Innovative idea with a catch

Radio market The idea is well received,
but it is still immature. This is the tenor of the media planners on the
Goldbach Media's "Radio Pool Switzerland" On August 31, the Goldbach Media
plans to introduce a new marketing model for the radio industry in 2006.
to be introduced. Contrary to what the name "Radio Pool Switzerland" suggests,
However, this is not a pool, but rather a
performance-based tariff system that is open to all broadcasters and marketers.
stands. The prerequisite is that all pools and exclusive leases
disappear. In addition, all parties involved must ensure the hourly range in
the target group of 15 to 49-year-olds as decisive for the calculation
of a not uniform, but nevertheless harmonized
thousand contact price (CPM). According to this CPM, customers can
if they book at least five channels with 18 frequencies each.
The radios should have submitted feedback by September 15. In
However, only about eight transmitters were able to do this in the short time available, says
Goldbach CEO Klaus Kappeler on request. He has therefore extended the deadline to
extended at the end of September. The response has been generally positive. So far
but no broadcaster has signaled a willingness to start broadcasting as early as 2006.
to participate.
However, Kappeler now also has six media agencies using his model,
the Association of Swiss Advertisers (SWA) and the
marketing competitors. From this side
were largely applauded. In many places, however, people had not yet
opportunity to delve into the details. The primary focus is therefore on
praised the fact that there is a proposal on the table at all that would
initiate a long-overdue discussion. "On the part of the clients
the desire to customize the radios according to their own needs instead of
political criteria," says SWA Director Jürg
Siegrist. As a radio planner, he had the constantly changing radio pools
in this respect, the "innovative model offers a massive
Simplification," says Peter Hofstetter, owner of Mediaxis-MPG. And
Marco Rose, Managing Director of Universal McCann, adds: "From the
basis, the model offers the best prerequisites for a
neutral planning." Andy Lehmann, Managing Director of Aegis Media
Group Switzerland describes the proposal as a "step in the right direction".
direction". Hansruedi Kölliker, owner of the
radio marketer Spot Promotion. "This is how radio campaigns
Finally, it is better to strengthen them by region or target group." Continue
he welcomes the elimination of exclusive leases. "Then I could work with the
negotiate directly with broadcasters," he says.

Radios disagree
However, none of those approached believe that the idea can be applied to
can be implemented next year. "There is no medium in which the
disagreement is as great as among the radios," says Hofstetter.
However, some also point to systemic problems with the
Goldbach model. "What will happen to the local business?" asks
Jürg Siegrist, who noted that the proposed
standard TKP is cheaper for some broadcasters than today's
Single tariff. "This will be an inhibition threshold for many broadcasters," believes
er. Bruno Oetterli from radio marketer Radiotele agrees:
"The stations sell above the individual tariff in the local market. The
brings them two thirds of the turnover. Why should they have to
In favor of the one third from the national market, the other two
third at risk?"
Christof Kaufmann, CEO of OMD, sees a second sore point
Switzerland: "I'm not sure whether the model is very
is market-based. After all, the marketing instrument of price
pretty neutered," he says.

Exclusive leases are a tricky nut to crack
And Andy Lehmann finds it "unfortunate" that the model
excludes exclusive leases. "This could be a killer for the
very good model," he fears. The currently valid
Lease agreements could thus prevent a rapid system change.
Lehmann: "The initiators are making a mistake if they are using this as a means of
make." There is another reason why he finds the ban on
Exclusive leases are wrong. "If each channel can be booked individually,
the demands of planners are also increasing: We want more individualized
Information about the target audience reached and other strengths
and weaknesses of the transmitter in order to be able to assess whether we can place it in a
campaign or not. The consulting effort for the
radio stations is therefore increasing." But small stations in particular cannot afford this
provide. "For this reason alone, the broadcasters must remain free to do so,
whether and through whom they can be marketed," says Lehmann.

Markus Knöpfli