Tune in radio's new frequency

While there are only 8.2 million internet users in South Africa, the set-up costs for online stations are far cheaper than those of a traditional radio station.

"There is enormous potential for online radio in South Africa, and over the years we will see more people jumping in," said Reuben Goldberg, who worked in radio for 25 years before editing www.timeslive.co.za.

Former 5FM and Jacaranda FM presenter Darren Scott is now with Ballz Radio, which launched in January last year. Scott said working online provides more freedom than traditional radio.

"It's less commercially driven, so there is freedom to play around with content," he said.

Because an online station is international, Scott said the audience is more varied.

"When you are working on a traditional radio station, each show serves a purpose. The breakfast show is listened to by people in traffic on their way to work, and with the afternoon drive people are on their way back from work. With an online station you don't know what your audience is doing because they're in different time zones."

Exact listenership figures a challenge

Exact listenership numbers for local online stations are hard to come by, something highlighted by last year's controversy over the numbers released by 2oceansvibe Radio. The station claimed to have up to 60,000 people tuning in over one hour, numbers measured by audio streaming and radio consultants NetDynamix. IT specialist Shaun Dewberry poured cold water over these claims, saying at best 2oceansvibe Radio and Ballz Radio had a few hundred people tuning in at any given time. The furore resulted in the Digital Media and Marketing Association saying it would need to find a way to measure exact online listener statistics.

While online use in South Africa is growing, it is unlikely it will overtake traditional stations.

"The internet will simply become another vehicle for people to access the radio," said radio consultant Hanz Stricker.

Goldberg sees it as an extension for traditional radio, in the same way YouTube is an extension for television. Scott agrees: "It's too early to tell if it can rival commercial radio, but digital is definitely the way of the future."

Source: The Times, via I-Net Bridge