Solution for the problem of repetitive ads on radio

euser1984

We have a community radio service in our town and we are required by law to play 2 ad breaks every hour.....the problem is the limited number of people that are paying to have ads.....

The issue is that the ads are the same over and over again; it's a very bad reflection on the radio....it sounds like a dumb question, but has anybody any solution to this problem besides recording the same company ads in different ways; such as a change in background music or the voiceover.

Thanks.

PeterTheNinth

Maybe include advertisements for some of your own shows like RTE does. Or make an offer to charities, say that you will give them a spot for free until you manage to fill the slots with paid advertisements. Or perhaps advertise local community events. Maybe see if the Road Safety Authority would allow you to play their safety ads, or those ESB safety ads or similar. Surely they wouldnt have a problem with you using their ads, and it would at least serve a useful purpose.

That's all I can think of.

neris

Would some sort of community events announcements cover as an ad? Something like getting a pretty recording of events coming up locally like dances, fairs, charity fundraisers or the next match for the local football team. World any businesses in the next town or local big town advertise with you?

PeterTheNinth

"Come one, come all.... to the field day in St Mary's Park, next Sunday at 2PM. "

dxhound2005

euser1984 wrote: »

We have a community radio service in our town and we are required by law to play 2 ad breaks every hour.....the problem is the limited number of people that are paying to have ads.....

The issue is that the ads are the same over and over again; it's a very bad reflection on the radio....it sounds like a dumb question, but has anybody any solution to this problem besides recording the same company ads in different ways; such as a change in background music or the voiceover.

Thanks.

I was a bit sceptical about you being required by law to have a minimum amount of advertising. Nobody could force companies to advertise with you. So I did a bit of research online which seems to say that stations can carry ads, but that there is a 6 minutes per hour maximum, and they cannot be more than 50% of the station's revenue (which I read no station comes near). I couldn't find anything to say that you must carry ads, only that you are allowed to.

The last of these, on-air commercial activity, has been a central focus of
attention for community stations since 1995. It is also a key issue for the BCI
since regulating such activity on licensed stations is the responsibility of the
Commission. Although securing support through conventional sponsorship
and advertising has proved more difficult than community groups had
anticipated, the Irish experience suggests that on-air commercial activity will
remain an essential funding source for community broadcasters. The
Commission, therefore, allows community stations to broadcast
advertisements and sponsorship announcements, subject to the following
conditions: -
1. no more than 50% of income is secured from commercial activity;
2. a maximum of 6 minutes advertising/ sponsorship per hour will apply;
3. stations may only broadcast advertisements which relate to:-
 work opportunities which exist in the specified area
 events which are to occur in the specified area
 businesses which are carried on in the specified area
 services which are delivered in the specified area.

There is a representative body for Community Stations. There is no mention of anyone raising this topic according to the minutes of their AGM's over the last few years. If your station is a member you could raise the matter with them and ask for representations to be made to have the law changed (if it exists).

http://craol.ie/stations/directory/

Fuzzy Clam

I think one stipulation is that the station must id itself every so often. Not sure how often but maybe they're getting confused with that.

gctest50

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

I think one stipulation is that the station must id itself every so often. Not sure how often but maybe they're getting confused with that.

Isn't that what RDS is for ?

Fuzzy Clam

gctest50 wrote:

Isn't that what RDS is for ?

No.

gctest50

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

No.

Does a good impression of it






and the bit of auto-changing frequencies when yer driving along

Losty Dublin

gctest50 wrote: »

Does a good impression of it

He means the station has to identify itself on air

Conservative

Dumb question.

How else do stations make revenue if less than 50% is ads? The only things I can think of are text lines and sponsorship of shows (if this is even separate to ads).

A cap on the volume of ads makes sense but a minimum number or the revenue they are allowed to bring in seems bizarre!