Media Tonic

The addition of Darwin’s Territory FM to the Australian Traffic Network means coverage is now national, with stations in all states and territories. We are experiencing very strong demand at present; you can book W.A. or national packages on 9388 7844. Ask for Dave or Mark. Toss a coin.

While Australians are spending more time than ever behind the wheel listening to traffic reports, Chinese drivers recently put up with a TEN day traffic jam on the Beijing – Tibet Expressway, shortly to be re-named the Beijing – Tibet Way. The snarl spread over 100 kilometres. Local vendors helped calm the situation by quadrupling the price of snack foods in roadside stalls.

Wall Street Journal’s article and slide show. Darwin photo by Bidgee.

In the UK, the Digital Economy Act has been passed and the switchover from FM to digital radio is scheduled for 2015. Grant Goddard, quoted here in The Guardian, gives 24 reasons why the switchover will never occur. About 23 of them apply in Australia which has opted for the more contemporary DAB+ standard.

This is all a bit disappointing for the UK radio industry which is estimated to have spent more than £700m on DAB transmission costs and content in the last ten years.

He’s the host of This American Life; a radio documentary series many people regard as the finest ever produced.

There are four short vids; if you only have time for one; go for #2 or #3.

1. You need bait

2. The importance of abandonning crap

3. I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I ever met.

4. There’s a real Ted Koppel on the same TV you’re going to be on.

Source.

WA Today is warning motorists to expect disruptions on the Mitchell Freeway for the next five weeks as the Public Transport Authority upgrades railway safety barriers. “1.5km of lane closures and reduced speed limits between Hutton Street and Karrinyup Road from January 16th”.

Not a bad thing entirely as it means people spending more time listening to traffic reports on the radio. The Australian Traffic Network: there’s a product. Call Dave or Mark while you’re stuck in traffic. 9388 7844.

The Mitchell Freeway was originally going to be called the Yanchep Freeway but was named after a former premier Sir James Mitchell, or “Moo-Cow Mitchell” as he was referred to by The West Australian following his campaign for soldier settlement in the south-west. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Western Australia in 1933 and served without drawing a salary in deference to the hardships ordinary people were facing during the depression. In 1948 he was appointed the first Australian-born Governor of Western Australia, 119 years after the establishment of the colony.

The West recently went to press on the increasingly slow travel times on Perth roads. The story also quoted Motor Trades Association research: 21.5% more cars on the road than 5 years ago. Most of them in my lane. More people, spending more time stuck in traffic.

The traffic reports created by the Australian Traffic Network and broadcast on commercial radio stations continue to be booked well ahead of time. Pictured is Taryn Onafaro, ATN traffic reporter and TV personality.

If you’d like to speak to Taryn about advertising, too bad. Call Dave or Mark on 9388 7844.

Latest round of the 2010 Siren Awards (yes, that would seem to be next year) have just been announced. Congratulations to The Brand Agency for taking out Best Ad for their RAC execution. They also won the award for Radio Craft. You can listen to the ads here.

Here is the Siren Awards logo, which actually works better on radio:

From March 2, 2009, the Australian Traffic Network (ATN) reports will air on ALL SIX of Perth’s commercial radio stations including NOVA, giving a 100% Commercial Radio buy. This complements the relationship ATN has with Nova in the Eastern States.

ATN is one of the easier media buys: one contact, one rate, one invoice. It’s a blend of live and recorded reads surrounded by time and situation-sensitive info that produces unusually close listening. Agencies wanting a briefing on the economics of this can call Dave or Mark on 9388 7844.

BWS FM and BWS Digital Screens are new ad networks set up by TorchMedia within Australia’s largest liquor retailer (2.17 million customers per month). Clients wanting influence at point of purchase can now buy advertising that reaches only the buyer. Plus nobody has to listen to Howard Sattler.

Torch has constructed these ad networks after researching purchase behaviour. For example, three-quarters of buyers spend less than five minutes in-store so ad frequency needs to account for that.

BWS Digital Screens offer 10 second spots (ads run four times in a six minute loop) with 20% of broadcast time allocated to news, sport and weather. (People like that stuff). There are 47 locations in WA; they are LIVE in September. Flash or MPEG; no TVCs.

BWS FM is a fully fledged radio station with 48 minutes of contemporary music per hour. A client can buy six fifteen-second ads in that time. In WA, it’s a 40 store coverage – goes live at the end of December.

Packages make combining radio and screens financially attractive. Overall, the extreme targeting at the pointy end of the sales process makes this (we argue) a very smart alternative to MSM. Call Dave or Mark at the top of the hour and request a song for the one you love. Or more sales information. 9388 7844.

The LA Times on today’s launch of GTA IV: “is expected to have one of the biggest debuts in entertainment history when it hits stores Tuesday. Analysts predict it will ring up more than $400 million at retail shops in the first week.” Previews of the game are on the XBOX site.

And in case you haven’t seen it, here is the excellent Coke ad set in GTA:

Meanwhile, on Australian streets, the Australian Traffic Network (ATN) has extended its traffic updates to Hobart and Toowoomba. Queensland coverage now includes Brisbane metropolitan commuter traffic plus Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gold Coast. ATN is now across all major metropolitan markets and regional locations nationally. So it turns out you can buy ADVERTISING on ATN through Media Tonic. Mark and Dave are the Niko and Roman of the Australian Traffic Mafia; you can talk money with them on 9388 7844.

Photo by Johnny Alive

The West Australian reports on predictions of ‘traffic chaos’ for Perth commuters in coming years: a 40% increase by 2020. Interest in traffic, or avoiding it, has never been higher here, as we move towards Sydney conversation: traffic, parking, weather. In that order.

Our client the Australian Traffic Network provides the radio traffic news reports and does traffic incident gathering for TV and radio.

In Perth, radio coverage includes Mix 94.5, 92.9, 96FM, 6IX and 6PR. In Mandurah it’s Coast 97.3 and 6MM on the AM band. Roadblock coverage, very effective blitzkrieg advertising. Get the numbers from Mark or Dave; 9388 7844.