Big changes appear to be coming to both RNZ and RTE. This one is understandable but regrettable — especially if the plan is to replace Concert with a automated impersonal service online. Online is fine but the curated classical programming now on Concert is some of the best available anywhere. Such a loss is to be regretted anytime.
John Figliozzi Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: > From: "nri3 via Groups.Io" <[email protected]> > Date: February 4, 2020 at 11:27:52 PM EST > To: [email protected] > Subject: [WOR] RNZ guts Concert radio as it plans appeal to youth > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > RNZ guts Concert radio as it plans appeal to youth > From Mediawatch, 1:55 pm today > Share this > Share on Twitter > Share on Facebook > Share via email > Share on Reddit > Share on Linked In > Hayden Donnell, Mediawatch producer > In the biggest overhaul of its music services in years, RNZ is planning to > gut its classical music station RNZ Concert and replace it on FM radio with > music for a younger audience as part of a new multimedia music brand. > Mediawatch asks RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson and music content director > Willy Macalister to explain the move. > > RNZ Mediawatch's Colin Peacock interviews chief executive Paul Thompson and > head of music Willy Macalister. Photo: RNZ /Dom Thomas > Listen duration20′ :14″ Add to playlist Download > Download as Ogg > Download as MP3 > Play Ogg in browser > Play MP3 in browser > Listen > The broadcaster is proposing to remove RNZ Concert from its FM frequencies > and transform it into an automated non-stop music station which will stream > online and play on AM radio. > > It would be replaced on FM by a service aimed at a younger, more diverse > audience as part of a new multimedia “music brand”. > > RNZ Concert would be taken off FM radio on May 29 and the youth platform > would be phased in ahead of its full launch on August 28. > > RNZ's music staff were informed about the proposed changes this morning in an > emotional, occasionally heated meeting with the RNZ music content director > Willy Macalister, head of radio and music David Allan, and chief executive > Paul Thompson. > > According to documents for staff, the move would eliminate 20 jobs at RNZ > Concert including all presenter roles from late March. > > Those would be replaced with 13 jobs at the new youth platform and four in > the downsized RNZ Concert service. > > The documents for staff say the proposed changes are aimed at securing new > audiences for RNZ. > > While its listenership is predominantly Pākehā and skewed towards older > people, the new music brand would target people aged 18 and 34 including > Māori and Pasifika audiences, the proposal says. > > > “RNZ has strong audiences but they skew older. We are thinking five and ten > years ahead. We need to start to connect with younger New Zealanders,” RNZ > chief executive Paul Thompson told Mediawatch. > > He said RNZ Concert’s classical music focus has prevented RNZ from fulfilling > its Charter’s requirement to broadcast a range of music and performances. > > “We are expanding our services off our current resources. There are some > tough choices in that but this is a really good story of RNZ getting to more > New Zealanders," he said. > > But it’s not a good story for those accustomed to a repertoire of classical > music on FM radio for many years. > > AM transmission is sub-optimal for symphonies and it will be interrupted when > Parliament sessions are broadcast on the AM network. > > “It is still available on Freeview and listening to RNZ Concert is mostly in > the home so the ability to consume it in stereo is still there,” said Willy > Macalister. > > The scaled-back Concert will offer recorded music round the clock, but few of > the RNZ Concert programmes currently on air will be made after the new music > brand is established. > > “We are in consultation over that but are going to pull back on some of it,” > said Willy Macalister. > > “We will continue to record and air concerts and support orchestras where we > can,” said Paul Thompson. > > The new service for youth > > Mediawatch understands the new youth platform would have a playlist spanning > multiple musical genres with a heavy focus on New Zealand music. It would be > active on social media. > "Genre is no longer relevant to the audience," the proposal document says. > > "We intend to be a broad proposition for everyone . . but its got to have > relevance for 18-35 year old audience," Willy Macalister told Mediawatch. > > "One of the things that streaming services have taught us is that when you > look at the top playlists, they're not necessarily talking about genres of > music. They're talking about emotional state and activities," he said. > > Last month chief executive of commercial radio industry umbrella group the > Radio Broadcasters Association - Jana Rangooni - voiced her concerns about a > potential new youth station. > > "We would have serious concerns if a taxpayer-funded broadcaster launched > products and platforms that targeted audiences already well served by > commercial radio broadcasters," she told Stuff. > > "We're not the only country that has this kind of brand. Australia, the UK > and other countries have vibrant radio returning profits," Willy Macalister > told Mediawatch. > > "We're not chasing dollars. We are commercial-free, and we will play more New > Zealand music than any commercial format would sustain" said Paul Thompson, > adding that the new RNZ Music would feature news content tailored to the > younger audience it hopes to attract. > > RNZ has been looking at drawing younger audiences with music since 2015 when > an internal review concluded its “approach to the delivery of music content > remains in a time warp." > > A year later - with little fanfare - the ‘RNZ Music’ brand was launched as > part of a strategy to bring in new listeners. > > At the time, Thompson told Mediawatch he wasn’t interested in duplicating > commercial broadcasting on the air or online. > > "Why would we provide anything the commercial broadcasters are quite happily > doing?” he said. > > “I hope what we do will pull in more people - especially online - but I don't > see it as a massive audience growth initiative," he said in 2015. > > The station also launched youth-focused digital platform The Wireless - which > had some music content - in 2014. > > But the Wireless was closed down and folded into the rest of rnz.co.nz in > 2018. > > "That didn't have the broadcast component in it and that's what will make > this proposal far more effective," said Paul Thompson. > > https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018732872/rnz-guts-concert-radio-as-it-plans-appeal-to-youth > _._,_._,_ > Groups.io Links: > You receive all messages sent to this group. > > View/Reply Online (#113671) | Reply To Group | Reply To Sender | Mute This > Topic | New Topic > > Your Subscription | Contact Group Owner | Unsubscribe [[email protected]] > > _._,_._,_
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