Radio feels the pinch of internet

CEBU, Philippines - Although radio still sustains its foothold as one of the preferred entertainment and information channels despite the entry of the latest media channels, a giant broadcasting network admitted to have felt the effects of the internet to its business.

Manila Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) recently announced to merge its regional FM (Frequency Modulation) brand “Hot” FM with its mother brand “YES” FM  to come up with a stronger brand name.

91.5 YES FM Cebu station manager Marlon Baula said the company has to adopt the re-branding move of the company as its advertising volume has already been affected by the availability of other advertising channels.

The Elizalde-led MBC is the oldest running and the largest radio broadcasting network in the country. It operates three brands of FM stations, the YES FM, 102.7 EasyRock, and 97.9 Love Radio. In Cebu, its AM (amplitude modulation) counterpart is DYRC.

With the unification of FM brand name in its mainstream programming concept, there are now 10 YES FM stations nationwide. Baula said, while the company is also constantly introducing innovative and creative programming to sustain and improve listenership within its target market, the internet and the advent of free-download sites is now affecting the FM radio business.

“We are affected in the sales aspect, as well as rating. We have to make a stronger name and also treat social media, the internet as a whole and complementary tools to improve and advance our business instead of considering them as threat,” said Baula in a press conference Monday.

He emphasized though that while radio is the primary entertainment tool in the past, especially for FM bands has changed, the business is still sustainable saying “we are definitely not a dying industry.”

To cope with the fast changing preference in media channels, YES FM has tapped social networking sites Facebook and Twitter as well as audio streaming as tools to interact with listeners. They also took advantage of the availability of mobile phones that have radio features to attract cellular users to listen to radio while on the go.

In Cebu for instance, there are a total of 25 FM stations competing in the highly competitive advertising market.

Baula, who is the former president of the “Kapisanan nang Mga Broadcasters sa Pilipinas” or KBP-Cebu said that for the past three years, herbal companies have been the lifeblood of radio advertising.

AC Nielsen survey shows, that MBC network takes 60 percent of the radio listener-ship in the country, combined with its different brands in FM and AM stations. (FREEMAN)