radio blog

(picture from Cambridge Consultants)

You get the sense that we're on the cusp (in the UK at least, and probably in other places) of a massive surge in the amount of radio we'll all be able to listen to. And that'll mean lots of speech radio, and I suspect that'll mean lots of jobs for bloggers. (Though probably not very lucrative ones.)

Most cool stuff was born because some civil servant somewhere decided to do something or forgot to do something. In this case the Ofcom have decided to sell off a new digital multiplex, which means someone gets to set up a bunch of new radio stations. Channel 4 are leading the race at the moment.

I suspect the most valuable, untapped (i.e. unadvertised to) audience in the UK (if not on the planet) is probably Radio 4's. Exactly the people advertisers want to reach, exactly the people who don't watch much telly or consume much commercial media. And there's no competition. If you want relatively intelligent speech radio what else do you listen to? BBC7 sometimes. 5live sometimes. NPR online sometimes. Oneword very, very occasionally. Channel 4 must be interested in this crowd.

And it seems we're not that far from internet radio being a cheap, practical reality. That means everyone with a microphone's in the race. But media brands with a bit of initiative would seem to have a slight advantage, The Guardian's podcasts add up to a version of speech radio. And there must be plenty of other people thinking of the same opportunities.

So, we'll have lots of radio stations looking for cheap content. Many of them will want smart, speechy stuff. Where are they going to turn for it? Bloggers. Surely. It's a great way to find people who can write. All you have to do is make sure they can talk a bit too. And hey-presto, speech radio. Get your mics out folks and start practising, the commissioning editors are coming and they're bringing tiny, tiny bags of gold.

Comments

[Marcus Brown]

Speech is good. You don't hear the spelling errors.

[Steve Bowbrick]

This is such an exciting idea. Bloggers will really rise the occasion so you'll start to see lots of interesting new forms, techniques etc. and there'll be a 'race to the top' in terms of quality. I'd love to see this happen.

[simon]

Nice post Russell. Isn't about time Radio 4 and 3 got some competition? Fed
up with the safe, predictable output of the BBC? Where you gonna go? You are
right that its currently hard to find much speech radio that isn't made by
the BBC. The reason for this, well it can be expensive to make and
commercial stations certainly don't want to use their advertising revenue on
making some interesting thought provoking stuff when they could just
automate all of their output.

It is so exciting that C4 are entering the speech radio sector. For years
I've been thinking we need another type of radio station. A radio station
that will take a few chances with its output. I really hope this happens.
There are so many creative speech radio producers out there that currently
have no home for their ideas.

Podcasting is having a big impact on the traditional ideas of broadcast
radio. Sound is sexy again (thanks iPod) and I think (hope) brands are
tapping into this. Wanna get your message inside their heads? Use a
podcast, but don't think in terms of traditional radio adverts - create
something people will search out and share with friends, in short, make it
entertaining.