Radiodays Europe 2011; "Change Is In The Air"

As Radio conferences, last week’s Radiodays Europe in Copenhagen has to be seen as one of the best for quite some time; not only because it was in a city I know and love; not only because the conference venue was still shiny, new and well laid out; and not only because it was exceptionally well attended with over 700 delegates from all over the world.

All these things helped... but more importantly, its programme addressed some of the key issues our industry faces and combined it with some really fascinating insights into the whole spectrum of radio related topics. From positioning to measurement to sales etc.. etc..

There were of course the obligatory sessions on distribution, platforms and the move to digital. The keynote session at the start of the conference set the tone really... and in case of any doubt, here’s where we are: All of Europe’s radio markets are at different points on the ‘evolution of radio’ curve. Some are embracing the digital future and ‘diving on in’ and swimming around the ‘pool of digital fun’! Some are splashing around in the shallow end with the full intention of having a swim, once the water gets a bit warmer. And some are still in changing room, fully clothed, with no intention of going swimming at all... even if it’s 35 degrees outside and the sky is blue!

Europe’s radio industry is at a crossroads. Until now, we’ve all been heading roughly in the same direction with broadly had the same distribution on AM and FM, and a few country specific things at the periphery. Now with the ‘infinite dial’ upon us and digital technologies offering solutions that would have had their inventors burnt at the stake if they’d come up with them 50 years ago, different countries have choices as to which direction they want to go in and why. And here’s the thing... We ain’t all going in the same direction anymore folks! Change is in the air!!

Does it matter? Possibly not, and certainly consumers will just want to get the content they want, in the way they want it, and not worry too much about distribution in future. But I fear for those countries who are seemingly doing nothing about the change to the digital economy. What will their radio markets look like in 10 or 20 years time? This topic seem to occupy these conferences quite a bit, with different sides of the argument all lining up to say why they’re doing their thing, or why they’re not doing the thing other people are doing.

For the record, I tend to agree with the majority of the received wisdom about these things in the UK. It will be suicide for radio not to embrace a digital future, and a digital broadcast backbone with plenty of other options alongside that, seems to be the smartest way of going right now.

But enough of distribution! What else did we all learn in Copenhagen, apart from that it still snows there in Spring, and everything is still way over-priced?

We learnt that Z100 is just like any other hits radio station, just with a larger population to serve than most, and a decent budget for talent. The have exactly the same positioning issues as any other major market station, and apply some classic positioning strategy to differentiate themselves from the competition. And they just play the hits!

We learnt that Ryan Seacrest is the “Mayor of Hollywood” and delivers a great morning show every day, by following some of the tried and tested ‘rules’ of production that Dennis Clarke drills into him on a regular basis! Dennis always talks sense in a very ‘un-frilly’ way, and communicates his points fantastically well. And he’s one of the few speakers who gets a cheer as he’s going UP to talk!

We also learnt that the UK Radioplayer is a fantastic collaborative effort between the BBC and the commercial sector which will see online listening becoming easier for consumers, and hopefully increase its share of digital listening, adding to the overall pot of digital listening that will see the digital radio switchover in the UK become a reality. I’m proud the UK is leading the way in this area, and will be interesting to see how it goes when the service goes live at the end of the month. It’s a major change and will of course have a few teething problems. But nothing’s perfect to start with is it?

We learnt that some in Europe are worried about the threat of streaming music services like Spotify and WIMP, as they fear it will replace listening to traditional radio. I love these kind of streaming services, but they’re not ‘radio’ as we know it, and as long as we in the programming sector invest in the bits in between the records, as well as the music format, then I think we’ll probably be OK!

There was plenty more on offer; too much to list here really. And aside from the sessions, we saw that there is still as much passion for the medium as ever before, with some fantastically bright and creative people all contributing to the growth of the sector in their market and beyond.

Yes, we’re going through change as an industry... but change is exciting; change is thrilling; change is about the future, not the past; change is what defines our own progress as a species. Without change, we’d be nowhere and still swinging from the trees.

So embrace change... within your market, and within your station.

And with that suitably positive and forward-looking message, I’m off to Athens to talk the Greek radio industry about the creative changes that technology can bring to programming, and how to make the most of the opportunities that change brings.

"So this is Christmas..." 2010

It’s snowing outside my office window in the beautiful English countryside, so it must be time to write another ‘end of year posting’ as we come to the end of another exciting year in radio.

2010 has been a challenging year for many radio stations and many radio industries across the world. The difficult economic circumstances have meant a tough advertising market to operate in for the commercial stations, and many public service organisations having to make large cost-savings, which often affect programming departments and the ‘end product’ for listeners.

However, against that backdrop we see a sector that is as popular as ever with consumers. Taking the UK, the latest RAJAR (audience measurement) figures show almost 91% of the UK population tune in to radio every week, with digital radio listening hours up 23% year on year, and DAB ownership is up 10% year on year to 18.3 million adults.

And if we look at radio services delivered by the internet in the UK, we can see that 2.2 million Smartphone owners have downloaded a radio app with 16.3 million listeners claiming to have ever listened to radio via the internet.

Non-linear services are becoming increasingly important with a real growth in “radio that waits till it’s wanted”. 8.1 million adults in the UK have downloaded a podcast, and 44% of users say they listen to them at least once a week, showing how advances in technology is helping to maintain the relevance of radio and audio entertainment in a ever-changing mediascape.

The argument about the importance of radio having a multi-platform future with a strong digital broadcast backbone is, I believe, academically won. The challenge for 2011 is winning the ‘hearts and minds’ battle and the PR war that is currently being fought. Obviously, different countries are at different stages of digital adoption and it will be interesting to see how they develop over the next 12 months, but the signs are encouraging with announcements like the launch of DAB+ services in Germany in 2011.

Why does this matter for programme makers and radio creatives?

Well, for several reasons. Ensuring radio continues to be relevant for consumers is important for the healthy future of the radio industry in every country. Developments in technology mean more stations, more formats and more creative possibilities. That’s a good thing is you have great ideas and want to find a home for them. I look at the success of Absolute 80s in the UK in 2010, that has grown from ‘nothing’ to over half a million listeners across the UK on DAB in a very short space of time. That’s a niche format that has found a tribe of happy fans of 80s music on digital radio. (And it’s now joined by its siblings Absolute 90s and Absolute 00s too)

The other development that has started to take shape in 2010 in the UK is Radioplayer. It’s a simple, consistent way for users to access UK radio stations of all shapes and sizes and grow online listening as a result. It’s a partnership between the BBC and many of the big commercial radio groups and is a great example of where collaboration between public and private sectors in radio provides benefit to the industry overall. I look forward to seeing it really take off in 2011.

So, like it or not, we can’t get away from the fact that technology now shapes our industry more than ever before, but embracing this change rather than denying it has got to be the only way forward.

The good thing that hasn’t changed though is... ideas. We’re still an industry that revolves around great ideas. Great ideas for shows, great ideas for promotions, great ideas for outside broadcasts, and great ideas for music features... and the need for those great ideas is never greater.

So, let 2011 be a year we all work on generating even more great ideas for our radio stations!

Finally, in an Oscars style thanksgiving, let me thank all the clients I’ve worked with in 2010. I’ve boarded over 120 planes in the last 12 months (!) and flown all over the world to work with some great people who all love radio as much as I do, and it’s been a real pleasure to work with you all. And to those of you I’ve yet to work with... 2011 might just be the year!

So, as the snow gets thicker and I throw another log on the fire, and I hear the carols drifting from the windows of the snowy village pub... let me say Happy Christmas and Seasons Greetings to everyone... and here’s to a great 2011.

See you next year!

Radio Festival 2010 - Review

So as the expenses forms are being filled in, and all London based radio types are still wondering if the drinks really are that cheap in the Ramada, the Radio Festival has waved a fond farewell for another year.

And what did we glean from the UK’s premiere “insular, naval gazing industry symposium”?

Ones and Zeros
We’re still talking about digital, and it’s still not resolved, but the principles of a digital future with a broadcast backbone seem to get most people agreed. How long that will take, and who pays for what are the questions no-one quite knows the answer to. As Jeremy Vine put it, talking about digital take up...“We’re not even half-way, to half-way!”

Together in Electric Dreams
Radioplayer was given its first proper demo in public, and is getting rave reviews. Commercial and public service stations in the radio sector can come together and do something for the good of the sector. Ensuring more people are listening to more radio as a whole has to be a shared objective, in whatever country you’re in. There’s still some natural tension between the sectors when it came to Radios 1 and 2 being a little ‘broad’, and that’s not to the liking of a Mr A Tabor of Leicester Square. But overall, the sense of some shared vision for UK radio did come across when the ‘cheeses’ took to the stage together.

The C Word
There was a lot of discussion about creativity this year, and the need for more of it in the commercial sector. The actually very nice and not normally shouty Jeremy Kyle, reminded everyone present of the need to ensure radio does not become too bland in a very engaging way. And who’d have thought that one of the most entertaining people on stage would be Timmy Mallett! Chris Evans was, as usual, excellent I must add. A real ‘radio guy’ who still loves the medium. Delegates could also be left with no doubt that although format music radio is a lovely thing, format music radio with added personality and creativity is a much more lovely thing, and likely to make more money and be more competitive. For the record, I agree!

The L Word
Local is still powerful and can command an audience. There are of course different types of local... small local, like community radio. Big local, like Key 103 or Radio City, and pretend local, like the Heart and Capital ‘national’ roll out. It’s just not really local radio, so I think as soon as they give up the pretence, the better for us all. Don’t get me wrong, they’re both great stations / networks, and sounds really good right now. But local, they ain’t!

BLT
Richard Bacon is a really good broadcaster and interviewer and all round likeable chap. Dave Lee Travis is none of the above.

Salford
The venue was really good and it feels right the Radio Festival should have a permanent home instead of wondering around like ‘The Littlest Hobo’ from year to year.

There are lots of other blogs and reviews to read, and the Radio Today coverage is really worth checking out.

Well done Radio Academy team and organising committee. Excellet job.

And there we have it. I saved you the airfare, train fare, taxi rides, ticket price, hotel cost, drinks bill etc... but suffice to say, if it’s as good as it was this year next time around, I’ll be back, and you should be there too.

As Richard Bacon put it... “For radio people... this is our Glastonbury”.

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.