Radio remains relevant
This relic of mass communication has contemporary appeal
You may be under the impression that radio is dead. We all know video killed the radio star, right? Then the internet came in to finish the job, because the radio was still breathing.
Well, the internet couldn’t stop it. Radio is still here, and I think it’s here to stay. This medium is the first form of electronic mass communication to reach human ears, transforming the world during the early 1900s, and it’s braced the Internet revolution with more strength than other old mediums, like newspapers. It continues to hold our attention.
We don’t realize how much we actually listen to radio. It plays in the background in restaurants and stores, it plays while we sit at our desks working and it plays when we start our cars — morning, noon and night. Traditional AM/FM radio actually has the broadest reach out of any medium of communication with 93% of American adults hearing it each week, according to Nielsen, a global measurement and data analytics company that tracks radio listenership. Terrestrial radio captures 40% more users than internet on the computer, and about twice the users that internet-connected devices see per month (such as Apple TV, Roku, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire). The radio’s ubiquity means it reaches a diverse audience, with listeners of all ages, ethnicities and socioeconomic statuses.
Personally, the only time I listen to the radio is while I’m driving, which represents the majority of America’s listener habits. I hadn’t put much thought into the value of radio until I found a new favorite station — Indie 102.3. It recently launched as a re-branding of a station formerly called OpenAir through Colorado Public Radio. I’ve been listening to this refreshed station on the road since it launched on July 1, and I’ve found that it consistently delivers great music I’ve never heard before sprinkled in with songs I already know.
Besides my commutes, like many people I typically stream music online. I use streaming apps like Pandora and Spotify. I listen to music on YouTube and through Amazon. These platforms give you the power to control your music choices, something that disrupted the music industry as a whole.
The internet streaming revolution started with the birth of MP3 in 1995, which allowed music to be digitally encoded in a file that was transferrable online. The creation of MP3 files allowed music to be carried around in your pocket, an idea that really took off with the release of the iPod and iTunes in 2001, which paved the way for today’s on-demand, free music streaming apps.
Though these innovations are fantastic in some ways by handing the listener the remote, they also give up some of the benefits of traditional radio. However, modern radio has also learned from streaming apps, and responded accordingly.
The radio economy
Both public and commercial radio stations are consistently out-performing other traditional media in our new media world.
Between 2008 and 2016, local public radio revenues increased by almost 30%, from about $651 million to almost $830 million, and commercial stations are also performing well, too. The overall industry has grown steadily between 2014 and 2019 at 2.1%, and revenue is up to $22 billion.
This bucks the mass media trend. Newspapers have seen declining revenues and television is losing young viewers, presenting uncertain futures, according to Deloitte Insights.
“In a world where digital changes everything, radio may be the exception.” — Duncan Stewart, Deloitte Insights
Radio has quickly adapted to the world of the Internet too. They’ve made programming accessible online and created podcasts and playlists for listeners to access. They’ve even commandeered the benefits of streaming platforms — for a fee, of course. Large organizations like iHeartRadio offer two tiers of subscription services, with services such as: Live radio any time,
personalized artist radio stations, full access to the podcast library, unlimited song skips, songs and albums on-demand and downloadable music, among others.
All of these services are offered at similar subscription rates as digital streaming companies, like Spotify. But, in the case of iHeartRadio versus Spotify, the radio subscription is actually more competitive. Whereas the Spotify subscription offers the ability to play any track (downloadable for on or off-line listening) with unlimited skips and no ad interruptions, it doesn’t offer access to top podcasts — like The Breakfast Club, The Joe Rogan Experience and the TED Radio Hour.
So besides the artistic and community values that radio offers, these stations are also economically competitive. At over a century old, I believe this medium of communication is here to stay.
The value of radio
My new favorite radio station showed me what was, and is, great about the classic radio experience — it’s curation and its unique creation of community.
Curation refers to the fact that human beings play a role in picking songs for a radio’s playlist. Traditional stations typically curate their musical content, putting together programs that flow from one song to the next with ease. Program Directors generally make the decisions on what songs get played and how often.
And so, traditional radio’s strength comes from the lack of choice the listener has. Its value comes from the fact that you aren’t the one controlling it, and the people who are treat it like an art form in itself.
Often, this aspect of curation allows for new music discovery. For instance, while listening to Indie 102.3, I’m always exposed to new music that never would have graced my ears before. Totally different sounds, coming from different musicians with different stories.
This station gives airtime to local artists that would probably escape fine-tuned algorithms on streaming stations, which tend to lean toward bigger stars. Most recently, I was introduced to a Denver-based Chilean folk band called Kiltro (a name derived from the spanish quiltro, meaning street dog). Their sound is unique to the core, and it broadened my musical horizons. Indie 102.3 makes supporting local artists a part of their platform, offering an open call for music submissions that asks a single, important question: “Is this music from a Colorado artist or band?”
The second benefit of radio is the creation of community. Listening to radio is a collective experience — one that’s more enriching when it offers new, local music discoveries. When you tune in, you know there are others listening to the same music or radio host at the same time as you. With streaming apps, you are listening alone.
Local radio hosts are familiar with the communities they serve too, offering intermittent local news and commentary that also improves the connection with the listener. Radio stations are aware that the majority of listeners are in their cars, so many toss in traffic news too, which I really appreciate. This service recently came in handy when I was driving toward downtown Denver after work and the Indie 102.3 host’s voice broke in-between songs, warning listeners that a large intersection I was en-route to was closed due to police activity. Google Maps wasn’t even privy to this information. When I reached my destination (avoiding the intersection)
I tried to find more about the closure online, and the only other outlet that had a scoop on the closure was the Denver Police Twitter page.
Thank you, local radio.
In the same vein, local stations play a part in their community. Radio hosts and disc jockeys might emcee local sports events and concerts, the stations may have a presence at fairs and festivals, and they may support these things through sponsorships. This active role provides an opportunity for people to engage with radio organizations in a tangible way, which fosters a different form of connection emphasizing the lively, human element of radio stations, compared to radio streaming tools that are a simply a reflection of the user.
In my opinion, these qualities — curation and community — sets radio apart, helping it maintain significance in our modern lives.
