Virgin Radio To Boost Online Division With Changes To Name And Management
Virgin Radio’s new media division, Ginger Online, has been renamed Virgin Radio New Media and has gained a new managing editor in the form of James Cridland. The name change has been made to align the division more closely with what the station sees as its core activities. Cridland’s responsibilities will include the expansion of the site including the brokering of new content partnership deals.
Cridland was reluctant to detail today who is in his sights for content partnerships, but said several options are currently being reviewed. As far as advertisers are concerned, he said, “the most exciting part [of the new department] is that it’s so much more allied with Virgin Radio, without having to cope with the TV etc that Ginger Online dealt with. This will give us much more focus.”
Virgin Radio’s listening figures have not fared well in recent Rajar reports- the last revealed a year on year drop in weekly reach of 8.3% (see Capital Continues London Domination Despite Falls In Share And Reach) – thanks to the decreasing popularity of the AM frequency. However, the station has previously made its intentions clear that it will attempt to redress the balance with its online radio efforts, and says it is now the most listened-to online stations in the world, a claim backed by research earlier this year (see Virgin Radio Sees Workplace Listening Boost Online Audience).
Cridland should bring both radio and new media experience to his new job, coming from the position of editorial and content director at media portal Media UK, which he set up in 1994 and having had previous experience as radio advertising creative manager at Radio Hallam. He will head a team overseeing the enhancement of web properties for the company’s other radio developments including digital radio station catchthegroove.com.
Michaela Smith, previously head of Ginger Online is moving up to report directly to SMG in the newly created role of head of new media services (South), where her brief is to develop the online and new media interests of SMG companies in England.
Virgin Radio: 020 7434 1215 www.virginradio.co.uk
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