Re-Invention

“Necessity is the mother of invention.” We’ve all heard that line, but do you realize it is fast becoming Radio’s mantra?

 Consider this from a recent news article: A new study out from Edison Research and Arbitron finds that almost everybody still uses the radio – in fact, 92% of us find our way to the AM or FM bands on a regular basis. But only 22% say it has a big impact on their lives, and the number using it to find new music is also shrinking.

According to a report in Radio Survivor, cell phones and the internet get significantly better scores in the impact front, and satellite radio even managed to beat radio’s score by five points.

Asked where they go to discover new music, radio was still #1, defeating the internet by a 39%-31% margin. That’s good, but not when you consider that radio’s score on this question in a 2002 survey was 63%. And among today’s 12-24 age group, the internet scores a clear win, 52% to 32%.

44% of the survey group owns some form of iPod/MP3 device, and between 23% and 27% of those aged 12-34 say that use of it takes time away that they might be spending with radio.

Only 3% of those surveyed had an HD radio, and only 31% were even aware of it.

51% of 12-24s said they would be disappointed to lose their favorite radio station, and 78% of all respondents said they would continue to use radio despite the continued march of technology.

What we have always been famous for is slip sliding away to quote Paul Simon.

It’s time for Radio to reinvent itself. I have said before that we must become known as the provider of entertaining audio content to remain relevant.

To do that we have to recruit, and be willing to pay to keep the talented people in this world who have the ability to make people laugh, or cry; to illicit emotional responses across the spectrum.  

We have the means, but do we have the courage?

Bob Glasco

Glasco Media

bob@glascomedia.com

480-488-0903