News today that Global Radio have decided to jump into Ofcom's new deregulated content rules by networking parts of its Heart and Galaxy network
Heart in London, East Mids and West Mids will share everything except Breakfast, Mid Morning, Drive and one four hour show on Saturday and Sunday. And over at Galaxy Yorks, North East, Birmingham and Manchester everything except Breakfast and Drive (and that one evening show on Saturday and Sunday) will be networked between them.
Now, what i'm not going to do is mourn the loss of localism in a woe is me, weren't the 80s better way. Times change. Also Heart and Galaxy are built around a specific music proposition and whilst there are local elements that isn't the focus. Indeed, Heart East Mids bestriding Leicester and Nottingham does not at the moment bring together two groups of people who care deeply about each other.
For national advertisers it makes things much simpler. I'm sure there are a few sales execs when they book S&P across a load of radio stations dread the random selection of ROTs that return. One jock saying one agreed thing across everywhere is much easier.
However, local radio, even on these regional stations rely to a certain degree on local revenue. Especially when those poor local fellows are often charged at least three times as much as their national brethren!
Whilst clever technology will switch the right mix of spots for the right FM transmitter, commercial radio has seen and S&P and on-air plugs for web microsites become a key sales proposition. Removing more local programmes will mean its harder to 'get away' these local promos and will no doubt result in a more cluttered breakfast and drive. Something that could be bad news for local advertisers and the local sales team who've got to deliver it.
