Re: Fixed? Radio has Already Been Fixed - or is that Neutered
I think there are some things wrong with radio, but not to the extend of pulling my hair out and running around in circles screeching "woe is me."
What's wrong?
Start with companies that thought consolidation would save lots of money. It generally does not. There are a few savings, mostly in things like insurance coverage, shared building facilities, etc. But running a station that appeals to listeners requires good programming. Many here have differing views of what good programming is, but this is an issue
Next, the profusion of stations due to Docket 80-90 and move-ins and such. I spend time in one market about 160 in size and another about size 200. The quality of radio in those markets is just deplorable because they have too many stations for the local market economies to support. This, much more than any administrative or business issues, has caused smaller market radio to decline, making, in many cases, it impossible to spend doing local programming or even to have live staff much of the time.
Then, radio is not watching the ball on new technology. The good programming can be distributed in any way known or to be developed, including things like WiMax. Instead, folks moan about satellite, which is pretty much a non-issue.
Then there is the issue of talent development. Excessive competiton beyond what local revenues will support has dried up quite significantly the use of live talent in many small markets. It is amazing to see stations in top 10 markets having to put trainees with no radio experience on the air due to the lack of applicants because the small market stations are on the satellite when they used to have the fresh talent...
I could go on, but this is a sample of the stuff I bring up in meetings and discussions.
Then, there is what is right about radio. Despite all the alternatives for entertainment, 18-54 cume is off only about 2% in the last 10 years in the top 100 markets. In TSL, the loss is about 7% to 8%, which is not bad. There are now 120 million game consoles, hundreds of cable alternatives, Internet (not just streaming... doing things like spending time on MySpace take time), iPods, satellite and so on that collectively offer lots of good, competitive alternatives. Still, radio looks good and billings have not fallen (and were up in every year but 3 in the last 46 years).
SirRoxalot said:
I think there are some things wrong with radio, but not to the extend of pulling my hair out and running around in circles screeching "woe is me."
What's wrong?
Start with companies that thought consolidation would save lots of money. It generally does not. There are a few savings, mostly in things like insurance coverage, shared building facilities, etc. But running a station that appeals to listeners requires good programming. Many here have differing views of what good programming is, but this is an issue
Next, the profusion of stations due to Docket 80-90 and move-ins and such. I spend time in one market about 160 in size and another about size 200. The quality of radio in those markets is just deplorable because they have too many stations for the local market economies to support. This, much more than any administrative or business issues, has caused smaller market radio to decline, making, in many cases, it impossible to spend doing local programming or even to have live staff much of the time.
Then, radio is not watching the ball on new technology. The good programming can be distributed in any way known or to be developed, including things like WiMax. Instead, folks moan about satellite, which is pretty much a non-issue.
Then there is the issue of talent development. Excessive competiton beyond what local revenues will support has dried up quite significantly the use of live talent in many small markets. It is amazing to see stations in top 10 markets having to put trainees with no radio experience on the air due to the lack of applicants because the small market stations are on the satellite when they used to have the fresh talent...
I could go on, but this is a sample of the stuff I bring up in meetings and discussions.
Then, there is what is right about radio. Despite all the alternatives for entertainment, 18-54 cume is off only about 2% in the last 10 years in the top 100 markets. In TSL, the loss is about 7% to 8%, which is not bad. There are now 120 million game consoles, hundreds of cable alternatives, Internet (not just streaming... doing things like spending time on MySpace take time), iPods, satellite and so on that collectively offer lots of good, competitive alternatives. Still, radio looks good and billings have not fallen (and were up in every year but 3 in the last 46 years).