Some interesting research

[taylorengineer]

Coleman: Radio’s passed the “tipping point” for teens, when it comes to music.
Not a pretty insight from Coleman Insights, but it won’t come as a knock-you-back-into-your-chair shock. Here’s the quote: “Coleman Insights has found that teenagers’ use of computers, iPods and mp3 players for music consumption has reached a tipping point in the last few months.” They mean that “for the first time, Coleman has detected greater use of [computers, etc.] than of FM radio in a few specific instances.” Example: for a CHR station in a top 20 market, 84% of 14-17-year-olds report listening to music on a computer, iPod or mp3 player every day. While 78% report listening to AM or FM radio. In a different study, 41% of 15-17-year olds said they go to computers as “the first place to go to hear music”, versus 22% for FM radio. Researcher Jon Coleman says “this is the first time in all our studies we’ve seen the numbers support new technologies over radio.” His recommendation? Wake up and smell the Red Bull and Rock Star Energy Drink: “The shift should convince stations that they have to determine how radio can fit into the lifestyles of younger listeners, if they are not already attempting to do so.” The release is here

This from (the other)Tom Taylor's email report this morning.
So we see that my empirical observations do seem to accurately reflect what's happening with kids and radio.
The arrogant consultants sniff "everything is fine"....that "THEY" are on top of things. These are the same people who are leading radio down the primrose path of "more of the same" - not able to grasp the changes afoot - sadly lacking the ability to modulate paradigms and take radio to the "next level."
We need new leadership in this industry if it is to survive - the management and consultants of days past have lost their way.(Most never knew the way to begin with)The country club "Scotch and water" crowd have lost touch with the fundamentals. New blood is needed - smart young kids who really "get it." In theory, market forces will demand this change....and it will happen....but when....and at what cost?

 

[Uriah]

Coleman: “for the first time, Coleman has detected greater use of [computers, etc.] than of FM radio in a few specific instances.” Example: for a CHR station in a top 20 market, 84% of 14-17-year-olds report listening to music on a computer, iPod or mp3 player every day. While 78% report listening to AM or FM radio. In a different study, 41% of 15-17-year olds said they go to computers as “the first place to go to hear music”, versus 22% for FM radio. Researcher Jon Coleman says “this is the first time in all our studies we’ve seen the numbers support new technologies over radio.”

We need new leadership in this industry if it is to survive - the management and consultants of days past have lost their way.(Most never knew the way to begin with)The country club "Scotch and water" crowd have lost touch with the fundamentals. New blood is needed - smart young kids who really "get it." In theory, market forces will demand this change....and it will happen....but when....and at what cost?

Thanks for posting this Taylor. As usual, radio research exhibits its keen sense for the obvious.

Yes radio needs fresh perspective. However - how many smart, young kids who really get it want to work in AM/FM radio when it's becoming less and less relevant to their lifestyle? Just listening to clients and the neighborhood focus group of young adults through the house - The coolest place to work these days is The Apple Store not Clear Channel.

 

[hail2theorange]

I think this would explain why so many ended up downtown the other week and said "What, they've closed the 14th street bridge?"

It's like the new media devices need to have an override circuit for special notifications for those that refuse to be informed using normal methods.

 

[bnaivar]

Yeah, and we could call it something like the "Emergency Alert System".

Sorry, I couldn't help it. :

 

[TheRealOtherNeil]

Coleman: Radio’s passed the “tipping point” for teens, when it comes to music.
Not a pretty insight from Coleman Insights, but it won’t come as a knock-you-back-into-your-chair shock. Here’s the quote: “Coleman Insights has found that teenagers’ use of computers, iPods and mp3 players for music consumption has reached a tipping point in the last few months.” They mean that “for the first time, Coleman has detected greater use of [computers, etc.] than of FM radio in a few specific instances.” Example: for a CHR station in a top 20 market, 84% of 14-17-year-olds report listening to music on a computer, iPod or mp3 player every day. While 78% report listening to AM or FM radio. In a different study, 41% of 15-17-year olds said they go to computers as “the first place to go to hear music”, versus 22% for FM radio. Researcher Jon Coleman says “this is the first time in all our studies we’ve seen the numbers support new technologies over radio.” His recommendation? Wake up and smell the Red Bull and Rock Star Energy Drink: “The shift should convince stations that they have to determine how radio can fit into the lifestyles of younger listeners, if they are not already attempting to do so.” The release is here

This from (the other)Tom Taylor's email report this morning.
So we see that my empirical observations do seem to accurately reflect what's happening with kids and radio.
The arrogant consultants sniff "everything is fine"....that "THEY" are on top of things. These are the same people who are leading radio down the primrose path of "more of the same" - not able to grasp the changes afoot - sadly lacking the ability to modulate paradigms and take radio to the "next level."
We need new leadership in this industry if it is to survive - the management and consultants of days past have lost their way.(Most never knew the way to begin with)The country club "Scotch and water" crowd have lost touch with the fundamentals. New blood is needed - smart young kids who really "get it." In theory, market forces will demand this change....and it will happen....but when....and at what cost?

In an earlier post, I said the same thing and some newbie called me out coz I didn't know what I was talking about. Tom defended me coz he, like many others, knows that when I saw something it is correct. So where is that guy with stats that say 74% of teenagers listen to the radio 10+ hours per week. Oh, he had inaccurate data, like our president...but I digress.

I noticed my own listening patterns changed in 2000 when I was able to hear: Virgin Radio, WOXY, WRLT, KCRW, KGSR etc. Why listen locally to Z93 and 99X when better music was available? Yes, i am a trendsetter too.

Taylor thanks for your continued support. When I am elected PD of DAVE, you can be my chief engineer.

 

[RTibbs]

My life changed forever when I began listening to KRGR, Kroger Radio. No more would I ever have to aimlessly troll the dial looking for my favorite superhits of yesterday all mixed up in today. Like an ice cream sundae covered with whipped cream, nuts and chocolate syrup, it was all my favorite things in one bowl. I began to listen so much that I found myself driving out of the way just to buy unnecessary items. Pleading with my wife to let me do the shopping. Suggesting to my kids that perhaps we should go to Kroger and get some candy. Finally my wife confronted me when she found hidden under our bed my secret stash of yes.........tubes of toothpaste, never opened, just memories of all my visits to Kroger where I would dance through the aisles humming my favorite songs. She said I needed help and must stopped before it further affected our family. If not she would leave me.

I quit going for awhile, filling the void with trips to Publix, Super Target and when I hit rock bottom, Walmart. But nothing could truly satisfy me like KRGR. Soon I would start driving by the various local Kroger. Until one day I went to work quit my job and like a crackhead who moves into the crack den, I marched right into the nearest Kroger and applied for a job. Hired almost immediately, I soon began working the overnights stocking shelves. When customers were not in the store I was free to belt out my favorite KRGR hits as loud as I wanted as I stocked things from toilet papers to peanut butter. It voted it my number one station to listen to at work.

Then one day it all came crashing down. I was caught trying to convince a sweet little cashier that if she wanted to be promoted to the deli she would need to have cold cuts thrown on her bare backside in order for us to test her for any cold cut allergies. When it was all said and done I was fired and banned from ever stepping foot in a Kroger. Sometimes though I still sneak out of the house, and don the glasses with the fake nose and mustache and wander around quietly humming to myself thinking if only satelite radio was this good.

 

[Inside your head]

tibbs lmao

 

[X-14]

All Tibbs was lacking in his post was the preface: "Dear Penthouse..."



But anyway, back to the survey. One reason for the change in listening habits is the change in LIVING habits. When we were kids growing up, we either listened to the radio in the car or on the units sitting next to our bedside. There WAS no computer or ipod or playstation. But now with kids (and us, too) practically living in front of the computer it only makes sense to stream. I do it all the time. And if you're in the mall, now you can listen to your ipod. Back in the 60's and 70's it was a transistor radio. So our lifestyles have predicated some of the change in HOW we listen.

 

[Inside your head]

This from (the other)Tom Taylor's email report this morning.
So we see that my empirical observations do seem to accurately reflect what's happening with kids and radio.
The arrogant consultants sniff "everything is fine"....that "THEY" are on top of things. These are the same people who are leading radio down the primrose path of "more of the same" - not able to grasp the changes afoot - sadly lacking the ability to modulate paradigms and take radio to the "next level."
We need new leadership in this industry if it is to survive - the management and consultants of days past have lost their way.(Most never knew the way to begin with)The country club "Scotch and water" crowd have lost touch with the fundamentals. New blood is needed - smart young kids who really "get it." In theory, market forces will demand this change....and it will happen....but when....and at what cost?

k 1st i am gonna guess u dont all mean kids but like high school and college right? cuz if thats what this joke of research is about. this is what ive been saying all along. kinda.
its funny as hell to me. all u radio PROS r scratching ur asses trying to figure out why we arent listening and ur blaming mp3s, computers. guess what u r only half rite. were not listening to ur stations but maybe its cuz u radio geniuses stopped playing what we listened to.? u really DON’T get it. Ur all freakin what r u gonna do to get more listeners Do u really think we want to hear oldies or the van halen and the hair metal U grew up with?

don’t blame ipods and computers, they just mean we can get our music other places. just like cds always been. another place to listen to music. What u cant hear on them is jocks u see out around town talking about the bands, jocks that know the music and can tell u behind the music kinda things.. u know that’s what makes u want to listen, tell me something I don’t hear anywhwere else. jocks that know the bands personlly and can tell 1st hand stories or if they didn’t know them they at least know something they can talk about about the bands history .

Now u got retards pushing buttons who never heard of RHCP or cobain. Don’t they have history of rock classes or something, don’t u have to get a degree?
i got a monster cd collection and thousands of mp3s. me and my friends still used to listen to 99x TOO. u just didnt know it.
what that article said is right, u r gonna have to change or radios will be collecting dust in the garage. Heres a clue- play what we wanna hear and have jocks on the air who live here. know the city the places to go AND know the music. Ipods, cds xm cant do that.
No charge for my advice .just go save the future of radio and ur jobs. U r welcome.

 

[taylorengineer]

I'd like to buy your autobiography.......

My life changed forever when I began listening to KRGR, Kroger Radio. No more would I ever have to aimlessly troll the dial looking for my favorite superhits of yesterday all mixed up in today. Like an ice cream sundae covered with whipped cream, nuts and chocolate syrup, it was all my favorite things in one bowl. I began to listen so much that I found myself driving out of the way just to buy unnecessary items. Pleading with my wife to let me do the shopping. Suggesting to my kids that perhaps we should go to Kroger and get some candy. Finally my wife confronted me when she found hidden under our bed my secret stash of yes.........tubes of toothpaste, never opened, just memories of all my visits to Kroger where I would dance through the aisles humming my favorite songs. She said I needed help and must stopped before it further affected our family. If not she would leave me.

I quit going for awhile, filling the void with trips to Publix, Super Target and when I hit rock bottom, Walmart. But nothing could truly satisfy me like KRGR. Soon I would start driving by the various local Kroger. Until one day I went to work quit my job and like a crackhead who moves into the crack den, I marched right into the nearest Kroger and applied for a job. Hired almost immediately, I soon began working the overnights stocking shelves. When customers were not in the store I was free to belt out my favorite KRGR hits as loud as I wanted as I stocked things from toilet papers to peanut butter. It voted it my number one station to listen to at work.

Then one day it all came crashing down. I was caught trying to convince a sweet little cashier that if she wanted to be promoted to the deli she would need to have cold cuts thrown on her bare backside in order for us to test her for any cold cut allergies. When it was all said and done I was fired and banned from ever stepping foot in a Kroger. Sometimes though I still sneak out of the house, and don the glasses with the fake nose and mustache and wander around quietly humming to myself thinking if only satelite radio was this good.

 

[OgOgglby]

And KRGR would have had a hell of audience, but they wrecked their Time Spent Listening when they kept interrupting the music with "Code 4 to the front".

 

[leethalweapon]

Maybe, some operators looking at it all wrong. Major radio operators ar realizing the value of the net in keeping their audiences engaged. In fact one major company has eliminated the Program Director, chosing the term Content Director, in response to the changing face of the programmers position. So if you were to offer more of what your listeners want online, you may have a chance.

For me, the fact that US radio stations stream online is great. I choose US radio over my own local product, because of your format diversity. Unfortunately, the Australian radio industry is so small with too few operators, that there is very little diversity in formats. As one operator put it recently, "with 4 people chasing the same bit of pie, it is just a case of who does it best". In some cases you can hear a lot of the same 80's tracks on 4 stations. Tell mewhere the diversity is there, when you consider there is 6 commercial FM stations.

So while we mourn things like the demise of the once mighty 99x (which I listened to regularly), just be happy to know that there is still a huge choice of formats in markets like Atlanta, because it could be worse. You could live in Australia.