Memorandum submitted by talkSPORT
WHO WE
ARE
talkSPORT is the flagship national radio station
of UTV plc—one of the most successful media groups in the
UK and Ireland. The station is the UK's largest commercial broadcaster
on the AM band, reaching 2¼ million adults each week, and
is one of the few radio stations to have gained listeners in recent
years.
Although we have a passion for sports broadcasting,
including increasing coverage of live sport, up to 45% of talkSPORT's
typical weekday programming is "non-sport" focusing
on current affairs, debate and engaging talkback radio.
PUBLIC SERVICE
RADIO AND
THE MOVE
TO DIGITAL
The role of commercial radio as regards public
service broadcasting is often overlooked, yet commercial radio
informs and supports communities around Britain everyday. National
commercial radio has a special role to play as the commitment
to public service was rooted in the criteria that established
the first Independent National Radio (INR) licences.
talkSPORT holds the national licence (INR3)
created in the 1990 Broadcasting Act for a station whose output
must consist of more than 50% speech programming. However talkSPORT
has gone well beyond the basic requirement of the licence, providing
an all speech service.
We believe that in the move to the digital age,
the principles of public service broadcasting should not be abandoned.
Nor must we ignore our commitment to those who will be slower
than others to make the switch to digital listening.
At present only around 4% of UK radios are digital,
a figure that falls to less than 1% for all car radios. When considering
future plans for spectrum usage, care must be taken to ensure
that analogue listeners are not left behind, particularly those
reliant on AM services. Although talkSPORT is committed to digital,
our listeners are likely to be among the slowest to make the transition,
and it is imperative that AM services continue to be available
for the foreseeable future.
Finally, we need to make sure that digital radio
truly delivers on its promise of diversity of services, and does
not simply result in the proliferation of mediocrity and format
convergence.
We believe that there are three areas where
the public service principle has a continuing role to play in
national commercial radio:
— the provision of speech;
— diversity of provision; and,
— providing competition for the
BBC.
SPEECH
Commercial speech based programming plays an
important public service by engaging people in current affairs,
and by providing an important additional debating platform. Commercial
speech radio is the leading format in many English-speaking markets
across the world. Speech is also the most listened to format in
the UK, however it is dominated by the BBC's services.
DIVERSITY AND
PLURALITY OF
COMMERCIAL PROVISION
Commercial radio can reach audiences that the
BBC cannot and it is vital to ensure that the commercial sector
continues to provide more than just music driven programming.
talkSPORT's transmission on the AM spectrum means that our shows
can be heard by a wider range of listeners than can be reached
through FM and digital, given our technical coverage of 97% of
all UK adults (+15 years).
COMPETITION FOR
THE BBC
talkSPORT provides the only national alternative
to the BBC in two critical public service areas: speech and sport.
At present Radio 5 Live has a virtual monopoly
on the national coverage of live sport on radio, however talkSPORT
has begun to challenge for certain rights packages including World
Cup 2006 and Premiership football. We believe our coverage, with
its unique style, adds to the diversity of choice available to
consumers. Furthermore, when combined with that of the BBC's,
can open up live sports coverage to a wider audience than can
be achieved by the BBC alone.
Similarly, talkSPORT provides the only national
commercial speech service, providing much needed competition to
Radio 5 Live and to a lesser extent Radio 4. As noted above, the
BBC holds a near monopoly on speech broadcasting in the UK, with
a current market share of 90%. Our coverage involves a high level
of audience interaction through phone-ins, giving our listeners
a chance to have their say in programs that differ markedly in
style from more traditional public service broadcasting, bringing
speech provision to new audiences and providing a diversity of
opinion.
March 2007
| 
