March 29's Swansea Bay Media Highlights

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For all those interested in & working in the Swansea Bay media
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Print South Wales Evening Post Click
Editorial - Reporter Richard Youle meets a Swansea City fan about to visit his 92nd top soccer ground, completing his Football League set. This season he's travelled 5,000 miles watching football.
Opinion - Campaigners fighting to keep Swansea Tennis Centre open could succeed in their efforts.
Commercial – Half-price afternoon tea offer at Swansea's Baguette du Jour. Good tie-up for the cafe and the Evening Post.
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Broadcast The Wave Click
Editorial - The Environment Agency is investigating a significant sewage spill in Swansea Bay. It's affecting part of the seafront cycle track near Swansea's Singleton Park. Click
Commercial – Bigging up its own success (quite rightly), The Wave’s website flags up October as launch date for its new all-Wales news service in partnership with key Wales Live partners. Click
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Online Andy Pearson Publicity Click
Blog 1 – New Nation Radio breakfast jock Allan Lake aims to make a splash on his big return. Click
Blog 2 - Buzz mag flies media flag for South Wales comedy, with Paul Merton and Rhod Gilbert. Click
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Links Twitter | Website
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Lake aims to make a splash on Swansea Bay media circuit

Ben Evans, of hugely popular young Swansea Bay-based rock broadcaster Nation Radio, tells me that April sees the return of a colourful key presenter.
The station has signed up 26-year-old Allan Lake who's done the rounds of terrestrial radio services with his own unique style.
For the past year he has been busy establishing an online talk station based in Cardiff.
Ben, the station programmer for Nation, said: "We're pleased we didn't have to look far to find our new breakfast show.
"Allan's made South Wales his home and has built a great relationship with his audience during stints at Red Dragon FM and here at Nation previously."
Allan told Media Master: "Whatever we do, we hope to give people a bit of a smile in the morning. The South Wales sense of humour is amazing so we'll definitely be having a laugh on the phones."
Lake's return follows Nation celebrations as it recorded its highest ever listening figures. It's part of the expanding Town and Country Broadcasting empire which also features the likes of Bay Radio, Scarlet FM and Radio Carmarthenshire.
Ben said: "Allan's appointment is the latest in a number of developments through 2010, which began with Nation expanding its coverage on DAB Radio.
"Nation is becoming a proper Made-in-Wales success story. Our listeners are as passionate about the station as we are, spreading the word to more and more new listeners every day. Our new breakfast show gives them even more opportunities to get involved."
Lake's Wikipedia entry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Lake - proclaims hims as being "Britain's most outspoken and fired radio DJ."
Listen in, folks ... could be interesting times ahead.

Swansea Bay broadcaster goes digi

Neath-based Nation Radio celebrated St David’s Day by expanding its coverage through digital radio. The regional station, which plays new music and classic tracks, has invested in the platform after requests from listeners.
Fans had been telling bosses at Town and Country Broadcasting that they wanted to listen in areas where its FM transmission is low or non-existent.
Nation is available on 107.3FM in Swansea and southwest Wales.
Station programmer Ben Evans said: "The investment means we can now be heard on the DAB digital radio platform in Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, Bridgend, Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, Newport, Monmouth, Abergavenny, Aberdare, Ebbw Vale, Bristol and Bath.
"Nation is already on a fast track to success having grown its audience by three times in 12 months - making us one of the UK's fastest growing radio stations. We're Wales’ most popular station on Facebook, with 6,000 fans."

Swansea Bay media duo cuddle up to the Scorpions

Two of Swansea Bay's most youthful media operations have become a key player in a new sports team.
Bay Radio and Nation Radio have linked up with Neath-based rugby league freshmen the South Wales Scorpions.

It could be a stirring combination - a new sporting spectacle for the region and two of the area's most innovative broadcasters. With God's game being a passion of mine, I wish all involved great success in this partnership.
The Scorpions' official radio stations for the 2010 season are part of the Town and Country Broadcasting Group that own six stations including Llanelli's Scarlet FM, Radio Carmarthenshire, Bridgend's Bridge FM and Radio Pembrokeshire.
Bay covers Swansea Bay, Nation a larger tranche of South Wales, including Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.
The two stations are pledging what is believed to be the largest amount of advertising ever for a rugby league club in Wales.
They plan broadcasts the week before each of the Scorpions’ 11 home fixtures, starting with a big-name friendly against Wigan Warriors at The Gnoll on Sunday (kick-off 2.30pm).
The Scorpions are the newest professional RL side in Wales. Following the game against Wigan, they will be playing 20 matches in the Co-operative Championship 1 against the likes of Oldham and Workington Town.
In addition to adverts throughout 2010, Bay and Nation will provide editorial support when needed in the form of interview opportunities plus a link to the Scorpions website on Bay and Nation home pages.
Bay and Nation logos will appear on the Scorpions’ home and away shirts and there will be advertising boards at The Gnoll. Both stations will have ads in match programme and links from the Scorpions website.
Scorpions’ owner Phil Davies told Media Master: “They’ve had us in as studio guests a few times already and Sunday’s Wigan fixture was announced first on Bay Radio. This will be the start of a long and fruitful partnership.”
Andy Griffiths, broadcast director of Town and Country, said: “I'm impressed with the club’s enthusiasm, determination to develop local talent and their already good relationship with the supporters and local community.”
For Scorpions-Wigan tickets click here.

Figures cheer for Swansea Bay broadcast teams

It was sweaty palm time for Swansea's broadcasters on Thursday.
Latest listener figures were being released by Rajar, the Radio Joint Audience Research body.
That means, in the case of our commercial services, advertising messages can be tweaked accordingly.
If you'd like them analysing more closely and as to how they relate to your own enterprise just give me a shout on 07758 745240.
UK-wide headline figues included:

• 46 million adults tune into radio each week
• Digital radio ownership is up 13% year on year
• Listening to radio via mobile phone is up 7% year on year

The Swansea area's local figures included (in alphabetical order for audited stations only, period: 3 months to Dec 2009):

Bay Radio
Potential audience 454,000
Listeners 38,000
% reach 8

BBC Radio Cymru
Potential audience 2,504,000
Listeners 145,000
% reach 6

BBC Radio Wales
Potential audience 2,504,000
Listeners 411,000
% reach 16

Nation
Potential audience 1,405,000
Listeners 89,000
% reach 6

Radio Carmarthenshire
Potential audience 127,000
Listeners 38,000
% reach 30

Real Radio
Potential audience 1,781,000
Listeners 419,000
% reach 24

Swansea Sound
Potential audience 454,000
Listeners 78,000
% reach 17

The Wave
Potential audience 454,000
Listeners 138,000
% reach 30

One or two stations were quick off the mark to celebrate success.
Presenters on Swansea Sound and The Wave busily plugged the fact that figures were healthy.
The older of the two sister stations, medium wave operator Swansea Sound flagged up the fact that its listener figures were up 3,000 (1%) on the previous quarter.
Breakfast show presenters on its more brash FM sibling were over the moon that figures showed them being heard by three in 10 of the Swansea Bay adult population every week.
Andy Griffiths, broadcast director of Bay, Nation and Carmarthenshire's Town & Country Broadcasting, said: "Nation led us to our best ever results. It stormed ahead in the ratings and became the UK’s fastest growing station.
"Nation's listening figures were up almost 300% on this time last year and up over 60% in the past three months."
Town & Country has a total audience of 215,000 weekly listeners across South Wales.
The group’s stations include Radio Pembrokeshire, Llanelli's Scarlet FM and Bridgend's Bridge FM.
All told, a healthy outlook in tough economic times for the local broadcasters. Good reason for the commercial sector to think seriously about using the platforms for promotional opportunities.
For advice, you know where to come.