Bandung radio stations threatened by network radio

Bandung radio stations threatened by network radio

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post/Bandung

Shanti Marhaen, 30, does not worry about missing the latest news
when she visits her parents in Bandung every weekend.

Shanti, who is single and works for a foreign media firm in
Jakarta, keeps abreast of the news in the capital by listening to
Jakarta-based radio stations on her cellular phone or in her car
when she is in Bandung.

"It is very helpful because many Jakarta-based radio stations
have opened branches here. You just have to tune in to the right
channels to get the info you need," she told The Jakarta Post
recently.

Thousands of Jakartans who spend their weekends in Bandung and
the surrounding area now have easy access to their favorite
Jakarta radio stations in Bandung.

They can monitor traffic in the capital as they head for home
thanks to their favorite Jakarta-based radio stations, including
Elshinta, Trijaya, Delta, Female and Pas, individually referred
to as network radio stations.

The arrival of Jakarta-based FM radio stations in Bandung
began when Elshinta began airing news and talk shows in the city
in 2002.

Several other stations based in Jakarta quickly followed suit
in an effort to capture the radio listening market in Bandung.

At a glance, this trend would seem to be nothing but positive,
giving radio listeners in Bandung more choice and the opportunity
to keep up to date with happenings in Jakarta. However, the
losers have turned out to be Bandung stations, which have been
losing advertisement revenue to the Jakarta stations.

Nearly all of the radio stations in Bandung cater to adult
listeners, focusing on news and talk shows.

"They (the network radio stations) are one step ahead in
selling advertising space because at their head offices in
Jakarta they can claim they have a larger market than local
stations. Unfortunately, there are more advertising agencies in
Jakarta," said Fitriadi "Benny" Alibasyah, the off-air manager
for Maraghita Radio in Bandung, which recently celebrated its
36th anniversary.

Maraghita, found at 106.7 on the FM dial, has positioned
itself as an adult-oriented station focusing on news and talk
shows covering local topics concerning Bandung residents.

Advertising revenue at the station has been stagnant for the
past two years due to the arrival of the Jakarta stations, said
Benny.

The station has had to resort to new marketing strategies to
remain on the air. Besides on-air meetings with listeners, the
station also has increased its off-air meetings through various
discussions on the problems being faced by Bandung residents,
inviting officials such as Mayor Dada Rosada to take part in the
events.

"If you want to call it a strategy, this is probably what we
have to do to build listener trust," said Benny.

Benny and his colleagues have formed the Teras Radio Mara
community to accommodate group discussions.

A different strategy is being followed by another adult-
oriented station, Rase 102.3 FM. Rase marketing manager Shanti
Affilawati said that to gather listeners' opinions on the
presence of network radio, her station had organized group
discussions with loyal listeners.

"The main thing is that we have improved and have prioritized
local content out of dedication to our listeners in Bandung,"
said Shanti.

She predicted that the trend in network radio would continue
for the next five years.

The chairman of the West Java branch of the Indonesian
National Private Radio Station Association, Daddy Ahmad Ruswandi,
said there were at least 70 local radio stations in Bandung, 35
of which were members of the association. All of these stations
must compete with network radio for a share of the advertising
pie.

He said the presence of network radio stations, which are more
adept in marketing and product management, had indeed forced
local radio operators to adapt.

"They must improve and become more professional so that
advertisers will look at them. I have noticed that most of them
have ignored product innovation. They have been lulled by
outdated family management methods," said Daddy.

The association has prepared special training courses for its
members to help them compete with network radio.

Daddy added that network radio stations should also be
required to increase local content in their broadcasts, in line
with Law No. 32/2002 on broadcasting.

Article 31 of the law states that private broadcasting
stations can only broadcast over the station network system
within a limited zone.

"So if they want to enter the local community, they cannot
relay 100 percent from Jakarta, but have to include local
content, which would probably be their weakness," he said.