Radio posts

It’s RAJAR day! The Q2 2019 results are out and there are some major changes across national and regional radio in the UK.  We’re taking a look at those changes to see who’s come out on top this quarter…

Shout! Communications set up Shout! Digital Radio for a special day of broadcasting in which we covered many different aspects of the broadcast and PR landscape to hopefully spread some light on areas listeners may not know so much about. I invited Lyndsey Ferrigan from RAJAR to take part. She’s the communications manager for the organisation which is responsible for monitoring audience figures in the UK.  

It’s a national, digital radio station which reaches over half a million people every week, but also one that is perhaps not as well understood as the more mainstream BBC stations. So it was with interest that we welcomed George Mann, Impact Editor at BBC Asian Network, to speak at one of our regular Shout! Communications Small Talks. 

The radio industry has gone through a sea change these last few months, so RAJAR’s (Radio Joint Audience Research) latest audience figures were much anticipated. RAJAR are the official body for measuring the radio audience in the UK and release a quarterly report that details which stations have gained audience and those which have dropped.

British Asians and anything that interests or affects them…. that’s the focus for the BBC’s Asian Network, a UK based, national digital radio station with a listenership of over half a million people. Head of News at Asian Network, Arif Ansari, is the speaker for our next Small Talk, which is taking place over breakfast on Tuesday 21st May. Arif will be talking about how he decides which stories go to air and how BBC Asian Network caters to its audience. Content is a mixture of music and speech – clearly a successful formula. 

To OB, or not to OB? That is the question…Whilst many radio days can be completed from the comfort of our lovely Bloomsbury studio, there are some which can benefit from the atmosphere of an outside broadcast (OB).  

An OB typically consists of studio equipment which is set up in a remote location, outside of a studio. It means live and pre-recorded interviews can be conducted with more context and atmosphere. Potentially (technology allowing) it can be done from anywhere: an event, a ship-launch, a field…you are only limited by your imagination. So, if you’re tossing up the pros and cons of an OB for an upcoming campaign, this should give you more of an idea of what it’s all about.  

With trepidation, and ten seconds to go before the computer clock turned 1100, we pressed “Play” and Shout! Digital Radio was broadcasting.  And actually, for the one day we were on-air, it went really well.    

All our content for the six hours we broadcast last Friday (12th April, 2019) was pre-recorded and I think that was the right decision.  It meant that we could edit down and air the very best content from the amazing line-up of speakers who joined us.    I have a background as a radio and television journalist, which involved umpteen (sometimes heart-stopping) live broadcasts; but, for Shout! Digital Radio, there was reassurance in knowing all the interviewees were there – no one was going to be lost because of technology or on account of them going to our old studio address!   

On Friday 12th April, 2019, Shout! Communications is running its own radio station. We’ll be broadcasting online and talking about PR – with a special nod to broadcast PR, of course.  How the sector promotes itself, the extent to which Brexit is affecting the industry and the big shake-ups that have taken place in radio so far this year, are just some of the topics that will be hitting the air-waves.   

The “B” word. It’s topical, it’s divisive and you’ve probably not gone a day without mentioning it since at least June 2016.  We’re talking about Brexit. That was the topic of our latest Shout! Communications’ Big Talk event, where we asked a stellar line-up of senior broadcast editors to share their thoughts on the current political landscape.  

The radio group will network its breakfast shows on Capital, Heart and Smooth by the end of 2019 and will close numerous regional stations completely. Hoping to rival the likes of BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2, Global say they’re creating the three largest commercial radio breakfast shows in the UK on Capital, Heart and Smooth with 4.8m, 3.7m and 2.7m weekly listeners. It comes after Ofcom made changes to its localness guide and announced the deregulation of commercial radio in October 2018.

The main headlines see the total reach drop more significantly in London over the past 12 months than across the rest of the UK. Total UK radio audiences were down 0.9% in Q4/18 compared with Q4/17. In the capital the drop was 3.9% – with some stations losing hundreds of thousands of listeners. Regardless of this, 88% of the population listen to the radio at some point each week (48.4 million people). 

I was feeling less nervous than the previous time. I can’t have been that bad I thought, as I made my way to BBC Broadcasting House to take part in Radio 4’s The Media Show, or they wouldn’t have invited me back.

Radio 4’s Today programme is so often the icing on the cake in a broadcast PR campaign, so it could come as a shock to many of us in the industry to learn this flagship news show has suffered a fall in listening figures.

By Kate Fallis, Broadcast PR Consultant

So, you’ve booked in your broadcast campaign and the launch day has finally arrived. Now it’s showtime and the pressure is on your spokesperson to weave in key messages and branding within the interviews, to keep you, or if you’re an agency, your client happy.

By Kate Fallis, Broadcast PR Consultant

Securing overseas coverage for clients is becoming much more prevalent and often the icing on the cake off the back of a successful UK campaign. Many clients have an EMEA and global brief too and selling in to international broadcasters is increasingly a requirement.

by Matt Napier, Broadcast Assistant

Much like comparing TV to radio, some stories simply aren’t made for everything. If you’ve got a story with a visual aspect then TV will, naturally, be more appropriate than radio. However, if your campaign is based on spreading information to the masses using spokespeople and statistics, then radio will be the way to go.

By Kate Fallis, Broadcast PR Consultant

There’s always something going on in the pop culture world, but perhaps the most exciting news for many reality TV fans across the UK this week is the beginning of Love Island, Season 4. If you’re a dedicated listener, chances are you may have heard presenter Nick Grimshaw’s announcement this week – he’s moving to the drive slot from September, swapping with fellow Radio 1 presenter Greg James.

By Kate Fallis, Broadcast PR Consultant

The latest RAJAR figures are just out, reflecting the first 3 months of this year, and there are some surprising outcomes to say the least.

By Arthur Perkins, Broadcast PR Consultant

Case studies are an excellent way to attract a broadcaster’s attention; whether you’re pitching to TV, radio or online, journalists always appreciate this way of making a story more relevant to their audience.

by Matt Napier, Broadcast Assistant

Forward planning, the perfect spokesperson, timing, availability… so much more goes into a radio day than you’d think. Read on for some top tips on how to make your radio day a success.

By Arthur Perkins, Broadcast PR Consultant

You think you’ve got a strong story; the stats and spokespeople are lined up, you call the planning desk and they want you to send over your press release, you get a call back, they’re interested! Then, the producer calls and says, “something else has come up, we can’t do this anymore”. Cue despair.

By Kate Fallis, Broadcast PR Consultant

Securing broadcast coverage can be the cherry on top of a great campaign, bringing all elements together on television and radio to reach millions, so it’s no wonder our clients love it! If you’re reading this, then chances are you’re someone who has either had first-hand experience with, or is interested in broadcast PR.

by Matt Napier, Broadcast Assistant

There’s some amazing podcast content out there – much of it available for free. Dramas, documentaries, educational, comedy… whatever you’re in the mood for, it’s there.  And do you know what? The amount of competition out there for listeners means it’s all pretty darned good.

By Keren Haynes, Co-Director

When you eventually get there the end result is often fantastic:  your brand or key messages can reach millions of people on TV or radio. But the journey there can be a bumpy road. This blog looks at some of the obstacles – and possible ways round them – that can mitigate some of the stress and hurdles.

by Catherine Bayfield, Co-Director

BBC News likes certainty but needs change…that was the premise of the latest Shout! Communications’ Big Talk, featuring a prestigious panel of speakers including  BBC UK News Editor Richard Burgess,  Editor of the Victoria Derbyshire Programme Louisa Compton and Editor of BBC News at 6pm and 10pm, Paul Royall.

By Keren Haynes, Co-Director

Is broadcast PR expensive?   It sounds like it should be, given how influential and wide-reaching television and radio can be.

By Arthur Perkins, Broadcast PR Consultant

The latest RAJAR figures are out and it looks like good news for breakfast shows. For those of you not in the know, RAJAR stands for Radio Joint Audience Research and it’s the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK; the organisation is jointly owned by the BBC and Radiocentre, on behalf of the commercial sector.

by Catherine Bayfield, Co-Director

It is often seen as the icing on the cake or an expensive add-on, but including broadcast PR in a new business proposal isn’t as challenging as you might think.

by Arthur Perkins

Rajar, the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK, has just released their Q3 figures for 2017, and there have been some surprising results.

Podcasts are all the rage at the moment, particularly among younger listeners, but how can you use them to your advantage in PR and beyond?

Journalists are the gateway to your success and your clients’ happiness, so it’s important to know when you might be doing more harm than good.

Alex Hesketh looks into the recent trend of ‘punking’ guests live on air, which has moved broadcast interviewing into the social media age.

Clients will always want national coverage, and while national radio is clearly a great get, there are also other ways to reach your target audience.

Kate Fallis looks at how your brand can land PR coverage on national broadcasters without generating a stand-alone news story yourselves.

Kate Fallis highlights some of the things to keep in mind for choosing the perfect spokesperson for your next broadcast PR campaign.

Rory Green, videographer at Shout! Communications explains why remote media training could be a perfect solution for your spokesperson.

Director Keren Haynes looks at effective media training can help PRs and brands get the most out of interviews on TV, radio and online.

If you want to reach millions of people across the UK, why not consider a radio day? A radio day is a great way to get your key messages across and make your brand stand out.

With politicians being skewered left, right and centre (pun intended), we took a look at how a few basic Media Training tips could have prevented the catalogue of broadcast interview errors during this year’s General Election.

Podcasts are available anytime, anywhere! This has led to the podcast becoming an increasingly useful tool for Broadcast PR and an essential tool in modern PR strategy. This blog documents the key requirements for getting your podcast used on-air by broadcasters to really boost your radio campaign and secure maximum coverage.

Kate Fallis writes on her experiences after jumping the fence from broadcast journalist to PR professional…

Having the right voice behind your next broadcast campaign is important – so let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using an athlete spokesperson.

The podcast is back with a bang. Here’s how it came back to life, and why you should consider as your next broadcast PR venture.

Thinking of delaying your PR story until after the General Election? You might want to consider a few things before you pull the plug…

Alex Hesketh reports on a Shout! Communications Small Talk by James Sillars – Sky Business Producer.

In the world of PR we all strive for success. But what do we mean by success? As they say one person’s drink is another person’s poison….and success can mean different things to different people.

Kate Fallis reports on the Shout! Communications Big Talk, held at the CIPR on March 14th.

Let’s face it, when it come to television and radio coverage having the right spokesperson can make, or break, a story.

Brands, businesses and organisations love radio days because it’s a guaranteed way to communicate key messages to often millions of listeners. Responsibility for the quantity and quality of coverage will be safely in our hands – but there are some things you can do too, to ensure your company gets the most out of the day. Here are some of our tips:

Gone are the days when families gathered round the TV to watch the news. Why would you? Unless it’s breaking news, you’ve already seen the story.

In the final Big Talk Blog, Kate Fallis reports on Jonathan Levy, Head of News Gathering at Sky, on the future on news broadcasters.

Kate Fallis reports on Roger Sawyer, from BBC Radio 4, on how podcasting and online can be used in radio at the Shout! Communications Big Talk 2016

Kate Fallis reports on ITV News’ Alex Chandler at the Shout! Communications Big Talk, 2016.

Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour programme has just celebrated its 70th birthday.

Shout! Communications recently held a Small Talk with BBC Radio 2 sports presenter and reporter, Matt Williams. Matt presents the sport on the Sony Award-winning Simon Mayo Drivetime show on BBC Radio 2. The show regularly reaches around 6.5 million people every week.

Many of us in PR wonder what goes on at TV editorial meetings. Who attends, what is discussed, what angles there are and the million dollar question; how do editors decide on the stories they want to broadcast.

By Catherine Bayfield

Believe it or not, podcasts first came about in the 1980’s when they were known as audio-blogging. But it wasn’t until 2004 – when playback devices like the I-pod were introduced, that ‘podcasts’ became popular.

Shout!’s latest blog discussed the reason why celebrity spokespeople may or may not work for you.

Ensure you maximise your chances of gaining broadcast pr coverage by keeping up to date with changing newsrooms in 2015

Shout!’s latest blog explains how to use the Report-it app for instances when your spokesperson cannot make it to the radio studio.

Shout!’s latest blog explains the best way to enhance your chances of gaining broadcast PR coverage when pitching  your January health stories.

Broadcast PR advice from the Experts – Essential reading if you are planning on using case studies in your next campaign.

Learn from the mistakes that the Shout! broadcast experts have seen to ensure your next radio campaign maximises coverage.

Essential advice from broadcast experts – read to make sure your next radio day goes without a hitch

Expert broadcast PR advice on why getting coverage on community radio stations could boost your media relations campaign.

Our top tips on how to boost coverage for your media relations campaign.

Need help to news hijack? Top tips from broadcast journalists

Need help securing broadcast PR coverage? Get tips and advice from ex-journalists.

Avoid these common broadcast PR mistakes to ensure you maintain the integrity and reputation of your brand.