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executive summary
This report examines online radio aggregators and
the relationships between such services and radio
broadcasters.
Based on desk research, a qualitative survey of
egta radio member companies and interviews,
the report seeks to provide readers with a
better understanding of the most popular radio
aggregators available in different markets. It also
includes a series of recommendations for radio
broadcasters considering the most effective
strategy for developing relationships between
their own radio stations and aggregator services.
While the landscape in which they sit is diverse
and highly fragmented, radio aggregators can
broadly be classified according to the owner of the
service and the type of audio content available to
users. Furthermore, aggregators may be described
as open-access (available through web browsers,
mobile applications and other open ecosystems)
or device-dependent (available only through
suitably equipped devices, such as WiFi radio sets).
With regards to ownership, some aggregator
services have been developed by, or for, either a
single radio broadcaster to host its own channels
or for several broadcasters on a given market.
The broadcasters have complete control over the
content, whether live or on-demand, available on
the service.
A larger number of aggregator services are
independent, in that they do not have any
ownership relationships with the radio stations to
which they provide stream hyperlinks.
The content available on aggregator services
ranges from simulcast streams of broadcast radio
stations, Internet-only radio stations (including
radio station brand extensions), curated playlists,
algorithmically generated stations and playlists,
on-demand radio shows, podcasts and on-
demand music.
This report highlights a number of user experience
features developed by aggregator services,
including the technical capability to switch
between FM and IP radio signals, innovative user
interfaces and the possibility to record and store
radio content.
Direct revenue sources for aggregators include
advertising (display, video, audio, sponsorship,
etc.), subscriptions and one-off payments (for
example, paid apps and access to premium
content), white label solutions and licensing
agreements with device manufacturers. Indirectly,
some public service broadcasters’ (PSBs)
platforms are funded by licence fees or other
taxation.
Where one, or a group of broadcasters, owns the
service, those companies are typically the sole
beneficiaries of any advertising or other revenues
generated through its use. They also collect all
data from users of the service and control the
delivery of advertising and other content.
By contrast, the owners of independent services
typically collect all data, advertising and – in
some cases – subscription revenues generated
from their users, and in most cases, there is little
or no sharing of said data or revenues with the
broadcasters whose stations are present.
The final section of this report provides a brief
overview of the aggregator services available in
different markets, including some specific issues
pertaining to each.