Here is my final report about the Vocus “State of the Media 2010” webinar (http://tinyurl.com/ybglakz) and accompanying white paper (http://www.vocus.com/state-of-the-media/index.asp).
This report focuses on radio. I have already reported on print and television.
With more than 13,000 licensed over-the-air stations, terrestrial radio (AM/FM) is, by far, our largest source of audio programming. Nearly four out of five Americans listen to terrestrial radio every day.
However, terrestrial radio is losing to a wide range of competing technologies, such as satellite and streaming media.
Fully 10,000 jobs were lost in 2008, most from Clear Channel. Also, Citadel Broadcasting, the third largest radio conglomerate in the country, filed Chapter 11.
The loss of jobs means that stations are running more nationally syndicated programming. Of course, syndication eliminates localism, which has been one of radio’s greatest strengths.
In additional to having smaller staffs, radio producers have more duties, including developing podcasts, mobile media, and streaming media.
Print publications and radio are doing more joint ventures. The Washington Times, for example, has a national radio show.
“Radio is currently in a state of flux, and the question is whether it will decline like newspapers, or embrace the technology that could allow it to expand its reach and scope.”
You can find more articles about the media and PR at my website: www.CommunicationsPlus.net/PRArticles.html
I love radio, dating back to childhood days when I listened avidly to “Big John and Sparky” on Saturday mornings. That show made my imagination sizzle, partly because I had to figure out what a Green Gooey Globule looked like and what Disgusting Soup tasted like.
But I digress. I hope radio does what it needs to do to survive without becoming too incredibly homogenized.