MAKING WAVES: The City That Wanted Country... see page 8 NOVEMBER 30, 1996 VOLUME 13, ISSUE 48 Toni Braxton Europe's Radio -Active Newsweekly £2.95 DM8 FFR25 USS5 DFL8.50 EHR Radio Active Page22 Radio 2 Next In Bannister'sArbitron Plans Move Radio Revolution? by Jonathan Heasman significant amounts of MOR Into European Ratings material,includingsongs LONDON - Music & Media frommusicalsandlight by Mike McGeever that the company is seeking industry and is the research has learnt that new BBC classical. audience research contracts contractor. director of radio Matthew Music & Media under- ROME - Arbitron is aggres- in Germany, Italy, the UK RAJAR/RSL came under Bannister is planning major stands that Radio 2's new sivelypursuingexpansion and China. fire from the industry this surgery for Radio 2, which musicpolicy-settobe outside the US, starting with Afterwards,Richersaid year after it changed its diary willeffectivelyturnthe implemented in February or the UK, it was revealed at Arbitron's"mission number methodology resulting in sig- MOR pubcaster into a soft March next year-will the fourth annual NAB Euro- one" is to win the ratings con- nificant discrepancies in audi- adult contemporary station. remove these MOR strands pean Radio Operations Semi- tract in the UK, Radio Audi- ence figures for two survey Radio 2 already plays a from daytime programming, nars in Rome, November 17- ence Joint Research (RAJAR) periods. Under pressure from large amount of soft adult making thestation more 19. when it is put out to tender in broadcasters,RAJAR was contemporary from the likes pop -orientated and attrac- Radio industry consultant late 1998. The contract is cur- forced to revert to the previ- of LionelRichie,Barbra tive to listeners under the Robert Richer, who is rently held by London -based ous methodology. Streisandand even The age of 50. retained by Arbitron to look Research Services Ltd which Because broadcasters Beautiful South, but this is At present, Radio 2 has at the potential of other mar- secured the contract in 1992. remain disgruntled with those currently supplemented by continues on page 21 kets, told delegates on the Arbitron was among the bid- research glitches, Richer first day of the conference, ders at the time. claims, Arbitron decided to RSL carries outthe bid for the UK contract. "We research covering the entire had no intention of going for INSIDE UK radio industry including the UK market at this time," PolyGram Closes public broadcaster the BBC, he says, "But New French Ratings 5 andcommercialradiofor uation is so vulnerable now, RAJAR. RAJAR is a commit- this is a good time to go in tee of broadcasting executives with a bid." SPOTLIGHT Metronome Unit MTV Europe from both sectors of the radio continues on page 21 Music Awards 9 by Christian Lorenz PolyGram Germany chairman and CEO Wolf -D. Gramatke. Phil Collins Parades At Premios Ondas Sony Merges LRD, HAMBURG -Following Poly - "Metronome failed to reach the ERD 21 Gram's recent announcements critical mass necessary to jus- on global reorganisation, first tifyits existence as a fully redundancies are now happen- fledged company with all the NUMBER ONE ing in Europe. As of December related overhead costs," says 31, PolyGram will close Gramatke."It makes more Metronome, the smallest of its senseforustore -assign European Hit Radio Metronome's activities to our SPICE GIRLS larger labels than maintain it Say You'll Be There as a separate unit." (Virgin) Internationalproducton theMotown,London,ffrr, Eurochart Hot 100 Singles Go!Discs and Barclay labels, BACKSTREET BOYS formerly represented in Ger- Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) many by Metronome, will be (Jive) four main pop labels in Ger- handled by Motor from Janu- many after Mercury, Motor ary 1 onwards. National sign- European Top 100 Albums and Polydor. The closure will ingswill be transferred to Cadena SER pulled out all the stops to broadcast the 43rd Premios SIMPLY RED affect 22 staff members. PolydorandMotorMusic. Ondas award ceremony organised by Spanish media group Prisa, Greatest Hits The decision to close "Our own artists and interna- from Barcelona's Palau Nacional palace on November 14. One high- tional sister companies have (East West) Metronome is based on eco- light of the evening is pictured here: Paul Anka, Phil Collins and Los nomic reasons accordingto continues on page 21 Del Rio gather on stage to parade their trophies. SAO THE NEW SINGLE FROM THE MULTI -PLATINUM e 78:59 ALBUM 'LOAD' 51151 AmericanRadioHistory.Com boyzne adifferent beat their U.K. No 1. album. Featuring the european SMASH HIT WORDS PolYdor WORDS: U.K No 1.Ireland No 1. Belgium Top 5.Switzerland Top S. Germany Top 10. Austria Top 10. Denmark Top 15. Holland Top 15. Norway Top 20. Sweden Top 20 (and still climbing) AmericanRadioHistory.Com M & M N E W T H I E K Nets Gain In French Ratings 15.3EIJE4nt) by Emmanuel Legrand 38% over the year, according NRJ president Jean -Paul Industry highlights this week to polling organisation Medi- Baudecroux is ecstatic about PARIS- Thanks to impressive ametrie,whereonepoint the results for NRJ and net gains in audience by EHR nets equals 464.000 listeners aged Cherie FM, which passes the Roskilde Festival will go on NRJ and Skyrock and by most over 15. 4% mark for the first time in INTERNATIONAL sale December 2, just in time ACE nets, the global audience Both NRJ and Skyrock its history. "Fifteen years after Crowded House Enters TV for the Christmas present sea- share of France's music nets achieve a 0.7% gain in audi- its creation, NRJ has beaten Business son. Organisers of the world's gained close to two points in ence, respectively to 11.6% and allitspreviousaudience Australian pop act Crowded oldest outdoor rock festival September -October 1996 com- 5.7%, while Fun Radio contin- records with close to 5.4 mil- House is venturing into the have limited sales to four per pared the same period in 1995, ues to slip with a 6.3% audi- liondailylisteners,"says television business with its person. The line-up for the jumping from 31.2% to 33.1%. ence down from 6.7%. Skyrock Baudecroux, who points out last ever concert. The band event has not yet been Meanwhile, full -service sta- is narrowing its gap with Fun that the audience gap between turned its farewell concert on announced. tions showed unexpected and is only 0.7% away from NRJ and Europe 1, as well as November 23 in Sydney into a strength, although their global the CLT-owned net. Fun Radio, is growing. TV show with broadcasting ITALY audience fell from 38.7% to All the ACE nets gain lis- Europe 2 programme direc- rightsremainingwiththe Wrong Winner At Sanremo? teners. CherieFM tor Guy Banville welcomes artists themselves. Exclusive A judicial enquiry into voting jumps to 4.2% from results that show an increase Top French Radio Station over the same period of the productioncreditsforthe practices at the Sanremo Song (% share of listening) 3.6%, ACE Europe 2 show go to MTV Europe who Festival has been closed with to5.5% from 5.2%, previous year for thethir- put the programme together accusations that irregularities Sep -Oct 95 Sep -Oct 96 RFM to2.8% from teenth consecutive time. He on behalf of Crowded House. at the 1996 event probably RTL 17.6 18.0 2.3% and RTL2 makes foresees future growth, thanks produced the wrong winner, France Inter 11.2 11.9 the biggest increase of to a new morning programme DENMARK but that no crime had been NRJ 10.9 11.6 allstations at 2.5% hosted by Arthur, who has Nordic Award For Bjork committed, or could be proved. France Info 10.6 10.6 from 1.2%. RTL2 moved from Europe 1. Bjork has been announced as The report by investigating Europe 1 10.0 8.6 gains over 600.000 lis- According to Mediametrie, the winner of the Nordic magistrate Giovanna Ichino Fun Radio 6.7 6.3 teners over the year, RTL and France Inter both Council's music prize, said that whilst irregularities twoyearsafterit increased their audience com- although she will not officially found in the voting procedure Source : Mediametrie switched from EHR to pared to the same period in be presented with the award showed that this year's winner ACE. 1995. Europe1,which has until March 1997. The award could have received less votes made a drastic change in pro- will be given for her "highly than several other artists, it Paradisio Finds Gold gramming to a news and talk personal singularity and was not possible to verify the format, has lost audience com- Nordic identity". Last year's actual winner, or prove that pared to a year ago (8.6% winner was French musician voting had been deliberately against 10%), but is slightly up Hector Zazou, for his interpre- tampered with. Ichino recom- from last ratings (8.5%, the tation of Nordic soul. mended that no charges be station's lowest ever ratings). Roskilde Tickets Out Early brought against any of the RMC, another full -service sta- Tickets for the June 1997 organisers. tion, lost some ground, falling to 3.6% from 4%. RTL vice president/general Liberty For Viva! 963 As manager for programmes Philippe Labro, points out that 'Womens' Station' Relaunches RTL gained 700.000 listeners comparedtotheprevious by Jonathan Heasman senters." April -June Mediametrie wave. The Radio Authority says it Says Labro, "In a very compet- LONDON -Womens'station willbemonitoringLiberty itiveandincreasinglyseg- Viva! 963/London relaunches Radio'soutputcarefullyto mented market, RTL, which this week as 963 Liberty Radio, ensure it meets the "promise of has over eight million daily lis- a full -service station boasting a performance" originally agreed teners with its multithematic star-studded presenter line-up.