In this week' Campaign...

...we counted a grand total of two mentions of radio - both centred around Gcap, and more specifically Capital Radio.

The first refers to complaints by media agencies that they can't buy the airtime they want on Capital due to the "no more than two ads in a row rule" (way to go, Gcap. It's tough to get people to use radio in the first place, but then to top it off you cut them out of a potential audience of 7m!).

The second relates to the current performance of Gcap and, getting right to the dirty cynical core of the issue, whether it's making enough money (profits down from £22.2m to £14.4). What many people can see that the business geniuses at Gcap can't is that the flow chart to making money goes something like this:

1. Produce innovative, immaginative, top quality radio. This leads to
2. People listening, which in turn leads to
3. Better RAJAR figures, which leads to
4. More people wanting to advertise on your station(s), which, unsurprisingly, leads to
5. MORE MONEY.

Now, we can see that. You can see that. But taking the "risk" (if TV can do it, why can't radio?) of producing the required kind of programming, making that initial invesment of money and talent, is beyond the acceptable level that the suits are willing to take. Until that changes, the sad decline of the wireless industry, both broadcast and advertising, will continue.

(And no amount of spend on Bam Bam will change that)

As for Campaign itself, why not try to inspire people to use radio instead of heading straight to the grossly unattractive issue of money. People need to know more about the benefits of radio and the startling success that can be had through its use. We're not saying anything as stupid as not to report on the business side of radio, but how about a good look at the endless possibilities that it can afford you! One radio special per year just isn't enough!
Okay, so it's your job to report, not to promote - but you seem to manage it pretty well with every other medium! Give radio a chance...