<\/strong>its conception, radio has had a profound impact on society. It is the vehicle that brought, and still brings, music from one culture to another, creating a curiosity for diversity and opportunities for so many less privileged artists. The connectivity and community support radio offers is incredible and consistent, even though how we do radio is ever-changing,\u201d says Jared Thompson, vice president of content for Blinder, an Auckland, New Zealand, communications and media tech firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRadio can provide a rallying point during pandemics, moments of national turmoil and natural disasters and as a vital source of news as local newspapers decline. In fact, a radio station\u2019s strongest asset is its connection to a community, says Donna Halper, an associate professor of communication and media studies at Lesley University: \u201cSuccessful stations have relatable personalities who are plugged into the community. [They] are live and local as much as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But radio is facing some stark challenges. Digital and on-demand formats, televisions, smartphones, tablets and computers have largely superseded it as a medium of choice. Platforms such as Spotify and Pandora give consumers access to the songs they want, with no commercials. Larry Miller, head of New York University\u2019s Steinhart Music Business Program, reported in 2017 that AM\/FM radio was less influential than YouTube, Spotify and Pandora as a source of music discovery among music fans 12 to 24 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online listening continues to grow in almost every age demographic. Most new cars are connected to digital services, leaving AM\/FM as just one of several audio options for drivers and passengers. And some home smart speaker systems don\u2019t even have an AM\/FM antenna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2020 was when \u201cthe in-car AM\/FM radio hit the proverbial iceberg,\u201d says Derek Viita, a senior analyst with technology research firm Strategy Analytics Inc. \u201cWhile radio still has unique advantages, the pandemic has only worked to increase the adoption of other media sources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A need to adopt and adapt<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nSo is radio becoming, as one consultant suggests, \u201can artifact of an older generation?\u201d Many experts assert that radio can stay relevant if it adapts to changing tastes and technology. That means adopting digital infrastructure, adapting to non-linear channels and even delivering video content. After all, the medium still reaches more Americans every week than any other platform measured by The Nielsen Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Radio service providers can compete by embracing internet and mobile data services that let listeners personalize their experience in the car, when most out-of-home listening happens. As one example, apps can let out-of-town listeners connect to a local broadcast stream to follow a hometown game or other event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As another example, NPR aims to make every feature story monthly, weekly and daily content on its website, social media, podcasts, broadcasts and video-on-demand platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital disruption as a plus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cThe story about the demise of radio is false,\u201d Halper asserts. Far from extinguishing radio, \u201cdigital disruption has enhanced our connection to our listeners and to our community. It has kept radio on its feet,\u201d argues an article posted by Leighton Broadcasting, which adds, \u201cThe thought that digital disruption has eroded \u2018traditional\u2019 media\u2019s reach and relevance is one of the biggest misconceptions about technology. Mobile apps, Alexa skills and social media have in fact expanded the reach and opportunity for engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jerry Del Colliano, a professor at New York University Steinhardt School, predicts that new opportunities for local ownership will arise as money-losing corporations divest from properties: \u201cLocal operators may be the salvation of radio. After the [giant conglomerate owners] are gone, the small owners who remain will be able to reinvent the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Radio has been threatened before, by the advent of \u201ctalking pictures\u201d in the 1920s, television in the 1940s and social media in the 2010s. It has become what radio producer N. Ramakrishnan describes as \u201cthe ultimate survivor, adapting itself to the tastes of the newer generations of listeners and absorbing newer technologies.\u201d Today, Leighton asserts, \u201cthe future of radio is brighter than most believe,\u201d for those willing to enhance their web presence and expand digital content. \u201cPay attention to the changes in mobile usage and keep tabs on how your audience is listening, and then find the way that radio fits in,\u201d the St. Cloud, Minn.-based radio station owner advises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Managed properly, Halper says, \u201cradio can still speak to today\u2019s audience,\u201d and if the industry invests in strong and compelling digital services, Miller says, it \u201ccan look forward to a robust future built on the strong foundation it already has in the marketplace leveraging the medium\u2019s great reach, habitual listenership, local presence and brands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The platform\u2019s <\/strong>\u201ccapacity to keep people company and improve mood cannot be overestimated,\u201dadds Graham Dixon, a media organization advisor and former head of radio for the European Broadcasting Union.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Radio was once a premier source of information and entertainment. Starting in 1920 with the world\u2019s first commercial radio station in Pittsburgh, the medium grew to more than 44,000 stations worldwide 100 years later and reached 70% of the world\u2019s population by 2016, according to the United Nations. \u201cFrom its conception, radio has had a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":34314,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_s2mail":"yes","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1316,3059],"class_list":["post-34313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-communication","tag-radio"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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