The rather excellent "Current Puns" with Stephen Fry was broadcast on Radio 4 this morning.
Listen again HERE.
Thursday 7 June 2007
Ken Loach to make Radio 3 Doc
Great news - Ken Loach is putting his talent to radio with a documentary on the seaside town of Blackpool.
It's always great to see highly repected figures such as Ken put their work on the wireless, and long may it continue.
Read the full story HERE (you may have to sign up if not already registered).
It's always great to see highly repected figures such as Ken put their work on the wireless, and long may it continue.
Read the full story HERE (you may have to sign up if not already registered).
On the Radio This Week!
Check out the following programmes on BBC Radio 4 this week (Thurs-Sat):
Thursday:
In Our Time - 9.45am (A profile of poet Siegfried Sassoon)
Current Puns - 11.30 (Steven Fry investigates the English prediliction for puns)
That Mitchell And Webb Sound - 6.30pm
Friday:
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - 3.30pm (The finals installment of this great series)
Thursday:
In Our Time - 9.45am (A profile of poet Siegfried Sassoon)
Current Puns - 11.30 (Steven Fry investigates the English prediliction for puns)
That Mitchell And Webb Sound - 6.30pm
Friday:
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - 3.30pm (The finals installment of this great series)
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...
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...
Wednesday 6 June 2007
Digital Radio Show
This weekend sees the Digital Radio Show coming to town at the Olympia. Now, we at the Radio World Blog were hoping to be attending, but unsurprisingly the £599 ticket price put us off a little.
Quite what justifies the near £600 price, Im not sure. And with radio the way it is at the moment, I'm not entirely sure that there will be record figures of attendees (maybe you can't afford not to go?). However, for the technically minded of you out there, it's probably of more interest.
The main points of interest for us would be the talk on New Opportunities Arising with the 2nd Multiplex - a topic that always gets the RWB on its uppers.
All in all, the essence of most radio chatter at the moment basically boil down to "how to get more listeners, thus more money". Radio seems intent that the answer lies in new technology, which I'm sure to an extent it will, but I'm more convinced that brave and creative broadcasting decisions will pave the way.
Quite what justifies the near £600 price, Im not sure. And with radio the way it is at the moment, I'm not entirely sure that there will be record figures of attendees (maybe you can't afford not to go?). However, for the technically minded of you out there, it's probably of more interest.
The main points of interest for us would be the talk on New Opportunities Arising with the 2nd Multiplex - a topic that always gets the RWB on its uppers.
All in all, the essence of most radio chatter at the moment basically boil down to "how to get more listeners, thus more money". Radio seems intent that the answer lies in new technology, which I'm sure to an extent it will, but I'm more convinced that brave and creative broadcasting decisions will pave the way.
Tuesday 5 June 2007
A question to consider...
Do Creatives actually listen to radio? If yes, then what do they listen to?
If they don't, then why the hell not?
If they can't stand (ironically) to be listening to commercial radio, then they may be surprised at how stations such as BBC Radio 3 & 4, and more recently, Channel 4 Radio, can influence them creatively. There is a whole load of techniques and talent on show for them to gather inspiration from, whilst you also gain understanding in to what works and what doesn't work on the medium.
I'm still surprised at the amount of radio scripts coming through that mention and actor "looking away" or "looking shocked" etc!
As advertisers, you need to know your audience. But you also need to know your medium. Radio isn't as obvious as TV, but that's the beauty of it. It takes intelligence and true creativity to make good radio. Listen, learn and ultimately challenge yoursleves and the audience.
If they don't, then why the hell not?
If they can't stand (ironically) to be listening to commercial radio, then they may be surprised at how stations such as BBC Radio 3 & 4, and more recently, Channel 4 Radio, can influence them creatively. There is a whole load of techniques and talent on show for them to gather inspiration from, whilst you also gain understanding in to what works and what doesn't work on the medium.
I'm still surprised at the amount of radio scripts coming through that mention and actor "looking away" or "looking shocked" etc!
As advertisers, you need to know your audience. But you also need to know your medium. Radio isn't as obvious as TV, but that's the beauty of it. It takes intelligence and true creativity to make good radio. Listen, learn and ultimately challenge yoursleves and the audience.
More on the Radio Centre Player...
..can be found HERE.
This throws up a few good points about the player. Firstly, who is it aimed at - general listeners or advertisers / other industry figures?
As it stands, the player is only on the Radio Centre website, so it's certainly not being marketed to the masses at the moment, although in time they may pick up on its existence - but to what extent.
And the most important point - why link to the BBC stations?
This throws up a few good points about the player. Firstly, who is it aimed at - general listeners or advertisers / other industry figures?
As it stands, the player is only on the Radio Centre website, so it's certainly not being marketed to the masses at the moment, although in time they may pick up on its existence - but to what extent.
And the most important point - why link to the BBC stations?
I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue
A welcome return last night for I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue. Listen again HERE
A letter published in Marketing Magazine states...
...that TV and print ads are the least effective form of marketing. However, it’s author, Simon Harrop from Brand Sense in Oxford, fails to point out the alternatives. Could RADIO possibly be one of these? Why doesn’t anyone seem to like to state what we in the radio industry already know? It’s extremely effective and should therefore be highly attractive. When will people learn?!
Monday 4 June 2007
4Radio
So on having a quick glance over the new 4Radio website, I couldn''t help but notice quite how much it seems to be a platform for cross promotion, or at least a supporting channel for its mainstream TV stations.
For example, programming on offer includes:
Big Brother Radio
Shipwrecked
8 Out of 10 Cats
Chancers
Hollyoaks
Jamie's School Dinners
Shameless
At least we don't see the BBC rolling out Eastenders radio.
Let's do hope this lazy and cheap method of production doesn't continue into its schedules if it wins the new multiplex licence. What a missed opportunity that would be - and a total disaster for radio.
For example, programming on offer includes:
Big Brother Radio
Shipwrecked
8 Out of 10 Cats
Chancers
Hollyoaks
Jamie's School Dinners
Shameless
At least we don't see the BBC rolling out Eastenders radio.
Let's do hope this lazy and cheap method of production doesn't continue into its schedules if it wins the new multiplex licence. What a missed opportunity that would be - and a total disaster for radio.
Radio Centre Player!
The Radio Centre has launched a new tool that allows listeners to listen to any UK station and 10,000 around the world.
The good thing about this is that listeners can now search and select their station from one website.
The bad thing, however, is that listeners can now hear more of the same poor and unimaginative content on hundreds of stations without much effort.
If the groups decide to improve output with variation and imagination, this could be a great thing.
Listen HERE!
The good thing about this is that listeners can now search and select their station from one website.
The bad thing, however, is that listeners can now hear more of the same poor and unimaginative content on hundreds of stations without much effort.
If the groups decide to improve output with variation and imagination, this could be a great thing.
Listen HERE!
Sunday 3 June 2007
Campaign Magazine & Radio
Each week we will be monitoring how many mentions radio gets in Campaign magazine.
Of course, Campaign is a standalone title, and not in any official way there solely for the promotion of any medium. However, it makes its money from advertising and thus has a responsibility to promote all aspects of the industry.
While it was quick to point out the lack of quality at this year's Aerials, it does nothing for the other 11 months of the year. This needs to change.
Let the counting begin...
Of course, Campaign is a standalone title, and not in any official way there solely for the promotion of any medium. However, it makes its money from advertising and thus has a responsibility to promote all aspects of the industry.
While it was quick to point out the lack of quality at this year's Aerials, it does nothing for the other 11 months of the year. This needs to change.
Let the counting begin...
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