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Why Radio Is Making A Comeback & The AI Influence

Not sure if you have realized this David, but consultants have ruined this entire industry, along with radio companies who are not radio people

There is no doubt that people are getting sick of technology. I bet every person on this thread today had a headache with something to do with technology

Social media is becoming increasing fake, and will only continue that trend with AI

Also, regarding BIG WECK in Buffalo. I know the numbers. I have plenty of friends in the business.

Gen Z is appreciated more than anyone that going back to a "simpler time" is appealing, even though they never experienced that simple time.

In Buffalo, my 1KW AM station is CREAMING major FM heritiage stations, both 55+ and 12+

AI if "people are getting sick of technology". See what they say
 
Buddy Shula said:
Gen Z is appreciated more than anyone that going back to a "simpler time" is appealing, even though they never experienced that simple time.
Click to expand...

And yet 97% of them own cell phones.

  • Over 97% of users between 18 and 49 years use smartphones.
  • Almost half of the people in the United States spend 5 to 6 hours on smartphones daily.
  • Smartphones make up 70% of digital media time in the United States.
  • M-commerce accounted for 73% of e-commerce.
  • Mobile devices drive 65% of e-commerce traffic.
  • Smartphone users touch their phones an average of 2,617 times daily in the United States.
  • Nearly 72% of teenagers check their phone messages and notifications after waking up.
Click to expand...

What percentage of Gen Z listen to radio?

  • They spend 42% of their average audio day with streaming music, 20% with music and music videos on YouTube, 16% with AM/FM radio and radio streams, 8% with podcasts, and 14% with other audio sources
Click to expand...

www.edisonresearch.com

The Gen Z Audio Report

Edison Research announces the upcoming Gen Z Audio Report
www.edisonresearch.com www.edisonresearch.com
 
Buddy Shula said:
Not sure if you have realized this David, but consultants have ruined this entire industry, along with radio companies who are not radio people
Click to expand...
The best consultants are the ones who were successful at a single station or group and who are, simply, worth more when sharing their expertise with many stations. And that same criteria works if you make ball bearings or run a private investigation business.

I know quite a few consultants, self included, who have not just improved individual stations but, in the process, trained folks who are now among the most successful in the business.
Buddy Shula said:
There is no doubt that people are getting sick of technology. I bet every person on this thread today had a headache with something to do with technology
Click to expand...
I used to have headaches with noisy germanium transistors. And before that, learning to use an automatic transmission. And that new thing called FM was a bitch at the beginning when all the radios de-tuned by themselves...
Buddy Shula said:
Social media is becoming increasing fake, and will only continue that trend with AI
Click to expand...
It's been full of fake stuff ever since it began. That is why in 2001 I began WorldRadioHistory just to have the actual data. Just the facts, Ma'am.
Buddy Shula said:
Also, regarding BIG WECK in Buffalo. I know the numbers. I have plenty of friends in the business.

Gen Z is appreciated more than anyone that going back to a "simpler time" is appealing, even though they never experienced that simple time.
Click to expand...
The reason why stations like classic hits KRTH in LA are doing so well with younger demos is that the bulk of those demos listen to streams. What is left over is a batch of outliers... they look good in share, but horrible in rating.
Buddy Shula said:
In Buffalo, my 1KW AM station is CREAMING major FM heritiage stations, both 55+ and 12+
Click to expand...
Congratulations. That also proves that some of the debt-encumbered "big" stations are just not able to create compelling programming as well as you can.
Buddy Shula said:
AI if "people are getting sick of technology". See what they say
Click to expand...
Some are, indeed. But it is not near a majority.

You know when people hate new tech the most? That is when the $2000 device they bought just two years ago is now considered obsolete.
 
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TheBigA said:
How often do you change or update the music on your thumb drives? Statistically, what we see is that when people control the playlist, they listen to the same songs over and over. Quite often by the same artist. That's why you see streaming charts with ten songs by Morgan Wallen in the Top 20. Not because of radio. But because of people who are free to pick their own music. You may be different. If so, good for you. Commercial radio doesn't program music to people who want big playlists. There's simply no money in it. You might find what you want in non-commercial radio.

The innovation from the big guys is taking place in digital media. The broadcast business for them is declining. Big playlists won't change the fact that people want what they want when they want it for free and without interruption.
Click to expand...
I've got a handful of thumb drives so I switch when I'm bored lol. Yeah I'm probably different in that I grew up hearing a lot of different music. Anything but opera or rap and I'm ok with it. I've not been involved directly in radio in some years now, and things have changed as we all know. Commercials bring in the $$$ but too many in row maybe chases away younger listeners. Maybe that's why my kids and grandkids don't own or listen to radio like most of us did
 
blindowl1234 said:
Maybe that's why my kids and grandkids don't own or listen to radio like most of us did
Click to expand...

Another reason might be that the radio devices themselves aren't what they once were. Certainly not as important or marketed as heavily as a phone. For that reason, most people don't buy radios. They instead get them free with other things, such as new cars. That's how it is for me. My only radio is in my car.
 
TheBigA said:
Another reason might be that the radio devices themselves aren't what they once were. Certainly not as important or marketed as heavily as a phone. For that reason, most people don't buy radios. They instead get them free with other things, such as new cars. That's how it is for me. My only radio is in my car.
Click to expand...
Radios used to be a common component of home stereo systems -- turntable and/or cassette deck, amplifier, tuner.
 
CTListener said:
Radios used to be a common component of home stereo systems -- turntable and/or cassette deck, amplifier, tuner.
Click to expand...

They still are, but for most people, the home entertainment system is primarily a video device with a gaming system.

Here's the Best Buy black Friday ad. I don't see any "home stereo systems" or radios.

 
TheBigA said:
They still are, but for most people, the home entertainment system is primarily a video device with a gaming system.

Here's the Best Buy black Friday ad. I don't see any "home stereo systems" or radios.

Click to expand...
That's why I took the technology involved only up to the cassette. I started noticing old-style component systems getting less of a push toward the end of the CD era.
 
CTListener said:
That's why I took the technology involved only up to the cassette. I started noticing old-style component systems getting less of a push toward the end of the CD era.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine works for Music Choice, the music service on cable TV. He tells me they're very popular. Commercial-free curated music channels. Personally, I've never listened, and don't know anyone who does. With cable TV declining in popularity, I don't see much growth there.
 
TheBigA said:
A friend of mine works for Music Choice, the music service on cable TV. He tells me they're very popular. Commercial-free curated music channels. Personally, I've never listened, and don't know anyone who does. With cable TV declining in popularity, I don't see much growth there.
Click to expand...
I listened to them occasionally back when I had cable, but now I just use the SiriusXM app on my smart TV. All the FAST streaming services have music channels, too, but the commercials come every two or three songs.

You've also stepped into the "I don't like x. Nobody I know likes x. Therefore, nobody likes x" fallacy. Tsk, tsk.
 
TheBigA said:
A friend of mine works for Music Choice, the music service on cable TV. He tells me they're very popular. Commercial-free curated music channels. Personally, I've never listened, and don't know anyone who does. With cable TV declining in popularity, I don't see much growth there.
Click to expand...
I was at the beach in 2004 and when they showed community announcements or wanted criminals, and during part of the real estate classifieds, they played the most wonderful beautiful instrumentals. I called the cable company and was told the music was from Music Choice. I'm in a Facebook group for that kind of music, and supposedly they've updated the sound.

I quit paying my cable bill at the office, but now it's closed to the public. I got tired of waiting every time I went there. They didn't offer express service for those just there to pay a bill, but had one person for everything, no matter how time-consuming. The person who dealt with everyone was rude when I complained about the loud music she had playing. And it was a channel with love songs! Nothing like the Sirius/XM channel with love songs. I heard that one at Dairy Queen. Pretty good.
 
TheBigA said:
Another reason might be that the radio devices themselves aren't what they once were. Certainly not as important or marketed as heavily as a phone. For that reason, most people don't buy radios. They instead get them free with other things, such as new cars. That's how it is for me. My only radio is in my car.
Click to expand...
I don't think I mentioned it on this thread, but I have said I needed a new radio and one was advertised on this very site.

I bought it and listen to "Wait! Wait!" on Saturdays. The computer is not in the room where I make and eat lunch, but in theory I could listen online because it has Bluetooth. If I turn the on-off button in the other direction, the orange display turns blue.
 
TheBigA said:
Another reason might be that the radio devices themselves aren't what they once were. Certainly not as important or marketed as heavily as a phone. For that reason, most people don't buy radios. They instead get them free with other things, such as new cars. That's how it is for me. My only radio is in my car.
Click to expand...

Yes. I found it hard to find the Panasonic Walkman-style receiver I now own--when I looked on Amazon, there weren't a lot and they were far more expensive than I thought they'd be. (And this was two years ago, long before the current head of state and his tariffs.)
 
TheBigA said:
Another reason might be that the radio devices themselves aren't what they once were. Certainly not as important or marketed as heavily as a phone. For that reason, most people don't buy radios. They instead get them free with other things, such as new cars. That's how it is for me. My only radio is in my car.
Click to expand...
Only radio is in your car....Uh oh you better not peek in our house lol. I've got at least 25 still give or take a few. I used to have a bunch of old radios from 30's & 40's but sold 99% of them a few years ago. Oldest one I've kept is a circa 1932 Pilot Mfg AM cathedral set
 
CTListener said:
It's no worse than the syndicated format on WCGY Lawrence/Boston, WKFM Fulton/Syracuse and other stations in the '70s. Two songs would play, then an unemotional voice -- always male -- would back-announce "That was 'Ventura Highway,' America, and before that, Billy Swan, 'I Can Help.' " I listened to WCGY through an entire summer of boring office work between my freshman and sophomore years of college, and appreciated its minimalist approach.
Click to expand...
That would be "TM Stereo Rock", which (despite the name) was an adult top 40 format. It came from Dallas-based TM Productions and did quite well in a number of medium and smaller markets until several years into the 80s when tape syndication started being supplanted by distribution over satellite.

That said, the better stations did localize to some extent with news, public service announcements, promotions, and contests that were local to their service areas.
 
CTListener said:
The "younger folks" have smart TVs and other devices (Alexa, Siri) in their homes that can be used to listen to thousands of radio stations, AM, FM and even shortwave and longwave. Whether they actually are using them for that purpose -- and if they are, whether they are using them to listen to ephemeral ditties from the grandparents' days, is a matter of conjecture. And I don't think anyone knows the answer: not me, nor you, nor Mr. Shula. But I'd lean toward the cold, hard truth coming out contradictory to Buddy's assertions.
Click to expand...
Behold! The cold, hard truth -- hot off the presses just 9 days ago:
www.edisonresearch.com

Most AM/FM Radio Listening Remains on Radio Receivers

The SSRS Sports Poll has been diving deeper into how people spend their free time across sports, entertainment, and leisure since 1994.
www.edisonresearch.com www.edisonresearch.com
 
yeoldeschool said:
Behold! The cold, hard truth -- hot off the presses just 9 days ago:
www.edisonresearch.com

Most AM/FM Radio Listening Remains on Radio Receivers

The SSRS Sports Poll has been diving deeper into how people spend their free time across sports, entertainment, and leisure since 1994.
www.edisonresearch.com www.edisonresearch.com
Click to expand...

I think it's telling that the photo in the article shows a 60 year old Pioneer receiver

If most radio listening is done using radio receivers, it's no wonder that PUM numbers are so low.
 


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