In July, Folder Media entered an agreement with Digital One for Fun Kids to be audible across the UK on DAB digital radio.  Under the specially negotiated agreement, Fun Kids was broadcast nationally during the summer holiday and back to school periods (July to to 3rd October) on the national commercial DAB multiplex.

Fun Kids is available on DAB digital radio across London and the South East and online at www.funkidslive.com

Fun Kids, the UK’s only dedicated radio service for children aged under 10 and their families, has announced record audience growth in the latest RAJAR results, Q2 2009, released 6th August 2009.

Under Folder Media’s ownership, the station has seen its London audience increase 37% since its acquisition in September 2008 to deliver 112,000 listeners in London (aged 4 plus), with Folder Media’s internal research identifying a similar number listen elsewhere in the UK.

Matt Deegan, Creative Director, said “We are thrilled that more children and their families are coming to Fun Kids to go to be entertained.  Furthermore, despite the recession, going into Autumn 2009 we are proud to be working with advertisers in a wide range of exciting features and sponsorship opportunities”.

The UK Government published its Digital Britain White Paper on 16 June.  The key points of the report in relation to radio are:

Digital migration

•    Confirmation of a digital radio “upgrade” by the end of 2015 (and which will be confirmed at least two years in advance).
•    All national and local services currently on DAB to migrate from analogue.
•    Small ultra-local stations and community radio to upgrade from MW to FM, or remain on FM.
•    Target for criteria (i.e. 50% of listening to be digital; national DAB coverage comparable to FM; and local DAB to reach 90% of population) to be met by 2013.
•    Five point plan for DAB in vehicles, supported by major car manufacturers including Ford and Vauxhall.

DAB coverage

•    BBC to achieve comparable coverage to FM for its national multiplex by the end of 2014.
•    BBC to bear significant proportion of the costs of local DAB coverage roll-out.
•    Some cost savings delivered by Digital Britain to be re-invested to support transmitter investment.
•    Government will support a re-plan of local and regional DAB (merging multiplexes where agreed, and creating a second national multiplex).

The White Paper is very positive and is supported cross party.

In overall terms, we at Folder Media / MuxCo support the proposals in the White Paper, which we believe will help underpin DAB.
In summary:

•    We support a set date for switch over, rather than a rolling set of criteria.  This gives a clear flag to achieve, and we feel confident that the radio industry will be able to achieve the criteria by 2013.

•    We have always advocated that DAB is one of several digital radio platforms, and is likely to continue to be the primary terrestrial platform in the short to medium term, and hopefully longer.

•    We support the proposal for clear labelling of the DAB technology.

•    We have been involved in the initial industry discussions about converting the regional DAB layer into the basis of a second national layer and in principle support the proposal.

•    We have been involved in the initial industry discussions about ‘merging’ multiplex areas.  We support the view that where such mergers make economic and efficiency sense for both multiplex operators and service providers, then the multiplex operator should have the right to approach Ofcom to merge, but that merging should not be artificially forced upon multiplexes.  In addition, any re-plan needs to take account of potential long term interest rather than a short term view.

•    We have always stated that functionality and interactivity will be the bedrock of DAB, hence our intention to hold capacity for the provision of data rather than audio services.  We currently maintain a watching brief on this aspect of the opportunity, as whilst we can create services, we need devices on which they can operate.  To that end, we have good relationships with a number of manufacturers.

Through the MuxCo application process we interviewed thousands of people who are current DAB listeners as well as those who had not yet taken the plunge. Current listeners are nearly all huge advocates for the technology and how it has improved their radio listening. We’re keen to work hard to make digital radio an even better proposition – coverage, content and features – and we’ll work strongly with all radio operators and the Government to provide a service that betters listeners’ analogue radio experience and keeps radio a vibrant medium.

Folder Media’s social networking and listener management services have been contracted by the recently launched digital radio station Jazz FM.

Folder is now responsible for managing all of Jazz FM’s listener queries and feedback received through JazzFM.com as well as managing and updating the content of the website itself. The service provided by Folder Media is encompassed by the slogan and policy of “no listener left behind”.

This policy ensures that Jazz FM’s listener base is carefully looked after through efficient and responsive feedback to queries  alongside creating web content that is tailored to fit the wide variety and tastes of jazz music fans. Folder Media is also responsible for maintaining the station’s online contesting and created and manages the listener database.

Social Network activity is also a key part of Folder’s relationship with Jazz FM and we maintain profiles on the key sites.

Facebook

By using Facebook we connect Jazz FM with over 8 million UK users and 140 million users worldwide. The power of the site and the exposure that is available online is harnessed by establishing ‘fan pages’ and ‘groups’ which act as unique pages within the site where users of a shared interest can gather information and connect with each other.

Folder manages ‘fan pages’ for popular presenters at the station allowing us to specifically target users who are fans of these particular shows, provide specific information about the show and cross-promote the station’s other activities. We also run the Jazz FM ‘group’ page. This is a public group that carries information about the station and can be accessed by any user worldwide. These pages and the group act as entry points for the radio station itself and also opens up further lines of communication for listeners to interact with Jazz FM.

MySpace

Jazz FM’s MySpace profile offers listeners another route to contact and connect with Jazz FM. As MySpace is evolving to become a social network based around music, we use Jazz FM’s presence as a way to drive awareness of the station through jazz musicians and aficionados. Often through MySpace, Jazz FM receives requests from artists requesting that their music is sampled on the station or put forward to the presenters.  Folder responds to what can be often large volumes of requests from artists and often simply through responding to a request we establish a ‘friendship’ with the artist and deepen their connection with Jazz FM. A trio sending in music to the radio station is not just an opportunity to grow the station’s repertoire, but the opportunity to add three more listeners to the radio station.

Last.FM

On Last FM we offer listeners the ability to see which artists the station plays on a regular basis and to see the most recent songs played.  For a specialist music station such as Jazz FM, Folder has found that this undoubtedly offers listeners a really useful option that many other stations do not provide. The nature of the site means that when the station regularly plays music from a particular artist, the station will appear on that artists profile page, allowing new listeners to discover and sample the station. The site also generates ‘neighbourhoods’ – people who listen to the same types of music as Jazz FM, once again driving awareness of the station.

Through managing the responses on the social networks and from the listener emails, we can take the temperature from listeners about music, features and on-air activity and discuss that with the station direct. Also, by making Jazz FM responsive to feedback, the barriers between listeners and the station is broken down.

Folder is confident that engaging with listeners on as many platforms as possible has in return, improved and sustained listener dedication to Jazz FM. This has given the station a positive reputation amongst the jazz music community as an open and non-elitist portal for jazz information, ranging from gig guides to suggesting our favourite Christmas jazz tracks.

Over the last few months, in the course of our consultancy work, it has been remarkable watching the changing pattern of interest in the market.    These are some of our observations.

Clients “wanting it all”

There has always been and there continues to be a steady stream of general enquiries about broadcasting, whether wanting to investigate RSLs, path-finding into social networking or developing a DAB strategy – or something completely different.  Increasingly, however, rather than “cherry picking” one or two things, companies want to do it all.

Investments have to yield a quick return.  This is not a time for dipping toes cautiously into new waters or enjoying lengthy test periods, it would seem.

Seeking transparency

It is not good enough in the current climate to accept a large bottom line figure without knowing how it was reached.  An interesting piece of work we did recently was for a large overseas client.  They had some experience of broadcasting on DAB but wanted to investigate taking on the transmission elements themselves rather than sub-contracting.

This would have been a large amount of work for them because there is little transparency in what equipment is required and the cost of acquiring and operating it.  In some instances, elements are “bundled” by sub-contractors and not easily unpicked to see what is involved.

However, having had experience of dozens of similar transmission networks, we were able to quickly present a detailed breakdown of the likely different elements involved.  From this we could evaluate which elements would be more cost effective to undertake “off the shelf” and which would be better sub-contracted.

More clients coming from new sectors

Over the last two or three years we have noticed a broadening in the sorts of businesses that are wishing to investigate broadcasting on radio.

Historically, a large number of start-ups have wanted to replicate “CHR” or “AC” formats, often with a lot of similar local content to existing services.

Broadly speaking, new entrants over the last two or three years have fallen into one of three other groups – public sector, private non profit-making (primarily charities and religious organisations) and communities of interest, e.g. niche music, foreign language or cultural.

Naturally they are each affected by the changes in the market like anyone else, but in different ways to the traditional “pop stations”, not least because they have very different revenue streams.

Public Sector

Public funding for new projects may be slow to appear as the approval processes are necessarily thorough, but once in place are very secure.  Through our partnership with GTN, we continue to assist the development of the Highways Agency’s Traffic Radio service, for example looking at other platforms for the dissemination of the service.

Private non-profit

Such groups are often funded through regular donations and covenants, an alternative revenue stream to that experienced by mainstream media in the UK.  But this doesn’t make them unsuitable entrants; quite the contrary.

According to the Charities Aid Foundation in their publication “UK Giving 2008, An overview of charitable giving in the UK in 2007/08″, by Sally Clegg and Liz Goodey (CAF), Patricia Walls and Karl Wilding (NCVO), and “Who gives to what cause?”, by Dr Sylke Schnepf and Professor John, Micklewright, School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton highlight that in 2007/8:

• 27.7 million people (54 % of adults) gave at least once a month, with women more likely to give than men (58% v 51%).
• The total amount given by UK adults to charity in 2007/08 was £10.6 billion.
• The mean average monthly amount given per donor was £32 (£29 in 2006/7).

The CAF says, “Despite emerging tensions in the UK economy at the time of fieldwork, evidence suggests that many individual donors increased their support for charities in 2007/08″.

So although this sector may yet be hit by tightening belts, as recipients of over £10bn these organisations should not be underestimated and platform managers would do well to listen to their aspirations.

Religious broadcasting has come on in leaps and bounds following the relaxing of broadcasting legislation.  The will is certainly there to get their messages to new audiences by using a wide range of digital platforms.  We have worked with a number of Christian broadcasters, including UCB, as well as Islamic and Sikh broadcasters.

Over recent years, charities (which of course also include religious charities) have had to become increasingly savvy to attract donations and are looking to get the maximum “bang for their buck”.  We have discussed strategies for achieving UK wide DAB coverage with a number of major UK charities, with the aim of building national coverage via a portfolio of local and regional multiplexes.

Communities of Interest

During 2008 and into 2009 we have advised a group of overseas businessmen who want to develop a foreign language radio service.  They identified a gap in the market, for both audience and revenue, which was not being tapped by existing mainstream media.  Like anyone else, they need to get on air quickly, and for this reason long expensive test periods dipping their toe into various ways of broadcasting was just not feasible.

We are assisting them to develop a launch plan encompassing different digital platforms, helping to secure funding and develop a marketing plan that would utilise their broadcast platforms to promote other platforms.  In addition, we have advised on developing and utilising social networking and listener marketing to build on their community of interest.

Folder Media is uniquely placed to aid existing and aspirant broadcasters.  If you think we might be able to help you, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Picture from Flickr.

What is multiplex management? Nothing to do with cinemas as it happens.

How much managing does a multiplex need? You win the multiplex licence; job done, surely? Sadly not.

Aside from launching the multiplex – that is getting the transmitters live and the radio stations plugged in, the vast majority of a multiplex owner’s time is taken up with the day to day running.

A common analogy is that managing a multiplex is like being the landlord of a house with many rooms.

Once the house is built and the tenants installed with all the contracts signed people can get on with living in the house and the landlord can go and stick his feet up can’t he?

Actually let’s not rush this step; setting up all those tenancy agreements and direct debits can take a fair amount of time. And every month the rent will be due and if it isn’t received it needs to be chased. Similarly, this is a very basic part of managing a mutiplex – ensuring that the services are billed the correct amounts and that payments are received.

So assuming that is all in order, aside from a little accounts admin each month it’s a piece of cake being a landlord isn’t it?

But then the phone rings. A tenant may have just got married and want to change the name on their lease. Are they allowed to have a dog in the flat? Maybe the neighbours are noisy – can the landlord help draft a letter to them? All sorts of little enquiries are likely.

If the landlord has lots of houses it might be that the phone never stops ringing. He has a duty to his tenants to respond to these queries properly, and to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. Managing multiplexes involves all sorts of daily queries; can the scrolling message be amended? The station might have changed its name after a rebrand. Maybe a listener has reported interference and it might not be clear why this is.

Some changes are bigger. In our house example, a tenant might want to move out; it might be before their lease ends and so there may be some discussions about what happens. In the same way, sometimes a service provider may wish to leave the multiplex and so there will be negotiations about how soon they can leave, and what final payments need to be made. There will also be the removal of the DAB codecs which needs to be booked and paid for; just like you’d book a removal van – except the van is smaller. It will be necessary to find a new tenant and advertising may need to be arranged.

On the flip side of the coin there can be surplus demand to manage. If our fictional landlord runs a house in an up and coming area he may find that there are lots of enquiries about whether he has any rooms to rent. It will be up to him how he responds; does he just keep their details on file or does he see if there are any alternative houses that the enquirers might like instead? Similarly some of our multiplexes attract a great deal of interest and so managing that interest is daily business. It is a very gratifying aspect to be sure, but of course often things aren’t quite as pleasant.

Lots of people have had the misery of the central heating breaking down just when temperatures hit zero. Things do go wrong and often it isn’t during office hours. With a multiplex there are many links in the chain between the radio station and the listener and faults can happen any time of the day or night. Tractors can dig through the cable carrying the station from its site to the multiplex centre. Computers can crash. Fireworks can be shot into transmitters and raze them to the ground. Fortunately these sorts of things are pretty rare but they do happen. Keeping the radio stations in the loop about what has happened and how soon things will be fixed is a very important part of managing multiplexes.

There are many other aspects to managing multiplexes; as an example we keep a close eye on regulation to ensure our digital real estate gets a fair deal in whatever agreements are being drafted; even international discussions can have a serious impact on our “tenant’s” businesses. Communicating these changes is vital, as well as being an advocate for their interests, which by association will be ours.

There’s more about our activities in the Multiplex Management section.

Gregory is a chartered accountant by training, and this manifests in many respects; it extends to his extraordinary attention to detail and clarity of thought, his fondness for spreadsheets and penchant for courdroy.

Matt and Greg generate a lot of the ideas for Folder, and Matt is likely to be the one to develop the idea, or maybe take it in an unexpected direction. He’s also likely to be asked if he’s done something to his hair because it looks different today.

As an established expert in the field of Market Research, Deanna is very good at finding out what people like, or what they don’t like. Or what they might like. It is extremely useful to be able to draw on the expertise of Deanna and her team at Hallet Arendt to ensure that our projects have a reality check.

As well as keeping the multiplexes operating smoothly, Nicky works with Gregory and Matt to get projects up and running, and keeps them running. Working out of the Midlands, she’s usually found on the end of a phone.

Latest addition Matt Bowling has joined as an intern to assist us with the listener marketing and social networking projects.  He works closely with the other Matt, who has subsequently been renamed “Old Matt” in order to aid office communication.  “Old Matt” is not very pleased about his new name but delighted to have “New Matt” on board, as are we all.

So that’s us. We hope to get to know you soon. You can find out even more about us and get our contact details in our team section.