John Musgrove
National Research Manager, Austereo
Written by Rebecca Cooper on 2008-10-21
What do you see happening in the next five years in the radio industry?
The future will hold more competition for radio. Following the trends in the United States, with the introduction of WIFI technology available to everyone, the internet will play an important role in Australia and consequently the Australian radio industry. The WIFI technology will enable users to access audio and video content on devices such as iPhones which have already impacted the Australian market place.
Digital radio will impact Austereo but not greatly. Commercial networks will have at least two new networks so presumably more content will be available. However, more content doesn’t necessarily mean higher quality or more listeners. Over the years, the number one stations tend to remain at number one, withstanding the trends and fads.
WIFI distribution will increase radio options for consumers but podcasts will become a major player in radio. They give users the ability to download information and keep it in their iPods and they will form the basis of Consumer Generated Media (CGM) for audio entertainment content.
What are the biggest challenges you and your organisation face as a member of the Brisbane media community?
Our digital future is unknown because radio will be challenged by transmissions on different levels. For example, our online business will impact our on-air business. As radio becomes digital, new competitors will emerge from newspapers and television stations with content becoming increasingly fragmented, even in the Brisbane market place.
However, quality content is still quality content and the ability to create it is not necessarily in the hands of consumer-generated productions, which is today’s trend. I believe that there will come a point where people move away from home-produced media content, and sites such as YouTube will become more about accessing professional content rather than consumer content. This trend is already starting to happen. So although the market has become fragmented, the main media players who are able to produce quality content will remain predominant. The main difference between amateur and main media productions is the ability for main media to commercialise their content and sell it to advertisers.
What are the most important/valuable skills that graduates can bring to your industry?
Today’s graduates should enter the workplace with fresh thinking and young thoughts. Graduates are Generation Y and they are a lot different to the Baby Boomers and Generation X. Just as they will be different too to Generation Z. Industry is always looking for young people’s perspectives. But the ability to bring fresh ideas to an organisation while learning the established ones is a skill. Essentially, they have to be able to learn the old dog’s tricks and bring some new ones into play. It is important for graduates to learn the traditions and paradigms of an organisation. Discipline, hard work, energy and vibrancy are the keys to success.
How would you rate the performance of Brisbane-based media organisations in comparison to other national and international media hubs?
Pretty damn good. All the great people come to Brisbane! Every radio location has strengths and weaknesses. But Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne are all pretty well matched in the radio industry. Today, we have globally distributed products as well as nationally. So although the Hamish and Andy show isn’t produced in Brisbane, it’s still a Brisbane show in that it’s aired here.
Radio is remaining strong particularly in Australia because we invest in it. America’s radio industry has become a financial outlet run by account men which has caused them to run into trouble. Here, our industry is probably one of the most vibrant and healthiest in the world with high quality content and standards. As far as the international stage is concerned, Australia rates well. We have a small population and subsequently we have a small margin for error. Creatively we’re doing well because people take and back risks.
How has new media such as the Internet and mobile communications revolutionised your workplace?
Research has revolutionised over the years with the internet coming into play and research being conducted online. Five to ten years ago, research was carried out through telephone and field research which was highly expensive and irregular. Today we have the ability to conduct surveys and turn them around quickly while measuring respondents’ reactions to audio and visual footage.
Technology has also impacted communication. You can’t escape it and I think stress levels have risen because of it. Workplaces have been downsized because of technology, but people have to do more hours at home, on their mobiles and on the move. It may have raised efficiency and effectiveness levels but stress has been raised too.
As far as radio is concerned, the new technology has given us the ability to cut radio up into pieces through computers which is amazing and has had a major impact for us.
How do you perceive the growth of Brisbane research?
Worldwide research has grown, becoming more cost efficient and with larger sample sizes. Today an online research project can generate between 5000 to 7000 responses. You wouldn’t have paid for that ten years ago.
The impact for research means that it is in demand, people want to know. The ability to access things and generate effective outcomes is important. With people wanting to analyse the success of advertising campaigns that have an online, radio, website and viral email component, the ability to measure their success is important. This is a difficult process, but it’s a challenge we are learning from.
Also, today’s research is becoming faster. We now have the ability to launch a survey into the market place and generate responses and outcomes within a 24hour time frame.
Do you believe that industry values research?
Research is in demand and people want insights. Twenty years ago, people used research for information. Today they want the right information, filtered and with comprehensive facts, together with in-depth analysis.
At times, research is only used to suit a particular purpose. The expression “he uses statistics like a drunken man uses a lamppost, for support rather than illumination,” is probably true of a lot of research. People use it to back up decisions or justify their actions. But today’s era is starting to use it to predict future industry, competition and consumers trends.
Research is moving from numbers-based to qualitative. People want to know how listeners feel and about their lifestyles. Research can act as a conversation platform rather than demographic questions. Today, we listen to people.
In the future, we’d hope for research to be used to illuminate a company’s direction and rate highly in the organisation.