Radio industry unites for podcasting

The growing importance and influence of podcasting have been recognised at the Radio Alive 2018 national conference in Melbourne.

Unlike broadcast radio, which is highly regulated and audience measurement is tracked by GfK, the podcast industry is currently fractured with no standard measurement system in place.

To that end, Commercial Radio Australia has announced the formation of a Podcasting Working Group to drive the development of the growing podcast industry in Australia.

It will have the input of all major radio players: commercial, ABC and SBS and will be tasked with developing an ‘all-of-industry’ podcast strategy, which will include recommendations on measurement, promotion and research.

CRA chief executive Joan Warner believes the industry is perfectly positioned to take the lead, given its expertise in the audio sector and existing content production and marketing infrastructure.

“Australian radio is already very active in the podcasting space and has invested heavily in both original and branded podcasting.

“The Podcast Working Group will provide leadership and a clear strategic direction to help podcasting to flourish, by recommending uniform standards, as well as guiding marketing, measurement and education initiatives that will benefit both audiences and advertisers.

“It will bring together specialists across audio content creation, research, measurement, marketing and sales and will allow us to work together on the challenges and opportunities that impact the whole industry.”

The ABC’s Michael Mason has welcomed the initiative and believes it’s an important step forward.

“As podcasting becomes increasingly more important in the radio and audio sector, it is equally important that we have the means to accurately reflect its share and growing influence.

“This working group is an important step in establishing an all-of-industry approach to what is still an emerging platform.”

Those sentiments have been echoed by Mandi Wicks, head of radio at SBS.

“Australia’s multicultural communities continue to embrace SBS’s language podcast services, delivering rapid growth in consumption.

“We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the broader radio industry to provide the best experiences for audiences and clients.”

CRA says the Podcast Working Group will provide advice to the radio industry on four key areas: consumer promotion, audience measurement and reporting, market research, and education to assist the marketplace in understanding the commercial opportunities.