Read this: Bauer's new subscription radio services

This week on the radio Today programme.

It's a special all about Bowers new subscription services, so let's head to Golden Square the radiator day programme with broadcast bionics creators of The Bionic studio listening watching reacting to and learning from every spoken word Kolo sweet and SMS to a mixed unlock and understand your contour the bionic studio transform everything about radio except the way you make it welcome to the radio Today programme on this special presented by myself and Frankenstein I'm the mid morning presenter on Jazz FM I also have a weekend show on scala radio and today we're going to be finding out our Media audio is reinventing radio we're going to be hearing from Richard Dawkins who's the CEO at Barra Media audio Ben Cooper who's the group director for content and music at Bar Radio you?

Play Nilsson who's the director for audio plus hello welcome.

Everyone Media audio has just launched a premium subscription online radio service across for station scala radio Jazz FM Planet Rock and Kerrang radio wichard, can you tell us more so we're really excited to be launching online premium subscription services rock Kerrang Jazz FM and scala radio where it's all about extending and enriching the live radio experience what's included at well these services gives us access to live radio without any Alex 24/7.

We're serving up lots of exclusive quality content including on-demand shows and documentaries artist interview in special programming and we've also launched 20 brand new online spin-off stations for each brand now subscribe will also be able to skip track.

Up to 6 times per hour across all the premium stations including the ad free live version of scala Jazz FM and at the services are available via our apps and websites and supporting smart speakers, too and you can sign up for a 7-day free trial to experience the new features shows and stations and then it's at £3.99 a month and serious this was decided with you.

I believe can you talk to me about how you came up with the idea that we have a large group of loyal and the radio and music fans Across My Soul radio station, so I thought it would be interesting to offer them and give them a premium product as pretty well known in the media landscape.

So so during spring we asked our listeners, but they would like to have included in the premium subscription and that is how we ended up with the proposition that we should just describe with ear the uninterrupted at 3.

Baby radio Brian's some additional radio stations and some special and shows and then including This interactive feature that allows people to skip songs also on the live stream that function how does one skip live track on on live radio and we have a special list of songs for every hour so so when USA listen escape the song on the live stream and say I'm jealous of him.

Play You song is there of the one you chose to skip once the song you got instead has finished then we'll send you back into the live stream.

Jazz FM from the beginning of the last song that has been started her on the live stream, and of course it has this other amazing features that it's which is that it said it's ad-free.

I'm I'm curious about this, too.

Richard what does that mean in terms of our our relationship with advertisers we really value our relationships with all our advertisers and there will be some very commercial sponsorship opportunities in the services.

They were complementary add onto radio design to enhance the offering most passionate music superfans of these for station, so it's not for everyone but we think they'll be really appealing to our most passionate listeners and stations of course will continue to are adverts on DAB and online for listeners without subscriptions Bauer Media we have a really broad portfolio from absolute Hits radio brand network Greatest Hits etc.

So well.

I have absolutely continue to offer advertised as the ability to reach 2 million at least as each week across broadcast and using digital audio to optical audio and Bauer Media industry.

Across all Industries how do you feel the radio industry is right now on what kind of what kind of effect does the past 1 months had on on Barham and where do you see bhara Media audio now? I mean goes without saying the last year has obviously brought many challenges operationally we have to move very fast working from home at sustain your services and business operations.

We have the same really carefully about her output and what are listeners really needed in the crisis and we had to adapt and be creative and commercial activities giving so many advertisers with facing unprecedented challenges themselves and of course there was the incredibly important human psyche the most important side maramedia.

We lost a treasured colleague covid-19 Sweden quite early in the crisis and Anna colleagues lost friends and relatives as well.

It's been credibly tough and we really had to support each other through our house, but I would say that.

What about ourselves over last year and what we can achieve and we really come together even better is agile teams in a weird very proud of what we've managed to do you know who da thought it possible that we could the service that is up to audio in partnership with News UK with everyone working from home all the way we bought our newly acquired stations into Bauer radio here in the UK extended the Greatest Hits obviously you know it's a creative Industries I have a question that I'd like to put the all of you bend that's bring you into this first.

Where do you get your inspiration from anywhere and everywhere is the answer to that question I remember working with a presenter who said that if you want to be on the you should be able to walk down the street and you should be able to get three or four ideas for your show that day and I think it's the same with people in the work in the management site as well.

You should be able to get ideas from everywhere and anywhere you should.

To get them when you're sitting watching TV and realising it's only watching a subscription service or that you're on your phone and how much time you're spending in certain different apps nowadays or maybe with your children showing you are they using technology you should be getting those ideas and those inspiration from everywhere seems within power.

That is so with the contender digital product development marketing research etc.

As I think it's giving me a lot of inspiration to work with so many special need to pee and then also at night sometimes.

I like to read books, but some might find boring But about business development and innovation and Richard what inspired her to put 11 sort this isn't it? What you thinking exactly what inspires me? I think it's all going to different things to be honest, but I was just thinking you know strangers come debit with all been working.

I mean less contact with our colleagues, but in some ways.

I feel more connected than ever before with them all and I find the morning inspiration and really help me well.

Let's take a quick break will be music Today programme with broadcast bionics working with the world leading broadcasters and equipment suppliers to transform industry standard technologies and workplace working right to the radio Today programme.

My name is Anne Frankenstein presenter outbar Media for scala radio in Jazz FM today.

I'm chatting to Richard Dawkins who is the CEO at bar Media audio Ben Cooper who is the group director for content in music and video UK and Tobias Nielsen who is the director for audio plus which is this subscription service which were talking about today so bend over to you.

You've previously talked about bear Media

Wanting to reinvent radio that there a lofty ambition, can you tell us more about that? I think you know today is about ourselves.

This is about our saying that you want a pioneering things in the world of audio and that's what audio plus is all about we have to adapt or Die it's very very simple and very good doing this.

You know when television came along that was supposed to kill off radio when the Walkman came along that was going to kill us off then MTV was going to do the same the iPod energy the same and the great thing about the radio industry and the reason I love it so much is that we are so adaptable to change we can move very quickly and I think today is exactly what I meant by that reinventing radio and what about opportunities for growing audiences that obviously the subscription model is is is rich in terms of opportunities there.

You see how do you say our audiences growing listening to the radio and the duvet you had to remember the frequencies so there Wyvern was on 102.9 Hereford and Worcester was on 104 and radio one was on a think it was 97.9 FM you don't need to do that now.

You can walk into the kitchen and ask your smart speaker for your radio station that gives you a level playing field any radio station now in the world as long as you remember it.

Is there had a request and a quick question to your smart speaker.

I think that combination of smart speaker and an app like audio Plus on your phone gives real opportunities and we've seen huge increases in listening on phones and I on smart speakers through lockdown.

Ok.

Yes, we've obviously had a decrease in in car listening, but we had huge numbers.

Increases in that smart speaker and app listening to this increased feeling of I just feel like radio is is there is even more valued now that it seems to have ever been which is really nice place to be what about the future of commercial radio then Rich what's the future for advertisers? Do you think I think commercial radio is offering advertisers more than ever done before I mean digital can be a big disruption for Media business.

It is but radio is ready riding the way to take advantage of new opportunities that that's what I done solicitors in a more fragmented Media landscape commercial radio give us a huge reach for advertisers and research shows getting your messages on radio and audio is incredibly effective you know innovation within surely a listeners continue to access their favourite radio stations on new devices.

Smart speakers offering more and more content and services to so we're excited about sustaining these levels of high reaching to the Future what does that mean travel size as well, you will commercial radio remain relevant to its scale.

Yeah will continue to offer this trusted environment and live connection between listeners and present so important for the effectiveness, but also a digital audio services such as optical audio in the UK are all bowed audiostream that we launched recently in the Nordic countries are offering advertisers data-led targeted Solutions that can be delivered programmatically commercial innovation going on as well and you know we think that has a huge amount to offer advertisers and leaning into these opportunities and a lot of ideas around with all three of you, so I'm curious to know that start with you to be what keeps you up at night.

Play the opportunities and the challenges radio faces in the Media audio landscape.

I think for me when I wake up at night.

It's mainly about having great ideas about the ages, but I think I think this is really exciting times with everything that's happening the opportunities.

We have and also now technically developing the service like like the premium which we never cooks only like 3 or 4 years ago literally keeps me up at night is the fact like Heat playing clash Royale on my phone and listening to the radio with the way that gaming works.

It's economics if you like and it's the the maths of gaming and those micropayment stats of just that little bit of money to get there.

The weapon or two that get the extra character all that extra skin and I can see it in Clash Royale that I play but I can also see if my son playing fortnite and that keeps you up at night cause you going to happen the radio to speak to happen to that economy of micropayments BBC up at night-time for this reason.

It's so it's hard not to be buzzing, but I mean there's lots of new competitors in the audiospace.

Lots of new platforms.

We've seen by remedia growing out significantly.

Can you tell us a little bit about that so battlemead audio is possible Bauer Media Group it has four business areas publishing online comparison portals and services for small and medium-sized Enterprises audio at present in 7 markets that the UK Denmark

Sweden Finland Slovakia and in Poland and we recently announced that we have agreed to acquire communicor group in the Republic of Ireland subject only to regulatory approval which will mean that what are present in 8 markets and we've been busy growing our business in the UK you'll be familiar with the full radio drinks that joined our Media last year we've since stations in Plymouth in Oldham that we've expanded the Greatest Hits radio network and we've also enhancing the magic an absolute radio portfolios to over recent years we've been busy launching stations outside of the UK commercially we've been launching lots of new products and services designed to make it even easier for advertisers to work with a faulty audio with news UK's and obvious highlights over last 12-months couple of months ago.

We launched by audio stream, and that's in Norway Sweden Finland Finland and Denmark and offers advertisers the opportunity to target audiences decently across power and third party.

Audio inventory, then.

We've just been out please for Premium subscription services that we're adding to to Planet Rock Kerrang FM and scala radio so we really excited about continuing to grow our business at the moment very important Lebara has publicly committed to more diversity and more including on air and also within the teams Richard can you tell us a little bit more about that success in business is all about team working and you know successful the ones that have hold diverse range of people with different ideas opinions backgrounds experiences and you know Fonda you get real tivity you can perfect ideas and I think when you're also working and Industry as those ideas need to resonate with all of our listeners.

So it was mission-critical really.

I'm your of a teams are diverse and that they're inclusive and if not then you know we're not going to be producing this type of content or services that going to be enjoyed by Alice advertisers and then how about you? Can you talk to us about diversity in the business and sound like we have to reflect only what they are talking about but also what they're feeling and I think you know that that is been a massive priority for power and myself over the last few months and then anything it's really brought diversity and inclusion to your attention in particular over the past few months that recently was the fact that Jordan Perri Diversity and their performance on Britain's Got Talent that reminded me of just I think how far we've come in the sense that.

Duction of bats show gave those presenters that confidence to talk openly and honestly about how they were feeling and I think that is something that wouldn't have happened in the past with shied away from it in a radius post to be upbeat and happy and actually know being honest with your present and saying no we would like you to to be able to express how you feel about certain really important issues that affect you and have affected you means that you get a much better reality in your shows may not know on Saturday we perform group Diversity on Britain's Got Talent and Performance covered the events of this year any important messages that need to be spoken about super super close to a heart you know that we won Britain's Got Talent 11 years ago never ever anything you've done.

Response to get some critique like but normally is focused on the dance and it was really special to us about positivity and love and we got so much positive and love back from this one, but we also got you know bombarded with messages saying stuff about families about how even now diversities in 5 hours tonight because there's only 5 white people in it like I can't speak to anyone else but generally got anxious and worried saying something like that.

Can't smell when only black lives matter but as long as it Dad like I look at pill and I just want to be a little bit about lockdown.

Like to hear a little bit of bed, how each of you have experienced 8-years.

Can you talk to us first about your experience of locked and you mentioned earlier that are you actually moved to the UK are you I'm off to London on the 1st of March to work on this project.

I went to the office for 3 weeks and then I've been working from home ever since so I would say living my wife in in central London we have had a lot of warts and and bike riding CCG the town in the new way quite unique but obviously also depressing without so many time.

I will say working a walking and bike riding is like the main things.

I've done for the last year and Ben you've had this and big changes throughout lockdown as well.

You actually the team while we were in lockdown.

Been a strange experience.

You know everyone's been very welcoming and friendly, but it's all been on a laptop in my spare room.

And that is very difficult.

I don't know how tall anyone is I don't know how good the train again is in.

Oh, it's really odd not being able to meet up with people and I found quite difficult a good thing.

I think though is the the fact that at the touch of a button I can be in Manchester I could be in Scotland I can be Northern Ireland I can be in Denmark gave a presentation to Denmark last week and that all takes the same time as it does talking to my colleagues in London so I think the pros and cons but I do miss thing in the office.

I do miss that being around Studios and the energy that you get from the being around her the red light going on and seeing that seen the presenters on the people in the studios and obviously for you in terms of you roll your little bit further removed from the day-to-day running of things and from the brands.

How have you experienced lockdown not to be like?

Why yes normally I be based in London but also flying around to our operations across your nose been home working for me the whole time.

I guess many people have discovered a love-hate of walking at times, but letting out a lot of walking, but yes, but the combination of home working family pine a few TV box sets and lots of radio with a final very important question for each of you very in mind that I present shows on Jazz FM and on scala.

Which is your favourite radio station to base let's start with you.

I have a suspicion.

I know where your bias lies.

I need to choose to I would say obviously but also absolute radio listen to most of the power stations just depends on my mood.

But honestly I'm probably listening most of the moment to Greatest Hits radio just because their pieces music that I grew up with but I do listen to Jazz FM radio particularly at the weekends and auntie you the pressures on now.

Can you pick a favourite Borough station? This is a great thanks for this one say though that it is probably at the moment.

It's Simon Mayo on Greatest Hits drive, because I used to listen to Simon when I was growing up and I remember even entering a competition called minute to Win It which was you sent in your local commercial radio t-shirt to Radio 1 when it was on the Breakfast Show and he would be in that you shouldn't 1.fm T-shirt in the post.

So I sent in my radio Wyvern t-shirt and got one back with his signature on it.

So that's just me showing my an Iraqi nice, but

I'm just loving the fact.

We've been able to get Simon onto Greatest Hits onto drivetime.

Where is Sandy fantastic? Have you actually showing the t-shirt tell them that story haven't told him the story but and I think I've got loads of old radio paraphernalia, but I don't think I've still got that T-shirt Ben Cooper to be Nielsen thank you so so much for speaking to me today Congratulations again on this really breakthrough you service.

I can't wait to login and start using it myself.

Thank you.

Also to Nick pits are produced you today modern.

My name is Anne Frankenstein I'm going to hand you back over to Roy and radiotoday HQ thanks darling.

Thank you for your address as well here on the radio Today programme.

Please me to say thank you very much for listening and will hopefully see you again soon.