Merry Christmas Everyone...

So, as we hurtle towards Christmas like the proverbial snowball hitting the annual window of life, it’s time to wish everyone in the ‘business of radio’ across the world a very Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays / Happy New Year (delete as appropriate according to your individual beliefs!)

I mention ‘the world’, as I thought I’d have a little look at how many countries / territories this blog was read in during 2008. Thanks to the lovely people at Google Analytics, I can tell you that during the last 12 months, you... yes you, were part of a global family that extended to 76 countries no less! I’m sure we’d all wish Season’s Greetings to the good people of far-flung places such as Peru, China, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand and one which I’m most excited about... and the only one on my list that featured on outgoing President Bush’s famous ‘Axis of Evil’...come on down all you readers in... Iran!

I could be wrong, but I swear I saw a heavily disguised President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sitting second row from the back at my session at NAB in London this year. He’s a big advocate of tight rotations on Hot AC formats you know...

It still amuses me that the things I write on my laptop in my kitchen, in a hotel room, at an airport lounge, waiting for my kids swimming lesson to finish etc..., can be (and seemingly are) read in a huge number of countries right across the planet.

The world of online has changed the world of radio forever. In 2009 we’ll see a further blurring of the lines between the traditional definition of “radio” and the new era of online content generation, some of it having a ‘radio style’ origin. Some territories are slightly ahead of the curve on this. Others are at a different point in the evolutionary process, but no one can deny the evidence. (Well perhaps some could!!)

Darwin himself, I’m sure, would be proud that even within a medium designed to ‘inform, educate and entertain’, there exists a form of ‘Radio Darwinism’ both in terms of content and technology. AM... to FM... to DAB / Digital / or Satellite... to Wi-Fi and streamed radio, the process evolves. And within the creative side, good ideas survive and adapt to their surroundings, while poor concepts and weak design is gradually eradicated by a process of natural selection.

I look forward to sharing new thoughts and ideas with you in 2009 that will hopefully keep us all active members of the worldwide radio gene pool.

To my merry band of wonderful clients (you know who you are!), I’ve enjoyed every minute of working alongside you and your fantastic teams in 2008. We’ve done some really good stuff together and also had some fun in the process. Here’s to a very successful 2009 to you all.

So, as the aroma of Mulled Wine drifts from the kitchen, and the fairy lights on the ‘Goodman Family Christmas Tree’ silently twinkle away, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas... wherever you are.

And to ensure you’re absolutely in Christmas mood...