Digital Radio for Ireland: Competing Options, Public Expectations - BCI

Fig.
1.12:
Internet
Radio
Services
The
 most
 frequently
 cited
 reasons
 for
 developing
 web
 radio
 services
 were
 those
 of
 extending
 the
reach
of
radio
beyond
the
FM
franchise
area
–offering
access
nationally
to
audiences
with
an
interest
in
the
local
community,
as
well
as
reaching
out
to
a
global
diaspora
being
the
most
important
trends.
In
addition,
an
internet
presence
is
now
recognized
as
part
of
a
radio
station’s
brand
and
an
essential
component
of
its
marketing
strategy.
Most
report
being
satisfied
with
the
success
of
the
internet
radio
dimension
 to
 the
 company’s
 FM
 provision,
 in
 particular
 the
 provision
 of
 local
 news
 and
 general
promotion
of
programmes,
live
sports
commentaries,
on‐demand
catch
up
and
podcasts,
and
special
event
sites.
Successful
podcasting
was
recognized
to
involve
greater
levels
of
technical
support
and
some
stations
reported
difficulties
in
perfecting
their
approach.
Most
reported
surprisingly
high
levels
of
interest
from
overseas
and
radio
stations
have
used
the
opportunity
to
log
and
record
overseas
hits
and
downloads
and
compiled
a

database
of
listeners
outside
the
franchise
area.
While
 the
 majority
 (45%)
 of
 respondents
 do
 not
 see
 internet
 radio
 as
 a
 serious
 competitor
 for
traditional
radio,
more
than
a
third
believe
it
can
compete.
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