1. The picture is from Flickr - click on it - and is tagged ‘ibiquity’ and ‘hdradio’. It is sourced from http://www.flickr.com/photos/ceonyc/71540828/
2. The picture, just like any picture I add to the blog, is there to brighten the page (and not to make any specific point).
3. Whether it’s HD, DRM or DAB, it’s immaterial to the point which I’m making about cross-promotion - which is a factor in why digital-only stations aren’t producing extra sales. This isn’t a technology argument.
4. WHERE do I imply or say anything about Digital Radio Mondiale? Or do you mean Digital Rights Management?

Much confusion.

Ordinarily, I don’t engage people within my comments; much less those not prepared to back up their argument with their real name. But this comment highlights, neatly, the preoccupation many have about technology and not content. The public doesn’t give a stuff.

http://www.pure.com/Releases/Release.asp?ID=270

While there’s a strong argument in favour of shuffling listeners between your various brands - after all, if they’re switching between Capital FM, Planet Rock and XFM they’re still listening to a GCap-owned station - I agree with Steve Martin that, as far as commercial radio is concerned, there is likely to be more mileage in cross-promoting specific programmes and events rather than simply pointing people in the way of another. When Capital Gold used to do football, presenters on Capital FM would cross-promote the match coverage but would never suggest to listeners that if they wanted to hear more classic hits they should tune to 1548AM.

That’s great when you’re the BBC and making lots of great individual programmes on fairly broad genre networks. Commercial radio does less of this of course. Its stations are largely built around consistent streams of music programming designed by mood or format.

Of course the BBC has put energy into getting cross promotion right for good reason - it’s publicly funded and therefore has a continuing public service obligation to inform its audiences of the full range of services they’ve paid for. It also has to deliver that information in the most cost-effective manner which invariably means using strong creative on its own airwaves.

Like you James, I’ve been trying to recall examples of commercial radio cross promotion. Sadly my mind is as blank as the pages in Mark Ramsey’s passport.