Thesis:
All radio stations have enjoyed the competitive edge of scarcity because of a lack of available radio frequencies. As the internet become more omnipresent this advantage will disappear. Listeners already have many and in the future will have many more ways to listen to audio aimed at the public radio audience. That audience is well-educated and willing to pay for quality programming, thus a highly desirable demographic for new entrants to pursue. Public radio stations must step up their efforts to find their way in the digital realm in order to effectively address the current and approaching competition. Fundamentally they must change their focus from producing broadcast radio to producing audio on all platforms.
Statement of Intent:
I will look at the vulnerabilities of public radio stations to new entrants via digital media and suggest several possible futures. The internet and digital technology have lowered the barriers for entry to people who want to present audio programming. Now simple podcast kits allow anyone to produce and distribute audio on the web to a worldwide audience at a tiny cost compared to cost of a broadcast radio station infrastructure that only reaches a regional audience. I will look at how these new entrants may present a competitive threat to public radio stations.
Digital media also has the potential to disrupt the relationship between public radio stations and the public radio networks like National Public Radio and American Public Media (distributors of A Prairie Home Companion and other popular radio programs). Until recent years the networks had to rely on radio stations to distribute their programs. Now networks can distribute their programs directly to listeners via live streaming and podcasting. I will look at various scenarios of how this will play out.
Advances in mobile technology allow users of smart cell phones to access podcasts, radio stations and radio network archives. A large proportion of public radio station audiences listen in the car. At some point in the future advances in wireless delivery of high speed internet to automobiles will provide a wealth of new audio offerings to drivers. I will explore how soon this threat may arrive and what radio stations can do.
I will also take a critical look at public radio station’s current responses to the digital revolution on their web sites and with the HD radio initiative. This technology allows radio stations to do a digital broadcast of multiple audio streams to listeners with HD radios. Some car manufacturers have begun to include HD radio in their vehicles. I will look at the potential for HD radio to attract and hold listeners willing to pay for the service.
Sonderman, J. (2007, October). HD Radio: What it’s all about. St. Louis Journalism Review, 37(300), 21-26. Retrieved January 14, 2009, from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.
