News October 27, 2015

On The Dial: The battle of radio vs. new media; SCA Chairman: ’we look to be the best’

The Battle of Radio vs New Media
Brad March

Radio will continue to compete with other delivery platforms and innovations like Apple’s dashboard ’CarPlay’, which is another exciting step into the in car entertainment future.

Radio brands will compete with all the other apps that will eventually dominate our dashboards and play to radio’s strength of portability and ‘in car‘ listening.

But it will be the content behind those apps that will be the decider for the consumer.

Traditionally, content has driven the mass uptake of technology, not the other way around. Although across numerous industries – including radio, music, film, television, gaming and entertainment – technology is a driver that shapes and influences content as it opens up new possibilities.

Then it gets down to the quality of the content created that leads to success or failure of the technology.

Fitzy resigns from Nova in stunt

Nova 96.9’s Fitzy & Wippa got in early for April Fools Day this year by shocking their bosses when Fitzy pretended to quit radio live on-air.

The announcement sent PD Brendan Taylor and APD Tony Aldridge racing down the corridor to the studio to stop what was happening. What they didn’t know was that Fitzy & Wippa got the techs to play the pre-recorded break through the station speakers only.

Fired radio exec changes locks on building

In a somewhat amusing story from America, the fired head of a Californian public radio station has changed the locks on the parent company’s building, and has been sleeping inside in protest over her sacking.

Summer Reese was the Executive Director of Pacifica Foundation Radio in Berkeley, California which operates KFPA-FM and four other stations across the country.

She was fired on March 13 by the board, and returned to the Pacifica offices on March 17, changed the locks, and has barricaded herself in the offices.

Marshall heads for Sydney

Nova Entertainment has announced that the well-travelled Claire Marshall will again pack her bags, this time for Sydney, to commence in the newly created stand alone role of Music Marketing Director.

In her new role, Claire will be responsible for music content development, and leveraging music artists and events into commercial and marketing opportunities.

Nova Entertainment Group Program Director Paul Jackson commented: “Claire’s extensive experience within NOVA Entertainment and unrivalled contacts in the industry made her the ideal candidate for this role. We are delighted to be able to promote within our team, it’s a great reflection of the talent we have within the company, and we can’t wait for Claire to join the team in Sydney.”

Claire has been with Nova Entertainment, formerly dmg Radio, for many years now, primarily in Perth and Melbourne, and spent a number of years working in UK Radio.

Greatest radio prank ever? Might just be….

In what can only be described as an epic radio prank, triple j’s Matt & Alex got ’payback’ on the weekend breakfast host Kyran Wheatley.

The catalyst for the prank was Wheatley waking up Dyson early a couple of Saturday’s ago to gloat about Collingwood losing.

The best way to appreciate it is to watch the video, which involved six hidden cameras, three hidden microphones, two studios, and perhaps best of all, it was a prank that the listeners were both in on, and part of.

WATCH VIDEO

Deborah Clay heads for Singapore

Deborah Clay, SCA Sydney News Director and winner of the 2013 Brian White Memorial Award, leaves for Singapore this weekend to commence her week-long exchange at MediaCorp.

The award recognises journalistic achievement and effort across all aspects of radio journalism.

Clay will spend a week with MediaCorp, who operate 13 FM stations broadcasting in four different languages.

I98 lead Illawarra ratings

Under the new ratings structure for regional markets, the Illawarra radio ratings conducted by IRIS Research have been released, showing I98 FM in the leading position.

It is difficult to compare the IRIS results with the previous Nielsen methodology, however both I98 and Wave saw declines from those figures.

Regardless of that, I98 leads the market overall recording a 23.8% share overall, with Wave FM recording a share of 16.0%.

SCA Boss ’we look to be the best’

Following the first board meeting since the radio ratings were released, Southern Cross Austereo Chairman Max Moore-Wilton has backed the management of the company.

However, he has noted that SCA have “big issues” to deal with following the departure of Kyle & Jackie O.

At the board meeting, CEO Rhys Holleran and Chief Content Officer Guy Dobson presented their strategy for the company in a meeting described by Moore-Wilton as “very constructive”.

Moore-Wilton has been vocal since the ratings were released, saying that “nobody has a guarantee on tenure” on their roles with the company, although clarified later that there was no intention to review the senior positions in the company.

MOVES

Sarah Griffith is moving from her role as Breakfast EP for NXFM Newcastle, to the same role at Mix 106.3 Canberra.

Frank Battaglia (ex Network Technical Operations Manager for WIN TV) has been appointed as Broadcast Engineer for Wave FM Wollongong and Power FM/2ST Nowra.

Jason Saladino has resigned from his role as General Manager of WIN Radio based in Wollongong, and overseeing i98FM and C91.3FM.

JOBS

The Capital Radio Network has a role available for an Announcer based in the Snowy Mountains

ARN are looking has a role available in Melbourne for a Broadcast Technician Traineeship

C91.3 FM in Campbelltown has a vacancy for a Commercial Producer

The Rock FM in Auckland has a vacancy for a Content Producer

Capital Radio Network in Canberra has a vacancy for a Journalist

NXFM in Newcastle has a vacancy for a Breakfast Producer

ARN has a vacancy for a Casual Journalist based in Sydney

ARN has a vacancy for a Senior Broadcast Engineer based In Sydney

Nova 100 in Melbourne has a vacancy for a Breakfast Show Audio Producer

Nova 96.9 in Sydney has a vacancy for an Integration Project Manager