TSL UP!

[lipripper]

A study released by Paragon Media Strategies shows radio's time spent listening among the hard to reach 14-24 demo was up in 2008. The study, entitled "Youth Radio & New Media," also found a sharp rise in the percentage of those who say broadcast radio is their primary source. And that's not all, radio is dominating in-car music delivery, with a substantial lead over CDs and portable music players.

 

[NightFlyer]

I've spoken to a few people about this. While ipods and CDs are good to listen to in the car, people are exhausting their music collections and the novelty of the ipod is wearing thin. Those markets lucky enough to have stations with local talent who make local appearances and create good buzz for events around town will see more listenership. It's simple. The younger generation is discovering (or rediscovering) radio.

Moving up in age a bit, several of my friends have mentioned listening more simply because they are hearing the wider playlist on Rock 100.5 and they're interested in other changes around the dial. While feeding this curiosity, they are finding things they like and sticking to them for awhile.

I myself am listening more simply because I am hearing stuff I like. It's cool hearing a song that had been long forgotten.

I miss the days when all stations had mostly local talent and everyone did remotes, they all sponsored events and showed up for them.

 

[DashRiprock]

I've spoken to a few people about this. While ipods and CDs are good to listen to in the car, people are exhausting their music collections and the novelty of the ipod is wearing thin.

I disagree that iPods are a novelty or wearing thin. They only wear thin if you never buy new music, and I don't know many users in that demo that never buy new music. This demo is not likely to buy a CD, they download. Usage may be leveling off after an initial boom, but portable music devices in one form or another are here to stay.

I also use my mp3 player to time shift radio programming. I load fresh podcasts of my favorite morning show before I leave work so I can listen to what I missed on the way home.

 

[atlradiofan2]

I listen to the regular guys in the morning for the humor. I listen to my ipod when I want to listen to music so I can vary my selection based on my mood. I usually listen to podcasts on the way home in the afternoon again I vary the selection based on mood or interest.

Radio can't compete with ipods using music or music programming. Anyone that has an ipod with an extensive music selection slowly transitions away from radio because they become accustom to listening to what they like whenever they want to without the long commercial breaks. It's exactly like tivo users. Once you start using tivo you grow less and less tolerant of watching live television. Eventually you reach the point you don't watch any live television save live sporting events.

Radio should take a hard look at what live shows they could offer that would offer a similar experience to live sporting events (shows that are compelling when they are happening live because of the timeliness of the content).

 

[Uriah]

I've spoken to a few people about this. While ipods and CDs are good to listen to in the car, people are exhausting their music collections and the novelty of the ipod is wearing thin.

I disagree that iPods are a novelty or wearing thin. They only wear thin if you never buy new music, and I don't know many users in that demo that never buy new music. This demo is not likely to buy a CD, they download. Usage may be leveling off after an initial boom, but portable music devices in one form or another are here to stay.

I also use my mp3 player to time shift radio programming. I load fresh podcasts of my favorite morning show before I leave work so I can listen to what I missed on the way home.

Dash - Great example. The mp3 player offers you an experience - time shifting. Radio, not portable player/recorders, is "wearing thin" because its value position is being challenged by consumer behavior (your example), bad PR and its ability to deliver cost effective results for advertisers over other offerings (grass roots, CRM, etc.)

Stations that offer value to listeners and results to advertisers win. And their success can many times be in spite of ratings or perceptions (see 790 The Zone billing versus share.)

Although it offers light at the end of a very dark PR tunnel, the Paragon research was based on just 409 respondents according to press releases. That's a real shaky sample base - especially when you slice it into demos.

Thankfully Atlanta has around 4.5 million cars on the road and radio still enjoys a huge chunk of this captured audience. Good news for station spot inventory value is that drive time is now 5a-8p!

Radio works for my clients. The difference is we buy 2 deep instead of 4 and only utilize the ones willing to create a partnership beyond spot.

To atlradiofan2 - so true about new habits. Pandora.com just replaced Sat/Radio at several client retailers. It gives their sales staff the chance to program in-store music with requests from the customers waiting - it's the new jukebox!

 

[jabba17]

Radio can't compete with ipods using music or music programming. Anyone that has an ipod with an extensive music selection slowly transitions away from radio because they become accustom to listening to what they like whenever they want to without the long commercial breaks. It's exactly like tivo users. Once you start using tivo you grow less and less tolerant of watching live television. Eventually you reach the point you don't watch any live television save live sporting events.

I have XM in my car as well as an MP3 player. When I drive the other car with no satellite, here's what I miss about XM:

1) No commercials (which terrestrial radio can't match)
2) Somewhat more specialized programming than terrestrial radio--but I still listen mostly to the AOR channels

Most important is this:
3) Deep cuts and wider playlists--much less burn, and the opportunity to hear forgotten songs (old disco or AM gold from my preteen years) or even "new" (to me) 20-30 year old stuff, perhaps by a familiar artist (a good example is the song "American Music" by the Violent Femmes)--and subsequently find out artist and title, and then download.

Terrestrial can't do 1. Terrestrial could do 2, if the number of HD subchannels really proliferates. Terrestrial can EASILY do 3 (although that's somewhat but not primarily dependent on 2).

The available spectrum in any market cannot match the dozens of satellite channels. However, IMO it could narrowcast more than it does currently once HD penetration becomes sufficient.

Does anyone have any information on how narrow/tight playlist stations, such as CHR and classic hits, do with heavy MP3 users? I would guess that a heavy MP3 user will be very intolerant of burn--if I want to get burned, I'll do it myself with my favorites, and not (as Steely Dan sang) with "somebody else's favorites". Similarly, a heavy MP3 user will be more interested in "new" stuff to check out (even old deep cuts) versus stuff already a clickwheel away.

 

[whit979]

409 respondents is more than enough for a "scientific" survey, assuming the survey was done at random.

I think that perceptions about iPod usage vs. radio may vary from person to person overall. For some, the iPod may be a wonderful invention that delivers personal content on demand. For others, the iPod suffers from one Achilles' heel: it is limited to the content that you put onto it. So over time, it becomes predictable...even for people who continue to add new music onto theirs.

Another thing to keep in mind is the cost of an iPod vs. the cost of radio. Yes, it sounds silly but someone made a good point: there are MILLIONS of cars on the road in Atlanta. When you look at the big picture, you see that only a small segment of poential listeners utilize iPods on a daily basis.

Sooner or later iPods could become a real contender to radio in the broader sense. Hopefully when that day comes, the radio industry will have found a way to use them to their advantage. You can bet that we will.

 

[DashRiprock]

Sooner or later iPods could become a real contender to radio in the broader sense. Hopefully when that day comes, the radio industry will have found a way to use them to their advantage. You can bet that we will.

To me, that's the takeaway from this discussion. Radio needs to work with portable music devices, not be in competition with them. I'll bet any station that offers podcasts of its programming is seeing a steady increase in the number of downloads. I believe podcasts build the brand and cement listener loyalty.

Additionally, Web ads that send traffic to iTunes, eMusic, or similar sites is another revenue opportunity that depends on those little portables.

 

[OnTheAir123]

I have an I-Pod, a computer, and PLENTY of music but you still must take the time to reload it every now and then. I have a multi-disc changer in my car but you still must take the time to burn new discs every so often.

I like radio because it not only provides me with music but it also gives me the current news, weather, and sports as I go through my day. If you do not care about what major event might be happening, who won that big game last night, or about that tornado which is about to overtake you in the rear view mirror then the I-Pod is just fine.

I use my I-Pod once a week but I use my radio multiple times a day, every day.

8)

 

[hail2theorange]

I have an I-Pod, a computer, and PLENTY of music but you still must take the time to reload it every now and then. I have a multi-disc changer in my car but you still must take the time to burn new discs every so often.

I like radio because it not only provides me with music but it also gives me the current news, weather, and sports as I go through my day. If you do not care about what major event might be happening, who won that big game last night, or about that tornado which is about to overtake you in the rear view mirror then the I-Pod is just fine.

I use my I-Pod once a week but I use my radio multiple times a day, every day.

8)

I agree with your observation/opinion -- what puzzles me is why no other station in ATL has made a significant effort to make news/talk/weather/sports/traffic -- (things that remain relevant on this medium) available on FM with a decent signal. I continue to find WSB-AM mediocre, at best, and it continues to succeed and inflate the egos of its management & on-air folk simply because it has no competition.

 

[RTibbs]

I have an I-Pod, a computer, and PLENTY of music but you still must take the time to reload it every now and then. I have a multi-disc changer in my car but you still must take the time to burn new discs every so often.

I like radio because it not only provides me with music but it also gives me the current news, weather, and sports as I go through my day. If you do not care about what major event might be happening, who won that big game last night, or about that tornado which is about to overtake you in the rear view mirror then the I-Pod is just fine.

I use my I-Pod once a week but I use my radio multiple times a day, every day.

8)

I agree with your observation/opinion -- what puzzles me is why no other station in ATL has made a significant effort to make news/talk/weather/sports/traffic -- (things that remain relevant on this medium) available on FM with a decent signal. I continue to find WSB-AM mediocre, at best, and it continues to succeed and inflate the egos of its management & on-air folk simply because it has no competition.

I agree someone needs to give them a challenge. But I don't believe any of them have the guts to do it. You need local talent and I don't think anyone has confidence they can do that. Don't give us a line-up of syndicated talkers. WSB gets away with it only because all three used to be local Atlanta talent prior to being syndicated and two of them are still located in this market. A morning show anchored around a known Atlanta talent. Not Tom Hughes, I am thinking more like someone like Art "Madman" Mehring. He deserves to be doing more than traffic. Build a strong cast around hiim for news, weather, traffic, sports but also allow him sometime to explore topics. He is well-rounded enough to cover numerous topics.

A mid-day show with local hosts, perhaps say Chris Krok either solo or teamed up with someone with countering views, like Jimmy Barron.

Drive tiem I would go sports. Especially with the two local AM's crappy signals. You can barely pick-up either once the sun goes down. Obviously the Zone is a little worse but neither have nice clear signals. Go with someone who has already been in the market and perhaps someone fresh.

The mid-day and afternoon shows could be swapped to depending on their strength.

 

[jabba17]

Someone could give WSB a challenge if they could cobble together or squeeze out a clear channel, or even a 10kW night signal that doesn't leave out half the metro area (like WCNN does). There's no eastern clear on 640, and WDUN could do it on 550 if they could up their night power and go directional SW instead of SE.

If the objective is to protect stations to the north and west, someone needs to put an AM array NW of Atlanta and blast southeasterly. All of the current directional night signals cut off the NE and/or NW metro, usually because their sticks are in town (WQXI) or to the NE (WDUN, WCNN).

The alternative is to use a high-wattage FM signal (i.e., not 105.7, unless you want to try it out there first before committing the big sticks) and forget the AM.

Of course, you would need to invest in some serious programming--probably a mix of superstar syndicated talent and promising local talent.