Radioplayer at 1: The vanguard of radio’s multi-platform future
Mark Barber, director of planning at the Radio Advertising Bureau, says, Radioplayer’s first year of operation has been a huge success and is proven to have driven radio listening online…
“Let me be clear right from the outset, Radioplayer is a fantastic new radio content delivery system, brilliantly executed; which will play an important role in driving the future of the UK radio industry.”
… so started my review of the launch of Radioplayer on MediaTel Newsline a year ago.
Now, bearing in mind all of the furore that accompanies any new ‘digital’ media launch in the post-internet age, you might have been forgiven for thinking that my perspective on Radioplayer was just another blast of unsubstantiated bombast, trumpeting technology over reason. So, one year on, let’s give Radioplayer’s metaphorical tyres a kick and see how it has performed against these expectations. And also explore how its role will evolve in the future.
Firstly, a quick reminder for the uninitiated about Radioplayer…
Developed in collaboration between the BBC and commercial radio sector, Radioplayer is an online listening platform, which gives access to live, on-demand and podcast radio from hundreds of stations across the UK through a simple, easy-to-use console. The aim was to ensure that radio had a user-friendly access point online to compete with the growing number of streaming audio platforms.
At launch, around 200 stations were live on the platform and the considered view was that Radioplayer would settle with a monthly audience of between 3 million and 4 million monthly users. Fast forward 12 months, during which time Curry’s/Dixons have started to pre-install the desktop version on all the PCs they sell and the Radioplayer in-Facebook app has been launched, and Radioplayer celebrates its first birthday with over 310 stations and seven million unique monthly users.
More importantly, this growth in usage is having a fundamental effect on official radio audience figures, as measured by RAJAR. Online listening hours increased by 32% year on year in Q3 2011, followed by a 10% year on year increase in Q4 2011.
But Radioplayer isn’t just a story about growing listening; it is also stimulating innovation in radio content by making it easier for stations to get clips and programmes to listeners via simple podcast feeds. A major upgrade to the console has enabled a new ‘click a clip’ service, which has already attracted the attention of technology start-ups like ‘Audioboo’, who are keen to grow new types of short-form radio.
Taking all of this into account, Radioplayer presents compelling evidence of success for the “agree on technology, compete on content” mantra adopted by the UK radio industry and it is unsurprising therefore that it has become something of a vanguard for radio in exploiting other platforms optimally.
By this summer the planned roll-out of Radioplayer onto mobile devices will become a reality, with an app available on iOS and Android phones initially. Maintaining the tradition of the simplicity of the desktop user interface, the app will be as intuitive to use as a radio, allowing listeners to effortlessly discover new content and for stations to attract and capitalise on new listeners.
In addition to the mobile app, Radioplayer is also developing a range of apps for connected TV platforms, kicking off with YouView, launching later this year. And it is unlikely to stop here; a strong belief exists within the radio industry that the common data and interface model that Radioplayer employs could also be hugely valuable in extracting optimum value for radio providers from both connected technology in cars and the burgeoning possibilities of hybrid radio.
Radioplayer is creating a positive effect in terms of online ad revenue, with many advertising customers already working with the radio groups to benefit from the critical mass audience that the platform delivers online. The smart ones will now be having conversations about how to exploit the opportunities presented by the foray of Radioplayer into these new platforms.
With potential to have such wide-ranging impact on the future success of radio, it’s no wonder that other markets across the globe are keen to benefit from Radioplayer’s ground-breaking partnership model. As a result, Radioplayer Worldwide is also being launched later this month with a licence agreement already signed with Russia and negotiations progressing with several other markets. Revenues generated from this enterprise will flow back to UK Radioplayer, funding further development for the UK radio industry.
In summary, Radioplayer’s first year of operation has been a huge success and is proven to have driven radio listening online. With the plans in place it seems certain that Radioplayer’s common data and interface model will help keep radio accessible and relevant, and help drive listening and ad revenue, whatever the platform.