RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter: RAIN 10/27: BBC, UK commercial radio to build central streaming site

RAIN 10/27: BBC, UK commercial radio to build central streaming site
·Oct 27, 12:07 PM
Posted by: Paul Maloney

UK RADIO TO JOIN FORCES ONLINE WITH SINGLE, CENTRALIZED WEBSITE

As broadcasters in the U.S. demand FM tuners for portable digital devices, British radio has its own plan: Commercial

broadcasters and the BBC are developing a “one-stop” radio streaming website for content from up to 500 different networks.

Great Britain’s Radio Council plans to have a prototype system ready for testing by Christmas. Tim Davie, director of audio and music at the BBC, told The Independent that British radio “faces a real threat” of being “left behind” in as consumers increasingly get music and news from free and legal websites, especially as broadband-enabled mobile phones become used more widely. “I would argue that currently we are somewhat underpowered in terms of a radio offer online, and that’s where radio faces a real threat as people can go to other services and get their music globally,” he told the paper. As RadioToday in the UK points out, directories like RadioFeeds.co.uk already provide listen links to pretty much all of UK radio.

The Independent has coverage here, The Guardian here.

STUDY REINFORCES IDEA RADIO LESS RELEVANT TO YOUNGER DEMOS

A new study on current trends in media usage from TargetCast (and reported on by Jennifer Lane’s Audio4Cast here) indicates that radio is still a strong force in the media landscape, but

that its role is likely diminishing (if younger consumers are any indication) as digital and Internet media grow.

The study shows 41% of adults 18-64 say radio is “still relevant” to them, and overall prefer to listen to music on the radio versus webcasters or an MP3 player. But the picture changes when you focus on the 18-24 demo: Over 50% say they prefer MP3s to the radio, about 45% prefer online sources to the radio, and around 49% agree radio is not as relevant to them.

“Over the past 100 years radio has been a ubiquitous part of our daily lives,” TargetCast concludes. “However, after surviving the challenges of broadcast TV, the emergence of cable and the launch of the Internet, radio is slowly being tuned out by a generation addicted to personal, programmable MP3 players, iPods, iPhones and other multi-media devices.” Read the study online here.

SPOTIFY CTO EXITS ON EVE OF U.S. LAUNCH

Spotify CTO Andreas Ehn has reportedly left the company. Spotify is the critically-acclaimed ad- and subscription-supported on-demand music streaming service, currently available in Europe, that’s preparing its entrance into the U.S. market. Ehn “tweeted” about his departure, writing, “Leaving Spotify for new ventures. Feeling a little sad but very excited and full of energy. :)” Read TechCrunch here.

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