[BC] Google moving away from radio

[Dana Puopolo]

Extrapolate all you want...but here are FACTS!

Terrestrial radio listening DROPPED another 4% last year-while Internet radio
listening GREW by almost 40%. These are statistics that came out within the
past few days. Even worse, most Internet radio listeners are YOUNGER then
those who listen to over the air radio. Also this week more information came
out that says the fastest growing segment of Internet users are Boomers and
Gen X ADULTS. Apparently, the Internet is becoming ubquitous enough that even
people in their 50s and 60s want it. What does this mean? It means that not
only are people less that 30 forgoing radio for the Internet, but the furure
trend is that ADULTS-the ones that radio still has-and depends on-are will
also soon be leaving radio for Internet radio.

Radio's response to all this is to homogenize themselves further by getting
rid of local talent-the only advantage that radio HAS over Internet and
satellite radio!

Radio is dying not because companies like Google are getting out, but instead
becasue companies like Lee and Bain and Forstman and Company are STAYING IN!
These companies aren't broadcasters. They don't know SQUAT about how to
successfuly run radio stations. All they care about is the next quarter's
guidance.

The reason that radio had been able to take on competing/encroaching
technologies and win in the past is because it was owned and run by
BROADCASTERS! Today is is not-it is run by investment firms that don't know
the difference between a broadcast tower and a tractor. All these clowns know
how to do is cut and cut and cut-and that's EXACTLY what they are doing!

As I said, the patient might not be dead, but it is hardly moving. And we all
know why-the fat was long cut out. So was the muscle and internal organs-and
now they're grinding away at the skeleton! 
At this point, I don't know how radio can recover. I hope that it does-NOTHING
would make me happier then to be told that history proved me wrong! Also, if
proven right I will not be happy about it.

I was told last night by someone who would know that there are less that 11
thousand radio engineers left in the entire country. Counting non coms, that's
less than 3/4 of a person per station. 20 years ago we averaged 2 engineers
per station. I know that people claim that equipment has become more
stable-but not by that much!
That's a 2/3 drop in our industry in 20 years. Does that sound like a healthy,
thriving industry to you? YET...looking at engineering in general, employment
is up by HUNDREDS of percent in the same 20 years-and is still projected to
grow. What are things going to be like in another 5 years-a half a person per
station? 
Denying these statistics is not only putting your head in the sand, it's
putting your head in a pothole with a Mack truck bearing down on you!

God help us all.

-D

From: SteveOrdinetz <hykker at wildblue.net>

Leave it to Dana to extrapolate another "radio is dying" thread out
of a press release that said no such thing.