Virgin Radio and RFM expand their networks

Welcome to the Virgin Radio and RFM community!

As of September, Virgin Radio & RFM are undergoing a transformation to become the first multi-platform, totally interactive, fully participatory radio stations.

Through a series of technological developments Involving broadcasting, mobile telephony and social networking sites, Virgin Radio & RFM listeners can now take control of both stations.

Beginning in September, Virgin Radio & RFM listeners will be able to vote, make comments, influence and transform music programming in real time using their iPhones via virginradio.fr, rfm.fr and dedicated widgets on their blogs and social networking sites – 24 hours per day!
In fact, Virgin Radio and RFM technology will take listeners’ votes, comments and choices into account on a continuous basis.
This new form of interactivity, with a direct link to the very heart of the two stations, will transform programming in real time!

• Virgin Radio & RFM listeners will be able to incorporate their own musical productions into the playlists of both networks through voting by the Virgin Radio and RFM communities.
• Virgin Radio & RFM listeners can vote on their Facebook pages, via their iPhone and on both stations’ websites to decide whether or not new titles should be added to the playlist.
• Virgin Radio & RFM listeners can track their stations’ music programming developments directly, in real time, on Twitter and Facebook.
• By installing their stations’ widgets, Virgin Radio and RFM listeners will be able to follow the comments of the entire community in real time on their Facebook, MySpace and Twitter pages, blogs, websites and smartphones.
• Virgin Radio & RFM listeners will be able to choose and produce the next music sensation via My Major Company: After the success of Grégoire, a My Major Company discovery who became a landmark RFM artist, and Joyce Jonathan, another My Major Company sensation who got her start on Virgin Radio this summer, Virgin Radio and RFM listeners will be able to launch the careers of their favourite new talents on the My Major Company label.
• Virgin Radio & RFM listeners can not only vote for their favourite artist, they can also become one of his or her producers: The new artist’s first album will receive optimal exposure on Virgin Radio and RFM, and the artist will benefit from partnerships, on-air broadcasts of their titles, promotional campaigns, interviews, special showcase performances and more. My Major Company, Virgin Radio and RFM strongly encourage new talents to express themselves by participating in this venture.
• Virgin Radio & RFM listeners can design, create and produce – and then help choose – Virgin Radio’s next advertising spots: This fall, Virgin Radio and the eYeka community will organize a competition open to all, with the objective of creating Virgin Radio’s next advertising spots. Awards will be given for the most creative entries. In addition, the winning spot – chosen by listeners and a judging panel of media and public relations professionals – will become the centrepiece of the official Virgin Radio campaign, to be featured on the Internet and TV.

Sam Zniber, Programming Director of Lagardère Active’s music radio stations business segment and vice president for programming of Lagardère Radio Active Radio International, had this to say: “There were three of us in music programming meetings; but now, millions* of listeners will decide on the music to be broadcast each day on Virgin Radio and RFM.”

* 2008-09 sample group, aged 13 and up/Copyright Médiamétrie – All rights reserved
Maximum coverage – 13-and-up demographic; 5 am-midnight, Monday-Sunday – 21 days, all locations