Are you ready for Radio 2.0?
What is radio going to look like in the future? There are a lot of opinions, both positive and negative. One strong possibility is that radio is going evolve into something new and exciting – something beyond terrestrial and satellite. A new breed of smartphones are on the streets and shaking things up, including radio. Are you ready for Radio 2.0?
With T-Mobile launching it’s iPhone-like G1 based on Google’s Android software, more mobile music applications will be in the hands of the general public. This new breed of smartphones are intuitive and feature rich. It doesn’t take the average person very long to learn how to navigate and use many of the powerful features these devices provide, including music related apps that are a very popular application category. With Pandora, Last.fm, and the ability to access a multitude of radio station’s streams, more and more people are finding that radio transmissions aren’t the only way to get the music they like. Smartphones still have issues with connection speeds, battery life, etc. but eventually these issues will be worked out.
This is just the beginning of the mobile revolution. These devices are already fairly powerful little computers. They aren’t going to replace your desktop or laptop yet but they are making some rather large strides in that direction.
In light of this technology the HD radio push may be trumped when automakers and car stereo makers allow their components to receive audio via WiFi or Bluetooth signals from mobile phones and MP3 players. It will become more common for automakers and GPS companies to supply updated local traffic and weather reports through their GPS units. News will be supplied by services such as CNN Mobile news from your mobile phone to your car stereo. Unless the RIAA finds a way to shoot itself in the foot again, there will be a ton of options for music and talk content.
Where do terrestrial broadcasters fit into this new technology? Many people will still want a local/community connection with the content they listen to. Local issues and topics with personalities that have a connection to their community will be more important than ever. In order to stay relevant, stations should embrace this new technology and use it as an additional revenue source. Listeners are going to expect online streams, SMS texting, and mobile content – just as they now expect a station to have a Web site.
How do these devices play into ratings? They should be counted the same way your online stream is counted now. This technology also creates a great opportunity for Arbitron to hook up with mobile companies and create an application for one or multiple devices that will work like the Portable People Meters. People carry their mobile phones everywhere and they wouldn’t have to carry a second device like the PPM.
All this new technology may sound overwhelming but it can also be an opportunity to reach out and connect with your audience in ways you may never have thought of. You can be with your listeners everywhere they go. They can take your station from home to their car into the office back to the car and home again. They will text in their song requests, to win tickets, and text or call to give you their opinions. They can buy the song you just played instantly through the mobile web. Of course you will get a portion of that sale. This is not the death of radio…this is an opportunity. Embrace Radio 2.0.
–Tom Stark, Partner, RadioGlue. tom@radioglue.com – 732.416.0900
Let RadioGlue help you with your new technology initiatives. Contact Tom for more information.
Tags: android, apple, arbitron, future, iphone, listen, mobile, streaming, t-mobile, technology