Why do you play so many adverts?

Boom receives no funding from the BBC licence fee, so we rely on advertising to cover our costs. Running a radio station is expensive - we have to pay presenters, transmitter fees, technicians, producers, marketing staff and royalties to the musicians whose music you hear.

However, we play considerably fewer adverts than most commercial stations, and we plan to keep it that way. The amount varies day to day, but our ceiling remains as it's always been.

Without advertising, Boom simply couldn't exist. The adverts don't spoil Boom - they make it possible.

 

Why are adverts repeated so often?

Most Boom listeners dip in and out throughout the day, with many listening for under an hour. Advertisers want their message heard by as many people as possible, several times, so it's remembered. If you're a regular listener, you'll naturally hear them more frequently than casual listeners.

 

I don't like one of the adverts - can you stop it?

Most of the adverts you hear aren't sold directly by us. They're bought and sold across many stations, and not all listeners hear the same ones. This means we can't control which particular adverts you hear. However, all campaigns do come to an end, so it will stop eventually.

 

Why are some adverts not aimed at people my age?

We hope many of the adverts on Boom are relevant to you, and we do receive frequent enquiries from listeners asking about products they've heard advertised.

However, a large proportion of adverts aren't sold directly by us. They're bought by agencies running campaigns across many different stations with different audiences, and we're included in those packages - a bit like ITV or billboard advertising.

This means you may occasionally hear advertising that uses language or a style that doesn't feel like 'our generation'. The good news is that they all still help pay for the station you're listening to.

 

Why do adverts have fast talking at the end?

Certain announcements are required by law or for compliance reasons - like the small print on posters. If they weren't spoken quickly, they'd take up so much time that few advertisers would use radio at all.

We believe many of these announcements serve little purpose and are disproportionately burdensome. Research supports this view. We've made representations on this issue, but with little success so far.

 

Can I pay a subscription to hear Boom without adverts?

We're not set up to offer this at present. The infrastructure would be too complex and expensive for a standalone station like ours. This approach to funding is relatively new and not yet fully proven. In the meantime, we play far fewer adverts than most radio stations.

 

Why do some adverts mention places I don't live?

When you're listening online, the system tries to detect roughly where you are and serve relevant local adverts. Sometimes, because of your broadband connection, it thinks you're somewhere else. Try reconnecting or listening on a different device to see if that helps.

 

Why do you have adverts about wills and funeral services?

We understand this can feel uncomfortable, but we strictly limit the amount of such advertising - more so than many TV channels. It's natural that these organisations advertise on a station whose listeners are largely over 55. The income helps keep us on air, and many of the charities do valuable work.

 

How do I complain about an advert I think breaks the rules?

Please get in touch by clicking here.