What do the pundits say about local radio?
(Radio) is hilariously obsolete in the digital world.
Radio has been thrown out the door.
I’m not so sure how savable radio is.
The radio industry is a melting ice cube.
(Radio) programming is just not appealing enough.
What do listeners say about local radio?
Yes, there are new options, but I’ll continue to listen to radio as I do now.
The listener comment is actually our summary of a question from Arbitron’s Infinite Dial that has been asked since 2005. Radio listeners show a consistent and persistent commitment to local radio.
Asked whether they will, "continue to listen to AM/FM radio as much as you do now, despite increasing advancements in technology," an overwhelming majority say yes. And the number has barely wavered over the past six years.
Oddly enough, while the authors of this year’s study chose to show many trends, they chose to essentially ignore what is perhaps one of the most relevant trendable questions asked in the study. Our rendition of the trend is shown above.
Do these numbers suggest radio is obsolete? Do they suggest radio is in trouble and can’t be saved? Absolutely not.
These results are not an isolated case. Study after study confirm what this study suggests: New media are having a far smaller impact on local radio listening than pundits claim. Either pundits are ignorant of the truth, or choose to ignore it.
Clearly there is a disconnect between what pundits say, and how listeners feel. What we don’t know is whether these new-media pundits are liars or just idiots.
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