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ftm Radio Page - week ending January 22, 2021

Listeners locked down, some relax and others curious
easy listening from home

Many consequences for the media world from the coronavirus and resulting economic disruption have become apparent. Some are obvious and, frankly, expected. News has been hot, including fake news. Sports has suffered from not much going on. And there have been less expected consequences.

French measurement institute Médiamétrie released this week (January 21) September through December radio audience estimates for Il de France (IDF) - Greater Paris. The period begins with back-to-school and ends with holidays with muted celebrations. In the midst were restrictions on many activities.

Noted almost everywhere, aggregate radio reach dropped against the same period one year on; 67.4% against 69.1%. Also noted elsewhere, average time spent listening rose; 159 minutes from 153 minutes. This data being from the biggest urban zone in France, the easy observation is fewer commuters.

Without question, news and information drew the most radio listeners. Public channel France Inter reached a dizzying 17.7% audience share to retain the top spot from 15.1% year on year. News and information heavy RTL held second place with 13.3% audience share, slightly lower from 13.5%. All-news public channel France Info pushed into third place with 6.6% audience share from 5.4%.

Europe 1, struggling with identity, held fourth place while dropping to 5.4% audience share from 6.1% one year on. RMC was battered by the lack of sports, dropping to 5.0% audience share from 7.4%. Dismal business news didn’t help. (See more about media in France here)

The survey period was good for good music, probably most channels generally used in the background. Radio Classique placed sixth overall with 4.7% audience share, up from 2.9% year on year. It was followed by public channel France Culture, posting 4.4% audience share up from 3.1%. A bit further down the list was public channel France Musique, 12th place with 2.2% audience share, up from 1.5%. For each, the results were historic highs. (See Médiamétrie IDF radio audience trend chart here)

Traditional music channels had difficulties. Exceptions were Skyrock, Fun Radio and Cherie FM. Virgin Radio dropped notably. The rest of the national music channels just sat there.

Local stations were also battered but a few jumped out, suggesting Paris radio listeners checking out new sounds. One in particular is Evasion, moving into the top 20 from nowhere. It targets the suburbs with local news and, basically, background music. Chant France, Evasion’s sister station, was also up notably. It offers “the great classics of French songs.”

Journalists welcome end to terror at international broadcaster - UPDATED
escorted from the building

Changes in administrations often affect government-funded media services. And, so, this was apparent on the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden as the 46th president of the United States (January 20). Out the same day was US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) chief executive Michael Pack, The USAGM administers Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the Office for Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, Middle East Broadcasting Networks and the Open Technology Fund. USAGM was formed during the previous US administration to replace the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG).

Named to replace Mr. Pack was Kelu Chao, a 40-year VOA veteran journalist. It is an acting capacity pending US Senate confirmation of a permanent chief executive. Former VOA news director Yolanda Lopez was named acting VOA director. Needless to say, the doors at VOA’s Washington DC headquarters have been spinning. Several deputies of Mr. Pack were quickly booted. Also out is Office of Cuba Broadcasting director Jeffrey Shapiro. (See more about International Broadcasting here)

There was no “last straw” for Mr. Pack. His relatively brief tenure was marked by appointing a motley crew of homophobes, xenophobes and Trump supporters inexperienced in international broadcasting, journalism or public policy. Agency and broadcaster employees were aghast and, eventually, so were many US politicians.

The end - or beginning, if you will - was telegraphed by the abrupt “reassigning” of VOA White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara to the Indonesian service. Her error was questioning now-departed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a meeting (January 11) at which no questions were allowed. VOA director Robert Reilly “shouted” at Ms Widakuswara to be quiet because government officials have “a free platform to speak live on our channels,” an abrupt change in the stated policy of a firewall protecting VOA from government interference. Directly thereafter Mr. Reilly dismissed Ms Lopez. This week Mr. Reilly was escorted from the building.

UPDATE: The remaining directors of USAGM broadcasters joined the group terminated later in the week, reported NPR and Politico (January 22). Like the others, all were right-wing adherents appointed by Mr. Pack in December. Also out are Middle East Broadcasting Networks director Victoria Coates, Radio Free Asia director Stephen Yates and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty director Ted Lipien.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us: reaffirm the firewall, the highest standards of professionalism, and the sacred editorial independence and journalistic integrity; and ensure the safety and security of our journalists,” wrote Ms Chao in an email to staff. “Notably, (Ms) Chao did not once invoke (Ted) Lipien’s name or those of the presidents of the other not-for-profit networks. Several hours later, she fired them,” noted NPR reporter David Folkenflik (January 24), who has followed the story closely.

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