Digital listening growing, radio slipping

An increasing number of people are turning to computers or portable players for music, even though traditional radio still leads the competition, a recent market study has indicated.

In March 2005, approximately 77.2 million customers listened to music stored on a computer, up 22 percent from 63.2 million during the same month last year, according to a report from market researcher The NPD Group. The study also found that online radio stations had 53.5 million listeners this March, up from 45.3 million a year ago. Free streaming of music also saw gains, with a rise of 37 percent, to 46 million listeners.

Though radio continued to be the preferred medium, the number of consumers listening to radio fell by 4 percent in March 2005 to 194 million, down from 203 million a year earlier. The survey was carried out among 5,000 consumers aged 13 and above.

"The rise of digital listening and storage for music continues unabated this year," Russ Crupnick, president of the Music and Movies division at NPD, said in a statement. "Technology companies are providing new tools to consumers in the form of powerful music-enabled PCs and portable music players; music companies are answering the call for more content; and consumers are responding positively."

More and more tech companies are boosting their music business, encouraged by the dramatic popularity of Apple's iTunes store and iPod music players. Earlier this week, Yahoo launched a new subscription music service.

According to the NPD survey, the number of consumers who rip music onto their computers has more than doubled since March 2004. Also, there was a substantial (127 percent) increase in transfer of music to MP3 players since last year. A 93 percent increase in paid music downloads during the same period indicates an increasing acceptance of the online medium, NPD said.

[NWLB]

Death to Clear Ch. and The Cloudy Ones.

Ironically I got Abitron diaries for this rating period. What they'll learn is that in this nook of Ohio, I don't listen to any of the local stations. The Big AM stations out of Columbus and Detroit get all my air-time.

When that isn't true, the APR affil. that ownes the entire quarter of this state, down to Cincy gets the speakers.

When all four CC stations are all at commercial at the same time, and last for more than five minutes at a run, you can't get any darned music anyway. You can jog, walk, or drive to that.

NWLB
****
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.nwlb.net" target="_newWindow">http://www.nwlb.net</a>

[NWLB]

Death to Clear Ch. and The Cloudy Ones.

Ironically I got Abitron diaries for this rating period. What they'll learn is that in this nook of Ohio, I don't listen to any of the local stations. The Big AM stations out of Columbus and Detroit get all my air-time.

When that isn't true, the APR affil. that ownes the entire quarter of this state, down to Cincy gets the speakers.

When all four CC stations are all at commercial at the same time, and last for more than five minutes at a run, you can't get any darned music anyway. You can jog, walk, or drive to that.

NWLB
****
<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.nwlb.net" target="_newWindow">http://www.nwlb.net</a>

[Earl Benser]

Radio is no longer needed.

The selection of programming available on broadcast radio
rarely meets my interests. Satellite radio could be better, but the
monthly fee is a very strong negaive. What does work is an MP3
player and a collection of MP3 files. The player w=is either a CD
player which can play the MP3 format or my 'Super iPod' - a
laptop with iTunes and 30 GB of music and audio book files
which I like, and which can play through the car stereo system.

So I lose the news, which rarely is reported. I also lose the
commercials, which hardly leave room for music. And I also lose
the overly verbose announcers who are overly impressed with
the sound of their own voices. All in all, a most excellent
exchange.

[Earl Benser]

Radio is no longer needed.

The selection of programming available on broadcast radio
rarely meets my interests. Satellite radio could be better, but the
monthly fee is a very strong negaive. What does work is an MP3
player and a collection of MP3 files. The player w=is either a CD
player which can play the MP3 format or my 'Super iPod' - a
laptop with iTunes and 30 GB of music and audio book files
which I like, and which can play through the car stereo system.

So I lose the news, which rarely is reported. I also lose the
commercials, which hardly leave room for music. And I also lose
the overly verbose announcers who are overly impressed with
the sound of their own voices. All in all, a most excellent
exchange.

[Razzl]

Radio moguls dragging down their end of the music industry

Like the folks at RIAA who don't get why people are buying fewer of their overpriced cd's, the radio moguls who hoodwinked Congress into letting them buy up the country's radio stations can't figure out that unhappy customers will walk. For the first time in my lifetime the FM airwaves in my east coast market have not a single "top 40" station on the air--all of the monopoly-owned stations are playing "classic rock", "music of the 70's", "Music of the 80's", "music-of-any-decade-where-the-royalties-are-cheap". Refusing to pay royalties for current music and packing in too many commercials is turning radio into a boring wasteland. Like the RIAA guys these radio moguls will stubbornly let their business melt away rather than admit their penny-pinching is a failing business model. We need independent radio stations again, or the avaricious FCC will confiscate all the bandwith from the failing moguls to sell off for cellphones...

[Razzl]

Radio moguls dragging down their end of the music industry

Like the folks at RIAA who don't get why people are buying fewer of their overpriced cd's, the radio moguls who hoodwinked Congress into letting them buy up the country's radio stations can't figure out that unhappy customers will walk. For the first time in my lifetime the FM airwaves in my east coast market have not a single "top 40" station on the air--all of the monopoly-owned stations are playing "classic rock", "music of the 70's", "Music of the 80's", "music-of-any-decade-where-the-royalties-are-cheap". Refusing to pay royalties for current music and packing in too many commercials is turning radio into a boring wasteland. Like the RIAA guys these radio moguls will stubbornly let their business melt away rather than admit their penny-pinching is a failing business model. We need independent radio stations again, or the avaricious FCC will confiscate all the bandwith from the failing moguls to sell off for cellphones...

[bigtiger4x4]

I agree... Some stations here don't play just commercials, some play oldies, and some barley play what I want to hear unless I request one (If your request is even played)

This is why I own a internet radio station that plays any type of music that other stations don't play, with no commercials, no djs, and no stupid boring talk shows.
I am even working on being FM, so I can beat the other stations that don't play jack.

[vatsals]

The Death of Radio

Once the leading form for discovering new music, radio is slowly terminating itself and may soon be of trivial importance in the future of music. In essence, radio will gradually be replaced because it has become technologically inferior to digital music and audio players, and cannot compare itself to the diversity and ease of online radio. As found by one experiment, the number of listeners ages 18 to 34 has declined by about 8% in the past five years, as portable digital-music players, Internet radio programming and other innovations have started to take hold. And while the dollars spent on radio advertising have been essentially flat for the past few years, competing media like cable TV, the 'Net and outdoor advertising have been gaining steadily (Darknet). Threatened by these new media forms, radio is already technologically inferior and doesnt provide as much variety and individuality as its media counterparts.
By offering a huge database of stations, including advertisement free stations all around the world, online radio can be seen to be a much wiser choice for those looking to tune in to their favorite music. It costs nothing to listen to, and its location over the internet also gives audio through a clean stream. There are various different genres, from contemporary and classical to hip-hop and dance, with stations ranging from mainstream artists to undiscovered hits. In conjunction with online radio, online music are seeing positive improvements as they continue to play their roles in stealing away loyal listeners of traditional radio.
According to recent projections and data, the amount of paid online music has increased nearly 100 percent within the past year. With increases such as these, it is no surprise that corresponding data shows a four percent drop in radio listeners. With digital audio players becoming cheaper and a new customary standard for listening music, many are ditching the broadcast radio to listen to their own narrowcast audio programs. Whether or not traditional radio will completely diminish or become a secondary media source, it can be seen that digital radio is quickly overtaking it as the primary means of media, with no means of slowing.

[vatsals]

The Death of Radio

Once the leading form for discovering new music, radio is slowly terminating itself and may soon be of trivial importance in the future of music. In essence, radio will gradually be replaced because it has become technologically inferior to digital music and audio players, and cannot compare itself to the diversity and ease of online radio. As found by one experiment, the number of listeners ages 18 to 34 has declined by about 8% in the past five years, as portable digital-music players, Internet radio programming and other innovations have started to take hold. And while the dollars spent on radio advertising have been essentially flat for the past few years, competing media like cable TV, the 'Net and outdoor advertising have been gaining steadily (Darknet). Threatened by these new media forms, radio is already technologically inferior and doesnt provide as much variety and individuality as its media counterparts.
By offering a huge database of stations, including advertisement free stations all around the world, online radio can be seen to be a much wiser choice for those looking to tune in to their favorite music. It costs nothing to listen to, and its location over the internet also gives audio through a clean stream. There are various different genres, from contemporary and classical to hip-hop and dance, with stations ranging from mainstream artists to undiscovered hits. In conjunction with online radio, online music are seeing positive improvements as they continue to play their roles in stealing away loyal listeners of traditional radio.
According to recent projections and data, the amount of paid online music has increased nearly 100 percent within the past year. With increases such as these, it is no surprise that corresponding data shows a four percent drop in radio listeners. With digital audio players becoming cheaper and a new customary standard for listening music, many are ditching the broadcast radio to listen to their own narrowcast audio programs. Whether or not traditional radio will completely diminish or become a secondary media source, it can be seen that digital radio is quickly overtaking it as the primary means of media, with no means of slowing.

[amandaj]

Digital Music

With the increase in sales of online songs and online radio listeners, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is beginning to lose reasonable cause for accusing many of illegally downloading songs without paying for them. Many people recently are no longer downloading songs since they can just stream it from an online radio for free.
Also, since online music is progressively becoming cheaper, more and more people are buying the music they are downloading, decreasing the amount of claims the RIAA may put out in the future.
So now, not only are people being scared away from downloading illegally, but they are being given legal means of getting and listening to music online. With more and more services and programs being offered, people will begin accepting the services, boosting the online music business.

[amandaj]

Digital Music

With the increase in sales of online songs and online radio listeners, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is beginning to lose reasonable cause for accusing many of illegally downloading songs without paying for them. Many people recently are no longer downloading songs since they can just stream it from an online radio for free.
Also, since online music is progressively becoming cheaper, more and more people are buying the music they are downloading, decreasing the amount of claims the RIAA may put out in the future.
So now, not only are people being scared away from downloading illegally, but they are being given legal means of getting and listening to music online. With more and more services and programs being offered, people will begin accepting the services, boosting the online music business.