What can we do to make our voice louder with the likes of Amazon, Google and TuneIn when it comes to smart speakers?
It took 15 months after launching Pure Radio in Scotland for us to manage to get Google smart speakers to play it. We had it working with the word OPEN but that's no good, it needed to be the word PLAY.
Google blamed TuneIn. TuneIn blamed Google. Deep down I knew neither of them were really looking into it, they were just giving me the run round every time I tried to make conversation.
EVENTUALLY it came down to finding someone who knew someone who knew someone at Google and one day it magically worked. 3 days later we stopped working on Apple Homepods and the process began again.
Every time I speak to people at other radio stations, streaming companies or ad distribution companies everyone nods, laughs and agrees. We as an industry need to come up with a solution.
Perhaps we need our own smart speaker. Imagine one that worked anywhere, could only receive radio and didn't need an internet connection.
Thank you for a very sensible article highlighting the muddle that many listeners find when trying to listen to their favourite radio station.
I, as someone who used to work in the industry, have no problem in finding the radio stations I wish to hear be it on DAB/DAB+ (for Jazz FM Stereo, Premier Praise & Times Radio), Internet Radio/My Tuner (for KWEM West Memphis & Always Elvis Presley Radio) or Alexa smart speaker (for Bridlington Gold or Premier Gospel).
However, family, friends and neighbours often find it very confusing where to listen to 'their' favourite radio station when it isn't on their familiar FM/MW/LW radio or even on a new, to them, DAB/DAB+/FM radio or via their Digital TV. I have often found myself having to help them tune into the station or explain how a DAB radio works or which smart speaker would suit them.
Yes, the industry must work together so the ease that listeners need to access the radio is easily available to all, whether they are teenagers, busy parents, or retirees.
What can we do to make our voice louder with the likes of Amazon, Google and TuneIn when it comes to smart speakers?
It took 15 months after launching Pure Radio in Scotland for us to manage to get Google smart speakers to play it. We had it working with the word OPEN but that's no good, it needed to be the word PLAY.
Google blamed TuneIn. TuneIn blamed Google. Deep down I knew neither of them were really looking into it, they were just giving me the run round every time I tried to make conversation.
EVENTUALLY it came down to finding someone who knew someone who knew someone at Google and one day it magically worked. 3 days later we stopped working on Apple Homepods and the process began again.
Every time I speak to people at other radio stations, streaming companies or ad distribution companies everyone nods, laughs and agrees. We as an industry need to come up with a solution.
Perhaps we need our own smart speaker. Imagine one that worked anywhere, could only receive radio and didn't need an internet connection.
Thank you for a very sensible article highlighting the muddle that many listeners find when trying to listen to their favourite radio station.
I, as someone who used to work in the industry, have no problem in finding the radio stations I wish to hear be it on DAB/DAB+ (for Jazz FM Stereo, Premier Praise & Times Radio), Internet Radio/My Tuner (for KWEM West Memphis & Always Elvis Presley Radio) or Alexa smart speaker (for Bridlington Gold or Premier Gospel).
However, family, friends and neighbours often find it very confusing where to listen to 'their' favourite radio station when it isn't on their familiar FM/MW/LW radio or even on a new, to them, DAB/DAB+/FM radio or via their Digital TV. I have often found myself having to help them tune into the station or explain how a DAB radio works or which smart speaker would suit them.
Yes, the industry must work together so the ease that listeners need to access the radio is easily available to all, whether they are teenagers, busy parents, or retirees.