Streaming platform: Scaglione revives original brand 105

The images were "unsurpassable in brutality" when, in early 2014, his company, Music First Network, had to deposit its balance sheet and the radio stations it operated were closed, Scaglione said. In the equally brutal, empty period that followed, he said, at some point he had to face a choice: Crash and let himself go - or gather all his strength and run again.

He opted for the latter. For Scaglione, the period of absence also had a decisive advantage: he only really recognized the "epochal change" in the media world when he looked at it from the outside. He is referring to the "headphone generation," which consumes the omnipresent music very selectively due to the exploding smartphone density. "Streaming is the radio of the 21st century," the 105 founder is convinced.

However, Scaglione sees a major problem with the established streaming services such as Spotify or the "100,000 web radios": The large selection of music, channels and services overwhelms users. A certain amount of choice is good, but infinite choice is not. Lighthouse brands" would provide a remedy, and Scaglione wants to jump into this niche with his old, established Brand 105. He was able to secure the brand rights for Switzerland from the Italian brand owners.

The interactive streaming platform "my105" is launched on May 28. On eight channels for the time being, users can get to their favorite sound "with a click" via the app and web platform. Designed for the target group of 15- to 39-year-olds, users can select styles such as hip hop, rock, lounge, Swiss music or current charts. Scaglione wants to score points with the clear differentiation from the widespread streaming offers: The music is not selected by algorithms, but by people who could surprise the listeners. These would be accompanied through the day with "soft moderations" - an alternative to the anonymity of the streaming services. In Swiss German - the local positioning is also to be increasingly underlined later by events and community proximity. The community idea takes a central position: Listeners can not only rate the music played and thus influence the rotation, but as an innovation also upload audio messages and have them played. "Scaglione is convinced that this is a unique combination of community and editorial staff.

my105" is financed by Giuseppe Scaglione and his wife Paola Libera. In addition, keypartners Seat, Manor, Sobu.ch and Amavita are already involved at the start. Further money is to be earned with audio spots integrated into the program (pre-roll, in-stream), through exclusive banner placements and promotions. For the time being, the entire offer is free of charge, but paid premium accounts are possible in the future.

Scaglione also personally takes care of the music selection and provides overall management over a team of various professionals located in the country and probably mainly abroad. "my105" is purely cloud-based and does without shared premises. The new flexibility - online, rather than traditional radio business - opens up a completely new cost structure, explains Scaglione. When asked by a journalist what Roger Schawinski, with his Planet 105, actually has to say about the new 105 project, he replies with a twinkle in his eye, "Roger will probably be thrilled!" If there were still disagreements, however, he would suggest to Schawinski that he change the name, because: "That would be consistent." In principle, however, he sees no problems, because Planet 105 is focused on Zurich, while "my105" is aimed first at the whole of German-speaking Switzerland, and later also at French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. In principle, however, the service can be used worldwide.

Thomas Häusermann