Spain’s RTVE to launch children’s Internet radio

Spanish public broadcaster RTVE is set to launch a children’s app-based radio service in a bid to connect with a significant group of potential listeners often overlooked by the medium of radio.

Clan Radio, which will go live by the end of the year, is to be available via IP radio only, and there are no plans to broadcast on FM or DAB+.

RTVE’s Multimedia Content Director Ignacio Gomez said cost limitations and the fact that kids generally listen online were decisive factors behind the Internet-only delivery strategy.

Gomez said the look and feel of Clan Radio will echo RTVE’s Clan TV, which has been airing content for Spain’s children and teenagers since its launch in 2005. The channel broadcasts round the clock, with a notable portion of programming being in English.

“There has been a good sustainable offer for children on television and online for some time now, but what about radio? We have seven million under 14s in Spain, which is a market worth targeting,” said Gomez.

He added that features such as curated playlists would expose young listeners, who are typically quite narrow in their tastes, to new music and a variety of content that they would otherwise miss. 

“These young people are the adult audience of tomorrow, and it will be easier to engage with them as adults when they have had a relationship with RTVE since childhood,” he said.

Mr Gomez presented the Clan Radio concept at European Broadcasting Union’s first Knowledge Exchange forum in Barcelona, on 30 September.