Radio stations: We're still relevant in the Internet age

LAS VEGAS--Over-the-air radio broadcasters have a plan to stay relevant even as their listeners continue to migrate to the Web.

(Credit: Radioheardhere.com)

Radio Heard Here, a new initiative from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the HD Digital Radio Alliance is focused largely on trying to convince the public that radio remains relevant.

The plan calls for a public-relations campaign, including video ads on YouTube, and a method to connect players online. But there's little real meat. In reality, it's a response to those skeptical about the industry's chances to survive in the Internet era who have lately given radio plenty of static.

BusinessWeek's Jon Fine wrote a column in February titled "Requiem for Old-Time Radio."

Without even getting into the problems the iPod has posed, Fine notes that revenues are plunging and listeners are leaving. The Internet has turned countless people into disc jockeys and enabled them to compete with traditional radio stations. And radio's carefully controlled and limited playlists compare unfavorably with the vast array of music available on the Web.

"The explosion in both expression and availability, first on independent labels and now everywhere, thanks to the Internet," Fine wrote, "began overtaking commercial radio stations well over 20 years ago."

Naturally, radio broadcasters don't see it that way. They note that radio still plays a huge part in people's lives, during their work commutes, for example. They point to the development of high-definition radio and how automakers are starting to adopt the technology. They maintain that commercial radio can and will fit nicely on the Web.

NAB CEO David Rehr told an audience at the NAB 2008 conference here Monday that what radio has always offered is "connection" to listeners. "Technology hasn't changed that," Rehr said. "It has just changed the devices of delivery."

[jbcahill]

Tuned out

They are living a life of wishful thinking. With all the tech podcasts <br />and Indie music podcasts, I haven't listed to over the air corporate <br />radio in almost 3 years. As more and more people discover <br />podcasts radio is going to become less and less relevant.

[ddesy]

Why do they have a problem?

The article sums it up for me in one line: <br /><br />"And radio's carefully controlled and limited playlists compare unfavorably with the vast array of music available on the Web."<br /><br />Note the "carefully controlled and limited" part. I don't expect radio to have everything under the sun, but over the air radio is largely limited to the current pop/rap/flavor of the month type music in many markets. If it were spiced up a bit, maybe more people would listen!<br /><br />I would gladly go back to the superior sound quality of FM over satellite radio if the music were better.

[42istheanswer]

Never go back

I listen to podcasts and 'other' music found in the dark recesses of the net that will NEVER be played 'over the air'. When I'm unfortunate enough to run out of battery in my player, I switch on the radio and it makes me cringe. It's crap. Until now I didn't realize how crappy it always was. Long live freedom of choice...

[planetboom]

I remember a time...

I remember always having the radio on, no matter what I was <br />doing, because I was waiting for the hot, new song. I loved finding <br />new music on radio. The problem today is that radio is so homogenized and afraid of playing anything not already a proven <br />hit. Radio used to make and break new music. Now it simply <br />regurgitates the same, ad nauseum. That's the problem!

[TV James]

Public-Relations campaign = Ad campaign

Advertising is one of the main things that drove me away from broadcast radio.<br /><br />We DVR nearly everything we watch. And we turn down the sound when there's a pre-roll ad on something we want to watch online.<br /><br />And we're teaching our 3-year-old to sing "lalalala" through any ads.<br /><br />When we want music, we tune to the music channels on our cable TV service or to my paid LaunchCast subscription.<br /><br />A "public-relations campaign" won't work on me because I'm not interested in having future relations with broadcast radio.

[Kainchild]

An Excuse to get you to switch to Paid Radio

This just a subtle excuse by the major companies that just happen to own both the public rradio stations AND the satillite ones to switch over to the paid versions. They are going to go off about how they can't compete with the internet and make the public believe that nobody listens to public radio. I hate to break this to you but as long as people out there drive cars, there will always be people listening to public radio. Don't let these radio companies decieve you into thinking public radio is dead. <br /><br />It's just their way of getting people to change over to paid radio so they can make EVEN MORE MONEY since not only is there advertising on these stations but you also have to pay just to hear them. It's double profit at the expense of the listener.