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ftm Radio Page - April 8, 2016

Broadcasters take charge of audience measurement
“all transmitted platforms”

Italian radio broadcasters have a new organization to undertake audience measurement. This has been a major undertaking since AudiRadio, the last joint industry group, went away in 2011. The GfK RadioMonitor has provided irregular national audience measurement.

The new company Tavolo Editori Radio was incorporated in Milan last week, a board named and general particulars enumerated. RAI Radio director Nicola Sinisi was named chairman. The company aims to “achieve from 2017 an objective and unbiased proprietary research system to measure listening to radio and radio stations, with all their technological and territorial features, on all transmitted platforms,” said the statement, quoted by primaonline.it (April 5). (See more about media measurement here)

Sometime this year prospective suppliers will be invited to bid their services. Tavolo Editori Radio shareholders include most national radio broadcasters and the association of local broadcasters. On the sidelines, so far, are advertisers and media buyers.

Local station to close under market, regulation pressure
“with great regret”

Laments have been written in Ireland about the imminent closure of Dublin alternative rock station TXFM. The owners recently announced they would not be asking for a license renewal, effectively putting the station off the air in October. Other potential operators have hesitated.

“The news of the closure should serve as a stark reminder of the challenges of operating in the Irish media market and the very thin margins between commercial viability and closure,” said commercial broadcaster association Independent Broadcasters of Ireland (IBI) chairman John Purcell in a statement, quoted by Radio Today Ireland (March 31). “The incoming Government must act to introduce sensible reforms that will secure the future of all broadcasters. Although Independent Radio commands almost 70% market share of Irish radio listening, policy makers tend to be almost entirely pre-occupied with the welfare of (public broadcaster) RTÉ. The closure of TXFM is a sad reminder of the cost on jobs in sector and choice and service for listeners of this negligent attitude towards policy making.”

TXFM came into being two years ago, March 2014, as principal owner Communicorp rebranded former alternative music pirate station Phantom. “It is with great regret that we have come to this decision,” said Communicorp chief executive Gervaise Slowey, quoted by Irish Times (March 30), “however despite a recent rebranding and a restructuring of the business, it has not been possible to make the station commercially viable.”

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) contracts with commercial radio operators for rather tightly defined licenses. The TXFM license is for “Music-driven (Alternative Rock)” for “Dublin County and City” targeting “18 to 34 year olds,” noted on the BAI website. Competing in the Dublin market are eight local stations plus five national channels, three public and two commercial. In the Q4 2015 JNLR/Ipsos MRBI audience estimates TXFM posted a 2% share for the 15+ Dublin audience.

Local commercial radio stations - everywhere - occasionally fail. New stations, like any new business, face particular risks. What seems to be a good radio idea at one point, even with smart and resourceful operators, is at the mercy of the market. It happens. The good news for radio fans is that an idea was given a chance.

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Recently added radio audience figures and resources

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