I was looking on the internet doing research for some ideas when I cam across a very interesting stat. In 1997 the average number of hours listened to the radio in a week was 22 hours and 15 min. In 2007, that number was 19 hours even. Now the Radio Marketing Guide and Fact book 2007-2008, claims this as 85% Total listener retention. I see this stat and I am seeing something very different. I see that as a decrease in time that people are listening to the radio. People are either moving closer to where they work or they are finding alternatives to radio. Such as CDs, Tapes, TV, movies, or even (dare I say) podcasts in all the various forms.
So why would people want to find something different to listen to? Well, I can only speak for myself. I stopped listening to the radio with any regularity over 2 years ago. It just so happened that was also the time I discovered ‘podcasts’, but even before that I was tired of the same old diatribe. I liked the music the first 30 times but often got tired of it very quickly. So I started making my own cds. Rebuilding what I had done in the Navy. Wander Radio was re-born thanks to CD burning technology. I believe that I 10 CDs made in a rotation. With those 10 cds I discovered that I had more variety in those cds than what was played on the radio. So there is one strike against radio more repetitive than a 10 CD rotation.
Plus the market I am currently in (The Tulsa Market) One station is playing reruns of old radio dramas from the Golden Age of Radio. Now granted I love the old stuff if it wasn’t for all of that in the 30s and 40s, there is no telling where audio ‘cinema’ would be today. It is a viable form of entertainment. I enjoy it. There is not enough of it on the radio plus there is plenty of great stories currently being produced that is very air worthy but can only be found on the net. So strike two for radio, they missed the boat on audio drama and its rebirth. Stop before you say it, I know that Jack Ward and Shannon Hilchie over at The Sonic Society are played on the Canadian airwaves, but if it wasn’t for the internet I wouldn’t even know about them. They are not played here in
Oklahoma.
Something else that radio does not offer me on my current one hour commute to work, audio books. That is just not heard on the radio. Radio wants things short or something that can be broken up into small bite size bits, except there are times when I want a meal. I believe that at one time Scott Sigler was on XM radio or was it Sirius with his podcast novel “Earthcore”. This just isn’t offered on the radio. I have at least 40 hours a week to fill my ears with and although it would be great to listen to the radio. I get tired of hearing the same 8 hour tape everyday and I haven’t even talked about the annoying ‘DJs’
I understand that not all of my reasons are the fault of corporate radio. Their job is to make money. Bring together an audience that is in itself convenient for commercial which pays for the DJs and other operating costs…
I don’t think that radio is going to die completely no more than TV totally killing the movies. I do think is that having more choices of what I want to listen to and choosing from content created by the many talented people all over the world. Yes Podcasting is global. Radio is afraid of the change.
More to come on this topic later…
Welcome to another special episode of Wander Radio. This time I talked with Queen’s Gambit. I was lucky enough to catch up with the group while I was at Conestoga 13 12 3/4.
