The new R101 is born

Today sees the debut of the new R101. The radio station of the Mondadori Group presents a completely renovated schedule that puts the energy of music at its heart. A big change, accompanied also by a new logo and a range of other new features for listeners.

“Radio has always been one of the priorities of our Group,” underlined Ernesto Mauri, chief executive of the Mondadori Group. “And with the launch of the new R101 we have decided to significantly intensify our presence in the radio market: a sector in which we want to play a leading role by introducing the best skills in music programming and the maximum innovation in terms of content and listening options,” Mauri concluded.

It is on this basis that Mario Volanti, founder and chairman of the Radio Italia group, and Marco Pontini, general manger of marketing and sales – to whom Mondadori has entrusted the content and marketing of R101 and who will take on the roles of deputy chairman and director of content and marketing respectively – today presented the radio’s new editorial line, developed together with Carlo Mandelli, managing director of Monradio.

“In this period, along with Marco Pontini, we have been working on the repositioning of the station and the relaunch of the image in general of R101,” declared Mario Volanti. “Already today you can appreciate the return of music to the centre, the very heart of the station, as was agreed for the new editorial line of R101. But above all it will be the continuity of daily programming in the coming weeks that more an more people will be able to rediscover their favourite music.”

R101 – THE MUSIC

R101 is reborn with the power and energy of music; a significant change, starting from the logo and the new pay off “The music”, that will accompany all of the output and a surprising cross-media advertising campaign, developed by LGM – Young & Rubicam Group, on the air from 27 March with a soundtrack by James Blunt who has chosen R101 as the partner for his upcoming Italian summer tour.

The ironic and irreverent spot, promises good music. “Life is too short to listen to rubbish music, choose the right radio” and it is precisely this more direct claim that is the real promise of R101: to provide good music.

A SPECIAL BAND FOR THE RADIO’S NEW JINGLE
In line with the objective, the radio’s new jingle has been commissioned from a pool of outstanding musicians who have all made a personal contribution, with their voices and instruments and given life to an original Italian band, brought together for this special occasion to give a welcome to the new R101.

Playing on the new jingle for R101 were Saturnino, legendary bass player and close friend of Lorenzo Jovanotti, Claudio Dirani the drummer from Modà, as well as the incredible guitar and voice of Alex Britti, the unmistakable piano and voice of Raphael Gualazzi and the voices of singers of the calibre of Giorgia, Francesco Sarcina, Marco Mengoni, Kekko Silvestre from Modà, Mario Biondi, Arisa and Zucchero.

ON TOUR WITH ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL MUSIC
In order to reinforce the radio’s link with Italian and international music, listeners will be able to enjoy tours that R101 has supported in the first phase of the relauch. Starting with Francesco Sarcina, fresh from success at the Sanremo Festival, moving on with James Blunt and Simple Minds, who have chosen R101 as their official radio, and then what everyone acknowledges will be the international musical event of the 2014: the concert by the Rolling Stones at the Circo Massimo in Rome, scheduled for 22 June.

For this special occasion 101 lucky listeners will win tickets for the concert through a competition that will certify their loyalty to the radio.

R101 will also be the partner of an event on 23 April at the Theater at Madison Square Garden and will give two luck listeners a trip to New York where Zucchero will play a special gig with guests including Elisa, Fiorella Mannoia, Jovanotti and Sting.

R101 AND SPORT
A new site R101.it, where you can find previews of spots, jingles and a range of other treats for listeners, a new app and the promotion of all the radio’s activities on social networks providing a daily account of what’s happening at the station and strengthening its relationship across the country thanks to partnerships with some of the most important sporting events.

Thanks to collaboration with Sport 09, R101 will also present on the jerseys of Genoa Calcio and along the sides of the fields in the stadiums of eight Serie A teams: Genoa, Lazio, Sampdoria, Udinese, Cagliari, Fiorentina, Atalanta and Chievo.

R101 is also a partner of the city run the Stramilano and the Giro d’Italia.

PARTNERSHIPS WITH TV PROGRAMMES
But it’s not just sport, there are also partnerships with TV events. In fact the radio station will be a partner of some of the Mediaset Group’s biggest events. And the first news is that R101 will soon be back on Italia1, SUPERCLASSIFICA, the new edition of the music programme that more than any other has marked the history of music on TV, while Grande Fratello, on Canale 5, will, for the first time, host a radio point inside the house.

R101 is available at www.R101.it

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