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Private radio I Advertisers are rubbing their hands: Energy Zurich drove the audience to the private stations. But the competition is the main beneficiary.
Private radio I Advertisers are rubbing their hands: Energy Zürich has driven the audience to the private stations. Just three months after the launch of Energy Zürich, a small miracle has already taken place. The intruder DRS 3, which in previous years had constantly attracted more audience in the greater Zurich area at the expense of the private stations, has been thwarted. In the first half of 2003, the fee-financed station was still rapidly overtaking Radio 24. Now, after a loss of 11,000 listeners, the top position has gone back to the Tamedia station. This pleases advertisers, as it is in their interest for audiences to listen to stations that also reach them with advertising, but it is painful that it is precisely the station that has triggered the massive loss of listeners that is itself lagging behind in terms of audience expansion (see box). "A station that completely repositions itself must initially expect people to leave," explains Jürg Bachmann, Managing Director of Energy Zurich. "This is because many listeners leave quickly during a rebranding, but it takes much longer to gain an additional audience." However, Goldbach Media is completely satisfied, especially in view of the dwindling listener figures before the relaunch. "We have overcome the trough into which Hitradio Z had fallen - and have even gained a younger audience. That shows me that we are on the right track," explains IPM boss Michi Frank.
Open your ears for the oldies
However, in contrast to the announcement before the launch, Energy Zurich has redefined its target groups. Instead of focusing only on 15 to 34-year-olds, the station now wants to cover the entire spectrum between the ages of 15 and 49. "However, this redefinition is not in contrast to the original one," explains Bachmann. "If you want to include 15 to 49-year-olds in your audience, you first have to reach the 15 to 34 age group." Apart from that, the Zurich market is simply too small to attract a sufficient audience in this young target group, the Energy boss calculates. "We have a potential of around 1.1 million listeners in the greater Zurich area, but a good forty percent of these are over 50. This means that even for the 15 to 49 age segment, there is only a potential of around 700,000 people."
The media agencies, which are primarily looking for reinforcement among the very young target groups, are still unenthusiastic about the development three months after the launch of Energy Zurich. "You shouldn't overestimate the result, every new positioning needs time to establish itself," comments Axel Beckmann, Managing Director of Mediacom. And for Urs Rueb, Managing Director of Mediaedge|CIA, Energy Zurich has only "made a positive start". In terms of figures, however, the trend still needs to be confirmed in the medium term. Satisfaction is already being expressed in view of the marked loss of listeners to DRS 3. "We are happy for every listener who tunes in to private radio, because that's the only way to reach them with advertising," explains Beckmann.
For Energy Zurich, it is now a matter of fine-tuning the details. "For example with the news, where we will strengthen the reference to Zurich," explains station manager Bachmann. A large-scale listener market study is also planned for January or February, which will provide the basis for further fine-tuning. He is optimistic about the future: "The station is in the development phase - we will find even more new listeners."
Energy is more maleThe successor to Hitradio Z increased its audience by 9,000 listeners to 166,000 (net reach, 15+, Mon-Fri) in the period from August 15 to November 13. As expected, Energy Zürich achieved the greatest growth among the very young target groups. The number of 15- to 24-year-old listeners rose by 4,000 to 16,000, while the number of 25- to 34-year-olds increased by 2,000 to 23,000. 35- to 49-year-olds also experienced a slight increase to 33,000 (+1,000). Only the over-50s felt that the new program was no longer as popular
addressed. They decreased by 8,000 to 27,000.
There was also a shift in gender: While the ratio between male and female listeners at Hitradio Z was still
the male audience at Energy Zurich is now clearly in the majority.
The fact that all other private radio stations in the greater Zurich area benefited significantly more from the upswing is a bit of a downer for Energy. Radio 24 saw by far the biggest increase, gaining 26,600 listeners (15+, Mon-Fri). The second biggest winner is Radio Zürisee with 10,200 additional listeners. But Radio Top also gained 7500 listeners in Zurich. And even the small Radio Tropic is on the upswing with an increase of 900 listeners
sailed along. (dse)
Daniel Schifferle
Open your ears for the oldies
However, in contrast to the announcement before the launch, Energy Zurich has redefined its target groups. Instead of focusing only on 15 to 34-year-olds, the station now wants to cover the entire spectrum between the ages of 15 and 49. "However, this redefinition is not in contrast to the original one," explains Bachmann. "If you want to include 15 to 49-year-olds in your audience, you first have to reach the 15 to 34 age group." Apart from that, the Zurich market is simply too small to attract a sufficient audience in this young target group, the Energy boss calculates. "We have a potential of around 1.1 million listeners in the greater Zurich area, but a good forty percent of these are over 50. This means that even for the 15 to 49 age segment, there is only a potential of around 700,000 people."
The media agencies, which are primarily looking for reinforcement among the very young target groups, are still unenthusiastic about the development three months after the launch of Energy Zurich. "You shouldn't overestimate the result, every new positioning needs time to establish itself," comments Axel Beckmann, Managing Director of Mediacom. And for Urs Rueb, Managing Director of Mediaedge|CIA, Energy Zurich has only "made a positive start". In terms of figures, however, the trend still needs to be confirmed in the medium term. Satisfaction is already being expressed in view of the marked loss of listeners to DRS 3. "We are happy for every listener who tunes in to private radio, because that's the only way to reach them with advertising," explains Beckmann.
For Energy Zurich, it is now a matter of fine-tuning the details. "For example with the news, where we will strengthen the reference to Zurich," explains station manager Bachmann. A large-scale listener market study is also planned for January or February, which will provide the basis for further fine-tuning. He is optimistic about the future: "The station is in the development phase - we will find even more new listeners."
Energy is more maleThe successor to Hitradio Z increased its audience by 9,000 listeners to 166,000 (net reach, 15+, Mon-Fri) in the period from August 15 to November 13. As expected, Energy Zürich achieved the greatest growth among the very young target groups. The number of 15- to 24-year-old listeners rose by 4,000 to 16,000, while the number of 25- to 34-year-olds increased by 2,000 to 23,000. 35- to 49-year-olds also experienced a slight increase to 33,000 (+1,000). Only the over-50s felt that the new program was no longer as popular
addressed. They decreased by 8,000 to 27,000.
There was also a shift in gender: While the ratio between male and female listeners at Hitradio Z was still
the male audience at Energy Zurich is now clearly in the majority.
The fact that all other private radio stations in the greater Zurich area benefited significantly more from the upswing is a bit of a downer for Energy. Radio 24 saw by far the biggest increase, gaining 26,600 listeners (15+, Mon-Fri). The second biggest winner is Radio Zürisee with 10,200 additional listeners. But Radio Top also gained 7500 listeners in Zurich. And even the small Radio Tropic is on the upswing with an increase of 900 listeners
sailed along. (dse)
Daniel Schifferle
