Disco Dance6, 1989 Editorial: Turbulent Times in Broadcasting Land

Turbulent Times in Broadcasting Land

Commercial radio and television channels are increasingly making their mark. Radio 10, Sky Radio, and Cable One are now nearly fully established. Last month, television expansion was also clearly visible with the announcements of TV 10, a collaboration between Joop van den Ende and the initiators of Radio 10, and RTV (Radio Tele Veronique), led by Lex Harding, operating from Luxembourg and targeting the Dutch market.

RTV will follow a similar approach to Veronica, offering popular programming for the broadest possible audience, avoiding specialized programs (such as only hard rock or hip-hop). Sky Radio has already found success with this strategy, becoming the most listened-to channel according to research, with general, non-intrusive pop music as its main programming.

Although RTV is primarily promoted as a television channel, its radio component will be developed later. Lex Harding, leaving Veronica after 22 years, has stated that he will do everything possible to add one or more radio channels to RTV. RTV’s spokesperson, Jan Morriën, even suggested the possibility that RTV might acquire Sky Radio, given its success.

At the International Music and Media Conference in Amsterdam last month, a Radio Workshop heatedly debated the Sky Radio approach, which operates without DJs and relies entirely on automated computer systems. DJs see this as a threat and criticize it mainly for its lack of creativity. The Sky Radio formula has been used in America before and has proven successful there as well, with positive reactions from advertisers.

Jeroen Soer, the leading figure at Radio 10, believes that specialized programs will become increasingly important. As radio trends towards a uniform formula like Sky Radio’s, audiences will seek differentiation and prefer unique and specialized content.

The future of radio is thus in an exciting phase, with commercial channels gaining more market share and ongoing debates about the role of DJs and specialized programming.