“Make it easier for local advertisers to get into radio”
New developments which make it easier for local advertisers to get into radio are vital for the industry, said panellists at Friday’s MediaTel Group seminar on the ‘Future of Radio’.
Global Radio’s group commercial director Mike Gordon said it is important to recognise that “local and national are two completely different business models and challenges”.
He added that Global has adapted it business to address this, launching a new online system called RadioRunner.
RadioRunner simplifies buying radio for local businesses, said Gordon, by breaking it down into four easy steps:
- Select your regions
- Choose your package
- Choose a commercial
- Review and pay
Jonathan Gillespie, group commercial director at GMG Radio, agreed, pointing out the commercial advantages of making things easier for potential local advertisers. “Things like RadioRunner are going to be important,” he said. “If you can make things easier then you are going to make more money.”
The morning seminar saw a lot of debate on the subject of simplifying radio buying and James Cridland, Radio Futurologist, was also in agreement that making things easier for local advertisers is the way to go. “making a purchase really simple is really important – particularly on a local scale,” he said. “We should make it easier for local advertisers to get into radio.”
Cridland also noted figures showing that revenues for national radio are down by a third, with a less marked decline for local radio. “The future could be more in terms of local with national the cream on the top,” he said.
MediaTel Group’s Future of Radio seminar was sponsored by Ipsos MediaCT