[ecrea] UK: The future of small scale radio - publication of research report for Ofcom

*The future of small scale radio  - A research report for Ofcom
*Prepared by Essential Research, July 2011*

Full report (72 pages, 861 kb) at: 
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/radio-research/smallradio.pdf
*
Other Ofcom Radio Rsearch documents available at 
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-research/radio-research/
*

Summary of Key Findings*:

Small-scale radio services are highly valued by their listeners. They 
foster a real sense of belonging and listeners have a unique affection 
for them. These feelings of affection and value were most pronounced in 
areas where larger local stations have been re-branded and some 
listeners perceive that they have lost their local feel. In addition, 
small-scale services offer benefits to their listeners that are not 
provided by other radio stations.

These benefits are three-fold:
. Micro local information
. Quirky entertainment
. Local identity

It is not just about what these stations broadcast, but what they 
represent to their communities that make them so special to their 
listeners. They do not necessarily listen to these stations for long 
periods of time, but their level of engagement is higher than with most 
other stations. There were three areas, however, where small-scale 
stations were not able to deliver to the same level as larger stations:
. National news and sport
. Experienced DJs
. Spoken word shows

Despite the many shared benefits that small-scale stations have, 
community and small commercial stations have a very different feel from 
each other, meaning they appeal and deliver these benefits in different 
ways. Community stations have the most personal and familiar feel, with 
listeners feeling a real bond between them and their station. The DJs 
are often from the local community and use language and accents that 
listeners are familiar with. However, the somewhat amateur air that can 
sometimes be associated with these stations can make them seem 
unprofessional at times and, as a result, put some younger listeners off.

The music offering on community stations is considered very alternative 
by listeners, due to the specialist music shows and the unsigned local 
bands that are featured. This alternative music selection leads to 
appointment to listen, but means most listeners will tend not to tune in 
on an ad hoc basis, as the music often will not appeal to everyone. 
Community stations are considered very active in their local areas, 
going beyond promotion and support and really getting involved in their 
community.

They provide training and work experience, as well as encouraging 
community members to volunteer and go to events locally. Listeners feel 
that with more self-promotion more people will experience the benefits 
of these stations. On small commercial stations the DJs are considered 
more professional. The local feel comes mainly from the high level of 
local information that they provide. They are the preferred destination 
for this type of information, especially in emergencies. Their music 
offering is considered much more mainstream than on community stations, 
but with a quirky juxtaposition of songs. This output does not encourage 
appointment to listen, but means listeners can tune in whenever they 
feel like it and usually enjoy the playlist. Small commercial stations 
are often well known within their local areas and go way beyond their 
remit when it comes to community involvement.

They are considered very good at promoting and supporting local 
businesses and events, but some listeners felt they could get more 
actively involved with their communities putting their high profiles to 
good use. Should financial difficulties require changes to the way 
stations are regulated in the future, listeners to small-scale stations 
are only willing to compromise on elements that don't affect the 
identity of the station. All small-scale stations are considered by 
listeners to be 'community' stations (regardless of their licence type) 
as this is the focal point of such stations.

As a result, listeners would prefer new services to be 'not-for-profit' 
(under current legislation, therefore, licensed as community radio 
services). These are more likely to remain local, because of the single 
ownership limit, which means they cannot be bought by larger radio 
groups. However, in order for them to remain sustainable in the future, 
listeners understand the importance of local advertising as part of 
their funding mix. Greater commercial income generation was therefore 
considered to be acceptable as a way of protecting the localness and 
sense of community that small-scale stations have, whilst making sure 
they remain sustainable in the future. Tied into wider economic issues, 
by the end of the field research period (early 2011), small-scale 
listeners had become much more open to the idea of compromise than they 
were at the start, some six months earlier.

As long as these changes don't fundamentally alter the identity of the 
station, listeners accept that they could help such stations remain 
sustainable in the future. Listeners felt that increased on-air local 
commercial activity and sponsorship would not threaten the identity of 
their small-scale stations to any great extent, and this proposal was 
therefore well-received as a potential policy adjustment. Potential 
associated benefits were also recognised - local businesses could 
promote themselves further and community members would be more aware of 
what was on offer in their local area. Increased spot advertising was 
more of a problem however. It was not felt to bring any benefits, and 
small commercial stations in particular were considered to have a great 
deal of advertising already. A broader music selection was not a huge 
problem for small commercial stations, as their music selection was 
considered quite mainstream already. Providing they could still provide 
a quirky mix within these playlists, this would be acceptable as 
potential policy adjustment.

For community stations however, this would change the identity of the 
station as their music selection is so alternative. As a result 
community listeners were not willing to compromise here. A reduced focus 
on local issues and less station participation were also potential 
policy adjustments that listeners were not willing to compromise on. 
Both of these elements were felt to be integral to the identity of 
small-scale stations. To obtain local information was one of the main 
reasons listeners tuned into their small-scale station and the 
participation by a station in its community was where its main value 
lay. If either of these potential policy adjustments were to go ahead, 
listeners felt that they would lose engagement with their small-scale 
stations and ultimately stop listening.