Radio Station Listener Figures

[simon]

So why has Energy failed to make much of an in-road in the crowded middle of the road market.

 

Perhaps the reality is that MOR is an obscure taste which appeals to far fewer people than local radio types realise. Dire 80s pop, cheesy chat and obscure LP tracks is a specialist taste - and fairly off putting except to people who specifically like that kind of thing.

 

Suppose that there was only BBC radio. So then we would broadly be Radio 1 listeners, Radio 2 listeners, the Radio 3 listener or Radio 4 listeners. Sure - it isn't so exactly defined. But it paints a broad picture of tastes.

 

But a large proportion of us also want local news and current affairs. Which is what Manx Radio does. Which is why it has more listeners. Local news and current affairs is at the intersection. It's the one thing - which many of us want - despite all our varied and individual tastes. It's the common denominator, the real middle of the road

 

So in terms of marketing speak - local news, current affairs etc would be Manx Radio's unique selling point. It draws in listeners who have a wide variety of other tastes.

 

The rest of the time - the audience is small and fragmented. MOR local radio is competing with the UK national stations, and TV and the internet - all of which may better serve particular tastes.

[Spatula girl]

I read somewhere on here that AA Gill said the Isle of Man is stuck in a timewarp or words to that effect.

 

Well, as I was waiting for the news to come on Manx radio before they played Harry Nillson Everbody's Talking. Anyway I switched back to 3FM and guess what? Everbody's Talking by Harry Nillson!

 

Maybe that is where Energy is going wrong! Expect the song to turn up on Energy very soon!

 

Hats off to Mr Gill for getting it right (unless of course I've missed something and the song is back in the charts again)

[Lonan3]

But a large proportion of us also want local news and current affairs. Which is what Manx Radio does. Which is why it has more listeners. Local news and current affairs is at the intersection. It's the one thing - which many of us want - despite all our varied and individual tastes. It's the common denominator, the real middle of the road

 

So in terms of marketing speak - local news, current affairs etc would be Manx Radio's unique selling point. It draws in listeners who have a wide variety of other tastes.

 

The rest of the time - the audience is small and fragmented. MOR local radio is competing with the UK national stations, and TV and the internet - all of which may better serve particular tastes.

 

An excellent summary of the reasons so many of us tune in to MR rather than the alternatives.

If it is simply a matter of musical choice there are many hundreds of stations to tune into.

More programmes with essentially 'local' content are required - even though there are quite a few at present.

Programmes of genuine debate - preferably with listener input - are a definite requirement.

I would also add that, since the departure of Roy Macmillan, the local arts scene has been virtually ignored. Even though he was almost unique in terms of enthusiasm (Sorry, I just can't imagine Stu introducing a programme on modern art without him bursting into hysterical and very unprofessional laughter), they need to find someone - or even a team of people to produce programmes on this genre.

[Stu Peters]

Dan has posted on the other radio thread about the sheer difficulty in getting people to call in or take part - which is all down to having a catchment area of just 80,000 people. Stations across who have lively phone-ins generally have a potential coverage of millions, so a tiny percentage calling in is all it takes. People used to moan that it was the same old voices every day when I was hosting the Mannin Line during the week - the reality is that they were often the only people who could be bothered picking up the phone!

 

Modern art...I thought that was an oxymoron?

 

You're right though, I just don't get unmade beds and rows of bricks as anything more than a complete pisstake, and can't help but convulse in paroxysms of mirth when the 'experts' debate what the artist is saying in the work. 'Cash the cheque before they realise' would be my best guess!

 

However, you're completely right about Roy being superb at that kind of thing (as at everything actually). Catherine Nichol is Community Producer, and I'm sure she'd love to hear from anyone who is enthusiastic about the arts...she'd make it easy for a contributor if anyone fancies having a go as a pundit. Me - I'd put Tracey Emin in jail for fraud...