Radio sales teams face claims of discounting

Agencies are claiming that some radio sales teams are handing out larger discounts than usual as an incentive to clients to keep their ad spend within radio.

National advertisers' radio ad spend is predicted to be down by 12% year on year in Q2, as the credit crunch takes its toll on advertisers' and consumers' confidence.

Amanda Barrett, radio engagement specialist at Universal McCann, said: "The market isn't flying right now, so sales teams have to come up with more incentives to get clients onboard."

John McGeough, GCap Media trading and business devolvement director, denied GCap is engaged in such practices, adding: "We have a reasonably fixed supply in radio and giving anything away really cheap right now would take away the integrity of our sales proposition."