Research recently released by CRA shows that time spent listening to digital radio is well ahead of that listened to on the internet – for now. While DAB+ radio will be in cars soon, it seems that internet radio will be available along with it. According to an article in electronicsfeed.com, “Global sales of automobiles with Internet radio capability are set to rise by a factor of more than 30 during the next eight years, leading a wave of in-vehicle apps that will be integrated into car electronics systems in the coming years.”
But if it’s just a question of ‘platform,’ Australian metro licensed stations are all available on the net too and should, with their localised and relevant programming, continue to dominate against foreign upstarts. Right?
But what about local upstarts? Plenty have started up in the past and failed, including Bigfatradio, Doug Mulray’s Telstra funded, The Basement and World Audio, among others. All of them were attracted by the idea of setting up a radio station without having to buy a license for $150 million or so. But they were ahead of their time.
At the same time (about a decade ago) that these stations were starting online, Gerry Harvey, arguably the smartest guy in the retailing room, became a pioneer in etailing. But he too was soon defeated, declaring that online shopping was never going to take off. Now, in 2011, as while the bricks and mortar retail sector is in sharp decline, Gerry’s eating his words and rushing to re-establish an online presence for Harvey Norman.
Sure, comparing retail to radio is like comparing apples to bananas.
But the question remains, has internet radio’s time come?
If so, what’s the potential damage it could inflict on radio as we know it?
If you have something that people want to hear, they will find you and listen regardless of the format. AM, FM, DAB, Satellite, Internet or my cone hat that needs no electrical power. Just yelling power and people still do that.
Wasn't FM going to kill AM radio all those years ago and here we are still listening to AM stations?
People like to hear local stuff and they get a kick out me doing a shout out to them or talking about the local town (Wagga Wagga in this case) because it is relevant and relatable.
I would much rather hear Ray Hadley or Alan Jones then some American Presenter I don't even know.
As far as I’m concerned, the only thing that has changed is technology and not the general concept of how we do things.
Let me explain quickly so you get the idea.
People talk about how Ipods and digital music players were going to kill radio supposedly, but people have been using Walkman’s since the 80’s and their portable music players since the 60s and even before for those that had money. But portable music, shortwave radios giving access to international content and other forms of content besides local radio have been around for over half a century.
The only thing that has changed is that it's a digital delivery method in 2011.
How many of us used to have cassettes loaded in the glove boxes of your car?
Content is king and that's the bottom line. Advertising dollars flow in from there.