James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: NPR changes affiliate fees; BBC bias; streaming downside. More.

Brad Hill

5 years ago

James Cridland, radio futurologist, is a conference speaker, writer and consultant. He runs the media information website media.info and helps organise the yearly Next Radio conference. He also publishes podnews.net, a daily briefing on podcasting and on-demand, and writes a weekly international radio trends newsletter, at james.crid.land

Happy holidays. I’m in the middle of Australia’s strange six-week radio self-mutilation process where I don’t recognise a single voice on-air and everything comes from thousands of miles away (for the elderly, it must feel like all your friends have left you). I spent Christmas morning on ABC Local Radio, above, being interviewed about smart speakers.

In the US, NPR is changing the way it charges affiliate fees – and that change is away from broadcast radio audience numbers. More evidence of change.
In the UK, Communicorp’s only brand of its own, XS Manchester, is to close. Not really a surprise, this: I could never see the strategy of this company – which rebroadcasts local Heart/Smooth/Capital stations and produces the legally-required local services – having its own station.
On BBC bias, this is an interesting view: that it’s less about the reality and more about the perception.
I wonder how many bosses of radio stations would call a regular listener to check if they’re okay?
Tom Joyner, the ‘hardest working man in radio,’ retires – imagine flying from London to Lisbon every day to do a radio show in each place!
Rick Rubin on the downside of streaming services
A prime example of fake news – taking an interview, chopping off the question, and adding a misleading description in a tweet. I’m no fan of #scottyfrommarketing mind you, but this is the sad reality of online discourse.
Bloody DAB, holding up trains
Nice to be in Iain Dale’s top tweeters list again this year.
Some people wondered why Virgin Radio changed name to Absolute Radio in the UK. Here’s another “not my brand” horror story from Australia. Also, see Kraft, who pulled out of Australia a few years ago, licensed their name to someone else, then decided to re-enter the market and a) want their name back, but also b) their distinctive packaging design back too.
Sad to see the end of another radio column in the UK
The future of radio/audio in 2020 in Australia – lots more about podcasts, seemingly
Fun to see the return of Radio Birdsong; though having Radio Birdsong +1 seems a little over the top. It’s a nice recording, but it’s too short, sadly – I used to have it on in the office for a while, but I began to hear a few things repeat.
The music streaming service 8tracks fails. A good, long, blog post with the issues that they had: and suggesting that it’s almost impossible to run a smaller streaming service.
Fascinating inside look at the BBC (one year old, but possibly none the worse for that)

Thank you to Rupert Brun, Barrie Stephenson, Cleanfeed and Richard Hilton for your continued support.

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What I’m up to

I am speaking at the European Radio Show in Paris, France, on 24 January
I am speaking at Podcast Movement Evolutions, in LA, in February.

I’m a writer, consultant, and an amazingly brilliant keynote speaker for your radio conference, setting an innovative and optimistic feel for your event by sharing how radio is changing round the world – in terms of consumption, production and promotion. If I can help you, or your business, please do get in touch, by simply hitting ‘reply’.