Airtime and Sponsorship 2018
COWES RADIO 2018 Cowes Radio - is an award winning, special event radio station, broadcasting under an Ofcom Restricted Service Licence, providing unique information and entertainment services at the Cowes Week regatta. Now in its 33 rd consecutive year, it is the world's most successful and longest running radio station of its kind with its inimitable blend of entertainment and enlightenment around the 1000 boats, 10,000 participants and 150,000 spectators. For 2018 the station will be again broadcasting in FM stereo on 87.7 FM across the wide Solent racing areas, and streamed around the world on the Internet, including Facebook Live. We also work in conjunction with Cowes TV, the video streaming service, providing talent and their audio output synchronised with the vision. Our preview programming goes live on the Internet in July before the event. FM broadcasting goes on air Friday August 3 rd for preview programming, archive broadcasts from the past and information, with full Cowes Week racing coverage from the Breakfast Show at 0700 on Saturday August 4 th Non-stop, 24-hrs a day coverage until the end of the world s premier regatta on August 11 th. Cowes Radio - Commands a large and highly responsive audience. For competing yachtsmen the station provides essential weather, news and race information, such as official broadcast of the racecourses from the platform of the Royal Yacht Squadron - with official course and race information notification for all classes. Cowes Radio For those around the world who can t be there, the online global audience figures run into many thousands. More than a million minutes were downloaded in 2016 with around 82% from the UK, 8% Europe and the rest of the world principally being the US, Canada, Australia, NZ (and even Kazakhstan). Our FM listeners in the Solent region, many tune in loyally every year from the beaches around the Solent, exceed 100,000, with the IOW tourism office estimates of 150,000 plus visitors, and more anticipated for 2018. Cowes Radio - Provides detailed local sailing weather reports from our dedicated expert marine meteorologist, tide times, full race results and includes essential regatta information for competitor, spectator and resident. Cowes Radio - Live, on-water commentaries of all the sailing action giving minute-by-minute live information to competitors and spectators from a fully instrumented commentary boat and our unique privileged position on the Royal Yacht Squadron platform, direct from our raceexperienced commentators. Cowes Radio - Interviews the skippers, the crews, organisers, winners and losers, celebrities and characters that gives up-to the minute comment and knowledge from the people who matter. Cowes Radio - Offers competitions, fun and games plus a social guide, and is the primary source of finding a daily what s on, and who s doing what ; a real pop-up community radio station!
TO REACH A UNIQUE AUDIENCE Cowes Radio can provide bespoke sponsorship packages to assist the positioning of any product or service (see separate advertising rates document for details). From previous independent surveys, Cowes Radio awareness and reach locally was more than 83% - a very high figure, an indicator of the level of interest and listenership. 1. Station title sponsorship Cowes Radio could be your company s own radio station for the duration of the regatta. Do you want to put your name in front of 150,000+ visitors and 10,000 participants of the most influential people in the UK while they are at play? then put your name on the radio station, and on everyone s lips. Past station title sponsors include Volkswagen, Skandia and Charles Stanley Direct. 2. Sponsorship of Feature Items Creating name and brand-awareness in a structured form. Several of the individual programmes segments are available for sponsorship; clients will also receive interview opportunities and spot advertisements throughout the day s programming as well as commercial online presence. You can choose to be associated to the live weather forecasts, race information, course announcements, classified results, tide times, news bulletins, time checks and individual programmes, plus many more features that can be tailored to suit. 3. Spot Advertising Traditional advertising packages can be designed and produced for sponsors to convey a detailed, specific set of messages and brand awareness campaigns. Rates, despite the extensive reach and ABC1 audience, are less than Independent Local Radio figures. Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and other packages available. See our separate ratecard. 4. On line Pre-roll commercials, streaming player branding skinning, banners and web links on the Cowes Radio website that attracts a worldwide following. More than 1 million minutes downloaded, with many thousands logging on every day to follow the action. 5. Competitions A select number of opportunities are available for sponsors looking to bring their products to public attention. Guaranteed promotional spots, live presentations on air and, if applicable, use and endorsement by commentators and presenters. 6. Advertorial Interviews Advertorial interview-based features can be produced to expand your message, explain your product to the Cowes Week and yachting market and introduce senior figures in your business to their potential clients. For maximum results, incorporate within an overall advertising campaign
PROGRAMMING 7 am BREAKFAST SHOW Hosted by Roger Price with detailed weather forecasts, tide times, classified race results - sponsored by Hamble Yacht Services - news summaries, a look forward at the day's events in store, competitions and on special occasions, our exclusive gossip columnist, Clarissa of Cowes who could well have been on the prowl at last night s ball! 10 am COWES COMMENTARY Live and alive, the all-important sequence of vital race information and commentary from ashore at the unique Cowes Radio commentary position on the Royal Yacht Squadron Race Officer's Platform and afloat in the specially equipped, fully instrumented Cowes Radio commentary boat. All the information is brought to you by a team comprising of the cream of the country s top sailing journalists. 1 pm LIQUID LUNCH If racing allows, an occasional break in the commentary with a careful balance of music and chat with the people left ashore. A prime opportunity to air interviews with sponsors, advertisers and celebrities who are in town for the Regatta. Hosted by Chris Carnegy, and still interwoven with all the action from the water. 2 pm COWES COMMENTARY Live coverage continues as the winners and losers come home, and our team brings you the Hamble Yacht Services sponsored race results as they happen and its trophy winners, plus interviews and commentary as the action allows. All the action that deserves Cowes Radio's unique coverage. 5 pm REGATTA REPORT Especially for those who have been concentrating on their own racing, but want to hear the full results and to find out just what went on elsewhere on the race course. Our waterwise host interviews people at the centre of the day s action, visiting celebrities, classified race results sponsored by Hamble Yacht Services - and full, expert analysis of the progress of the regatta from our team and competitors. 7 pm INTO THE EVENING The accent is on music, and a leisurely review of the day on the water. Into the Evening programme includes race results, and any late changes due to protest meetings, weather forecasts for the next day, plus special reports on the social scene from the parties and balls around town.
10 pm ACTION REPLAY A repeat of the entire day's commentary for the benefit of those who weren't able to compete, too embroiled in their own racing to find out what was going on around them, and as an update for those who haven't been able to take part in Cowes Week and returning home after a day at work. And for those in Oceania 12 hours ahead of Cowes! LIVE INTERNET BROADCASTING - 24 hours a day Following our success over the past decade on the Internet - we have recorded listeners in America, Pacific Isles, New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Europe and throughout Britain - Cowes Radio will again be available live across the world. Streamed on the Cowes Week site, and various websites, as well as on Facebook Live. Even more exposure is being actively negotiated for the 2017 edition. One million minutes streamed from our site alone during the Week period. PREVIEW PROGRAMMING Broadcasting commences online a month before Cowes Week itself to bring previews and information to light, and delving into the archives for some classic Cowes Radio moments from the past 30 odd years. This provides a great opportunity for advertisers to promote their message to the audiences before the event starts, highlighting their own Cowes Week activities.
ADVERTISING and SPONSORSHIP SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES Highly effective sponsorship opportunities exist, varying in cost dependent on their frequency and level of importance to the listener. These receive a set of specially crafted, voiced, and musical jingles if deemed suitable, when introducing or back referring the feature with specifically worded credits. They comprise: The Results Sequence Broadcast on a regular basis, as and when received, plus the complete day s top ten results sequence three times daily, split into two or three segments. Featured within the Breakfast Show, afternoon and evening programming. At least 34 credits every day. The Weather Forecast A dedicated sailing broadcast live every hour from our acknowledged marine weather expert, a vital part of the sailor s diet, carefully timed and a very popular programme segment. Includes the Gold advertising package. Broadcast twice an hour in the Breakfast Show, then once an hour, receiving at least 16 spots per day plus overnight bonus. *** Breakfast Show The Breakfast Show with Roger Price wakes all with a bright mix of the Hamble Yacht Services sponsored race results, dedicated weather forecasts, maritime information and music, Clarissa of Cowes and more. Minimum of four spots an hour for the 2.5 hours of the Breakfast Show plus a further 12 spots throughout the day and a separate Silver advertising airtime package. Race Courses Broadcast every ten minutes throughout the crucial start sequences every day of racing for three hours, and compulsory listening for race crews. A rare commercial spot during the peak listening times of race starts commentaries. Up to 40 spots per day Regatta Report An entertaining speech-based programme reviewing the days racing and classified results, interviews with the winners and celebrities, plus trophy presentations. At least four spots an hour during the programme, plus promotions during the day, minimum 20 spots per day plus overnight bonus. Into the Evening A leisurely mix of themed music, reports, highlights from the day and race results. 20 spots per day.
Other opportunities: Competition Packages Packages are available for sponsors wanting to bring their products to public attention. Includes guaranteed promotion spots, highlighted presentations and outside broadcasts from your stand or location, plus feature interviews. Web Banners, Pre-rolls and Links Traditional banners, online streamed commercials and branded skinned players all available in and around the Cowes Radio hosted web pages, that attract huge numbers of viewers and downloaded minutes throughout the period. Preview Programming We stream speech programming with a blend of forthcoming 2018 preview features and archive material from the past 30 years for the month prior to the event. This is ideal, for example, to publicise services or products for the competitor and targeting the audience worldwide during the build up to the Week. *** Some of our sponsored programming segments are also broadcast on the live TV feed Cowes TV - we provide the on-air talent, audio commentaries and produce/direct the overall output. These opportunities can be negotiated as a benefit of joint operation. Please email for further details.
Join the Professionals: Creators, commentators and presenters of the only 24-hour special events radio station exclusively for Cowes Week since 1985! See separate rate card for full 2018 pricing details. To be a part of this unique opportunity contact: Steve Ancsell, Airwaves Media Productions Ltd Tel: 01489 578850 Mob: 07860 446003 Email: steve@cowesradio.co.uk Website: www.cowesradio.co.uk the Heart of the Regatta