Well the name is finally out and the launch date is imminent for Butch Stewart’s latest media venture – JA105FM.

Butch Stewart and Adam Stewart…The key question yet to be answered is what will be the programming format. Will JA105FM follow the traditional path of talk radio interspersed with music or will it seek to chart a new path and establish a new format. .

Vacancy advertisements have begun to appear in the print media for positions such as General Manager and Broadcast Engineers, two critical positions for any radio station. The timing is also perfect as this last calendar quarter October – December is historically the most profitable for all media houses, as clients and advertisers seek to capitalize on the back to school and Christmas spending frenzy.

The key question yet to be answered is what will be the programming format. Will JA105FM follow the traditional path of talk radio interspersed with music or will it seek to chart a new path and establish a new format.

There is no doubt that content and the right content that is marketable is king, and without this JA105FM may have a hard time getting off the ground. But marketable and profitable content is not cheap to come by. RJR Communications Group recently announced a $1-billion, 10-year sports-programming package, acquired through an agreement signed with International Media Content (IMC), which includes some of the biggest local and international sporting properties. It is expected that this content will be broadcast across the group’s many media brands and properties. This includes three radio stations: RJR, HITZ and FAME FM.

This content deal led to the RJR Group recording a loss of JA$25.36M in its first financial quarter ending June 30^th 2012, down on the $7.6M net profit recorded for the corresponding June 2011 period. But this is a major investment and bet on the future, as the deal extends to several years into the future when market conditions are expected to be better.

Asked for his comments on a possible content and operation strategy for the new radio station, Brand Strategist Aldo Antonio offered the follow insight exclusively for Businessuiteonline.com.

“Content is King let’s be clear about that, so I would definitely move and position JA105FM away from the traditional dependence on personalities to drive the content and allow the content to drive and shape the station,” commented Antonio. “I see JA105FM, as the brand name I have heard, but strategically I would go for ATL NEWSFM (All The Latest) as the Caribbean’s premier 24/7 news source, powered by the superior news gathering resources of the Jamaica Observer News Centre,” He further adds.

“Operating much like a CNN on radio, JA105FM should seek to bring to Jamaican and Caribbean nationals in the region and around the world all the very latest news, information and features.”

“Build once, sell multiple times is a content strategy that I strongly support and advocate: By this I  refer to JA105FM adopting a marketing and product strategy of creating the content once and by a process of video and audio editing and rewriting sell the same content multiple times through multiple media channels. This can easily be done by drawing on the news gathering resources of the Jamaica Observer News Centre.  I can see JA105FM over time expanding into online video news presentation, cable and IPTV formats deploying this strategy.”

“Operationally I see a lean flat organization structure, much like how Newton James has set up POWER 106FM: A very lean and flat organization structure, employing team members that are multi disciplined, with an entrepreneurial focus rather than an employee mindset will be one of the many keys to success,” adds Antonio.

“Cost can be further contained and managed by outsourcing non-essential services ensuring competitive cost containment. For example I don’t see why the accounts, sales and marketing departments at the newspaper could not be engaged to provide these services. They will essentially be talking and dealing with the same customers and clients in any event.”

“Technology utilization is also critical for success. The acquisition of the very latest in technology will give JA105FM significant competitive advantage over existing local and regional media operators.”

“For future growth prospects of the brand I would look at Market Diversification. There is a growing and profitable opportunity to supply news and business-related content in various forms to media outlets in major markets such as the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Africa and other parts of the world. These media houses are seeking Jamaican and Caribbean news, business information and intelligence on business and business opportunities in the Caribbean region. This will afford JA105FM the benefits of additional revenue, geographic market diversification and currency income diversification.”

The possibilities are endless as technology has stretched the boundaries creating the space for JA105FM to be truly unbeatable, but that’s just me telling you what I would do if given the opportunity to set this up,” concludes Antonio

With the 2012 all media survey due out in a few weeks, a better picture will be had as to how the incumbents are faring. Early reports are however not favorable for theses incumbents. Stay tuned to this website for more.BM

See also

https://businessuiteonline.com/2012/09/03/and-ja105fm-makes-27-butch-stewarts-jamaica-observer-to-launch-ja105fm-before-yearend/