[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: iPods Killed the Radio Stars

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
iPods Killed the Radio Stars
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1230444365.shtml


   My father was a radio engineer for many years after World War II,
   which may explain my personal attachment to the radio medium. I found
   [1]Mitch Berg's commentary on [2]T.D.Mischke's interview on MinnPost
   very interesting, especially the speculation on the future of radio.
   Another source I consider reliable and informed tells me that music
   radio is the medium really in trouble, judging by their financials. I
   agree for other reasons.
   Music radio is now an "on demand" service. Gone are the days of big
   name Disc Jockeys in their jealously guarded time slots. No one rushes
   home to hear Casey Kasem count off the Top 40 at the appointed hour.
   Now, there are even better "on demand" services based on portable
   players, the Internet, Wi-Fi, satellite, and other technologies.
   I'd also contend that the music industry has been in a mild creative
   slump approaching 20 years. It's more fractured, too, thanks to those
   same technologies which allow us to more easily pick and choose
   exactly what we want to listen to. There seem to be no more stars with
   mass followings like Elvis Presley or The Beatles.
   The MP3 revolution makes clear that we are no longer the sticklers for
   maximum fidelity we once were, either. I remember heated arguments
   about which was the best stylus or pickup or turntable motor. Now, 24k
   streaming audio often suffices. Tinny ear bud headphones also often
   suffice, when we used to worry about which was the best cross-over
   frequency for the tweeter and argue whether a 10 inch woofer could
   ever be adequate.
   So where does music radio fit in to this? It still fits for some, who
   lack the inclination to seek out an alternative, which is fine since
   it's free at the price of listening to commercials. But without its
   classic business drivers, there just aren't enough of these people.
   There are too many stations chasing too few listeners, and several
   could fall in the advertising revenue desert of 2009.

References

   1. http://www.shotinthedark.info/wp/?p=3861
   2. http://www.minnpost.com/davidbrauer/2008/12/18/5380/mischke_speaks_why_i_was_fired#19-5380