Comments on: GCap’s New Strategy

By: Howard

Howard — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:15:57 +0000

As a listener who was fully behind DAB from the start, I am very disappointed in the way it has turned out.
I hoped that it would provide a totallt different service than FM, more stations, more choice. EG, for music fans, a station for every genre, be it urban, vocal trance, European, country…you name it.
What we got, however, was more of the same, so why bother buying a set? Take that awful “Core” station, for example. It had a dreary playlist which was unchangable, they had a “myspace” site where you were supposed to leave comments, suggestions, requests, especially to a presenter that wanted “new stuff” suggestions. It flogged their “MySpace” to death, yet I don’t think it was even read, let alone acted upon. What a chance to have real listener engagement and interaction, but, no, they wouldn’t budge off their caste-in-stone playlist.
Result? Goes under. Unfortunately, none of the other stations seem to take notice. What we want are stations that we feel part of, unlike the miserable e-map or UTV owned commercials, digital could have provided that, but is failling badly.
By now, I should have DAB in my car and work’s van…but I won’t bother with the expense, thanks, I’ll just tape web-radio and put it in the cassette deck.

By: Brian Mathieson

Brian Mathieson — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:58:36 +0000

For a long while, I have wondered how The Arrow can continue to exist as a virtually advert-free loss-making station. They play great music, and their demise would be a tragedy. Hopefully, they will be able to pick up some of PR’s listeners, although I fear that they may drift to the Virgin brand, which is better known.

By: steve martin

steve martin — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:49:39 +0000

If this is what a radio group does when under pressure from the open market then perhaps media groups are better off in private hands.

By: Gareth Edwards

Gareth Edwards — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:34:15 +0000

Interesting review of the industry. Very important point about promotion of DAB stations.

I have made a point of referring friends and aquaintances to Planet Rock. Plenty of people I know who are ideal listener material have been completely unaware of PR despite having access through SKY/Cable or DAB radio.

The existence of specialist channels remains a well-kept secret.

GAreth

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:01:53 +0000

Thank-you for crunching some figures, and putting this into context, Matt. That context being, of course, how the hell can we fend off Global, rather than We Hate DAB (although of course the ongoing investment in the latter has made the approach of the former more likely). But, yes, I also was struck by the £800k loss this year for the 3 regional Xfm’s – which surely means, after launching a new FM station, that the stations are pretty close to profitablity, and (two of the three) are still growing audience. You’d almost think GCap were desparate for cash to boost the balance sheet, and fend off the predators!

I read a quote from Charle Allen this morning which echoes what I wrote in response to your last blog, which is “How is this a strategy for growth?” You aren’t going to get much new audience from the brands they have left – they are placing all their chips on selling more stuff to online communities of listeners. But everyone’s going to try and do that, aren’t they? GCap to be gone by May bank Holiday??