ftm Radio Page - July 23, 2010

Not Good News When The News Cycle Turns Down
In the news business, it’s a given that ratings rise and fall with big news. Only so much can be done to pump up ratings when nature and politicians turn quiet. Not to worry: something always happens.

Radio audience drops, digital channels pop
Mixed results

Fewer people in Switzerland tuned into radio channels during the first half 2010, according to results from audience measurement institute Mediapulse. Time spent listening also fell. The drop in consumption was consistent across the three linguistic regions.

Overall reach dropped the most in the Swiss-German speaking region, 89.2% against 90.3% one year on. Time spent listening dropped to 129.9 minutes in the Swiss-German speaking region from 132.8 and 119.8 minutes in the Italian speaking region from 122 minutes. Consumption also dropped in the French speaking region. (See Swiss-German region results here, French region results here and Italian region results here)

In two of the linguistic regions the main general interest channels of public broadcaster SSR-SRG lost market share. Rete Uno in the Italian region dropped to 48.8% market share (persons 15 years and older) from 50.2%. In the Swiss-German speaking region DRS1 dropped to 35.1% from 36.7%. La Premiere, in the French speaking region, increased to 40.2% from 39.9% one year on.

Public radio channels dominate, legacy and coverage being main factors. Youth targeted Couleur 3 in the French speaking region, which has been in something of a tail-spin for several years, rose to 6.7% from 6.3% one year on. The youth channel in the Swiss-German speaking region DRS3, always strong, rose to 17.9% from 17.0% one year on.. And, similarly, Rete Tre, the youth channel in the Italian region jumped to 17.0% market share from 14.9%.

Also jumping off the page was the jump by DRS Musikwselle for 4.5% market share from 3.5%. This is, largely, the Swiss German folk music channel offered on digital radio DAB+.

Private sector stations, all with local coverage, showed gains across the linguistic regions. In the Swiss-German speaking region, where there are far more local private stations, gainers included Radio 24 (Zürich), Central and FM1.  Rouge FM in the French region also gained. In the Italian region, where public channels have traditionally ruled, private local station 3i rose to 5.6% market share from 5.2% year on year. Only in the French speaking region did radio channels, in aggregate, gain audience. (JMH)

Terrorist group linked to radio news director’s murder
anarchist war

Greek police have linked the early morning (July 19) murder of Sokratis Giolias, news director at radio station Thema 98.9, to a terrorist cell called Sect of Revolutionaries, reported Proto Thema (July 19). Forensic examination of bullet casings found at the scene matched with weapons used previously by the terrorist group. Various local reports suggest two or three 9mm weapons were used, one an Uzi machine pistol and another of “eastern European” origin.

According to reports, Giolias received a telephone call at his suburban Athens apartment around 0500 local time telling him his automobile was being stolen. About 0530 three men described as dressed as security guards rank the apartment doorbell. When Giolias opened the door he was met with a hail of bullets, 13 striking him from the head to the waist. He died immediately.

Police recovered 17 shell casings. An automobile believed to be the get-away car was found destroyed by fire 1.5 km from the scene. The car had been stolen Saturday. People living in the neighborhood, interviewed by police, reported seeing two men “combing” a nearby bike path on Saturday. Police are viewing the murder as the work of professionals.

Sect of Revolutionaries is an anarchist group noted for violence. It has been linked to the 2007 bombing of the US embassy and other acts. “We don't do politics, we do guerrilla warfare,” said their propaganda.

According to local sources, Giolias had received threats but the nature is unclear. Sect of Revolutionaries has previously targeted Greek media outlets.

Giolias was 37 years old. He leaves a wife and 2 year old son. He wife is said to be expecting a second child. (JMH)

Court rules license renewal illegal again
Still no relief

An appeals court in Hungary affirmed (July 14) a lower court decision finding regulator ORTT “acted unlawfully” in awarding national radio licenses to unqualified – but politically connected – applicants over the applications from previous operators. The decision also affirmed the lower court ruling that it had no power to reverse the license awards. The door is now open for civil suits by the previous license holders for “up to several billion” forints, said fn.hu (July 14). At current exchange rates, one billion Hungarian forints (HUF) is equivalent to €3.5 million. (See more on Slager Radio v. Hungary here)

After the Budapest Court of Appeals decision Slager Radio, one of two national radio license holders losing renewal bids last year, gave no indication it wanted anything less than its license returned. Slager Radio CFO Laszlo Jakus said to MTI (July 14) he “expects” regulator ORTT to vacate the license awarded to Neo FM. For its part NEO FM owner econet.hu said the decision has “no direct effect on the ownership and operation of the national radio frequency.” NEO FM indicated it would take the case on to the Hungarian Supreme Court.

This is a legal dispute most in the Hungarian media sector and all of its politicians would like to disappear. The previous license holders – Slager Radio and Danubius Radio – had been audience and advertising leaders. Both were foreign owned, provoking more than a little envy among local media people. As such, right-wing politicians could score political points tossing out foreign owners as well as benefit from compliant news coverage from a national medium. Too bad for them it was, even under Hungarian law, illegal. (JMH)

Smartphones are pushing web radio
Measurement needed

Web radio is absolutely exploding. It’s another benefit of higher broadband bit-rates, reports a recent German survey. Personalized services and a consumer-friendly usage model combine to make audio programming via the internet a serious contender.

Since 2006 the number of web radio stations in Germany has grown five-fold, from about 450 to nearly 2,700, says the Web Radio Monitor produced for the Bavarian Regulatory Authority for Commercial Broadcasting (Bayerischen Landeszentrale für neue Medien - BLM). The report, conducted by Berlin-based research and consulting house Gold Media, concentrates on the business prospects for web radio. (See BLM presser here – in German)

Among the survey findings, most German web radio stations – 80% - are web-only. However, most listeners choose streams from existing FM stations. Only a few are using the “sub-brands” of major channels. Unlike traditional FM listening, web radio is used more in later times of the day.

Just under three-quarters of FM radio channels with web offerings have smartphone apps. Just under half of all web radio stations offer mobile apps. About 70% of those surveyed access radio channels via their mobile phone.

But for web radio operators to have a shot at the digital benefit (i.e. advertising) the measurement problem needs to be solved, said Gold Media’s Michael Schmidt, quoted in horizont.net (July 15). No web radio stations reach the sample threshold to be included in the AG.MA radio survey.  “The online market has seen that the business really goes when there is a currency." (JMH)

Radio Page - July 16, 2010

Radio Page - July 2, 2010

Radio Page - June 25, 2010

Radio Page - June 18, 2010

Radio Page - June 11, 2010

Radio Page - May 28, 2010

Recently added radio audience figures and references

• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (22/07/2010)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (22/07/2010)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (22/07/2010)
  share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (15/07/2010)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Germany - Radio Audience (14/07/2010)
  leading stations, 2010 national survey, daily reach
• Belgium - Radio Audience (01/07/2010)
  Flemish region, market share, trend
• Belgium - Radio Audience (01/07/2010)
  French region, market share, trend
• Belgium - Major Media (16/06/2010)
  Flemish region, radio broadcasters, public, private

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