Radio Predictions for 2023

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

A company that owns hundreds of talk radio stations has threatened to terminate hosts for suggesting the 2020 election was stolen

"The election has been resolved, and there are no alternate acceptable 'paths'," the Cumulus Media memo said. The company owns more than 400 stations.

www.businessinsider.com

On the Talk Radio side major Broadcasters like Iheart, Audacy and Cumulus will issue directives at their pundits to stop ranting the 2022 elections or they face a lawsuit. Yes this is similar to talks that happened in 2021 after January 6th, 2021 and Dominion issued lawsuit over the 2020 elections.

Cumulus Media, the company behind hundreds of talk radio stations across the country, has issued a directive to its on-air personalities ordering them to stop suggesting the 2020 election was fraudulent or they could face termination, the Washington Post and Inside Music Media reported.

On Wednesday, when Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, Brian Philips, Cumulus' executive vice president of content, told employees in an internal memo that "we need to help induce national calm NOW," according to Washington Post.

The memo reportedly continued to say that Cumulus and its program syndication arm, Westwood One, "will not tolerate any suggestion that the election has not ended. The election has been resolved, and there are no alternate acceptable 'paths." Any transgression from the policy would result in termination, the memo said.

Outside of Talk Radio more carmakers would make Dashboard apps common like Android Auto and Apple Carplay as part of the navigation system. Also the debate over shutting down HD Radio would be considered.

Drive with Android Auto. The best of Android, on your in-car display.

Meet Android Auto, a hands-free, smart driving companion with apps that let you connect your phone to your car to stay focused, connected & entertained.

www.android.com

iOS - CarPlay

With CarPlay, get directions, play music, and more on your car’s built-in display. And use digital car keys to unlock and start your car with iPhone.

www.apple.com

 

[davideduardo]

A company that owns hundreds of talk radio stations has threatened to terminate hosts for suggesting the 2020 election was stolen

"The election has been resolved, and there are no alternate acceptable 'paths'," the Cumulus Media memo said. The company owns more than 400 stations.

www.businessinsider.com

Of course, the article starts off with inaccurate data. Cumulus does not own "hundreds" of talk stations. The actual number, including news, talk, talk/sports and similar classifications is 57 total stations.

This is not an unusual inaccuracy, as print and web news sources have no understanding of radio ownership or the operations of radio stations.

 

[Mikey Radio]

I'm guessing even more OTA stations go dark or are sold for pennies on the dollar. This will be especially true if a deep enough recession, which some are predicting, hits in 2023 and impacts advertising revenues even more than they've already been. There are many stations out there on both the AM and FM bands who've already cut to the bone financially and there's simply nowhere else to reduce expenses. This is especially true in smaller markets where stations with live and local jocks 24/7 even a few decades ago have already gone to satellite or automated programming around the clock, their facilities are poorly maintained, equipment is obsolete and staffing and operations are both running on a threadbare shoestring. A further reduction in advertising revenue or a major equipment failure that requires money they don't have, could be enough to take them dark. Larger broadcasting/media companies will shed or switch off stations that underperform financially.

Media companies will consider more and creative ways to monetize things like podcasts and streaming, and those will continue to get more attention and make up a larger part of their income. I'd predict that, within 5 years, even more car manufactures will come up with new and different ways to pull in streaming services and podcasts directly to the car's infotainment system. No more need to connect your cell phone via CarPlay or Bluetooth - Everything consumers actively use and are asking for will be available in the dash, at their fingertips.

 

[vw86]

This is especially true in smaller markets where stations with live and local jocks 24/7 even a few decades ago have already gone to satellite or automated programming around the clock, their facilities are poorly maintained, equipment is obsolete and staffing and operations are both running on a threadbare shoestring.

You couldn't describe the station cluster where I had my first radio gig any better. As recently as the summer of 2006 the cluster was live and local 24/7 on its three music stations. Overnights were eliminated that year, and in 2007 the Hot AC flipped to Variety Hits and went jockless.

That cluster had 15 full time jocks and probably close to a dozen part time jocks/board ops when I started in 2005. At the time we were in the 250s market wise. It was still the best and most fun two years I've ever had.

That same cluster now has three local jocks. One of the stations is automated 24/7 via Westwood One. Another has live morning drive and is Westwood One the remainder. The third is still programmed locally and is live in AM drive and tracked locally in PM drive, with middays, evenings and weekends running jockless or tracked by the GM.

 

[davideduardo]

That same cluster now has three local jocks. One of the stations is automated 24/7 via Westwood One. Another has live morning drive and is Westwood One the remainder. The third is still programmed locally and is live in AM drive and tracked locally in PM drive, with middays, evenings and weekends running jockless or tracked by the GM.

Remember, some of the things that have reduced staff are due to the availability of better technology.

In the later 1940's, WOR in New York had a transmitter engineering staff of over 20 people. That was because the equipment needed that many people to run well.

Today, we see some high power stations, both AM and FM, where an engineer may go once a month.

Similarly, production of spots, scheduling contracts, billing and the like can be done by far fewer people due to digital audio equipment, computer scheduling and billing and the like. Video conferencing cuts down sales trips, and things like electronic banking reduce work. None of these things make radio worse and in many ways it improves things.

Yes, there are fewer jobs. But Docket 80-90 and the creation of translators increased the number of stations by round a third (including non-viable stations that 80-90 allowed to move into bigger markets), slicing the revenue pie even thinner.

 

[vw86]

Oh I get it. I just remember what a great group we had at that cluster and how much fun we had making good local small market radio. There would be absolutely no way to justify it or pay for it today. Heck, there probably was no reason to even still be doing it as recently as 15-16 years ago. But that cluster held out longer than many others and gave me the chance to spend a few years in the industry, and I'm so happy about that.

 

[seatownmedia]

2023? About the same as 2022. More voice tracking. Not because radio itself is failing, but more will be broadcasting from home. The days of big radio studios are gone, though many still are hanging on for whatever reason, perhaps leases on property. I predict by 2024 most radio will be coming from someone’s home. Who would have predicted this just 10 years ago?