Are the Olympics killing radio?
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James Cridland posted on Monday 6th August 2012 at 21:44Highly experienced broadcaster John Myers says:
Be amazed if radio listening figures are up this quarter or even flat after millions are watching much more TV than normal re Olympics.
— John Myers (@johnmyersteam) August 6, 2012
Will two weeks of the Olympics kill radio’s audience figures? Will people have found the BBC Radio 5 Live excellent commentary instead? Is TV-watching replacing radio-listening?
What have you been doing? Have you been on-air during the Olympics – are people still listening to you, or are you fighting dead switchboards and a dearth of tweets?
Will John be amazed, or will he be depressingly right?
Change of rules allowing groups to monopolise, swiftly followed by the Head honchos at Capital/ Heart killed radio a year or two back.
Agree with Callum that sports based stations with excellent production values such as 5live will only prosper from the Olympics experience.
I think BOTH my radio and tv consumption has gone up during the games – 5 live is there to keep me up to date 24/7 as get on with life and tv is there to compliment that when life allows – it’s not either/or…
What about if we look at all radio stations other than 5live? I’ve certainly been watching the olympics when I might otherwise have been listening to music radio.
Hmmm! I think the state of radio during the olympics, other than the news and sport stations, could also reflect what is happening to the UK economy. There are early signs of the olympics becoming a bit of an economical disaster for the UK. Whilst there is a flurry of trade in places where sports events are being held, the UK’s tourist industry has taken a major downturn during the weeks of the olympics, shops have seen poorer sales and there are reports of much of London being like a Sunday every day.
I’ve been listening to 5 Live lots more than usual. It’s replaced a combination of CDs, my iPhone, and other stations. Though, I’ve also been watching more TV than usual.
Hopefully media as a whole will be boosted by the Olympics.
John’s missing the point – lets blame the Olympics. No John blame the lack of imagination.
All I am saying is this. TV are Getting huge audiences. They have to come from somewhere. Exc sports based stations hours listened to radio will be down. When the next survey comes out I will be right. It’s not about blaming the Olympics it is because GB is doing so brilliantly that people are
turnin on their TVs again. Let’s not have this debate turned into an attack on radio itself.
How ridiculous….. 5 live has done a great job and for 2 weeks of the year…..in fairness we dont moan the Chris moyles gets 8 million listeners, and BBC Breakfast only get 1 million viewers!! I’m sure radio can cope!
I’ve not said they havn’t. In fact on twitter I’ve praised them
too. This is not about if radio can cope just a comment that radio listening overall will be down because of olympics That’s all. Other stations are also doing good stuff. Let’s wait till Rajar! If I am wrong I will admit it and grovel for
forgiveness.
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I rather disagree. I’ve had 5live on a lot since the Olympics started. I feel the urge to listen to it whenever I’m out/in a car/not near the telly. I know I’m not exactly your usual punter – but I’m sure some of them will behave the same. And I agree 5Live has been ace. Excellent little radio moments everywhere you turn, and a preponderence of brilliant presenters and commentators. (I liked Kriss Akabusi and Colin Murray at the Velodrome, though others might not have…)