Sam Abouelfaid - 13JPr

PR1 – radio listening figures

PR2 – In depth interview with James Cridland

PR3 – Survey on radio listening 21 people

People’s preferred ways of listening to radio

6) What is your preferred radio platform and why? I can get 2Day FM (Sydney) and CBC Radio 1 (America) only on the Internet, so internets my favorite. I can’t get Internet in the car, so DAB’s my favorite. In the room I’m currently in, I don’t have a radio, so radio on Freeview is my favorite.

7) Do you think that DAB is “dead in the water”? Internet radio has five times less listening than DAB. Do I think Internet radio is dead in the water? Of course not. Listening through the television is only a third as popular as listening to the radio on DAB. Do I think digital TV is dead in the water? Hardly. 

DAB radio –benefits and why people don’t have a DAB radio.

• Can’t get a good signal where I live
• I never got round to buying one
• I don’t know
• I don’t have enough money to buy one
• I don’t really listen to radio enough to want to buy one
• I prefer to have a set playlist so I can pick a song depending on my mood. So I prefer MP3 and IPods. (Q7, PR3)

11 people had a DAB radio and 10 people didn’t have one

-Radio listening Research

LBC

With LBC, we can see that their listening figures have gone up by a considerable amount since the beginning of 2005. LBC went through a change of ownership between 2007 and 2008 and this could be a reason why their listening figures have gone up as much as they have. Over the last few years, LBC have become available on a number of local digital radio multiplexes across the UK, so this could also be a reason for their listening figures going up so much.

Capital FM Scotland

 Capital FM Scotland has experienced a number of re-brands during its existence, so this could be a reason for its listening figures not being that steady. The station started life as Beat 106, was then re-branded as XFM Scotland (in 2006) by new owners Gcap Media and then was re-branded as Galaxy Scotland (2008) when Gcap Media was bought out by Global Radio. The station then experienced a final re-brand in January 2011 to Capital FM Scotland. 

Choice FM

Choice FM’S listener-ship in London appears to have remained quite stable over the last 5 years. This could be because the music they play is quite specialist and its audience keep tuning in because no other station offers what Choice does.

Real Radio

Real Radio seems to have fewer listeners now than they did 5/6 year ago. The main reason for this is probably because of competition from other stations such as ones available in the North East on DAB. Competitor DAB stations in the area include Capital FM North East and Heart London (relay of Heart London).

   Secondary research

Source 7

• It’s about Broadcast Minister Ed Vaizey confirming than FM will still be around for to come. He says that the complete switch to DAB will only happen if certain criteria is met and if listeners fully behind the policy.
• http://radiotoday.co.uk/news.php?extend.6750
• Reliability: radio today is a well respected website within the radio industry.

    Source 3

• This article says that it could take 20 years until we completely switch to digital
• How Found: I found it while on the Technology section of the Telegraph website.
• Reliability: This source again is very good as it is from a reliable source. The source is from the Guardian who are well respected.

Conclusion

• The main thing I found out was that radio clearly has a multi-platform future and analogue radio will without a doubt remain for a number of years to come.
• With my primary research, it is clear that people currently listen to the radio using a large range of platforms which include FM radio, online, DAB, and via digital television platforms.
• I have also found out that some people have preferred platforms at certain times. For example, on the way to work someone might listen to podcasts and at home listen to radio via DAB. It’s very convenient to have a number of different ways to listen to radio.
• If I were to do this again, I would probably get a wider range of secondary sources focusing on Internet radio and other areas surrounding the subject as a whole.
• I would also send my survey out to people of different demograhics to get a better wider picture.
  

The 10 questions can be seen below:

Not until we have unlimited bandwidth for mobile phone users.

More and more people are going online to check facebook, twitter etc No doubt if its visual for them to click on it….internet radio will grow!

Porbably- as more people buy mobile internet device such as smart phones. DAB is getting a bit redundant, and is expensive to buy.

No, people often listen to radio in the absence of internet, eg the car

yea its handier

yes and no because radio tends to be a in car thing to listen to something

Probably more so than DAB. It’s an everyday occurance to use Internet. DAB isn’t

no radio is dying out

not really, with a normal radio you can listen anywhere and you don’t have to worry about internet connection going

No. Radio is generally for listening to when there isnt a computer/tv around to do other things on.

no beacuse how can you get it in your car its not that practical

yes, because internet speeds will increase and people will spend more time on the internet

Only if it becomes more affordable for mobile use

no, because you cant take your laptop everywhere with you!

if it will be more readily avaliable in transport

In the near future, I don’t think so. When internet radio is more accesible and streaming speeds improve, internet radio could start to takeover. I think FM will still be the most popular medium for at least another 15 years.

Yeah because everything now is internet based and if radio wants to stay relevant then internet radio will be the future

It’s not, because you can’t fit a computer or laptop in your pocket. However, you can fit an iPod in your pocket, so that might be the future of radio as you can take it anywhere

Yes, people spend much more time surfing the internet and whilst they’re doing that, it’d be easier for them to play the radio from the internet as well, rather than getting up to turn on their digital radio or TV

977 The 80s Channel

spin fm

Dubai 92

BBC 1 xtra, choice FM, Radio 1’s internet station and BRIT FM!!!!!!!!!

www.burstradio.co.uk and Mostly fm and dab stations via the Internet

Brit FM

I listen to FM stations online which I can’t get on FM where I live. Stations I listen to include BRMB, WAVE 105 and FM104.

BBC Radio 1

Can’t get good signal where i live

Never got round to buying one

i dont know

no money

they’re useless

It costs money to buy it and i dont have money.

i don’t really listen to radio enough to want to buy one

I prefer to have a set playlist so I can pick a song depending on my mood. So I prefer MP3 and Ipods.

When you can get a signal, it is very crisp and clear, with no interference.

More choice

Good range of stations from across the country

more good stations such as 6music, better quality service, radio shows channel / text information

You can get more channels

i don’t know

Clearer sound but not comparable in all areas.

none 

better signal, more choice of radio stations

More channels, more radio

clear sound

clear reception when listening to radio

More choice

good sound

There is a wider choice of stations and the sound quailtiy is better overall.

sound quality is better

You can easily tune in to any channel you want, it’s easier to operate.

Channels are auto-tuned in - easy to look through radio channels because you don’t have to search through static for a decent station