The MTN Radio Awards breakfast forum Johannesburg (25 October 2011)

Radio: does it pack a media punch?
By Kerryn Le Cordeur

With the goal to promote radio, encourage excellence in the medium and ensure that radio remains the first choice for marketers, the third annual MTN Radio Awards was launched at a breakfast debate in Sandton.

CEO of the MTN Radio Awards, Lance Rothschild, provided some feedback from the 2011 awards, saying that the awards were broadened to include all radio stations and that the entries grew significantly. PBS stations continued to feel excluded, having no specific category, so a new category has been opened. Other new categories include Afternoon Drive Presenter and Show, Weekend Show, Programme Innovation, Programme Concept and Documentary. Campus radio will also have a few separate awards to recognise the contribution it makes to the radio industry. This year, the entry process has been made easier, with entries opening on 21 November 2011 and closing on 3 February 2012.

Jeremy Maggs, co-founder of the MTN Radio Awards, chaired the debate, kicking off by asking Omar Essack (Executive Director Broadcasting for Kagiso Media) about the business of radio in 2011. Essack believes radio is in a good space, especially in Africa where it has significant reach, and predicts a strong future for what he terms the ‘personal medium’. Starcom Mediavest’s Group Managing Director, Gordon Patterson pointed out the decline in the average number of minutes spent listening as there is increasing fragmentation and consumers have become more discerning. The SABC’s Head of Marketing, Yvonne Johnston said this is a reflection of the general media space, with consumers wanting it on their own terms -personalisation and engagement are key. However, it is for this very reason she feels radio will continue to grow.

While commercial and PBS radio is growing, The Media Connection’s Sales Manager, Rachelle Jacques feels that community radio remains underused. She believes this is due to a lack of research, meaning community stations are unable to give marketers statistics, while marketers don’t fully understand that despite the smaller numbers, community radio is effective because it is targeted and boasts a loyal audience.

In this vein, Patterson pointed out that it is essential to create attention-grabbing programming that consumers want because consumers are loyal to programmes, not stations. He feels that marketers need to get more involved in research to understand the platform now, not as it existed in the 80s.

Ryan Till (Chief Operating Officer of Primedia Broadcasting) added that advertisers are often hesitant to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and reiterated that existing research is archaic.

Essack suggested that in order to hold consumers’ attention, marketers should make use of convergence opportunities, such as radio stations’ web platforms and events, and understand that radio is an entertainment medium. Patterson agreed, saying that clients also want more holistic solutions. Johnston added that this comes down to understanding the consumer’s headspace and pointed out that radio sales people need to be knowledgeable and lead marketers in the right direction. She feels that community radio stations, in particular, fall down on this, but Jacques countered that community stations understand the need to up their game and are working on doing so. She added that community radio is able to take more risks because it is more flexible and, therefore, is able to bend to suit clients and the audience.

However, Patterson pointed out that community stations need to promote their innovation so that people get to know about it. He stated that radio stations no longer sell; they simply take orders and accept schedules from marketers rather than coming up with better solutions. Till accepted this, attributing it to a lack of understanding and the fact that advertisers just want solutions, while the stations need the revenue. Johnston suggested that to improve this, it shouldn’t be down to just the sales team, but also for station managers and presenters to work together to find the best solutions for marketers – as long as marketers are also willing to come to the party, as Essack pointed out.

Patterson concluded that radio stations need to be more involved, relevant and produce valuable content. Jacques feels that clients and marketers want more measurability, while Till added that today’s radio offers the opportunity to connect with people in a unique space. Johnston’s two cents were about the need to understand the consumer and deliver the goods, and Essack summed it up by saying that the radio industry needs to continually reinvent itself and to take itself more seriously.