The UK Radioplayer

For a while, the UK radio industry have been talking about putting together an online player that delivers the option to listen to all UK radio stations from one place, whether BBC or commercial. The aim of collaboration is simple; promote the medium and then allow consumers to choose what content they want to listen to. More radio listening = better for the radio industry.

This is a massive leap forward in terms of a whole industry realising that sometimes it’s in the long term interest of ‘radio’ as an industry, to work together... whatever side of the fence you inhabit.

The video below is a mocked up version of what it may look like, previewed by Tim Davie (The BBC’s top Audio and Music man) at the Media Festival in Manchester. I like the way it allows commercial stations to still ‘be commercial’ and not lose the revenue opportunities of having an collaborative industry wide ‘radio player’.

If it’s anything like the mock up, it will be pretty cool... especially when it goes mobile too!

Let’s not forget the share of internet listening in the UK according to the last RAJAR numbers is still only 2.2% (compared to 13.3% for DAB)... but anything which makes listening to a range of stations online will no doubt help to increase online listening.

I should say I am a multi-platform proponent, believing a “mixed economy” of DAB, DTV, Online and Mobile listening is where the future of listening lies. Let’s keep backing a variety of horses, and the industry as a whole will be a winner.

Is Cheese Back in Fashion?

Is the current Magic 105.4 ad for their Mystery Voices any better than the current Capital ad?

It actually reminds me a bit of those old cheesy 1980's Birthday Bonanza ads from Capital!

Capital FM - Good or Bad TV Commercial?

I saw this ad for Capital FM’s Jingle Bell Ball on TV last week. A few people commented at the time on the quality of the sound mix not being very good... and I think they have a point! But I was interested more to see what other people generally thought of the ad.

In my view, it seems a shame that when any brand spend a decent amount of money on TV airtime, they then air a commercial that has pretty low production values, it effectively makes the brand look cheaper than it actually is and devalues it somewhat. (The fact that the airtime may well be bartered in a reciprocal arrangement with ITV shouldn’t influence the production values of the spot)

There are lots of good examples of great TV spots for radio stations. But this isn’t one of them I'm afraid. And I’m not even sure if it would have had achieved its desired effect of driving new listeners to tune in either.

Great event. Bad TV commercial.