ASIA

According to the Afghanistan Journalists Centre (AFJC), private radio station Nan in southeastern Khost province has been abruptly shut down today by local Taliban officials citing a “legal issue”.Established in 2010, the station produces and broadcasts various programs covering politics, society, culture, sports, and religion. It is accessible on 89.1 FM in Khost and its surrounding areas.An employee of Nan radio told AFJC: “The security forces of the Khost Police Command arrived at the radio building in the second district of Khost at around 12 noon today. While threatening the employees, they forcibly removed the devices and equipment of Radio Nan from this building. They kicked out the media and closed its gate.”

He added: “Following this action, Nan radio stopped working, and the employees were also ordered to leave the place.”Four employees of Nan radio were arrested while evacuating the media building and released after about two hours. However, Safir Mohammad Zadran, one of the owners of the radio, who was arrested a week ago, has not been released until now.But Tahir Ahrar, the spokesman of the Taliban police in Khost province, told AFJC: “Today’s action by the security forces was based on the verdict of the Khost Primary Court. The court ruled that the owner of the radio station should vacate the building due to non-payment of monthly rent, and this ruling was implemented today.”Ahrar added: “We have no problem with the continuation of Nan Radio. The owner of the radio can move his equipment to another place and reopen the radio in accordance with the law.”AFJC said that it is important to note that Article 4 of Afghanistan’s Media Law, which is held as applicable by the Taliban government, expressly prohibits any real person or authority from restricting, censoring, or interfering with the free activity of news or information media.AFJC expressed serious concern over this incident and stressed the necessity of implementing the media law and urges the local officials in Khost province to facilitate the swift reopening of this local media outlet.Photo: AFJC […]

Radiodays Asia, the leading radio and podcasting conference in the Asia-Pacific, will be back 2-4 September in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.It will bring together industry leaders, professionals, and enthusiasts for insightful discussions, cutting-edge innovations, and networking opportunities.Radiodays Asia is a collaboration between Radiodays Europe, the world´s largest and leading conference for radio, audio and podcast, and broadcasting and podcast partners in Asia and Australia. The 2024 edition will run over 2 days in 2 tracks with 50 sessions. Top international speakers and industry leaders as well as successful producers and market experts will share their insights.

Top ratings from attendeesSince 2019 Radiodays Asia is the meeting point for everyone in radio-audio-podcasting who wants to understand more about the challenges of today and tomorrow. The event will bring 400 attendees from 40 countries together with a top-quality programme and many networking opportunities to meet and learn from colleagues in the audio industry.Participants at Radiodays Asia have been overwhelmingly positive. The participant rating is 4,2 on a 1-5 scale with 90% rating the event a 4 or a 5.Podcast SummitAsia Podcast Summit supported by Podnews will be part of this year´s Radiodays Asia. A full day dedicated to bring podcasters together and discuss how to develop your podcast business – how to format, market and monetize your podcast. A chance to learn from the most successful in podcasting and to network with other creative podcasters.Where and when?Radiodays Asia will be held in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Additional workshop and specialist meetings will be organised on Monday 2 September, while the main conference is held 2-4 September. More information will follow.PartnersRadiodays Asia is supported by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), Public Media Alliance, Commercial Radio Malaysia, Indonesia Private Radio Association, Commercial Radio Australia, Radio Operators for India, Radio Festival India, Radio Broadcasters Association NZ, Podnews, radioinfo.asia and others. […]

A new private radio station called Aynak Radio has started broadcasting in Pul-e-Alam, Logar province, Afghanistan, after a two-month trial period.The station was inaugurated on January 14, and its launch was attended by Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Rafiullah Samim, Director of Information and Culture of Logar Province, Maulvi Mirwais Wahidullah, Director of the provincial office, Maulvi Shabir Ahmad Siddiqui, Director of Industry and Trade and local media officials.Currently, Logar province has five media outlets, including private radio stations Pahand Melli, Zainat, Ittihad, Mahal, and the Taliban-run National Radio.

Radio Aynak airs on 95.5 FM from 6 am to 12 pm, reaching areas in Wardak, Paktia, Kabul, and Logar provinces. It covers various topics like politics, society, culture, religion, health, and education. It also has special segments for children and women.The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Zabihullah Mujahid, said: “The Islamic Emirate is a full supporter and co-operator of the media,” and asked the media to broadcast according to the Sharia and to take into account the policies of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. He emphasized the importance of new media outlets and assured that the Taliban government is committed to fighting censorship and promoting information freedom.Rafiullah Samim, Director of Information and Culture of Logar, said: “It is a place of happiness that today we are once again witnessing the opening of a new radio station in this province, With the arrival of the Islamic Emirate, the situation of the media has improved and so far no problem has arisen between the media and the provincial administration in this province.”Ahmad Qureshi, the executive head of the Afghanistan Journalists Center, praised the establishment of Aynak Radio despite the tough economic and media conditions. He hopes that Aynak Radio will play an independent and effective role in the media landscape. […]

Billboard is expanding its global footprint in Asia with the launch of Billboard Korea.The expansion, in partnership with Global Entertainment Media Group (GEMG), will be dedicated to the flourishing Korean music scene. Billboard Korea‘s first issue, Billboard K Vol.1, is scheduled for release in June.“We are thrilled to announce our expansion into Korea,” Billboard president Mike Van said in a statement. “Billboard has long celebrated the rich contribution of Korean music across our platforms. This expansion is a significant milestone for our brand and underscores our dedication to amplifying the voices and talent that shape the vibrant Korean music scene.”

Yuna Kim, chairperson of GEMG and publisher of Billboard Korea, added: “Now that the status of K-artists and K-pop has risen worldwide, Billboard Korea will play a crucial role in promoting K-culture.”Billboard Korea will offer a comprehensive platform that not only amplifies Korean artists’ visibility but also fosters cultural exchanges and appreciation on a global scale, according to a press release.Ahead of its first published issue, Billboard Korea is set to launch its official website and digital platform in spring 2024.Billboard Korea adds to the list of the publication’s international editions, including Billboard Japan, Billboard Arabia, Billboard Español, Billboard Brasil and others. […]

Comrex is launching a new, live web series called “Tech Talk Live!” featuring Chris Crump, Senior Director of Sales & Marketing, as the host.The inaugural episode of “Tech Talk Live!” will be on Friday, January 19th, 2024 at 11 AM EST. Andy Mukitta, Sales Director from Yellowtec, will be discussing new developments and radio legend Michael Harrison will be chatting about UNESCO’s World Radio Day.The show will feature a new episode monthly with each episode comprising four segments: Ask a Techie, Feature Focus, The Insiders and Nerd Alert.

“Ask a Techie” will feature a member of the Comrex technical support team, who will discuss a common problem customers run into and how to fix it. Comrex customers can request a topic to be included in a future episode by emailing [email protected].“Feature Focus” will dive into lesser known features of Comrex products that provide even more functionality and ease of use.“The Insiders” will include a guest industry expert to chat about a product/service they offer that is complementary to Comrex codecs and how it makes the job of the end user easier.“Nerd Alert” will explore different products, features, happenings and more that may interest those with a more technical background.“Tech Talk Live!” can be streamed on YouTube Live, LinkedIn Live, Riverside.fm or the Comrex Facebook page. […]

According to the latest Nielsen Radio Survey, Mediacorp’s radio reach grew to a record 3.9 million weekly listeners in Singapore.  The national media network commands 82.2% of the radio market share and owns eight out of Singapore’s top 10 radio stations.Key audience segments that continue to record substantial gains include:
PMEB segment: 10% increase in listenership, highlighting the network’s strong appeal among professionals and business executives. This is evident not only for the segment’s top three stations CLASS 95, LOVE 972, and YES 933, but also in the success of Singapore’s premier English news station CNA 938, which boasts a reach two times that of its nearest competitor.
Women aged 15 and above: 6% increase in listenership, with LOVE 972, CLASS 95 and CAPITAL 958 standing out as their preferred choices.
Youth aged between 15 and 34: 4% increase in listenership, showcasing the enduring appeal of radio. Youth-centric stations YES 933 and 987 have further achieved heightened engagement with tertiaries aged 15 to 24, while RIA 897 tripled its listenership in the same age bracket.
Vernacular audiences: Malay listenership increased by 3% and that for Indians increased by 7%, cementing Mediacorp’s robust 95% market share in both segments.
The survey was conducted from August to October 2023, which tracked radio listenership via diary recordings by 2,034 adults aged 15 and above, with the results weighted by age, sex and race to be representative of the Singapore population. Dominance in the digital sphere Following continual investments in its digital portfolio from podcasts to livestreams, Mediacorp’s digital radio network has achieved a compound annualised growth (CAGR) of 17% over five years since 2019, translating into a weekly reach of 1.51 million listeners, or 93% of all digital listeners. This growth is accompanied by:

20% upswing in time spent listening on digital platforms to reach 8.4 hours;
8.6% increase in melisten audio streams to almost 70 million; and
40% surge in monthly podcast downloads to hit 1.4 million.
In addition to reflecting a shift in consumer preferences towards digital audio – and more specifically, a burgeoning demand for on-demand content and flexible listening options – these figures underscore Mediacorp’s success in staying ahead of market trends with its customer-centric and multiplatform strategy, leading to increased listener engagement and loyalty.Beyond digital audio achievements, Mediacorp’s strategic shifts to engage digital natives and enhance its presence in the everyday digital spaces of its listeners have also gained ground. Across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, Mediacorp’s roster of radio stations have witnessed a 23% increase in followers, with its top three stations, YES 933, 987 and OLI 968, making up a cumulative 1.3 million followers . Accompanying the growing reach is a surge in engagement including likes, comments and shares, which increased by 20% across these platforms.A key driver of Mediacorp’s growth on social media has been its doubling down on video livestreams of helmed by its audio personalities across different social media platforms. This has not only expanded reach but also fostered real-time interaction with fans, adding a new dimension to audience engagement. Its appeal is undeniable: on TikTok, for instance, YES 933’s monthly average engagement multiplied over six timesto more than 178,000, 987’s engagement soared by 32.5 timesto over 223,000, and RIA 897 skyrocketed close to 1279 times, surpassing 650,000.Angeline Poh, Chief Customer & Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp, said: “Mediacorp is constantly looking to redefine audio entertainment, transcending traditional broadcasting to create a holistic a lifestyle experience that is seamlessly integrated into the daily lives of our audiences. Our record growth in digital engagement stands testament to this commitment, and our success in digital innovation, from interactive livestreams to on-demand podcasts, is reshaping how we interact with our audiences.”Added Ms Poh: “With wider audience reach and deeper engagement, radio advertising on our network grew by 13% year-on-year in the second half of 2023, with a corresponding 8% growth in the number of radio advertisers. As we continue to evolve and lead in this dynamic landscape, we remain dedicated to delivering content that entertains, informs, and inspires our audiences.” […]