The Importance of Critical Mass in Radio

Today, we speak with the founder of the UK’s fastest growing radio station, Louis Timpany. Louis started Fix Radio in 2017 after realising that the power users of radio weren’t being served at all. He was working on a construction site when he noticed that the biggest source of arguments, day-in-day-out, was about the radio. No-one listens to radio as much as builders. But at the time, there was no station built specifically for them. They had to suffer through repetitive music, endless ads, and segments designed for casual listeners. 6 years on, Fix has grown into a national station with some 300,000 listeners. Last year, it was the fastest growing radio in the country. This conversation is a wonderful illustration of how focused you have to be to build a media business and our conversation with Louis is littered with gems about marketing, commercial partnerships, and connecting with your target market. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as Matt and I did.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes 

(00:03:13) - (First question) - The keys to a great radio station in 2023

(00:04:33) - Choosing radio over podcasts due to tradespeople's high daily radio consumption

(00:07:04) - Managing a radio station through digital scheduling and remote operations

(00:08:44) - Tapping social media for talent, and transforming influencers into radio presenters

(00:10:55) - Keeping music repetition low, limiting advertisement airtime

(00:12:43) - Managing the cost of music royalties in radio broadcasting

(00:13:55) - Navigating the challenges of building an audience

(00:15:50) - Implementing unique engagement strategies and stunts to grow brand awareness

(00:18:52) -The challenges associated with national expansion

(00:21:35) - Generating revenue in radio broadcasting

(00:25:11) - How they built national brand recognition through community engagement tactics

(00:27:31) - Why live events are becoming key to bolstering Fix Radio's brand visibility

(00:29:03) - How Fix Radio iterates on its brand based on audience feedback

(00:30:41) - The unique appeal of tradespeople for targeted radio content

(00:32:31) - Diversifying revenue streams with affiliates, promotions, and e-commerce

(00:33:50) - Advice for prospective radio startups

(00:35:01) - Debrief