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ftm Radio Page - June 18, 2010

Sound and rhythm activates the brain
Radio ads can’t be clicked away

When radio marketing and advertising professionals met in Vienna for the 11th Radio Research Day (June 9) it was a celebration of the “promotional miracle radio.” There were speakers, awards and dinner on a nice, hot early summer evening.

Keynote speaker Dr. Kai Fehse, Director of the Munich, Germany Institute for Cognition and Communication, treated the group to a bit of brain psychology. Turning accepted wisdom on its ear (literally), Dr. Fehse told the group “A word is worth more than a thousand pictures.” He explained that taste recognizing areas of the brain are activated by audio; hence, radio advertising is more memorable than, say, billboards. It’s the sound, he said, and the rhythm. “Acoustic support of slogans is of great importance to memory.”

Another speaker, advertising guy Matthias Schmidt, reminded the group that unlike on the Web radio ads can’t “clicked away.” Nice.

Ad awards, based on an effectiveness study, went to Danone, McDonalds and Spar Austria. (JMH)

Catholic broadcaster opens on DAB+ multiplex
Digital for diversity

DAB+ trial broadcasts have begun for Radio Maria, a broadcaster associated with the Catholic Diocese of Chur in the Swiss-German speaking part of eastern Switzerland. The channel began broadcasting June 12th on the DAB+ multiplex owned by SwissMediaCast. Cultural and religious programs will be offered.

Radio Maria Deutschschweiz receives financial support from Radio Maria World Family, which operates Radio Horeb in Germany. Some programming will come from Radio Horeb and Radio Gloria as well as the Austrian affiliate of Radio Maria World Family. There is no relationship with the controversial Radio Maryja in Poland.

The SwissMediaCast multiplex (channel 7D) offers a mix of simulcast stations and digital-only channels, including the experimental channel Open FM.

Digital radio, generally, has entered the difficult phase of moving beyond technophiles and on to diverse offerings not available on the FM band.

License havoc for Czech broadcasters
“difficult situation”

Czech broadcast regulator RRTV abruptly cut off local Pilsner station Radio Samson (June 7). It’s the most recent of several license disputes that have ended badly for broadcasters.

"It's a difficult situation due to the fact we have concluded a number of advertising contracts,” said station manager Petr Hubacz to the CTK news agency (June 8).

An internet-only broadcaster since 2007, Radio Samson received licenses for four local frequencies in Western Bohemia last October and began broadcasting in November, programming country, bluegrass and folk music. One of the losing applicants for the licenses appealed the license award on procedural grounds and an appeals court ruled the licenses must be returned to the RRTV. And, so, the regulator initiated administrative proceedings against Radio Samson and the license have been suspended pending review.

It’s “common,” noted Juraj Kois in radiotv.cz (June 9), for competing license applicants to appeal RRTV decisions. Stations have been declared “pirates” and faced heavy fines for operating while courts sort out legal issues.

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