Chris Cashen on why Irish radio must act if it is not to encounter the same problems as print
Irish radio is arguably the most enduring and romantic aspects of our storytelling and aural culture. But just like our most primitive ancestors, radio broadcasting can make two kinds of mistakes; fear there is a tiger in the bush when there is isn’t one, or believe there is none. The cost of the first mistake is needless anxiety, the price of the second error is death.
Both are now on display to varying degrees. Many bemoan a lack of creativity in ads or the way radio is measured as crucial in getting the medium in order – neither of which are new obstacles. National radio broadcasters are doing laps around the most critical issues and it must stop digging the track deeper around gender, music and long-term sustainability.
There is a lack of diversity in Irish radio, especially in terms of female broadcasters. It is not that there have not been opportunities afforded to quality women presenters, but the low number of females in primetime slots remains a stone in their shoes. Broadcasters need to radically change the clubhouse rules to dispel the perception of the old boys’ club.
The choice of music on radio is poor. It has been some time since the late David Bowie said that “music itself is going to become like running water”. Data trackers from BuzzAngle Music reported that 99 per cent of audio streaming is of the top 10 per cent most-streamed tracks. So less than one per cent of streams on the likes of Spotify account for all other music.
Despite this, Irish stations are combating the sea of music competitors by behaving exactly like them, with increasingly smaller pools of artists and songs. There is no forum for new Irish acts to breakthrough or differing tastes, and the rising tide of consumption only lifts the biggest boats. An attainable environment for entire broadcasting spectrum is also critical.
FM has a termination date. Today’s young adults do not have the same relationship with FM as previous generations. The market has previous in alternative music stations which failed commercially, most recently TXFM. However, there is an enduring appetite for something outside the current offering. Take the Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) product in the UK.
DAB provides hundreds of transmissions as a route to a wider choice, ease of use and is resistant to the interference that sanitises the product. If we do not increase the points of reference and modes of access the current audio landscape will become a symbol much like the VHS format. It served a purpose but with upgrades is now seen as an artefact.
On the one hand, the industry has shown commendable invention and progression with its incorporation to Amazon Alexa and Echo, as well as the praiseworthy efforts from Newtalk’s Off the Ball with new social products. On the other hand, we see an old approach to critical issues which, if not resolved, will not keep pace with other media speeding ahead.
Game for a discount: Sky Sport will show more English Premier League football next season after agreeing a new three-year deal. It will pay £1.2 billion a year for 128 games, a saving of £199 million a year. It is a reduction of 16 per cent per game when compared to the current deal. Sky says it will use the saving to invest in other areas of broadcasting.
Amazon targets football
Amazon could live stream Premier League matches in the UK in a move many predicted and will test whether football chiefs launch an over-the-top service. It was suspected the Premier League was trying to lure a deep-pocketed tech company in a bid to drive up prices after Sky and BT secured the five best packages at a discount rate of €1.2 a year for 128 games.
However, it now looks likely that the remaining rights packages will be broadcast on Amazon Prime. While the remaining 40 matches are not headline fixtures, it could prove valuable in determining whether this is scalable when the next rights renewal comes around.
Echo triggers order
A TV ad for Echo Dot, which ‘woke up’ a consumer’s own Amazon device to order cat food, has been cleared by the ASA in the UK. The complainant said the ad, which showed a man asking Alexa to re-order Nestle’s Purina cat food, was “socially irresponsible” as it triggered their Echo device to respond to the command with “I’ve found Purina cat food. Would you like to buy it?”, before placing the order. Amazon said it uses tech to prevent its ads from interacting with devices, but in this case it was ineffective. It has raised broader questions about whether voice assistants are listening in on people’s private conversations.
Nike hits Snapchat
Nike became the first paying brand on Snapchat with an exclusive pre-release of its Air Jordan III Tinker sneaker which sold out in 23 minutes. The tie-up is Snapchat’s first big e-commerce push in aiming to highlight its potential for hosting unique shopping experiences for retailers and brands. Consumers scanned codes and were directed to the Snap app.
Chris Cashen is director of media at Javelin
