Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Bean-Counting the Beat

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  • robbery,

    few years back and merged

    and I take it now student radio pds don't get asked anymore, since you're picking the tracks yourself after polling commercial radio?

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    ... who are you and your team again. you've described yourself as a glorified bean counter ... who's got the sociology and philosophy degree there

    Now I'm confused. You're saying we are not doing our job by not exercising judgement and when I say we do, you tell me off again?

    The fact is that NZ On Air has the discretion under the Act to interpret and implement. That is our job.

    I'm not a bean-counter. Never have been. Hopeless at accountancy.

    Okay ... I will fess up ... it's me who has got the Philosophy degree.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    after polling commercial radio

    No ... I'm saying (in my original too long post) that we don't poll commercial radio when we are tracklisting the discs.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • robbery,

    just reading the nz radio charts, simon would be much better at interpreting the data but the top nz song appears to rate at slightly better than half the top overall track. opshop coming in at 14th most played then down to 20th place for good night nurse, 22nd anika moa, 23rd & 25th for shihad,
    12 in the top 100,

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    ... before you go grabbing the entire credit for their (The Brunettes, The Ruby Suns, etc) life's work

    Oh ... I don't claim credit for their life's work. It's just a statement of fact.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Now I'm confused. You're saying we are not doing our job by not exercising judgment and when I say we do, you tell me off again?

    no I'm saying NZ on Air "the organisation" should exercise judgment but that I lack faith in the present staff. That you should have consultation and representation from the music community.
    Where are the chris knox's and nick bollingers, the jody lloyds, and the simon griggs in your decision process (and one of dubmuggas mates too)

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    No ... I'm saying (in my original too long post) that we don't poll commercial radio when we are tracklisting the discs.

    you get 'feedback' as in you ask them what they like and then act accordingly. that's got to shape the disc don't you think?

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    From Simon Grigg's post ...

    ... I'd love to see that 20% NZ Airplay figure broken down into formats and stations

    Can't do station-by-station. That is information that we are not privy to. But format-by-format ... in the March 2008 quarter (the latest quarter) -

    * Pop - 13.11%
    * Rock - 26.05%
    * Urban - 13.01%
    * Adult Contemporary - 19.70%
    * Hot A/C - 16.85%
    * Easy - 15.33%

    * Overall - 19.90%

    The peak in the March quarter was 21.04% (overall) and Rock radio as a format peaked at 30.25%.

    In the March quarter, all but one format was up on the previous quarter and the overall was up from 18.88% to 19.90%.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Oh ... I don't claim credit for their life's work. It's just a statement of fact.

    its part of the story, sure, but to assess the true effect of it on their present success we'd need more info than that band at the top of the charts got nz on air help. you dropped their names to support your argument. Knowing a lot more about music and what it takes to get it heard than most PA readers I thought the matter needed clarifying.

    I recorded hayley westenra's first album, I'm not claiming I put her at the top of the charts. all I intended to do was help some kid make some money busking through selling cds.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    tell us about SJD's beautiful haze and the latest phoenix foundation tracks. 2 songs I think exhibit large amounts of kiwiness in them.

    I haven't heard them played much outside of kiwi.
    missed hits? why aren't stations playing this stuff?

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    you get 'feedback' as in you ask them what they like and then act accordingly. that's got to shape the disc don't you think

    No ... not with the Kiwi Hit Disc. See my original post -

    " ... we took the tracklist job in-house using our own ears and instincts and experience coupled with research coupled with our reading of the radio environment coupled with liaison with the repertoire owner about the timing, etc coupled with our judgement about the strategic value of this or that song to the local content campaign and to our attempts to not just fuel, but to grow, the appetite for New Zealand music at radio ... "

    We don't consult or get feedback from radio when we are tracklisting the Kiwi Hit Disc.

    We do consult the music television PDs (C4, Juice, MTV) when we are deciding on which music videos we will fund and take their views on the airplay potential of the songs into account - it is one factor but not the only factor - and at one stage in the process, we consult radio PDs when we are deciding which New Recording Artist songs we will fund but again, it's one factor but not the only factor.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    Back to Simon ...

    I may be proved wrong but Opshop and Brooke Fraser are exactly the sort of NZ records that don't stand a shot outside NZ

    That remains to be seen. Both Brooke and Opshop are just now launching US and UK campaigns (respectively).

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    Simon again ...

    We need to be more brutal in forcing radio to play Fat Freddies and the ilk

    Let us not forget that Fat Freddy sold 45,000 copies before they allowed a song to be taken to commercial radio (a great achievement and if I had a hat, I would take it off to them) but it went from 45,000 or so to 105,000 or so on the back of the massive (commercial) radio airplay of Wandering Eye. That was a very clever and conscious strategic move on their part and it paid off handsomely for them.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • robbery,

    We don't consult or get feedback from radio when we are tracklisting the Kiwi Hit Disc.

    the quote I consulted from your original post

    The reality is that when we are making decisions about which songs to fund, we research those songs with the broadcasters. Yes ... that's true. We do not exist in a vacuum. We consult the broadcasters and we get their feedback on the “airplay potential” of the song from their programming point of view as part of our research.

    so what's the consulting broadcasters and getting their feedback bit about if its not about consulting and getting feedback?

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    UK campaigns (respectively).

    if only those pesky visa requirements didn't get in the way. a little embarrassing.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    Rob again ...

    ... want to know what I did with my day? Met with one of the best bands I've seen in 10 years, to help em record an album off their own backs and mine ...

    Who's the band, Rob ... ? I would genuinely like to know because, despite our philosophical differences, I am interested in what knowledgeable people in the industry consider to be "one of the best bands (they've) seen in 10 years".

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    ... so what's the consulting broadcasters and getting their feedback bit about if its not about consulting and getting feedback?

    As I say ... that's with music videos and at one stage in the new artists scheme process where we are funding radio singles ... but not with the hit discs.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    From Mark Taslov's post ...

    ... the imitation North American accent ...

    Which artists do you mean, Mark ... ?

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • dubmugga,

    We do consult the music television PDs (C4, Juice, MTV) when we are deciding on which music videos we will fund and take their views on the airplay potential of the songs into account - it is one factor but not the only factor - and at one stage in the process, we consult radio PDs when we are deciding which New Recording Artist songs we will fund but again, it's one factor but not the only factor.

    What is this mysterious airplay potential recognition thing you and PD's can see considering you havent even seen the video yet ?

    What are some of the other deciding factors re:video and new recording grants at what stage in the process do you consult radio PD's about new recording artists ?

    the back of your mind • Since Nov 2006 • 257 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Who's the band,

    thanks brendan
    the band played at the chart burning questions concert. your team should have reported back to you on them. I'm not putting any band names on list cos some people are tossers and prejudice their opinions on internet chat.

    I doubt they've ever applied for anything but unfortunately that's the feeling for most of the bands down here, they don't consider that anyone will help so they keep their heads down play gigs to their friend and vanish into thin air, another kiwi classic lost.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • robbery,

    as I say ... that's with music videos and at one stage in the new artists scheme process where we are funding radio singles ... but not with the hit discs.

    no you were specifically talking about radio programmers, here's the full quote in context.

    we have not given the funding control over to radio programmers, radio does not “pick the bands”. The reality is that when we are making decisions about which songs to fund, we research those songs with the broadcasters. Yes ... that's true. We do not exist in a vacuum. We consult the broadcasters and we get their feedback on the “airplay potential” of the song from their programming point of view as part of our research.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    ... not putting any band names on this list ...

    Email me off list.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Which artists do you mean, Mark ... ?

    he could mean good night nurse, they do a good american accent.
    jody lloyd could fill you in on all the hip hop acts that do fake accents for you.

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Brendan Smyth,

    ... you were specifically talking about radio programmers, here's the full quote in context ...

    I'm talking there about funding. We were talking before about how we tracklist the hit discs.

    Wellington • Since May 2008 • 26 posts Report

  • dubmugga,

    Let us not forget that Fat Freddy sold 45,000 copies before they allowed a song to be taken to commercial radio (a great achievement and if I had a hat, I would take it off to them) but it went from 45,000 or so to 105,000 or so on the back of the massive (commercial) radio airplay of Wandering Eye. That was a very clever and conscious strategic move on their part and it paid off handsomely for them.

    How do you not allow a song to be "taken" to commercial radio ?

    After 45k in sales it'd be a pretty safe bet for radio to program something straight of the album. Straight no brainer to give the public what they're already enjoying.

    the back of your mind • Since Nov 2006 • 257 posts Report

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