ftm Radio Page - May 21, 2010

Hacker holds station database ransom for song request
“Never Gonna Give You Up”

Well-known Dutch hacker Darkc0ke just wanted radio station 3FM to play a song, so he said. To get the stations’ attention he held a database of 22 thousand email addresses for ransom. Sort of.

During the weekend past Darkc0ke emailed station DJs with his threat to publish the email database on the Web. The DJs called the IT department. Eventually, the police were called.

“Of course, we did not comply,” said a 3FM spokesperson to Webwereld Netherlands. "We repaired the vulnerability as soon as possible.” 3FM is Dutch public radio's youth channel.

"It was a joke," said Darkc0ke in an email to Webwereld. "They didn't play the song. Why can't they do someone a favor, just for once?” Darkc0ke hacked the email address database of magazine Autoweek last year.

The song he demanded was Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

Give it up, hacker-bro. (JMH)

First year review for Radio France president
“very busy”

Radio France president Jean-Luc Hees has had “a turbulent first year,” noted Les Echos (May 20). French President Nicolas Sarkozy named Hees to head French public radio one year ago, the nomination itself being controversial. Hees formerly headed France Inter.

Under Hees’ direction Radio France channels have been reorganized, causing some grief internally but showing audience growth form main general interest channels France Inter and France Bleu. France Inter programs are the most downloaded as podcasts according to Médiamétrie surveys. Specialized channels France Musique and Le Mov’ have fared less well in audience surveys. (More on radio in France here)

“The French are very attached to the radio, but new modes of listening are playing an increasingly important role,” said the editorial. (JMH)

Trade In Your Analog Radio Clunker For DAB Radio Discount

Cash for clunkers worked for cars so why not for getting rid of old analog radios? The Brits are trying it, offering a DAB radio discount of some 10-15% if the buyer trades in that old trusty AM/FM.

Radio Amnesty, as the one month scheme that starts Saturday is known, will send the discarded radios to African children’s charities. The BBC and commercial radio stations have agreed to promote the scheme by manufacturers although not all the major stores have signed up.

There is thought to be around 100 million analog radios in the UK, but the government wants to end FM in 2015 so the pressure is beginning to mount to encourage “out with the old and in with the new.” Trouble is, of course, that not that many people know about DAB and for those who have listened to it, sticking with FM’s quality is close enough for most given the cost of a new DAB set. (See more on digital radio here)

The government hopes that within three years 50% of radio listenership will be DAB. It is currently about half of that.

Uncovering Web Radio
New survey launched

The Bavarian regulatory authority for commercial broadcasting (Bayerische Landeszentrale für neue Medien - BLM) wants to know more about Web radio stations in Germany and has asked Berlin consultancy Goldmedia to dig out the facts.

There are more than two thousand Web radio stations in Germany, says the BLM, and the vast majority are Web-only stations. (See BLM announcement here – in German) Increased broadband capacity, says the statement, is driving interest in Web radio stations. The Webradiomonitor 2010 follows up a similar survey conducted in 2009. (See more on internet radio here)

Goldmedia has set up an on-line questionnaire from which all Web radio operators are asked to add their details. Results will be presented at the Nuremberg Lokalrundfunktage (Local Radio Day) in July. (JMH)

Controversial priest launches internet radio station
global dream

A new internet radio station is the newest addition to the media holdings controlled by Polish priest Father Tadeusz Rydzyk. Radio SIM targets young people with religious programs, music and even sports, reports TVP (May 14).

Father Rydzyk’s media outlets – Radio Maryja, TRWAM TV and newspaper Nasz Dziennik – espouse a fiery, very conservative outlook. The internet radio station is operated from the School of Social and Media Culture, also part of Father Rydzyk’s empire.  It’s educational mission, said a spokesperson, is to train journalists. (See more on Radio Maryja here)

“Father Rydzyk decided to (launch the) internet radio because of (his) unfulfilled dream of a global network,” said Catholic journalist Kazimierz Sowa to TVP. (JMH)

Radio Page - May 14, 2010

Radio Page - May 7, 2010

Radio Page - April 30, 2010

Radio Page - April 23, 2010

Radio Page - April 16, 2010

Recently added radio audience figures

• UK - National Radio Audience (13/05/2010)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (13/05/2010)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (13/05/2010)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• France - Paris Radio Audience (23/04/2010)
  national and local channels, market share
• Spain - National Radio Audience (16/04/2010)
  national channels, reach share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (15/04/2010)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Germany - Radio Audience (14/03/2010)
  leading stations, 2010 national survey, daily reach
• Czech Republic - Radio Audience (01/03/2010)
  Top stations, national survey, trend

More Resources

Also see ftm Knowledge

Europe’s Radio – Eastern Europe

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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