Despite having been introduced to the public in the early 20th century, radio had changed very little in the following 9 decades. Even with the introduction of the FM broadband, the content on radio had remained an artifact of its beginnings. It wasn’t until the 1990s that broadcast radio, especially FM radio, began to see major shifts in the production and consumption of its content. The introduction of streaming and downloadable content began the ever increasing series of changes that would revolutionize the medium.
You guessed it, blame it on the East Coast, as according to Wikipedia, “On November 7, 1994, WXYC (89.3 FM Chapel Hill, NC USA) became the first traditional radio station to announce broadcasting on the Internet.” It was the first time that anyone with a connection to the internet could listen to a live broadcast which a terrestrial signal could never have brought them. Today you will be hard pressed to find a commercial terrestrial radio station that is not also broadcasting online. Along side the introduction of live audio to the internet was another significant parrallel, the 2nd largest generation of young people in the history of the planet, Generation Y.
Generation Y, having been born roughly between the years of 1980 and 2000, in 1994 was just beginning to develop critical skills of cultural identity, being as young as they were. With the internet becoming widely available to households across the Western world, Generation Y was able to adapt to a pace of change in new technology that would ultimately define them. Radio, previously a relatively unchanged medium, was about to undergo a period of amazing revolution and relevancy.
Today the word “radio” can refer to a number of different type of medium. From traditional AM radio to satellite radio, there are many subsets to a formerly simple concept. This is significant to understand as Generation Y has access to all of these mediums and therefore, in general, considers the action (whether passive or engaged) of receiving audio to be conceptually similar. While it may be simple for Generation Y, one type of radio broadcast in particular is having a difficult time understanding how to remain as relevant as they once were with past generations; terrestrial radio.
Primarily an endeavor of a commercial enterprise, such as Clear Channel, terrestrial radio has a unique set of requirements in order to operate. These would include FCC regulation, expensive equipment and content distribution/creation. Putting these factors together it becomes incredibly cost prohibitive to manage and operate. Yet there is a distinct advantage held by terrestrial radio stations, legacy.
On average, an American household has 7-9 AM/FM radio receivers. This is, in part, due to the legacy that traditional radio has with previous generations. Another element of this legacy is the cost to the content consumer, radio is free. Lastly radio is ubiquitous and consistent, allowing for reliabbility from the content consumer towards programming. Understanding that there are pros and cons to terrestrial radio, how does Generation Y fit into the conversation?
Remembering that the vast majority of terrestrial radio signals in the US are commercial signals and that the model for funding this medium remains advertisements, the mandate for radio stations is to appeal to the emerging demographics of consumers, Generation Y. Generation Y are the gate keepers to the continuation of terrestrial radio as a major source of information and entertainment as a result. To date, there is a good deal of concern in the radio industry about how to retain Generation Y, despite the ubiquity of the medium in the past. This is due, as was discussed earlier, to the diversification of the concept of radio.
As Generation Y continues to widen the ways of consuming and enjoying audio content, the more competitive terrestrial radio signals must become. But, even with a competitive edge in regards to legacy that terrestrial radio holds, what was once known only by the few is now known by millions, that being amateur radio. Again, remembering that Generation Y doesn’t see radio as simply an AM/FM broadcast, but a multitude of mediums, it becomes evident that content produced on the cheap by peers and less than professioanlly trained hosts would become increasingly available and popular. This added to the fact that Generation Y, unlike previous generation, puts more faith in the casual support of a peer than an official endorsement and you have a very real challenge for terrestrial radio.
For terrestrial radio to become top of mind again for an entirely new generation there are several points of convergence that must happen between both parties. But remember, it is the duty of terrestrial radio to meet Generation Y where they are and not the other way around. Here are a few observations from the field.
1. Regardless of whether or not the radio station is a non-profit or a commercial operation, the relationship that the host/DJ has to listener, the advertiser and the station management needs to be be fundamentally reconsidered. No longer can hosts/DJs act as a representative for the station to the community or for the community to the station. To often the interests of one group, that being represented by the DJ, has too much sway over program content. This creates a divide between successful operations and quality content. To attract Generation Y listeners the host/DJ must become a voice for the creation and maintenance of an imperfect relationship between all parties.
2. Top 40 lists are repetitive and local bands are only local. While it is true that an AM/FM signal can only supply a single line of content at a time, there must be a compromise between Pop and playlists. This is much easier said than done as there needs to be predictability in results and listenership. This is why radio stations must rely on emerging online music distribution trends rather than traditional revenue quotas. To effectively engage Generation Y listeners, terrestrial radio must continue (as they have for 110 years) to adapt their content to attract new listeners.
3. Finally, similar to a the recent effort by the magazine industry, terrestrial radio must educate the advertisers about and prove to the listeners that there is a better way to communicate. It is, again, the duty of terrestrial radio as an industry to reach out to both ends of their lifeline and to educate and prove their new business model. It is rarely the fault of an advertiser or a listener for the quality and ROI of a broadcast.
For terrestrial radio to thrive they must retake control of the responsibility for their own performance and learn to listen.
Related posts:
- Radio Context From the confines of a small studio in the basement...
- Remake the Horizon Last night I was recording the weekly “Two Media Dudes”...
- Scion and Generation Y Last night I attended an event put on by NWAV,...
- Google TV As I typically do each and every morning, I began...
