WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:02.960 Hello, I'm James Cridland, the radio futurologist, 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:06.639 and this is Radioland, my weekly radio trends 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:10.160 newsletter. This is the podcast version where 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:13.949 you get it read to in case. You're having trouble 00:00:13.949 --> 00:00:17.129 reading. And this podcast is brought to you by 00:00:17.129 --> 00:00:20.250 RSS .com, podcast hosting that's actually free. 00:00:20.410 --> 00:00:24.730 And RSS .com has just been announced as one of 00:00:24.730 --> 00:00:28.649 the podcast hosting companies, which is supporting 00:00:28.649 --> 00:00:33.070 Apple Podcasts' new video, which is very fancy. 00:00:33.130 --> 00:00:35.229 You'll find more information over at PodNews. 00:00:36.380 --> 00:00:39.280 Now, Edison Research at SSRS released the Infinite 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:42.380 Dial 2026, which I co -presented. You can download 00:00:42.380 --> 00:00:44.740 the slides and watch the webinar in a link you'll 00:00:44.740 --> 00:00:47.969 find in the newsletter. My takeaways from that 00:00:47.969 --> 00:00:51.429 are that there's real growth in 55 plus listening 00:00:51.429 --> 00:00:54.429 to online music services like Spotify and YouTube 00:00:54.429 --> 00:00:56.969 Music. And in fact, YouTube Music is the number 00:00:56.969 --> 00:01:00.170 one in that demographic. It's unsurprising, really. 00:01:00.750 --> 00:01:03.570 Today's 55 year olds were using computers in 00:01:03.570 --> 00:01:06.790 their late teens, Napster and LimeWire in their 00:01:06.790 --> 00:01:10.049 late 20s. And when the iPhone and Spotify came 00:01:10.049 --> 00:01:12.510 along, they were more likely to be able to afford 00:01:12.510 --> 00:01:16.530 them. The old trope of 55 -year -olds not understanding 00:01:16.530 --> 00:01:19.730 technology is not really a thing anymore, and 00:01:19.730 --> 00:01:21.989 I should possibly know because I hit that age 00:01:21.989 --> 00:01:25.930 this week. Of course, people aged 55 plus are 00:01:25.930 --> 00:01:29.590 radio's stronghold, but of significant growth 00:01:29.590 --> 00:01:33.909 of online music services for this age group suggests 00:01:33.909 --> 00:01:35.950 that, again, we need to think more carefully 00:01:35.950 --> 00:01:40.189 about what radio's unique. proposition is. And 00:01:40.189 --> 00:01:42.469 for more on that, I'll be speaking at Radio Days 00:01:42.469 --> 00:01:46.269 Europe next week. AMFM is still number one in 00:01:46.269 --> 00:01:48.150 the car, and we all know that that really means 00:01:48.150 --> 00:01:53.069 FM, but AMFM use has decreased by 11 % in the 00:01:53.069 --> 00:01:56.670 last decade. And if you're aged below 35 in the 00:01:56.670 --> 00:02:01.189 US, AMFM radio is not number one anymore. That's 00:02:01.189 --> 00:02:03.769 online audio, Spotify and that sort of thing. 00:02:04.450 --> 00:02:08.889 Indeed, if you are 18 to 34, 55 % of you are 00:02:08.889 --> 00:02:11.949 listening to podcasts in the car as well. Big 00:02:11.949 --> 00:02:15.419 changes in terms of that. And a new high for 00:02:15.419 --> 00:02:18.659 podcast listening, as you'd expect. YouTube unequivocally 00:02:18.659 --> 00:02:21.259 the number one for podcasts, but the weekly podcast 00:02:21.259 --> 00:02:24.180 reach is growing faster than the monthly podcast 00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:27.020 reach, which would suggest that some people are 00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:30.240 listening to podcasts more often than before. 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:33.159 The only thing that matters really is the total 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:36.360 time spent with podcasts. Last year, that was 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:40.620 773 million hours a week in the US. This year's 00:02:40.620 --> 00:02:44.110 number will be out later in the year. dial measures 00:02:44.110 --> 00:02:47.629 people, not time. But I really enjoyed co -presenting 00:02:47.629 --> 00:02:50.150 this for a second year. The data is useful. The 00:02:50.150 --> 00:02:52.210 trends are fascinating. And I would love to see 00:02:52.210 --> 00:02:54.770 infinite dial in more countries as well. You 00:02:54.770 --> 00:02:57.090 can find it in Australia and New Zealand. But 00:02:57.090 --> 00:02:59.729 how about your country, particularly the UK? 00:02:59.870 --> 00:03:02.110 I would love to see infinite dial for the UK. 00:03:02.250 --> 00:03:05.389 That would be fascinating. Elsewhere, TikTok 00:03:05.389 --> 00:03:09.330 radio launched in the US. on 28 broadcast stations, 00:03:09.430 --> 00:03:12.189 as well as the iHeartRadio app, I'm assuming 00:03:12.189 --> 00:03:15.879 mostly HD, but... Who knows? Anyway, TikTok radio 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:18.979 has existed on SiriusXM for four years, but this 00:03:18.979 --> 00:03:21.860 seems a new launch with iHeart Personalities, 00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:25.740 who also happen to be on TikTok. The radio station 00:03:25.740 --> 00:03:29.180 is jointly branded iHeart's TikTok. You can listen 00:03:29.180 --> 00:03:32.659 in a link that you'll find in the newsletter. 00:03:32.819 --> 00:03:35.699 There's also a TikTok podcast network. Now, there 00:03:35.699 --> 00:03:38.099 has been a station called TikTok Trending in 00:03:38.099 --> 00:03:43.000 Australia since 2021. That's been really slickly 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:46.099 programmed. by ex -Triple J Olly Wards and is 00:03:46.099 --> 00:03:48.080 apparently the number one digital radio station 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:51.500 for under 30s, although Olly hung up his headphones 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:55.479 in January from that. So who knows what the future 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:58.439 of that station is going to be. The US station 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:01.039 sounds slick, but the Australian station sounds 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:04.400 more recognisably TikTok, I would say. Frankly, 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:07.819 I'm unsure why ARN wouldn't replace the automated 00:04:07.819 --> 00:04:11.740 KEDA with TikTok and put it onto FM in Sydney. 00:04:12.090 --> 00:04:15.569 Sounds like a good plan. Now, media regulator 00:04:15.569 --> 00:04:19.350 news. The ACMA, the Australian media regulator, 00:04:19.370 --> 00:04:22.129 still hasn't made a decision about ARN's licence 00:04:22.129 --> 00:04:25.050 conditions. And that's still important because 00:04:25.050 --> 00:04:28.050 even if the Carl and Jackie O show is dead, the 00:04:28.050 --> 00:04:30.250 additional licence conditions are still relevant 00:04:30.250 --> 00:04:33.149 because they govern both Carl Sanderlands and 00:04:33.149 --> 00:04:36.490 Jackie O Henderson separately. And right now, 00:04:36.509 --> 00:04:39.069 at least, Carl Sanderlands is still contracted 00:04:39.069 --> 00:04:43.459 to ARN. The ACMA received ARN's representation 00:04:43.459 --> 00:04:47.420 to those licence conditions on or before December 00:04:47.420 --> 00:04:50.759 9th. Kyle and Jackie O have broadcast for a further 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:54.680 six weeks since. And the ACMA's legal responsibility 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:58.439 is, in part, to encourage providers of broadcast 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:02.500 services to respect community standards in the 00:05:02.500 --> 00:05:05.459 provision of programme material. You'd have to 00:05:05.459 --> 00:05:08.290 ask yourself. Another six weeks of Kyle and Jackie 00:05:08.290 --> 00:05:11.269 O without those licence conditions. Is that really 00:05:11.269 --> 00:05:13.930 your legal responsibility? Anyway, I've submitted 00:05:13.930 --> 00:05:16.569 a Freedom of Information request to see those 00:05:16.569 --> 00:05:20.769 documents and the ACMA has referred that decision 00:05:20.769 --> 00:05:25.370 to ARN. I'm not really holding my breath on that 00:05:25.370 --> 00:05:29.800 one. Staying with media regulator news, the ACMA 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.220 has released new data on trends and developments 00:05:32.220 --> 00:05:35.019 in viewing and listening. And some of that information 00:05:35.019 --> 00:05:37.240 is pretty good. And there are revenue numbers 00:05:37.240 --> 00:05:39.199 in there as well for both radio and television. 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:42.300 But the what app do you listen to podcasts in 00:05:42.300 --> 00:05:46.459 is... fatally flawed because the regulator asked 00:05:46.459 --> 00:05:49.420 about Apple Music, which doesn't have podcasts 00:05:49.420 --> 00:05:52.339 in it, and YouTube Music, which does have podcasts 00:05:52.339 --> 00:05:54.220 in it, but most people use the proper YouTube 00:05:54.220 --> 00:05:57.300 for podcasts. I've asked the ACMA to find out 00:05:57.300 --> 00:06:00.740 the exact options given to respondents, but they've 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:04.899 not bothered to respond. In Spain, many COPE 00:06:04.899 --> 00:06:08.519 AM stations, COPE is a full -service and religious 00:06:08.519 --> 00:06:11.300 radio station, many of those are broadcasting 00:06:11.300 --> 00:06:14.800 loops telling listeners to retune to FM frequencies. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:18.319 Yes, this is AM Death Watch Corner. Public service 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:22.120 broadcaster RNE closed its AM network at the 00:06:22.120 --> 00:06:25.540 end of last year, so big changes going on in 00:06:25.540 --> 00:06:27.959 Spain. They've also turned on DAB Plus there 00:06:27.959 --> 00:06:32.199 as well. I followed a bus the other day. It was 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:34.500 promoting the new 4BC breakfast show with Sophie 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:36.480 and Dean. There was a big picture of Sophie and 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:39.220 Dean on it. There was a logo saying 4BC Brisbane. 00:06:39.980 --> 00:06:42.779 No mention of any frequency. No mention of the 00:06:42.779 --> 00:06:46.660 word radio. And worth a peek, the Jacobs Media 00:06:46.660 --> 00:06:50.420 Tech Survey 2025. I linked to that from this 00:06:50.420 --> 00:06:52.620 week's newsletter. You can find that at radioland 00:06:52.620 --> 00:06:55.740 .email. It's best thought of as a piece of research 00:06:55.740 --> 00:06:58.959 of radio fans because it's completed by people 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:01.600 on radio station listener mailing lists, but 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:04.300 it's no less interesting as a result. And of 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:06.959 note, when asked why they listen or why they 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:10.939 don't, people scores higher than music in every 00:07:10.939 --> 00:07:14.939 single chart. So where am I speaking next? Well, 00:07:15.060 --> 00:07:17.800 I'm speaking next in Riga in Latvia next week, 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:21.019 talking about the future of audio being people 00:07:21.019 --> 00:07:23.639 -powered. Very much looking forward to doing 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:26.079 that. First thing on Tuesday morning. Don't party 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:29.620 too hard on Monday night if you're going to that. 00:07:30.019 --> 00:07:32.579 It seems to be in a nightclub or something, so 00:07:32.579 --> 00:07:37.459 I will be possibly not doing that. But anyway, 00:07:37.660 --> 00:07:40.459 so hopefully, if you're going to Radio Days Europe, 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:43.529 then hopefully, please come. Track one. first 00:07:43.529 --> 00:07:46.810 thing on the Tuesday morning. I'm also talking 00:07:46.810 --> 00:07:51.410 with Steve Jones of Stingray. talking about TuneIn, 00:07:51.529 --> 00:07:53.829 talking about Canadian radio, talking about car 00:07:53.829 --> 00:07:57.430 karaoke, which sounds hideous, and lots more 00:07:57.430 --> 00:08:00.730 things. That's on Monday afternoon. And I'm in 00:08:00.730 --> 00:08:05.069 a session on Tuesday at lunchtime -ish about 00:08:05.069 --> 00:08:08.209 what happens when you lose your big star from 00:08:08.209 --> 00:08:11.389 your radio station. Anybody would think that 00:08:11.389 --> 00:08:15.120 Carl and Jackie O is top of mind there. Anyway, 00:08:15.220 --> 00:08:17.139 looking forward very much to that. It's still 00:08:17.139 --> 00:08:19.439 not too late for you to get your ticket. RadioDaysEurope 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:24.860 .com is where to go for that. And I'm also speaking 00:08:24.860 --> 00:08:30.259 at the podcast show in London in the UK, keynoting 00:08:30.259 --> 00:08:34.340 at that event and also recording a PodNews weekly 00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:38.000 review. Please come to that too. That's May the 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:42.279 20th to the 21st. Thepodcastshowlondon .com is 00:08:42.279 --> 00:08:44.919 where to get tickets for that. And thank you 00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:49.600 so much to the supporters of this fine newsletter 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:53.159 and podcast, the good folks at Meliora, the good 00:08:53.159 --> 00:08:58.480 folks at Media Realm and at Radio Today in the 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:02.059 UK as well. Thank you all for your support. Also, 00:09:02.220 --> 00:09:05.259 Marty from New York, Gavin Watson, Greg Strassel, 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:07.620 Sam Phelps, Richard Hilton, Emma Gibbs, Jocelyn 00:09:07.620 --> 00:09:09.899 Abbey and James Masterton for being regular supporters 00:09:09.899 --> 00:09:12.500 as well. If you would like to support my work 00:09:12.500 --> 00:09:15.059 in any way, then please... do buymeacoffee .com 00:09:15.059 --> 00:09:16.879 slash James Cridland is where to go for that. 00:09:17.100 --> 00:09:19.519 Or hit the funding button if your podcast app 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.539 has a funding button. That would be good too. 00:09:22.220 --> 00:09:26.799 And you can also grab the email version of this 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:28.919 newsletter, which is slightly better produced 00:09:28.919 --> 00:09:31.519 than this podcast version. You'll find that at 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:35.679 radioland .email. I'm on Mastodon, james .bne 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:38.240 .social if you're there too. And my website has 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.539 more details about who I am, what I do and whether 00:09:40.539 --> 00:09:43.220 I can help you further. That's james .cridland 00:09:43.220 --> 00:09:46.820 .net. And until next time, keep listening.