Month: July 2024

UK

Ronan Keating presents final Magic Breakfast

July 31, 2024 radionewsfeeds Comments Off on Ronan Keating presents final Magic Breakfast

After seven years co-hosting Magic Breakfast with Harriet Scott, Ronan Keating presented his last show this morning.

Ronan announced he was stepping back from the show in June, saying it had been a difficult decision, but he wants to spend more time with his family and to concentrate on his music.
During the show he performed his song When You Say Nothing At All and a version of George Michael’s Faith.
He finished by admitting that the reality of leaving was really hitting him now and he couldn’t believe it had lasted seven years, but it had been so much fun.
Thanking Harriet, he told her she had taught him so much and wished her good luck, calling her a radio legend.
He also thanked listeners and said he’ll be around and will come back to say hi every now and then.
As he finished the show, colleagues from Magic Radio and sister Bauer stations lined the corridors to applaud him as he exited the building.
A replacement for Ronan hasn’t been announced yet, but for the timebeing the show will be Harriet and friends at Breakfast with Gok Wan popping for a few days, as will Will Young and then Nick Snaith is doing some cover for the summer holidays.

Seven incredible years and we’ve loved each day 💙
Just one show left before Ronan says goodbye to Magic Breakfast 🎶 pic.twitter.com/NaQsvLr9mC
— Magic Radio (@magicfm) July 30, 2024

Thank you @ronanofficial 💙 pic.twitter.com/EKJVXGYr7n
— Magic Radio (@magicfm) July 31, 2024 […]

UK

The News Agents podcast reaches 100 million downloads

July 31, 2024 radionewsfeeds Comments Off on The News Agents podcast reaches 100 million downloads

The News Agents, presented by Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall has achieved 100 million downloads.

This follows the podcast’s General Election coverage, which saw a 45% increase in podcast downloads.
Global’s The News Agents has featured many names in news and current affairs including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey, Deputy PM Angela Rayner, the outgoing First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething, former Scottish FM Nicola Sturgeon, former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair and US Senators Marjorie Taylor Greene and Bernie Sanders.
Awarded the Best Daily Podcast at the British Podcast Awards 2023, The News Agents has also reported from Calais on the human trafficking crisis, on the protests in Georgia from Tbilisi, the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, a Donald Trump rally at Mar-a-Lago, the French General Election in Paris and at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Vicky Etchells, Head of News and Factual Podcasts at Global says: “We are delighted to celebrate The News Agents reaching this huge milestone of 100 million downloads.
“It’s hard to believe that the podcast launched less than two years ago as it has so quickly established itself as an essential part of the UK’s news media landscape.
This brilliant success is testament to Emily, Jon and Lewis’ unrivalled ability to provide listeners with exceptional reporting and analysis as well as their warmth and connection with our loyal listeners – and to the extraordinary talent of Global’s world-class podcast production team, led by Editor, Tom Hughes. Roll on the next 100 million!” […]

UK

Radio Maria extends coverage to Stockport and South Manchester

July 31, 2024 radionewsfeeds Comments Off on Radio Maria extends coverage to Stockport and South Manchester

Religious station Radio Maria increased coverage to Stockport and Tameside.

As the station grows to cover more parts of the country, a public blessing of the new antenna has been held at the Hyde Cricket and Squash Club in Stockport.
Radio Maria already broadcasts to London, Cambridge, South Birmingham and Bristol, and these new areas will add another potential 500,000 listeners from towns including Davenport, Cheadle and areas of Cheshire.
The blessing ceremony was led by Father Sean Davidson, parish priest of St Joseph’s Church, Stockport, who also led the Rosary prayer and blessed the antenna.
Also present, was Canon Mark Gannon, Vicar General and parish priest of Our Lady and St Christopher’s Church, who blessed all those who were there.
President of Radio Maria, Dr Charles Wilson said: “We’re delighted to bring our unique flavour of radio to Stockport, Greater Manchester, Tameside and surrounding towns.
“It was a privilege to be at the public blessing. Just as we say grace before we eat, it seemed fitting to bless the antenna that is sending the word that will now feed the Stockport and South Manchester population.” […]

ASIA

Embrace The Commercial Break – Part One

July 31, 2024 radionewsfeeds Comments Off on Embrace The Commercial Break – Part One

Content from BPRWhether we like it or not, radio commercials are the raison d’être of the radio business, for those radio stations funded by the selling of airtime. Despite this inconvenient fact there is often a chasm dividing the programming department from the sales department within a commercial/private radio station. Programming often falls into the paradigm of seeing themselves as the shining light of entertainment while sales is their nemesis. Reciprocally sales often see themselves as the unappreciated benefactors of the radio station without which there would be no jobs and toys for the programming team.Both paradigms are unproductive, particularly in the 21st century. In an ideal world, programming and sales should work hand in hand finding solutions rather than friction, understanding the common ground and looking for every opportunity to create a win-win.

The common ground that binds everyone together inside a radio station is the listener. How well a radio station engages with the listener determines both the size of listening audience and how effective the radio commercials are. The task of achieving satisfied listeners and successful outcomes for clients is inextricably linked because both have to be achieved in the same 60 minutes each hour of the day.While we may departmentalise each hour of program into what we think is the optimal order of content delivering the optimal listening experience usually commencing at the top of the hour, people do not necessarily listen to radio that way. People are tuning in at various times throughout the hour and the experience can be very different depending on when that tune in event occurs.It is best to think of the hour in terms of ratio of content rather than some vertical order of content that listeners are going to conveniently listen to.The reality is that commercials often represent 20% or more of what a listener will experience while listening during the hour. They are an integral part of what a listener encounters and while there is a paradigm that listeners “hate” or “avoid” radio commercials this is in fact an erroneous perspective.What listeners actually do is manage their exposure to radio commercials (as people do when consuming all forms of commercial media).Let us unpack that a little more:Radio listeners are not morons. When people tune into a commercial/private station they do so knowing they will hear commercials. Radio listeners also hear, absorb, and react to radio commercial messaging that targets their interests, needs, problems and desires which is why radio advertising works so well.The problem is not radio commercials that speak to the listeners’ interests or needs, it is the commercials that do not. The challenge is carrying the listener through the commercials that are of no interest to them, so they are still listening to your radio station at the end of the commercial break.Another critical issue to take on board is that a radio commercial of no interest to the listener is the same as a station promo of no interest to the listener, or a contest of no interest to the listener. It is not just commercials that we have to be concerned about, it is everything that interrupts or delays the principal reason people listen to your radio station. Radio commercials are nowhere near the sole cause of listeners tuning out, however for the purposes of this article we will stay focused on commercial content.The primary issue at stake when it comes to radio commercials and their effect on the listening experience is the “Shit to Fun” ratio (STF).  It is critical for programming and sales to understand this as it goes a long way towards bringing both areas of a radio station into alignment and enhancing the listener’s experience and their level of engagement with the station.In the next installment we will explore what the STF ratio is and how to best manage it.By Wayne Clouten, BPR […]