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College of Production round up: Internet radio and Google+

Denise Roach

Content Producer

Finding the right audience for your content is a constant challenge for producers, programme makers and DIY broadcasters alike.

AsÌýthe College of ProductionÌýexamined this week, more and more die-hard radio fans are finding and consuming their favourite music and speech radio via internet stations. For programme makers, internet radio offers global reach for minimal cost. Stations are free to listen to, independent of any broadcaster or network, and targeted specifically at niche audiences around the world.

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But how is it all put together? Is starting your own station really as simple as sticking something up on iTunes or YouTube? How ‘free’ is streaming software like WinAmp? How will your connectivity affect how many listeners you may get? And what costs do you have to factor in when setting up? A panel of internet radio experts told us more in a

One of the reasons people are moving to internet radio may well be that more 'traditional' radio is not giving audiences what they want, so we opened up yet more lively debate, this time on the subject of speech radio.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that no-one under the age of 25 listens to speech radio. So, if networks are struggling to maintain and grow their audiences, are radio commissioners missing a trick by ignoring them? We worked with six budding radio producers on the to examine this very issue and gave them a simple task – create an online podcast for the College of Production which answers the question:

The results – a variety of voices and views that challenged Ö÷²¥´óÐã perceptions of speech radio. Their podcasts set out to encourage current programme makers to think differently and shake up Ö÷²¥´óÐã commissioners’ ideas of how to reach new audiences in new ways. They’ve impressed the great, the good and the powerful across the Ö÷²¥´óÐã and they’ve now been published on Radio 4’s website along with ours – not bad for a first project.

Finally, we found out what’s happening at . Quite a lot, it turns out. It’s the world’s first live entertainment series to be delivered on a Google+ Hangout – live entertainment broadcast solely online, and currently causing a social media storm.

With a Twitter reach of 6.9 million in six weeks, people can watch content through Facebook, YouTube, G+, Instagram and Tumblr. They also are successfully using micro social videos in Vine and Instavideo, and other publications and sites can embed the live stream onto their home pages.

They’ve now linked up with a major technology brand for the next series of live YouTube shows, on demand video content and live events, so the recipe seems to be working. It’s an intriguing development in entertainment TV and one to watch.

Denise Roach is a Content Produicer for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã College of Production

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