ASIA

Content from  The BPR Team.
The audio marketplace has changed rapidly over the past decade, where consumers once had limited options we’ve seen a massive expansion in what’s on offer. Where once traditional broadcast radio ruled the roost here, digital and online radio, music streaming and podcasting have all moved into this space in recent years.
However, despite this expansion in offerings, there’s been very little research on offer digging deep into the wider Audio Landscape. This is why BPR has launched it’s All Audio Study to help both our clients and the wider industry gain perspective on the current marketplace and what’s driving the changes within.
A global study, with 4000 respondents across 8 international markets, it’s one of the most in-depth studies conducted so far into the changing ways consumers are interacting with Audio. Diving deep into not just the audio audience’s topline listening behaviors, but what’s driving the interactions and overlaps between all these mediums.
4000 surveys were conducted from the 9-18th September 2021. The study was conducted with 18-54 Men & Women, demographically weighted to each market, who’d listened to some form of audio in the past week.
As a global study, it featured 500 respondents from 8 different key international cities to give a wider perspective on the trends in audio listening across many western markets. Those cities are:

Sydney, Australia
London, United Kingdom
Berlin, Germany
Paris, France
Prague, Czech Republic
Moscow, Russia
Stockholm, Sweden
Madrid, Spain

At a topline level the audio environment is incredibly robust, with strong, highly engaged audiences for Radio, Streaming & Podcasting. All three Audio Mediums co-existing, with a significant audience shared between all 3 – there are few loyalists within the audio space.

Despite the growth of streaming services – Radio remains the most listened to choice.
While Radio use moves from traditional AM and FM broadcast to new distribution choices including on-line and DAB+, radio continues to be the preferred source of Audio in most of the countries surveyed here. There are some surprising differences in this pattern, however a common theme that emerges is that strong and traditional relationships between listeners and radio services provides a clear advantage and USP for Radio.
Music streaming continues to grow, although increased music streaming is not directly impacting use of Radio.
The growth and range of choice offered by streaming services continues to expand the total pool of music streaming choice for Audio users. Music streaming grows both in user numbers and frequency of use. Across the total range of markets surveyed, music streaming is dominated by Spotify and YouTube.
Podcasts offer a new and well-defined supplementary choice.
Only 30% of the market have listened to a podcast in the past week, time spent listening to podcasts is significantly lower than for either Radio listening or Music Streaming. Top Genre’s are News and Current Affairs and Comedy. There is not a huge discrepancy in podcast use between the younger and older demographics.

Some of the key listening statistics this study found:

Radio has the largest cumulative audience of all audio listening, however streamed music is close behind.
Despite increased competition, Radio (Both traditional AM/FM, Digital & Online) remains the most listened to audio platform with 77% having listened in the past week. Music Streaming is a close second here, while podcasts maintain a smaller niche of the market – not yet as yet in as wider use as audio platforms.

77% Listened to Radio in The Past Week.
Radio continuing to hold a dominate position in the Audio landscape despite the increased competition.
71% Streamed Music in The Past Week.
Music Streaming is clearly a significant competitor for Radio, these service in very wide use and on the radar for Audio Listeners.
29% Listened to Podcasts in The Past Week.
Podcasts are currently more niche, not yet in wide usage by the market, however there’s clearly a large untapped audience for the format here.

In nearly every market Radio is the most listened too audio platform.
Madrid & Stockholm are the most significant outliers here, while Moscow & Prague have the highest results for radio and the lowest for music streaming. Podcasting see’s relatively varied results across the markets researched, ranging anywhere from 17% in Moscow up to nearly 50% in Stockholm.

While Radio Has The Higher Cumulative Audience, More People View Streaming As Their Main Listening Medium.

These results highlight the shifting allegiances within the audio space, Radio has the wider reach, but music streaming is the first choice for slightly more of the marketplace
7% of respondents saying podcasting is it’s main audio type. Podcasting is still seen as an ancillary medium even amongst it’s users, something to supplement their radio & streaming listening rather than being the main attraction in of itself.
58% of radio listeners said Radio was their main source of Audio, With 37% saying Music Streaming & 5% Podcasts
For Music Streaming listeners 26% said Radio was their main source of Audio, with 68% saying Music Streaming & 7% Podcasts
Just 25% of Podcast listeners said that medium was their Main Audio type, with Radio at 26% & Music Streaming at 50% – again highlighting that podcasts are a supplemental choice for listeners
 
25% of Audio Listeners Have Changed Their Main Type of Audio Listened in the Past 3 Months.
With ¼ of Audio Listeners switching their main Audio format in the past 3 months, there’s clearly a high level of fluidity In Audio Listening, and it doesn’t just favor the new media players.
It’s in the younger demographics where we see with highest level of shifting allegiances, with 30% of those 18-24 switching their main audio type. For those 45-54, this falls to 21%.
There are slight variations between genders, with 27% of Men & 23%Of women changing their main audio format in the past 3 months.
Paris (7%) & Prague (18%) we’re the markets with the lowest levels of change.
Stockholm continues to be the market with the most volatility, with 59% of that city changing its main audio type over that period.

Radio Holds the Largest Slice of the Overall Audio Landscape, But Music Streaming is Close Behind
Looking at the total share of listening and again Radio remains the leading audio platform, however we again see music streaming closely matching Radio. 18-34 Music Streaming is in front, but Radio is close behind, while 35-54 Radio has a much stronger lead. Podcasting again see’s relatively similar results across demographic groups – there’s a committed audience for the audio format that isn’t as bound to broad demographics in the way Radio or music streaming listening is.

In Almost Every Market Radio Is Dominant, Stockholm However Is a Considerable Outlier
In almost every market Radio holds the largest share of listening, with music streaming in front only in London & Stockholm. Again, we see weaker performance for podcasts & Music Streaming across many of the central-European cities and in Moscow.

Spotify Dominates the Music Streaming Space
Unsuprisingly, Spotify has the largest user base of any of the music streaming services, with none of its competitors coming close to matching it. YouTube, Amazon & Apple Music all have the next highest subscription rates, but it’s clear Spotify is the clear leader within this space.

Where Does This Leave Radio?
What this study highlights is that Radio remains a relatively robust medium despite the challenges facing it from the changing audio landscape There are additional challenges and competitors in the current era, but Radio as a whole is performing strongly and the audio consumers remains highly engaged with the medium.
Radio’s Strength Remains Its Ability To Build Relationship With Listeners
Despite the increased competition from new audio sources Radio has maintained its position as the leader in the audio space What has helped drive Radio is its ability to create that connection with listeners through its brands, personalities, music localism Radio stations still remaining top of mind and having that connection with audio consumers as they continue offer a more personable, deeper relationship with their audience than music streaming can deliver.
Despite Streaming’s Wide Reach, Radio Isn’t Outmatched On The Music Front
On paper, Music Streaming should be severely undercutting Radio’s ability to make headway in the music space, offering audio consumers more choice often with limited advertising interruptions Despite this 40 of respondents said a radio station’s music mix was their main reason to listen to radio, Radio still clearly holding a position in audience’s minds as a place to go for music listening in the new environment This bodes well for Radio’s future, the medium not as vulnerable as we might expect from music streaming and there is clearly still a sizeable music driven audience for Radio despite the alternatives on offer.
With Few Exclusive Listeners, The Podcast Audience Is Still Clearly Engaged With Radio
74 of Podcast listeners are also listening to Radio, and while Podcasts as a medium is still relatively young there’s a clear relationship between it and traditional broadcast radio With Radio’s long experience in creating audio content there are significant opportunities for Radio networks to own the Podcasting space going forwards no other Podcast provider will have as direct a platform to reach potential podcast listeners with new shows, nor the same opportunity to grow the space in the years to come.

Who We Are
Broadcast Programming & Research is a market leader in data driven consultancy for broadcast networks across the globe. With over 35 years experience working with some of the world’s biggest Television & Radio Networks few media research companies have the breadth of experience and understanding of the changing audience habits and how media companies can best equip themselves to face the challenges of a shifting media environment.
 
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If you have enjoyed this summary of BPRs latest study on the All-Audio listening landscape, you can download the full report here. […]

As part of the Remote Contribution theme of UNESCO’s ongoing Remote Radio Week, today there was a discussion on how to manage audio contributions from home.The session was moderated by Lawrie Hallett of Red Tech and featured Bala Murali Subramaney, Chief Technology Officer, Astro Radio, Malaysia, Gary Kline, Founder, Kline Consulting and Radioinfo Asia’s Steve Ahern, who is also the Head of ABU Media Academy.Speaking about his experience in remote broadcasting, Subramany said during the last 12 months most of their announcers worked from home and they only had one engineer per shift at the control centre.

It was challenging as not all announcers had computers or a broadband connectivity at home, so they would record their audio on their phone and transfer the file to someone who had a computer. They also tried to virtualize the automation system and console.Steve said it was a mixed experience over the last 18 months, and agreed with Bala’s comments about poor internet. When the pandemic struck, he researched extensively about remote radio and learnt that as soon as you move from an acoustic studio to a home studio, there are lot of issues like more echo and background noise. It’s good to choose a small room, use the corner of the room to reduce echo and dampen the sound from the walls with foam or curtains. Even though one may be using the same mics that they usually do, they are not in the studio environment, so use a much closer mic technique and use a headset mic, so if you move around then the mic is in the same position. The playout software has many different configurations, so you can do virtual voice tracking back to the studio, so you only need a microphone and a computer, or you might use the software in your computer to trigger the playout so you’re in control of the whole system remotely, or you can have the audio files and the playout interface on your computer, and at home you out your computer and microphone through a mixer and send the whole program back to the studio or the transmitter.Gary, a consultant, spoke about how when the pandemic struck, almost overnight, most of the staff of radio stations were ordered to stay at home. Many stations were not equipped to broadcast from home, so they made a scramble to get the equipment which put a load on the manufacturers. The rush to get jocks on air meant often there was a sacrifice in terms of audio quality and there was also the issue of internet connectivity. There was a need to assess how to be prepared for any such eventuality in the future.Answering a viewer’s questions about managing broadcasting from home, Steve said one of the problems of handling live was the inadequacy of internet services. If radio broadcasters are thinking ahead, they should be installing direct broadcast lines, IP lines and buying dedicated space in hubs and direct feeds, so they have control rather than internet or mobile services. One should also have multiple backup connections. […]

Global DAB receiver sales have broken through the key 100 million milestone this year – reaching a cumulative figure of 110 million units, including both consumer and automotive receivers.The latest infographic released by industry body WorldDAB shows that despite the impact of the pandemic, sales continue to power ahead. In the last 12 months, automotive DAB receivers exceeded 10 million units for the first time, and consumer receiver sales registered over five million units.The automotive DAB+ market has been transformed over the last two years – with DAB+ now a standard feature in over 89% of new cars in all key European markets. This growth reflects the impact of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) introduced in December 2020, requiring all new car radios in the EU to be capable of receiving digital terrestrial radio.

In the consumer receiver market, the proportion of devices featuring DAB / DAB+ has also seen a sharp increase – from 28% two years ago to 42% in the second quarter of 2021. DAB sales are benefiting from strong marketing in Germany and the Netherlands, receiver regulation in Germany, France and Italy – and the emergence of new DAB markets including Belgium, Austria and the Czech Republic.Patrick Hannon, President of WorldDAB, said: “The data in our new infographic clearly demonstrate that even in the most challenging of times, DAB+ continues to grow as the core future platform for radio in Europe. We’re delighted to see big increases in consumer units and in particular the automotive sector. The implementation of the EECC last year, driving growth in the in-car market, highlights the power of regulation to bring significant benefits not only for listeners across Europe, but also for the environment at this crucial time.”Highlights of the report
Digital radio reach has achieved record levels in several markets, including the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Australia
Sales of consumer DAB+ receivers have performed strongly over the last 12 months – with annual sales in Italy and the Czech Republic more than doubling; sales in France growing by 45%; and sales in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Austria all growing at rates of over 20%
In all major European markets, at least 89% of new cars come with DAB+ radio as standard
The infographic details the rollout status in 24 emerging markets including information on trials and population coverage – not only in Europe but also in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The infographic also gives a comprehensive overview of DAB receiver sales, road and population coverage, household penetration and the number of national stations on DAB/DAB+ compared to FM. The report covers Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. […]

Orlando “Dondon” Dinoy, a radio journalist, was shot dead by an unidentified gunman inside his home in Bansalan town, Davao del Sur, Philippines, last weekend.Dinoy was a reporter with Newsline Philippines and an anchor for Energy FM. He covered local news, development issues and crime, according to a statement issued by Newsline Philippines editor Editha Z. Caduaya.According to the local police, a gunman entered Dinoy’s house last Saturday around 6pm and shot him six tomes in the head and body. he died instantly.

The motive for his killing remains unclear and an investigation was under way to pin down the motive behind Dinoy’s death, said Joel Sy Egco, executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), a government body.Dinoy will be the 21st journalist to be killed in connection with their work since Rodrigo Duterte was installed as president in 2016.The Philippines is ranked 138th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2021 World Press Freedom Index.Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), via its Global Impunity Index, ranked the Philippines as the seventh-worst country in the world for reporters, saying that 13 murders of journalists remained unsolved there.“Orlando Dinoy’s murder is particularly shocking because it was carried out in a very cold-blooded manner and with a great deal of premeditation,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk. “Investigators must therefore be alert for evidence that allows them to identify those responsible as quickly as possible, and supports the hypothesis that it was linked to the victim’s journalistic activities.” […]

Content from BPRThe digital development path of a particular media business is a journey which is somewhat unique to that business.  There are many variables such as your available resources, competitive circumstances, business scope and strategic intent. For example, a media business involving both radio and publishing assets will need to approach things differently from a business dealing in audio alone.When it comes to a radio business embracing a digital path there are quite a few lessons to be observed however some of the key issues include:

Know what your current listeners truly love about your brand and/or content. Do not commit significant resources until you know this. It is critical for everyone tasked with designing, creating, delivering and marketing your digital strategy to know this.
Provide as many ways as possible for your listeners to connect with what they love about your brand and content. Build communities of interest around what people love wherever possible.
It’s better to do a good job of a few things than an average job of many things.
Maintain a disciplined approach to reviewing and refreshing content and messaging as frequently as you are able.
Have someone within your business who owns the digital strategy implementation and can apply themselves to the task entirely.  A part time or committee driven process usually leads to wastage and failure.
Do everything humanly possible to get your listeners interacting with you via your own App.
Content unique to your station and/or brand is the magic bullet. Beware populating your platforms entirely with re-published or syndicated content. The more you appear like everyone else, the less you achieve.
Place your linear radio station/s at the center of your digital strategy.  Digital strategy should extend out from your brand and the content you are famous for.
Learn from what you do, if you can’t measure and trend it, question your need to do it.
Build flexibility and the opportunity for scale into all you do where possible.
Re-define your business as an Audio business rather than a Radio business.
This final point is particularly important. Creating audio content that informs and entertains is what we (in radio) do well.  The key to the future is being content impassioned and platform acquiescent. What we currently call radio will remain the dominate form of listening product provided those of us in the industry don’t lose sight of what makes our audio product compelling.  “Radio’s” greatest threat is not other platforms or technologies, it is losing confidence in our ability to prevail as the creators of the best audio content.By Wayne Clouten, BPRWayne Clouten has been working with media companies in the development of digital, listener relationship marketing and multi-media strategy for more than 20 years in markets such as the UK, Austria, Germany, Russia & Australasia. […]

Astro Radio is celebrating being 25 years young this year by revitalizing the SYOK app.From November 1, Malaysians can look forward to over 60 new online radio stations offering extensive variety and compilation of music, and a new Chinese news channel ‘YOU-NEIRONG’ for the latest news and current affairs updates.The new stations on SYOK enables users to stream their favourite music genres and categories across languages including ballads, classics, acoustic music, dance music, workout music, K-pop, hip-hop, favourites from the 70s, 80s and 90s, rock, Jiwang, Cintan, Nasyid, Arabic, Bollywood songs, Irama Malaysia, Dangdut and more.

These 60 new online radio stations will be available in addition to all Astro Radio’s brands on-air and on TV including ERA, MY, HITZ, RAAGA, SINAR, GEGAR, ZAYAN, MELODY, GOXUAN, MIX, LITE and more, making Astro Radio and SYOK the first in Malaysia to launch most number of new online radio stations simultaneously.Users can also enjoy many exciting new and upgraded features such as a ‘dark mode’; an ‘alarm’ feature which allows users to schedule their preferred radio station to automatically stream; a ‘live video’ channel, providing users the ability to interact with others during a live video session via chat; and for podcasts – an enhanced podcast search based on categories, enabling users to continue streaming where they left off, organizing downloaded podcasts into folders, sharing on social media; and many more.Kenny Ong, Chief Executive Officer, Astro Radio, said: “As we embark on our journey of transformation to grow as Malaysia’s largest and most influential audio entertainment and infotainment network, Astro Radio is excited to introduce more relevant, audio streaming choices with content curated to our listeners demands. The rapid pace of disruption in the digital space has continued to spur our evolution to offer more online music streams that keep Astro Radio brands relevant. The new SYOK app offers increased personalization with our 60 new online radio stations to suit more lifestyles and preferences. We hope Malaysians enjoy this new entertainment experience on SYOK via the app and web.”Ong continued: “Recently, Astro Radio also collaborated with TikTok to launch three new weekend shows on air and on the SYOK app, to expand reach and cross-promote a wider selection of content and music across platforms. Additionally, we have partnered with ACO Tech, leading smart mobility provider in Southeast Asia, to integrate the SYOK app in vehicles infotainment systems; and with HUAWEI to integrate the SYOK app on the HUAWEI WATCH 3 Series offering users an elevated smartwatch experience. We will announce more partnerships as we continue to innovate and transform the Malaysian radio and audio industry.” Malaysians can continue to stream trending podcasts in various languages exclusively available on SYOK such as Confession Bilik Gelap, TechniPod, Moon’s Parenting Tips, Pei Diary with Lingkesvaran and more, and catch up on all live radio content (radio on-demand) anytime.The SYOK app will also offer Malaysians access to SYOK Originals, short-form videos which will feature relevant, interesting stories such as Everyday Malaysians, SYOK Busybody, SYOK Food Taster and more. Malaysians can also enjoy current articles, news and traffic updates and participate in contests for a chance to take home exciting prizes including the SYOK 101 contest available on the app and on-air from 8 November, for a chance to win cash prizes. […]