The End of (American) Radio?

Haven’t got time to properly report on this, but I’ve just come across some interesting US-based articles on ‘the end of radio’, the first by Long Tail entitled Exploding Radio, the second by Rag’s Soapbox entitled The End of Radio (as we know it), both are a reaction to articles written in Wired Magazine.

Both examine the claim that traditional (analogue) radio broadcasting in the States is ‘hosed’. Interestingly, whilst listening figures in the USA are at ‘a 27-year low’, listening figures in the UK are on the (gradual) rise. DAB is really taking hold here, with sets being sold at an increasing rate. Internet radio seems to have been slower to catch on, but can only grow with the increase in broadband.

So will radio audiences fragment? Yes and no. We’ll see an increase in niche radio stations, but there’s always going to be the big-hitters. There’s a part of radio which works best with big audiences after all…

Comments

1. Alison says:

   March 19, 2005 at 10:02 pm

   The interesting thing about US radio is the current proliferation of subscription only services- even Howern Stern’s on one now. There ARE analog(ue) stations going from strength to stength- take a look at KCRW, which has pretty high listenership, all things considered. This could be in part due to its inovative use of online programming, and the fact taht it caters froman audience WAAAAAAAAY more eclectic than any other you could mention.

   Oh, and they’ve played Diefenbach- yay.