Read this: It’s A (Commercial) Radio Golden Age

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Go what am I doing getting these?

To all these years.

Years there was leg warmers and raw Oscars involved.

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But when it comes to bringing your own pensions together, we can help transfer all your old pensions into one place to combine go to standard.

transferring pensions won't be right for everyone money invested as at risk provided by Phoenix Life limited trading as standard life for full details visit standard live.co.uk

hello and welcome to the media podcast think of us as your special Media Club

I'm your host Matt Teegan on the show today.

It's all things radio is we decamp to bauer's shiny new studios in Euston that's might be why Sunday but difference to unpick the latest radar listing figures.

And glean why commercial radio is on the up?

Also on the program publishes take aim at the BBC's podcast ad plans.

Plus why working class creatives aren't getting the chances they used to and in the media quiz we pit people against places.

That's all coming up in this edition of the media podcast.

In the news this week redbird imis chief Jeff zucker hit out at the UK government on Wednesday saying that they were scared of his 600 million pound deal to take over the Telegraph Media Group speaking at the Sir Harry Evans investigative journalism summit.

Zucker said it's surprising to me at a time when journalism needs Investments capital innovation and experience.

Where that's what we're able to bring to the table.

the BBC is agreed to pay an Undisclosed sum to the former chauffeur of Diana Princess of Wales

At this follow claims of slander by journalist Martin Bashir during a meeting in 1995 where he had told the princess that Steve Davis feeds the Today newspaper.

He was sacked soon without explanation.

And the actress who played super grand Goodrem year has died at the age of 98 27 episodes were produced of the ITV kids drama in the mid 80s and was syndicated to over 60 countries.

Well, thanks to the internet the media podcast is syndicated almost everywhere.

And today we welcome back to the program broadcast consultants Paul Robinson hi Paul hi, how are you doing?

I'm very good.

Thank you.

Thanks for squeezing us in between meetings.

Not a problem at this magnificent building which is absolutely glorious and I would never guess where I am that there is a little bit of brandin here a little bit of Brandon very nice where have you been in the world recently?

Had a little trip to Caen which is a little modest little nowhere really I've been hanging around London I've been trying not to go to Heathrow I mean trying I mean you know so far succeeding.

And what's keeping busy?

We launched a new service certificate in Indonesia last week that was quite big.

You know that's quite big market.

Isn't it? Yeah? It's about 300 million people 90% Islamic population so you know there's all sorts of issues.

They're about.

Content what you can and cannot do but it's a big market growing market a really interesting.

They're really becoming very business-friendly.

You know they're doing a lot of work to attract.

People and across Southeast Asia I think Jakarta will become as bigger hubbers Singapore probably in 1020 is time, but they're definitely going for it a nice place to go.

Yeah, lovely food.

You know nasala magnus's Goring very nice, but don't go during Ramadan to you can't eat a thing ah and it's poor it's another Paul and that's also vestor a content director Absolute Radio a part of the bar Media Group where we are today and thank you for inviting us welcome to the new building welcome to the Landon well, we're going to talk a bit more about it a bit later, but it's been quite busy time here at Bowers and news this week about the departure of I guess your boss Ben Cooper he is my boss.

He's a floating the Coop so to speak.

Terrible pun yeah Ben's leaving us after four years he joined Joe in kovid and I think you know he's he's achievements have been great he's unified.

a very fragmented portfolio

He's brought everyone together in terms of the content teams and I think he's worked really hard at that it used to be very much.

London and not London and Ben's made a real impact in bringing those different parts of the business together.

I think you look at the success of Greatest Hits some of the brilliant Talent acquisitions.

A real commitment from been towards dni and improving us and and also making it a more digital.

Focus within our content and not just thinking about the radio the radio the radio how it looks.

how people experience it has been very much part of of his you know his

Mission during the four years here and I you know he leaves with with record you know listening figures and and you know he's he's been a really good person to work 5 enjoyed it.

His new boss going to be them.

I don't know.

There's Gonna Be you fall.

Are you going to take over the other stations? I am not going to be my own boss.

I'm not even my own boss outside of work never mind inside of work.

So it's been a fascinating quarter of a radio listening.

It's not just me he thinks that it's very the listeners.

I'm sure very excited as well raise your is the body that measures radios are listening figures marks the homework and they released their latest survey to the public yesterday.

Mr Robinson commercial radio sort of in it's ascendants

three quarters of the stations gaining reach or commercial this year and half the BBC stations were in decline.

Ugh, it's not an accurate representation of what's happening.

I think it is it's quite remarkable the commercial radio share 54.2% I remember when I was at the BBC we were talking about when will commercial radio get to 50.

You know you're now well over the 50 the clear blue water was then it was described as you really over that 54.2 is an amazing number so commercial radio should be absolutely celebrating and what's interesting is how.

You know both the big groups global and bar of both down very well.

You've got record numbers and all sorts of different areas.

The BBC you know struggling a bit and I think we'll talked about this.

I'm sure but particularly BBC local radio and Radio 2 you know.

not the powerhouse is they were but

It is that ok.

Is it okay that the BBC is on the sort of 45% site still reaches at large numbers of the population?

well, he's a good question when I was when I was head of trashy for radio BBC Radio we actually fast that question what point

does it become unsustainable to have BBC Radio and what point do we have a problem and of course the answer then was a different answer because the answer then was that BBC One

Had a reach of 98% the telly.

Telly in 98% so everybody was touched by the BBC that is no longer the case you know the core TV networks the linear networks are going down so the reach of radio actually.

I would argue is now more important than it was before.

and particularly what the BBC have done is they've made changes to

Local radio BBC Radio 2 which are services targeting older audiences who traditionally have always been?

I'd say stronger BBC advocates commercial ready was always much stronger with younger people BBC stronger with older people as a very general you know story.

That's changed a bit but I think the BBC are really.

Upsetting you know what were their core audiences and that's a problem.

I think if you looked at Radio 2 though I think.

Radio 2

over the course of the last year would probably be

really happy with these numbers

I don't think they will still the biggest real estate in the country and it's not even close to anybody else and I actually think you know there was there was a lot of Doom monger's when Ken left Radio 2 to come to to Bower

of this was going to be the end, how many millions would radio to lose?

the fact is they haven't

No, you're right.

I think Paul said you're right and I think I think they will look at that change the look at the evolution of Radio 2.

And go okay.

We'll take this.

So historically commercial radio didn't really do older audiences that wasn't kind of the focus kind of commercially now.

You've got a 1 in Boom launching doing sort of over 65 Greatest Hits smooth that there as well.

Why has commercial radio suddenly gone actually this lot will go after them.

Because older people have got more money to spend.

And older people spend more time listening to the radio.

And older people love this medium.

And so it is a it is a commercial decision in so many different ways.

But also it's an attractive proposition.

For four listeners and for radio stations to be able to do this and and fundamentally you know it was everyone was after 2544.

You know every radio station was 25.44 all the way through and actually.

The people just above and just below have got.

More money to spend and a really passionate about that and and mainstream brands want to target those people so is therefore the radio stations of moved?

So to be able to commercially deliver on that audience that is there.

It's commercial radio.

Abandoning younger audiences to do that though.

No, I don't think they are from my perspective and working in this building obviously I work with.

Kiss and and yes, you know kissing history and kiss fresh.

I think we're not abandoning audiences and you look at again at Leicester Square with the extensions to capital and what have you I think there is an investment in it.

I think there is also an investment in reaching those audiences in a different way digitally socially through video contents as well as to that the mainstream radio but you look at some of the great Talent signings at both capital and case.

At bringing in people like Jordan North to do Capital Breakfast and Marvin and Alex Scott coming into the kiss brand that actually no, I don't think there is that if if that was the case.

You would see the talent acquisition that we're getting.

One of the things we've seen is the changing way people listen to the radio.

So top line figure amazing 89% of the country tuning into the radio each week the highest ever.

UK radio reach but online listening has now exceeded am FM listening.

That's quite a moment Paul isn't it? It is a moment.

I mean the fact is exceeded am and FM I think amu and a lot of surprise, but FM as well extraordinary I mean and it's me moving in that direction obviously for a while and this is just the next step but it's now physically.

Overtaking I mean there is now a massive supply.

of online listening, I mean everyone is now jumping in and of course you can do so without all of the

barriers to enter that you used to be having to apply for a license and you know Lack Of Spectrum and all of that.

I think the interesting at some point to see exactly what goes into that online number because we don't really know exactly do we?

You know all the stations that aren't actually enrage are they going to be increasing this large bucket of other listening and we don't really know what that is so I think at some point would be lovely some of that is.

But it's fascinating I think also seeing smart speakers, you know continue to come up.

You know that's that's really interesting you know her voice activation has driven that and it will continue to do so I'm sure so smart speakers account for 60% of that internet radio listening.

Paul do you think about those smart speaker listeners more and more time?

All the time 15 million people in the UK listening to the radio through their smart speaker and again I think.

You you target that and you know that is there a radio station in the UK that doesn't have on your smart speaker as part of their news jingle.

You know anymore and and also you've got Radio 2 doing a TV campaign at the moment talking about BBC sounds using Zoe

to promote smart speaker listening and I think it is a really easy way for people to listen my mum and dad are 84 and 82 respectively.

They don't have a radio in their house anymore.

They just have their smart speaker and that's how they access all of the radio it helps because they're not so mobile and they could just shout out at it and she moves and she changes and she gives them what they want.

so, I think absolutely we look at that in terms of

the content we're creating.

But also what what's smart speakers give you is the opportunity to go further with the audience.

So we have a game on the Breakfast Show and Absolute Radio called five words five grand which is a brilliant you know easy to play along mechanic.

And then what we then did was develop a smart speaker skill.

That was an extension of that, so you know five words goes from being a 10 minute bit on the radio every morning at 7:30 to you being able to play it with your mates.

If you're having a party at home on a Friday or Saturday night.

And you know the success of that means that Dave Berry has uttered.

5 million words via smart speaker to the listeners, it's a great stat which is Which is a brilliant way of taking the radio taking a smart speaker piece of technology and actually extending the radio brand into it so I I think it will continue to grow but you look at that growth 16% growth.

in smart speaker reach

in the last year

From within our own business you know six million barrel listeners accessing up 18%

I think you know it's a real marker now of where we are listening and how we are listening so the biggest way people listen to the radio is through DAB so that's the most of the about 40 40% I think then you've got internet.

You've got a em and FM I was looking at it and I was looking at a where people listen to the radio and I think often listeners think that the car is the main place people is the radio but actually it's in home.

That's strengthened sort of since the pandemic more people kind of working from home.

We sort of owned the box in the corner radio does you know the whether it's a smart speaker and FM radio or a DAB radio?

There's something about the passive nature.

Of radio, that's kind of kept it successful, Paul yeah, I think so I mean it's always been the fact you can do something else can't you why you actually listen to the radio you can put it on whatever you're doing you know whether you're cooking.

Or you've got people around or you know you're working in the garage or you know whenever you do in the garden the radio can be on entertaining and if you're doing a job for example like I mean say you.

I don't know say you're a painter and decorator the radio is absolutely do regur the first thing you do you put your pots of paint down not a decorate but I mean I'm feeling this and then there's the radio putting this back with paint and the radio goes on they were absolutely radio on whatever.

And that that's the way you get entertained.

I mean I think there's something about that that we should never forget and in fact despite everything all this change in terms of supply of services.

Change of platforms.

The move away from broadcast which is not DAB is really that's the bit that's the hanging on isn't it?

The actual fundamentals of something that's going to keep you good companion gonna entertain you provide you with key information play Good Music great personalities.

That you can do something else to while you're doing that has not changed.

What's interesting so sorry about about the figures of.

Where people are listening I was doing some because I am a geek and I love this kind of stuff.

Actually looking at breakfast audiences by day.

and at work listening by day okay, so the breakfast show on Absolute Radio

has a higher percentage of audience listening earlier in car on Tuesdays Wednesdays and Thursdays I wonder why that might be one days, but actually the peak of of listening is higher on Mondays and Fridays for at home.

Because that's where it is, but but I think it's now.

We're really starting to see a post-covid return to normal but you still got those vague of a hybrid working situation for so many people that actually it's really fascinating when you when you dive into that it's fascinating for.

Someone like me.

Moving to podcasts commercial radio and a long side some podcasters.

Have written a letter to the BBC saying they are unhappy about their plans to insert adverts into BBC podcast of platform.

This is to apple and Spotify but Paul Robinson people like quite annoyed by this Sunday

They are I mean they're claiming three constituencies you know consumers.

licensed fee pays the creative economy, I think there's a big risk for the BBC I mean the BBC if it takes advertising you know government may well say hey I tell you what do more of that let's reduce the license for you know you've started with podcasts now, let's put

Advertising on to you know your main services are onto the iPlayer whatever it is, so that is an issue.

I mean clearly.

The commercial sector is concerned of a migration of money to the BBC I mean that's the other problem isn't it? I mean the BBC keeps its licence fee.

It's 4 billion pounds a year.

And now it's dipping.

Its turn the advertising port is the advertising market going to grow.

To support this additional source of inventory.

And the answer is it may do but not immediately so certainly short term it's going to deprived.

Presume the Independent producers non BBC producers.

And might indeed reduce the diversity reduced the Range I mean the beautiful thing about podcasting is you know there's a podcast for you.

Isn't however narrow your interest.

There's something that is for you and that's the joy of podcasting and that sort of intimacy.

And you know the fact is not quite so produced.

It's just a bit more conversational and of course you know some of these are working on very tight margins these podcasts so you take away the advertising and they could just disappear so you could massively lose choice.

I think I don't want Melvin breite to get any of my money.

Paul Bowers a signatory to this do you think it's important?

Of course, it's important.

I think you you've got to look at.

The BBC obviously has to find new ways to to earn money.

Because the the world is not going to stay the same and I think we all have to accept they need to do that but right now.

They can't really have their cake and eat it in in that sense as Paul says it's double dipping really it's getting money from everywhere.

And I think that is difficult it's difficult for.

already

a fairly small in the grand scheme of things

market that's available in the scale of the BBC jumping in.

To take some of that I think.

Obviously commercial radio has a has a say in that and obviously commercial radio won't want that to happen.

But I I also agree with Paul that actually it's the Independence it's the production companies.

It's the smaller players in the market.

Who could potentially risk losing substantial Revenue and and potentially not exists and that isn't good.

That was a report by Channel 4 news this week and you might have seen it the suggesting that just one in 12 Media creatives from a working class background the survey covered the film TV and radio Industries and they sort of consider it to be like the lowest in a decade things aren't getting better.

Paul when you look at that

What do you think about?

How Media is structured as the son of a scunthorp steel worker.

I look at it and go it.

It isn't easy.

I think it has got more difficult.

And I think what is what is something of a shame is things like Channel 4?

pulling things like Steph pack lunch out of Leeds

and you think actually there are fewer opportunities.

There are a few opportunities for people who think.

That's the show I'd like to work and all that's an industry or there's people who look like me who acts like me who are like me to be able to do that.

I think there's a few kind of

glimmers of Hope of people like Joe lice who moved his production to Birmingham and wanted to give people who you know young people in birming an opportunity.

I think it is a very difficult thing.

I think we all have to work harder.

And I think there are there are things in place that are encouraging for people.

That we are moving in the right direction.

We're not moving quick enough.

Do you think about it when you're advertising roles or intervening people or work experience schemes?

About how people can kind of fund themselves as they take up those opportunities, so it's not doing your thought about in the past was it no absolutely and I think we have you know.

we've worked and within power there's the power Academy

Which which is helped you know?

It's worked with 20,000 people.

It's helped 200 people from from different backgrounds getting to Bauer get into media jobs.

You know you look at things like the global Academy as well, which is also doing that.

I think more we are doing more for it.

But it's not it's we're not moving quick enough.

and I think we have to

you know using things like the social mobility pledge actually bring more.

Bring more experts into help educators, because I think there is still an education gap before we even get to that but but I think there is a movement in the right direction these figures don't surprise me.

Paul Robinson purely from a self-motivated perspective

all these organizations want viewers and listeners.

That represent the country.

Surely, it is more sensible to push this up the the list of things they should do.

Absolutely there's no way you can possibly represent all audiences.

If everyone who is working on shows behind the scenes is middle class white it doesn't work.

I'm just surprised by this because of that.

I think the portrayal they're has got better.

You know I think you look at radius stations 20 years ago.

It was all men you know really was you look at the lineup.

It was all men that's not the case now.

You look on TV and you do see.

A lot more women you see people from different backgrounds.

You don't see people who are just a particular stereotype.

Not all with.

You know Queens English and different dialects different accents.

So, I'm very surprised because I think portrayal has improved on there.

I wonder whether it's a problem about entry level I mean is it that?

You know we're not bringing as many people in I mean look AI maybe a threat they may be other threats to bring you in people that are junior level.

You know is that an issue.

And now I think the report was interesting saying that when people did when people turn on groups did come and work.

They found it very difficult they found it challenging because they felt that people around them were not like them.

And they obviously didn't feel.

Welcome, so there's an issue there about those who already there.

You know embracing the idea of bringing people from different backgrounds and those skills and those experiences adding to.

The diversity in the and the wealth of experience in the building so I think you know it's down to all of us also to make sure that we are.

welcoming accommodating and maybe

you know it's a bit like sort of dress too.

Isn't it? You know you you don't judge.

Someone who may be looks different to you because they're dressed in a different way.

Just because they're different you know you've got to be accepting of a broader way of working and different ways of working.

I think that's down to all of us, so I look I'm surprised.

It's gone down.

I mean as Paul says I agree with everything he said.

more effort required

and that's not just about recruitment.

It's about the environments in which people work.

and we'll be back with more from Paul and Paul

after

AI might be the most important innovation ever with literally billions being invested, the problem.

Is that AI needs the right data and a lot of speed and processing power so how do you compete without costs spiraling out of control time to upgrade to the next generation of the cloud oracle cloud infrastructure OCI is a single platform for your infrastructure database and application development with AI embedded across at all.

If you want OCI to help you do more and spend less like uber the Premier League and Oracle Red Bull Racing take a free test drive at oracle.com slash elevate.

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school reunion, what am I doing getting these?

Bit all these.

Yeah, we share the room there was leg warmers and rah Oscars involved.

We can't help the uncertainty around getting old friends together-- but when it comes to bringing your own pensions together.

We can help transfer all your old pensions into one place to combine go to standard.

Transferring pensions won't be right for everyone money invested as at risk provided by Phoenix Life limited trading is standard life for full details visit standardlife.co.uk you know AI is a game-changer for your business.

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oh welcome back and pull Sylvester is still here for little deep dive into the happenings at Bower

thank you of again for the inviting to your lovely new Studios must be nice to have everybody together.

Very much, so and I think you know lots of people.

We're so attached to one gold and square as a building.

And obviously it came with lots of history and lots of radio history and lots of culture.

But fundamentally didn't work anymore as a building.

In So Many Ways we were on so many different levels you could go months without seeing people.

and I think the joy of this building and the joy of the way, it's been configured with Studios

Means everyone's together programming teams are together.

It's not like it's absolute on the first floor and kiss on the fourth floor we all sit together.

We're all part of each other's stories and journeys and conversations which I think is really exciting but yeah, it's really great to then have the ease of access.

Of being able to bring guests in flip the studios bring everyone in it's safe.

It's secure.

It's good for that experience.

It's good for guests experience.

Have you ever had a moment where you go?

Oh, did you know they have that that person in right? Why are they coming over to my registration Liz Hurley was it and you know you can go.

look

that's this Hurley and you do that anyway, when you work in any kind of those buildings, but yeah when you are literally you know that live doors open and Liz Hurley walks out you go.

She here for us.

She even all the mags are here as well aren't they so the magazines are all here as well and I think it's certainly been a real interesting time for the for the magazines to get used to the fact that you know Sam Thompson's walking around on Marvin Humes walks in or Alex Scott from kiss or ronan's around and what have you so I think yeah, it's certainly because we shared the building with other non Bower companies.

I think they sometimes these happening upstairs, but know it's great and it's just nice to have.

good Studios

digitally forward thinking Studios all together and and and just the flexibility.

Well, if you want to see how some of them look hop on to our YouTube channel and you can see This podcast busy week for absolutely radio this week a mental health week.

It's been something you've been supporting for a few years.

What was the journey to to get there and make it part of your brand.

I think

I

saw that about

six or seven years ago and that stat was that the biggest killer of men aged 25 to 44 is depression in suicide and obviously for Absolute

More so then was absolutely our core focused audience.

And that really shocked me and also there was a really interesting statistic about how they would the most hard to reach group when it comes to talking about mental health.

And so we really experimented really Softly it just starting to feed it in and every time we talked about it.

Somebody got in touch.

Say how much it meant to them?

And so we then started to really weave it into programming so you don't expect an entertainment Breakfast Show like Dave Barry to be talking about mental health at 7:10 on a Monday morning, but actually the more we we juxtaposed it into the entertainment content the more it it came through because people were surprised to hear that and amongst two songs at breakfast.

And I think we've just got more ambitious and more ambitious because actually.

The more we do it the more feedback.

We get that's really positive and I think radio really.

It's such an intimate medium in the first place.

That people ride the listening to on their own and they choose to be because they do feel lonely and certainly after the last four or five years that we've had.

All their listening to it in a car and it can spark a conversation.

so, I think radio works for it and I think absolute can work for it because of the storytellers that we that we have on the station has it made it easier to do as the topic is kind of more acceptable in Society

I don't

know that I think.

It's always felt natural to be able to do it because of the lineup.

We've got and the way we've always approached it I think.

It probably is a little bit more natural because it's so much a part of of the conversation, but when you get feedback from listeners that say I didn't think I was going to make it through the week.

And actually you being really open and certainly last year when we talked a lot about presenter anxiety and stuff like that.

It really resonated and then this year.

The theme overall is movement for mental health.

Which doesn't work so well on the radio yes when you talk about anxiety or loneliness is the Themes that really works so we we kind of picked our own theme this year, which was.

and how to talk to children about mental health because again we started to see the

kids were learning about it at school, but then potentially that was where it stopped?

And people weren't talking about it at home.

so we wanted to

use our parent presenters to be able to kind of spark those conversations.

And then we got in search.

We had a look.

Yes, we say chanting we in January about whether.

absolute and fun Kids

could team up to create a bedtime story.

because we know how to talk to teenagers that's an easier conversation in in some ways, but how do you

start to talk to to little ones about that and delighted that we we managed to work away around it.

We've got our bedtime story narrated by Jason Manford

that's going out on both stations and I think it's really I think it's one of those lovely things that actually it's a really nice.

Radio collaboration between two stations you would never expect to work together on something like this and and I think it's really nice as I was in the office today.

I had absolute on and been the lovely plug for it and a nice mentor of fun kids too.

So thank you very much for that.

I think also it is nice and a few talks about radar.

Earlier to there is a lot that brings radio together and there's lots we compete with is that each other but it's nice to remember that we're one sector.

And we don't do it enough.

They're you know and obviously because there's different groups and different brands and competing brands.

We don't enough but I think I think you know you go back to the days where we did the the one big radio station post tsunami and we've been portrayed and loads stuff like that and I think we should do more of it and I'm a real advocate for it and always wanting to do more stuff.

I just think it's interesting.

And I think it benefits the listener.

It does it does and also.

I think it's listening to find it fun they find it.

Oh, it's always naughty that the stations are doing stuff together and I think certainly being in this building you will start to see so last week for cash for Kids day on the Breakfast Show we had Ronan Keating and Sam Thompson with Dave Barry doing five words five grand for charity and it was certainly a real.

Oh god you know Ron is on break and I think people I think there's something for the radio geeks of which you know there are plenty and we love them and we are them what what?

Is something for for the list as well of it just being a bit fun, but no I think I think we need to do more collaboration and something like cash for Kids how does how does that work? Do they? Is it sort of forced upon you as a radio station from HQ or is it like come up with your own?

Take on it because all the stations sort of into it now.

Yeah.

I think obviously as we want to move as one and we will always always do that and it's really important for the business.

It does a great job.

And in cash for Kids days super important, but I think the other great thing about cash for Kids as a charity.

Obviously they have the big campaign in the summer.

They have the big mission Christmas which feeds so many thousands of people you know at Christmas and and also gets presents for kids.

Who want to have them?

But cash for Kids are a great partner for us when we want to do something that is awareness raising outside of that as well.

So last year we did a campaign about period poverty again who does thought that Absolute Radio will be doing that.

And but we did and we worked with cash for Kids and and they're really good at helping us to campaign.

helping us to raise awareness and giving us facts information and support when we want to do things so it's it's it's only fair that we give that back and and we support them because

they're lovely people who do brilliant work.

And the other thing I was looking at.

Something you've been doing across a lot of the barrel radius stations is premium.

So premium is where listeners can pay.

$399 a month and it takes ads out of the majority of the radio stations takes as a network service and also gives you skip functions and gives you access to Extra radio stations.

I think it's interesting when Ken join greatest hits.

There's always sort of an interesting thing when we try to attract BBC listeners to commercial radio obviously the commercials can get in the way.

But this does provide a way for people to remove them.

Think it's going to be a core part of the business in the future, or is it sort of there?

As just something if listens want it they've got that option.

I think it will continue to grow and be part of it.

It will never ever replace.

The main way in which commercial radio makes its revenue by any stretch of the imagination but I think it's I think it's a really important interesting offering.

for the super fans of radio stations

and for people who don't like the adverts here is an alternative.

Is it a massive have to get it to work no?

No, no, no it really isn't you know you forget that some of the complicated tech stuff that absolutes always Pioneer yes that actually this is fine.

This is really easy and and what it's really interesting at doing actually.

Is launching different premium stations to see what works?

It's a really good test bed to see actually that's interesting.

Oh that one did really well.

That's you know that one worked.

We've launched it free and it will become a premium station for mental health awareness week a calm station which is just sounds escapes, ok.

No, it is bird song and roaring fires but we're seeing how that will work and you know we can see where that goes in the future, so I think you know but you know such stations like Ken's secret six days and that kind of so far.

Absolute Radio we do a summer station around the biggest one.

We've done was for Halloween Halloween that's interesting isn't it absolutely radio Halloween are there enough halloween songs there is it there is plenty? Don't you worry? It may get a bit tenuous in places, but there are plenty of there's plenty of songs to make a station and I guess all that's going into the new app so REO your new app.

Has been talked about for quite a while yep.

Any launch on the horizon?

Lunch is coming soon okay.

I know Simon's talks about it being June perfectly so that's that's out there and I think you know look.

We needed to do it.

It had to happen.

So this is going to be an app that kind of brings together all of the the Bauer stations in the UK so I guess things like global player or BBC sounds a sort of similar type services and I think it you know there will be obviously ways to personalize.

It ways to make it your rayo and you choose.

The stations your favourites the playlist all of those kind of things but yeah, it will bring everything from an audio perspective from the UK into one place.

Premium will form parts of its you know as part of the as part of the launch and then get better.

But yeah and we'll launch with some really exciting content and really fun stuff that I think will you know will obviously encourage people hopefully to download so you're you're a station boss.

You'll see look after the Absolute Radio brands.

to sometimes you think

I'd quite like to have my own thing.

rather than being part of something else or the to the benefits sort of outweigh the

desire to

sort of own your own space.

I think there's there is only-- so far you can go on your own and I think.

Absolute found that.

You know in it's early days.

You know when we launched as absolute back in 2008.

There was only so much you can do and I think you know when we

when we were acquired by our in 2013.

It opened up a lot of doors for us and it's opened up access to to many new things.

Obviously, you want to do things your own way.

But no I think you you have to understand that.

Do to be bigger to grow.

To be able to develop to be able to at the forefront of technology and you know get the clients on make the revenue Drive the audience that actually the scale of a company like this.

Does make a difference to us?

And so I think yeah you know.

You always want to to take what's given and make it personalised a little bit.

Yeah.

We always do and I think that's been-- that's fine.

Nobody disagrees with that everyone wants to be able to make that work for themselves, but I think that the scale certainly outweighs.

You know any any possible disadvantages.

Yes, you talk about kind of commercial there.

What's the commercial market like at the moment for for radio stations.

It's certainly had a much stronger starts to this year than it did last year and I think that's that's really interesting both from an airtime perspective.

But also from an S&P perspective.

When you look at this time last year?

The Briefs weren't coming in.

And obviously it was it was a bit of a stop start year now.

q1 this year

was great

we got a lot of briefs come in and we converted a lot of those briefs.

And I think you know we will see how the ear pens out.

It's a much more short-term market then it has been in the past.

And there's a quicker turnaround.

But I think there are people out there wanting to spend good money and understanding how radio can do that and I think you know across the board I Getz visibility on the Breeze not just for absolutes.

As we provide kind of creative Solutions to that but across the business.

So, I think I think that's really good.

Okay Paul Robinson has been waiting patiently for the biggest event of the week.

Yes, it's time for the media quiz.

This week we're playing.

unexpected places

I'm their name a place and you tell me which Media property or talent.

Could unexpectedly make an appearance.

So buzzing with your name's if you think you know the answer oh jeez.

Paul 1 Paul 2 so buzzing with your name and number if you know the answer so

Paul you will say Paul one.

I'm not a number.

I'm not number 6.

You're a free man and Paul will say also Paul 2 okay here we go let's play unexpected places.

question number one celebrity traitors

Paul one uh yes all one.

It's let's Trust yes apparently.

She's a thought she might be a good candidate this is Stephen Lambert

who said it's important on the show I'm reading here to be able to tell the truth also not to tell the truth.

And she would be challenged possibly it have we not all suffered enough?

I mean more trust.

No, thank you, but then again on that.

Her book has sold abysmally.

In the UK so we don't care and faraj, did it really set the ratings alight on I'm a Celebrity so I think people want the escapism from politics.

I would suggest if she's going to go in any show that he's going to really drive an audience.

Stick her in the jungle and let her eat test it she added 500 pounds to my mortgage anyway question number two.

UK edition of The New York and magazine

Who unexpectedly popped up?

That is Lucy letby.

the buzz in oh

Paul two that is left to be it is Lucy let be currently facing a retro and with reporting restrictions in the UK Paul won, so it's on new stands.

which quite possibly puts it in contempt of court yes, this is the New Yorker talking about Lucy letby and

there are two conflicting legal views on this.

One lawyer has said that if you publish on line.

And you do not have a publishing base in the UK although konde NAS does but the New Yorker doesn't.

Then there's no problem however.

another lawyer said there's no difference between publishing online and publishing in print and therefore you're in contempt of Court

so the question is are the New Yorker intercept of court are Conde nast in contempt of Court

that well, we will wait and see a question number 3 who unexpectedly popped up on Disney Plus

that will be Ryan Reynolds and Rob mcelhenney.

I'm sorry Paul

there isn't it all three pull two yes, two says it's very good he's better at this uh Ryan Reynolds and Rob mcelhenney for the new series of welcome to Wrexham

yes, that's right.

It's one of those weird programs where you know what happens.

Because we all know we all knew that they got promoted to the league last year we all still watched it because we we're invested in the story.

And what's great is Rob and Ryan a really good but for me.

It's actually it's the community of Wrexham and sometimes.

They do almost beautiful snapshot postcards that have got nothing to do with the football team or the football club postcard in Wrexham it's a beautiful set of a store without Wrexham

I'm not sure necessarily this will drive you though, and it will do much a sound does that count?

It will it will show you that there are some wonderful people in stories, but it's like it's discomfort like I'm always like it's got all Steel tails and mining towns, um but it's got a great pub and a great landlord.

Oh, he's got a part.

It's okay and great characters Paul won.

Oh, is it it's a great format?

taking Hollywood

glitterati

and popping them in.

A sort of fish out of water type place and actually doing stories about football teams is very very difficult lots of people to try this somehow does capture the imagination four season is going to go on and on isn't.

It's almost done Ryan and Rob give you what Sunderland Till I Die which was the Netflix equivalent and forerun.

Didn't have because it's got the personality.

It's got the hook.

For that my other half will watch it.

Might not being a football fan because it's got Ryan and Robin it's quite knock about but it is that take a celebrity put them in a weird situation and it's working.

Clarkson's Farm is the biggest TV show around at the moment because of all of that and gives.

Put other brilliant characters in it.

As they say in Hollywood a classic fish out of water well congratulations Paul you're the winner of the quiz which Paul 2 you're gonna be masterminding a fish out of water story with the two pools.

Are going somewhere around the world come back with us to play football please and we will pitch it out to all the streets okay.

Thank you very much both for joining us.

Thank you for the invite working people keep up with what you an absolute are doing we are absolutely radio and I am post Sylvester 75 on Twitter or X or whatever.

We call it these days and other Paul

I'm doing this panel up packed next week about children's television about how to keep kids safe.

Otherwise, LinkedIn lovely, thank you both.

Thank you and if you're new to the show why not follow us to make sure you get every new episode.

My name is Matt Deegan the producer was Matt Hill thanks to James Walker & Bower Media for hosting us.

It was a rethink audio production.

I'll see you next week.

Hey, I'm Mikey Lynch and I'm an accountant and unless you're also an accountant.

I bet I know what you're thinking.

Counter is actually do.

Don't you have to be really good at math to work in finance?

Yeah, I'm cracking open the core of what it's actually like.

From the happy moments I cried to be honest I cried with happiness to the bumps in the road, my confidence is really knocked.

I just couldn't get back into it welcome to

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So retrospect what historical events are we taking off of this week's run of today in history.

well on Monday at the anniversary of the table knife being invented on Tuesday we explain how the tradition of the two-minute silence originated in Cape Town

on Wednesday we recall the day King George the Third proved.

He was a Saxon proof on Thursday let's all League cake.

It's Marion Antoinette's wedding and on Friday we discover.

How Buffalo Bill helped invent the wild west we discussed this and more on today in history with the retrospect 10 minutes each weekday.

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