dimmed in the Netherlands. Next year the story of Radio Veronica will come to the musical stage as “Herinnert u zich deze nog?” – roughly translated as “Can You Remember This?”

The show will commemorate the Radio Veronica saga, premiering at Rotterdam’s Luxor Theater in February 2011.  The musical will feature the pop music played from 1960 through 1974, roughly the life of Radio Veronica in the North Sea.

Several Dutch radio brands active today had their genesis during the pirate radio years. (See more on the legacy of Dutch pirate radio here) Virtually everybody who has been anybody in Dutch radio – and in Dutch media broadly – connects with that history. (JMH)

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Europe’s Radio – Eastern Europe – new

Eastern Europe’s radio writes new rules. In fact, most everything about radio in this region is new... and changes often. The ftm Knowledge file reports on Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Russia and Slovakia. 65 pages PDF (February 2010)

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Europe’s Radio – Northern Europe

Northern Europe’s radio has a very digital sound. And change is in the air. Economic challenges abound for both public and commercial broadcasters. The ftm Knowledge file reports on Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and the UK. 72 pages PDF (December 2009)

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Digital Radio - Forward...slightly

Digital radio is slowly finding its way. Broadcasters are challenged by shifts in business models, audience expectations and regulation limbo. This ftm Knowledge file details the promise of digital broadcasting and the paradigm shifts. 83 pages PDF (June 2009)

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The Six Radio Brands is about the uniquely European development of radio brands. Competition among broadcasters - and certainly between the public and commercial sectors - gives radio in Europe a rich dynamic. As consumers become more media-literate and demand more attachment broadcasters find target markets illusive.
Regulators, advertisers and broadcasters take turns trying to influence radio brands. Culture and technology makes an impact. More and more, the greatest influence comes from consumers.
The Six Radio Brands describes advantages and pit-falls of brand strategies, with illustrations from current radio practice.

100 pages. 2004

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