• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Cellphones eating up listening time in the car

A

AliceTheCook

Guest
Interesting article in a recent Radio World issue. Seems that the average commute time of 30 minutes is now being eaten away with drivers spending an average of 15 mins on their cellphones. This may seem like a frivolous issue, but think about the long term ramifications. If advertisers catch wind of radio being only half-effective now in the all-important (and pricey) drive time, that's going to eventually have some impact on the industry...sending advertisers over to other types of media and away from radio. Add that to time lost to iPods, satellite radio, CDs, etc--it's not a pretty picture, and one that will likely get worse for terrestrial radio as time goes on.
 
This assumes it won’t become illegal to use the cell phone will driving, which has been proven to be as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.

R

> Interesting article in a recent Radio World issue. Seems
> that the average commute time of 30 minutes is now being
> eaten away with drivers spending an average of 15 mins on
> their cellphones. This may seem like a frivolous issue, but
> think about the long term ramifications. If advertisers
> catch wind of radio being only half-effective now in the
> all-important (and pricey) drive time, that's going to
> eventually have some impact on the industry...sending
> advertisers over to other types of media and away from
> radio. Add that to time lost to iPods, satellite radio,
> CDs, etc--it's not a pretty picture, and one that will
> likely get worse for terrestrial radio as time goes on.
>
 
Good point. But there's probably going to still be a fine line there with "hands-free" units. To me, even a passenger in the car is a distraction!

I don't think rapid transit is ever going to be a serious contender, but with gas prices soaring, more people are at least checking it out now. That's something else that can take away listeners.

> This assumes it won’t become illegal to use the cell phone
> will driving, which has been proven to be as dangerous as
> driving while intoxicated.
>
> R
>
> > Interesting article in a recent Radio World issue. Seems
> > that the average commute time of 30 minutes is now being
> > eaten away with drivers spending an average of 15 mins on
> > their cellphones. This may seem like a frivolous issue,
> but
> > think about the long term ramifications. If advertisers
> > catch wind of radio being only half-effective now in the
> > all-important (and pricey) drive time, that's going to
> > eventually have some impact on the industry...sending
> > advertisers over to other types of media and away from
> > radio. Add that to time lost to iPods, satellite radio,
> > CDs, etc--it's not a pretty picture, and one that will
> > likely get worse for terrestrial radio as time goes on.
> >
>
 
Unfortunately hands free phones are just as dangerous, if not more. Drivers using hand free sets take longer to apply the car brakes, and longer to regain the speed once they apply the gas. Also, hands free unit users tend not to notice things like pedestrians on foot, important road signs such as speed limits and hazardous driving condition markers, etc.

You are correct that even talking to another person in the vehicle poses some risk. But unlike the caller on the other end, persons in the same vehicle can take note of the conditions posed to the driver.

Given all the findings from studies on distractions caused by cell phones, I fully expect it will become illegal to talk on the phone while driving within the next few years.

R

> Good point. But there's probably going to still be a fine
> line there with "hands-free" units. To me, even a passenger
> in the car is a distraction!
>
> I don't think rapid transit is ever going to be a serious
> contender, but with gas prices soaring, more people are at
> least checking it out now. That's something else that can
> take away listeners.
>
> > This assumes it won’t become illegal to use the cell phone
>
> > will driving, which has been proven to be as dangerous as
> > driving while intoxicated.
> >
> > R
> >
> > > Interesting article in a recent Radio World issue.
> Seems
> > > that the average commute time of 30 minutes is now being
>
> > > eaten away with drivers spending an average of 15 mins
> on
> > > their cellphones. This may seem like a frivolous issue,
>
> > but
> > > think about the long term ramifications. If advertisers
>
> > > catch wind of radio being only half-effective now in the
>
> > > all-important (and pricey) drive time, that's going to
> > > eventually have some impact on the industry...sending
> > > advertisers over to other types of media and away from
> > > radio. Add that to time lost to iPods, satellite radio,
>
> > > CDs, etc--it's not a pretty picture, and one that will
> > > likely get worse for terrestrial radio as time goes on.
> > >
> >
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by RobertBass on 04/13/06 05:27 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> Interesting article in a recent Radio World issue. Seems
> that the average commute time of 30 minutes is now being
> eaten away with drivers spending an average of 15 mins on
> their cellphones. This may seem like a frivolous issue, but
> think about the long term ramifications. If advertisers
> catch wind of radio being only half-effective now in the
> all-important (and pricey) drive time, that's going to
> eventually have some impact on the industry...sending
> advertisers over to other types of media and away from
> radio.

Only 30% of listening takes place in the car, and that varies by market... some are significantly less, with about 25% of listening being in the car.

Cell phones have been around for very near 20 years, so this is nothing new.
>
 
Ha! Leave it to the consultant to downplay something like this.

The only thing new here is that EVERYONE seems to have a cellphone in hand these days, not just the rich corporate execs like in the olden days. They've also gotten just a wee bit smaller and more portable in the last 20 years. Time will tell who's right or wrong, and I hope for BOTH our interests that this will indeed prove to be a non-issue.

And if car listening time isn't important, I guess stations can pull the plug on those useless, incessant traffic reports.

> > Interesting article in a recent Radio World issue. Seems
> > that the average commute time of 30 minutes is now being
> > eaten away with drivers spending an average of 15 mins on
> > their cellphones. This may seem like a frivolous issue,
> but
> > think about the long term ramifications. If advertisers
> > catch wind of radio being only half-effective now in the
> > all-important (and pricey) drive time, that's going to
> > eventually have some impact on the industry...sending
> > advertisers over to other types of media and away from
> > radio.
>
> Only 30% of listening takes place in the car, and that
> varies by market... some are significantly less, with about
> 25% of listening being in the car.
>
> Cell phones have been around for very near 20 years, so this
> is nothing new.
> >
>
 
> Ha! Leave it to the consultant to downplay something like
> this.

My fulltime job with 70 staitons has not allowed me to "consult" for several years. I am in the trenches, not in an office. Your streotype, and blanket condemnation, don't fit.
>
> The only thing new here is that EVERYONE seems to have a
> cellphone in hand these days, not just the rich corporate
> execs like in the olden days.

That has been true for a decade.

> They've also gotten just a
> wee bit smaller and more portable in the last 20 years.

I had a phone in 1995 that was smaller than my present one. What changes is the coolness of the design.

> Time will tell who's right or wrong, and I hope for BOTH our
> interests that this will indeed prove to be a non-issue.

As several have reported, it is likely that cell phone use in the car will be limited in many states.
>
> And if car listening time isn't important, I guess stations
> can pull the plug on those useless, incessant traffic
> reports.

It is important, but it is not the end all of listenership. In home and at work are more important.
>
 
I would say cell phones alone won't be the "death" of radio, but when you combine that with XM/Sirius, and no doubt, what will be advancements in ease of use of the MP3 players in cars, I would say little by little outside influences are chipping away at listernship. Bottom line however, give people something worth listening to, and they'll listen. Program the same old, same old, and people will continue to find other things to listen to. I'm one of those who believes compelling talent is key to a radio station's success, despite what kind of music, or talk you program. When PD's give talent the flexibilty and support to be outstanding, you'll get listeners and therefore ratings.
Okay, i'm off my soapbox!


Unfortunately hands free phones are just as dangerous, if
> not more. Drivers using hand free sets take longer to apply
> the car brakes, and longer to regain the speed once they
> apply the gas. Also, hands free unit users tend not to
> notice things like pedestrians on foot, important road signs
> such as speed limits and hazardous driving condition
> markers, etc.
>
> You are correct that even talking to another person in the
> vehicle poses some risk. But unlike the caller on the other
> end, persons in the same vehicle can take note of the
> conditions posed to the driver.
>
> Given all the findings from studies on distractions caused
> by cell phones, I fully expect it will become illegal to
> talk on the phone while driving within the next few years.
>
> R
>
> > Good point. But there's probably going to still be a fine
>
> > line there with "hands-free" units. To me, even a
> passenger
> > in the car is a distraction!
> >
> > I don't think rapid transit is ever going to be a serious
> > contender, but with gas prices soaring, more people are at
>
> > least checking it out now. That's something else that can
>
> > take away listeners.
> >
> > > This assumes it won’t become illegal to use the cell
> phone
> >
> > > will driving, which has been proven to be as dangerous
> as
> > > driving while intoxicated.
> > >
> > > R
> > >
> > > > Interesting article in a recent Radio World issue.
> > Seems
> > > > that the average commute time of 30 minutes is now
> being
> >
> > > > eaten away with drivers spending an average of 15 mins
>
> > on
> > > > their cellphones. This may seem like a frivolous
> issue,
> >
> > > but
> > > > think about the long term ramifications. If
> advertisers
> >
> > > > catch wind of radio being only half-effective now in
> the
> >
> > > > all-important (and pricey) drive time, that's going to
>
> > > > eventually have some impact on the industry...sending
> > > > advertisers over to other types of media and away from
>
> > > > radio. Add that to time lost to iPods, satellite
> radio,
> >
> > > > CDs, etc--it's not a pretty picture, and one that will
>
> > > > likely get worse for terrestrial radio as time goes
> on.
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
 
> > Ha! Leave it to the consultant to downplay something like
>
> > this.
>
> My fulltime job with 70 staitons has not allowed me to
> "consult" for several years. I am in the trenches, not in an
> office. Your streotype, and blanket condemnation, don't fit.

Seventy stations. My, my, aren't you the busy beaver. And your running denial of everything anyone else says doesn't fit, either. How ARE things in the minumum wage job line these days?
>
> >
> > The only thing new here is that EVERYONE seems to have a
> > cellphone in hand these days, not just the rich corporate
> > execs like in the olden days.
>
> That has been true for a decade.
>
> > They've also gotten just a
> > wee bit smaller and more portable in the last 20 years.
>
> I had a phone in 1995 that was smaller than my present one.
> What changes is the coolness of the design.
>
> > Time will tell who's right or wrong, and I hope for BOTH
> our
> > interests that this will indeed prove to be a non-issue.
>
> As several have reported, it is likely that cell phone use
> in the car will be limited in many states.
> >
> > And if car listening time isn't important, I guess
> stations
> > can pull the plug on those useless, incessant traffic
> > reports.
>
> It is important, but it is not the end all of listenership.
> In home and at work are more important.
> >
>
 
>
> Seventy stations. My, my, aren't you the busy beaver.

Actually, yes I am. Did 140,000 airline miles last year, and 2.8 million in last 10 years. What did you do?

> And
> your running denial of everything anyone else says doesn't
> fit, either.

I only correct things that are wrong. Like this post of yours.

> How ARE things in the minumum wage job line
> these days?

Huh? You don't follow the threads any too well or you would realize that what you are saying is absurd.

http://www.nab.org/conventions/radioshow/2004/SessionDetail.asp?id=1202346
>
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom