He then spent the next 5 minutes searching on the Radio 1 play out system for the top three songs that they didn’t have. Even “Build me up Buttercup” wasn’t on there. What was happening here is I was listening to a man typing on a computer keyboard muttering about songs not being there. If this was commercial radio he would have been hung in his next snoop session - but don’t get me started on snoops. The point I’m making with this is that if you open up a feature to your listeners where they can choose a song and you don’t have the songs they’re asking for then what does that say about your market research? You’re out of touch with your listeners buddy.
Too much money and attention is being pumped into audience research and focus groups that are being paid to tell you what you want to hear. Radio has become complacent in its quest for knowledge. Why are we paying market research companies to tell us what we can ask listeners ourselves? This is where web radio is kicking ass with their forums and discussion boards they bolt on to their websites. They’re open and honest about their music. They invite requests for songs and actually play them and on some sites you can actually see a catalogue of their songs and choose one simply by clicking on it. This is the sort of data you need if you want to survive. In the past we’ve never been able to collect this information that easily.
But this is now the 21st Century and you have the power – so use it. Mind you, I reckon existing FM stations would be loathed to introduce forums and discussion boards due to a combination of abuse, spamming and a lack of sensible activity – this would be embarrassing.
You do have to wonder what’s going on when RAJAR comes in and says you have 200,000 listeners, then you run a competition and you get 2 phone calls. Of course the flip side to all of this is that technology has also given us the iPod. If we have to listen to the same songs over and over day in day out then we can choose our own – advert free. This is where things really start to get shaken up. We can listen while walking, on the tube, in the car, anywhere we fancy. The iPod isn’t bulky like the Walkman or personal CD player and will happily hold thousands upon thousands of songs all there for you at the press of a button. Why any sane person texts a radio station for a song, even when they invite you to, then waits for ages for it never to be played unless it’s already on the play list is beyond me.
I’ve worked in a few offices in recent months and found that these days, as most offices are connected to the internet and have speakers attached; an employee will connect to a stations web stream rather than have a dedicated radio tuned in. This accessibility and new way of listening has levelled the playing field for all community and web based radio stations. Radio 1 and 2 now has tiny web radio stations as competition – who would have thought that would ever be possible?
People don’t need commercial laden radio anymore – not even for traffic and travel updates. These can be delivered to Sat Nav systems now, automatically adjusting your route if there are any problems. In our car the only time the radio gets turned up is when a good song comes on, which isn’t very often, or the news is on. If we’re driving on our own then it’s a CD all the way. If our car had iPod capability we would use that.
Like the 60s revolution we have another coup d’etat and it’s steadily and stealthily overthrowing our radio system again. As Wi-Fi becomes more powerful and widespread and internet access is getting cheaper and more accessible it won’t be long before some bright spark finds a way to deliver internet radio to your car. When they do then it’s game over for FM and we’re into a new era where the stars of tomorrow will shine and today’s lumbering dinosaurs who ignore what is happening will die (metaphorically speaking).
Be one of the shining stars, embrace radio and its future, be yourself and above all “Innovate, don’t imitate”.
Oh and as for DAB…. forget it. Too little too late I’m afraid. That technology has already been super ceded due to listener behaviour.
The History of Radio: part 15
by Chris Oakley
chris.oakley@coldcommunications.com