Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
Is it time for radio to tune out of TuneIn?
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
If this website story is to be believed, Sony and Warners have taken TuneIn to court in the UK. They allege, the story says, that TuneIn has breached copyright law.
The story claims: “A legal document seen by one MBW source suggests that the majors have submitted...
21 November 2017
The UK radio industry is on the up. Why?
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
Surprise! In a world of relatively flat radio revenue figures, radio revenue in the UK market went up by 11% in Q2/2017. Wow! How did they do that?
Well, first, it might have been 11% in one quarter, but UK radio will probably end the year about 4% up at around US$875m.
Over a beer in a French bar - and I point this out not just so it makes claiming expenses easier - I had a chat with...
15 November 2017
Why it’s time to cosy up to your research folk
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
There’s a point during some of my presentations where I show how people are listening to the radio. “So, “ I normally say, looking at figures for the UK or Australia... “most listening to the radio is to AM/FM, right? What the next most listened-to? Radio through the TV… radio through a DAB+ radio … or the internet?”
I get people to put their hands up for each. It’s relatively...
07 November 2017
The Main Studio Rule - U.S. radio’s biggest opportunity in years
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
There’s change in the air - literally - in the US, the world’s biggest radio market.
SInce 1934, the FCC has had a rule that a radio station must have a main studio within its transmission area, and must also have a “meaningful management and staff presence”, which means full-time staff during business hours.
The FCC have just voted to eliminate this rule. As a local radio station, you now...
30 October 2017
What should go in your top-of-hour ident to make people listen longer
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
Chances are, if you’re involved in a radio station, you’ll be available in a few different ways. Perhaps on FM, online, in an app, or in other ways.
We make stations available in different ways to attract more audience, and encourage trial.
All the research I’ve ever seen appears to show that a mobile phone is used as a radio “for when you can’t get to a radio”. Online streaming does really well in the...
24 October 2017
The gems in a side-room at a radio conference
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
At Radio Alive, the newly-rebranded radio conference in Australia the other week, I sat through some well-produced discussions in the main room. Some very high quality speakers covered many areas of Australian radio, including much discussion about advertising, branding and commercial content.
These discussions are great to have: they bring advertising agencies and others to...
22 October 2017
Voice-tracking: wrong for radio?
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
“What do you think of voice-tracking?” came a voice in Q&A after one of my presentations in New Zealand.
The question came from a man wearing a t-shirt. The t-shirt was black, with a community radio logo on the front, and on the back, in bright white capital letters: “CORPORATE RADIO STILL SUCKS”.
Voice-tracking has a bad reputation; and I can understand why. It’s been used, in many...
15 October 2017
A visit to Q Radio in Northern Ireland
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
Belfast in Northern Ireland is a city of regeneration and investment. I walked from the train station into the city, noting new buildings and renovated ones. The city appears to be a prosperous place. New brands have poured into the city in recent years.
There’s another new brand in Belfast: and I was on my way to see them. Q Radio has been broadcasting across parts of Northern Ireland...
08 October 2017
The UK’s slow road to AM/FM switchoff
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
The UK “Minister for Digital”, Matt Hancock, delivered a video address in last week’s “Drive to Digital” conference in London.
The conference is organised by Digital Radio UK, the lobbying group working for DAB digital radio in the UK. DAB is free-to-air broadcast radio through an antenna, much like FM but only digital. It offers listeners far greater choice, removes the...
02 October 2017
Next Radio conference - watch the whole thing
Radio Tomorrow with James Cridland
Last Monday I was at Next Radio, the radio ideas conference, in London. It’s something that Matt Deegan and I have run for the last seven years: a place where incredible people come together and speak about the radio and audio industry.
So, that’s why this column will be quite short this week: because I’ve been on aeroplanes and in hotel rooms tapping away at Keynote...
24 September 2017
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