Ok but that station doesn't aound like Gold to me, unless it is having a pretty radical fomat change
In the latest Ofcom update, Global Radio has also been granted permission to add a new station, with an unconfirmed name, playing music from the 70s, 80s and early 90s with particular appeal to audiences aged 35-54.
A CLASSIC POP HITS STATION TARGETED PRIMARILY AT 35-54 YEAR-OLDS
I think from this it will be aimed at a slightly younger age than Smooth? Smooth might keep current AM listeners happy by playing more 1960's decade music, but avoiding some of the heavier rock music from the decade?
A MELODIC MUSIC STATION, FEATURING LIFESTYLE ORIENTATED SPEECH, PRIMARILY TARGETING LISTENERS IN THE EAST MIDLANDS AREA AGED 50 PLUS,
Presumably Smooth with takeover all the Gold AM and local stereo DAB slots which will somehow fit into the 6 Smooth regions, places like Norwich may be London or Midlands?
So the over 55's will be ignored odd that given that that section of the population have more disposabe income than anyone else.
That may be the case but it's how they spend it that matters.
The older you get, the less receptive to advertising you are. You know what you like and are less willing to try new products. So you're pretty much worthless to advertisers, as harsh as that may sound.
That's why the vast majority of commercial stations target the holy grail of 25 to 44-year-old women. As a generalisation, they decide what to spend the household income on, not 60-something men who, yes, may have money to spend on a new car or a holiday - but they know exactly which model or destination they'll choose and won't be told otherwise.
I think I read somewhere that, to a commercial radio station, a 30-year-old is worth three times more in ad revenue than a pensioner. Harsh but true. So that's why commercial radio doesn't, in general, serve the over 50s.
Presumably Smooth with takeover all the Gold AM and local stereo DAB slots which will somehow fit into the 6 Smooth regions, places like Norwich may be London or Midlands?
Why would Norwich get London or Midlands Smooth?
They have their own Gold station at the moment on 1152AM and DAB - as do Peterborough on 1332, Bury St. Edmunds on 1251, Ipswich on 1170.... a East Anglian region maybe for it along with Essex?
They have their own Gold station at the moment on 1152AM and DAB - as do Peterborough on 1332, Bury St. Edmunds on 1251, Ipswich on 1170.... a East Anglian region maybe for it along with Essex?
There is no separate programming in England on the Gold stations, only separate adverts. There won't be an East Anglian Smooth, it will just take the London service with local advertising.
Logs won't be implemented for some time yet and "Heart is Coming" won't be rolled out until at least April. Schedules will be finalised mid-March.
In the meantime it's business as usual for Real Radio.
There's nothing stopping Global from Rebranding Real XS first, is there?
Will Real XS Manchester be merged with the existing XFM that's in the region, or turned into The Arrow (targeting the older rock audience?) If anything needs to rebrand first, it would be XS... For obvious reasons.
Well Gold (Smooth) will need a studio, Heart will need a studio as will Capital - I think the Real Radio building is big enough to house all three stations - not sure the Red Dragon Centre is, and Real's building being out of Cardiff and North of the M4 is probably cheaper
I suppose Global could move their entire South Wales operation to Morganstown. There are only 2 on-air studios at Real but they wouldn't need a dedicated studio for Smooth which will (like Gold)be mainly a relay from Leicester Square. It depends how many of the Real staff Global will need. I imagine the present Global sales team can sell three instead of two stations and they'll already have commercial production and commercial traffic set-ups.
I think the more likely scenario is for the Real staff that are being retained to be moved to Cardiff Bay and the Real building vacated.
So why is it radio listening continues to bring in huge numbers? 48.4 million are now tuning in weekly. That's 91% of the UK population. Besides breakfast the days of listeners tuning in and sitting around a radio to hear their favourite commercial radio presenter are long gone
I agree 91% is an impressive figure on the surface but in reality that's 91% of people tuning in for at least 15mins per week. Put that way it loses a little of its weight.
While there are many who will put in a shift of listening for a few hours per week there will many whose listening can be measured in minutes rather than hours.
It's hard to guess what might happen to Real XS Manchester. XFM already exists, and Communicorp/Global have nothing else to network it with. Perhaps it could become XFM Classic Rock if Global allow Communicorp to create a brand extension.
There's nothing stopping Global from Rebranding Real XS first, is there?
Will Real XS Manchester be merged with the existing XFM that's in the region, or turned into The Arrow (targeting the older rock audience?) If anything needs to rebrand first, it would be XS... For obvious reasons.
Other brand options for Communicorp are Spin (Spin Rock?) or noticed they franchise NRJ Energy in Bulgaria (Energy Rock)? http://radioenergy.bg/
So the big announcement included no surprises. Global got what they wanted by another means and the services they want to provide will be delivered expanding the reach of their brands. All in all a waste of competition commission time and effort.
Only small surprise is the return of Xfm in Glasgow. Just when Real XS seems to be carving a niche for itself. There is nothing wrong with a company making a bad mistake but to make the same one twice is quite reckless!
It's hard to guess what might happen to Real XS Manchester. XFM already exists, and Communicorp/Global have nothing else to network it with. Perhaps it could become XFM Classic Rock if Global allow Communicorp to create a brand extension.
There is , I suppose the possibility of doing that and adding some classic 'madchester' indie to the playlist.
Comments
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/html/radio-stations/analogue/analogue-main.htm I think from this it will be aimed at a slightly younger age than Smooth? Smooth might keep current AM listeners happy by playing more 1960's decade music, but avoiding some of the heavier rock music from the decade?
BTW since when has Gold Norwich been on 1557!!!!
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/html/radio-stations/analogue/al000277ba2smoothradio.htm Presumably Smooth with takeover all the Gold AM and local stereo DAB slots which will somehow fit into the 6 Smooth regions, places like Norwich may be London or Midlands?
That may be the case but it's how they spend it that matters.
The older you get, the less receptive to advertising you are. You know what you like and are less willing to try new products. So you're pretty much worthless to advertisers, as harsh as that may sound.
That's why the vast majority of commercial stations target the holy grail of 25 to 44-year-old women. As a generalisation, they decide what to spend the household income on, not 60-something men who, yes, may have money to spend on a new car or a holiday - but they know exactly which model or destination they'll choose and won't be told otherwise.
I think I read somewhere that, to a commercial radio station, a 30-year-old is worth three times more in ad revenue than a pensioner. Harsh but true. So that's why commercial radio doesn't, in general, serve the over 50s.
The age range is right, but I agree that leaving out the 60s isn't very 'Gold'.
I'd be very surprised if this "new station" isn't a Heart brand extension, just like Choice is now part of the Capital "family".
It can then be sold to advertisers as part of a complete Heart brand package and, crucially, increases the total audience of the Heart brand.
Agreed. I said further up this thread that I think it'll be Heart Club Classics.
I always kind of liked the name Capital Gold which was, after all Richard Park's invention.
They have their own Gold station at the moment on 1152AM and DAB - as do Peterborough on 1332, Bury St. Edmunds on 1251, Ipswich on 1170.... a East Anglian region maybe for it along with Essex?
Possibly, but why stop at the early 90s? Many of the club classics on Heart come from the mid to late 90s, and early 00s.
There is no separate programming in England on the Gold stations, only separate adverts. There won't be an East Anglian Smooth, it will just take the London service with local advertising.
Indeed. Gold still plays a lot of sixties music in fact I would say it currently targets 50 plus year old listeners with most of its output.
They could be planning to change that though.
There's nothing stopping Global from Rebranding Real XS first, is there?
Will Real XS Manchester be merged with the existing XFM that's in the region, or turned into The Arrow (targeting the older rock audience?) If anything needs to rebrand first, it would be XS... For obvious reasons.
I suppose Global could move their entire South Wales operation to Morganstown. There are only 2 on-air studios at Real but they wouldn't need a dedicated studio for Smooth which will (like Gold)be mainly a relay from Leicester Square. It depends how many of the Real staff Global will need. I imagine the present Global sales team can sell three instead of two stations and they'll already have commercial production and commercial traffic set-ups.
I think the more likely scenario is for the Real staff that are being retained to be moved to Cardiff Bay and the Real building vacated.
I agree 91% is an impressive figure on the surface but in reality that's 91% of people tuning in for at least 15mins per week. Put that way it loses a little of its weight.
While there are many who will put in a shift of listening for a few hours per week there will many whose listening can be measured in minutes rather than hours.
Heart Classics? Heart Platinum(classier than using Heart Gold)?
It needed re-brand from the moment the in-bred suit thought the name up.
Strange that www.heartclubclassics.com is not for sale
It's been 'taken'
Been registered since 2008 it seems...
http://whois.net/whois/heartclubclassics.com
http://radioenergy.bg/
Is this what the 'Huge announcement' is on Monday morning's breakfast show? HeartXtra, or whatever...on DAB only.
Of course these huge announcements can sometimes mean another trivial competition.
Only small surprise is the return of Xfm in Glasgow. Just when Real XS seems to be carving a niche for itself. There is nothing wrong with a company making a bad mistake but to make the same one twice is quite reckless!
There is , I suppose the possibility of doing that and adding some classic 'madchester' indie to the playlist.
Or it might become something else entirely. ....
I'd be surprised if it was jacked...