Home » Audio » Radio » "Not a viable business anymore"
icon4.gif  "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97429] Mon, 12 February 2024 21:19 Go to next message
Taurus is currently offline  Taurus
Messages: 16
Registered: January 2020
Chancellor
I just read an article on Bell Media of Canada laying off their employees and selling almost half of their radio stations. After pulling something similar in 2023, they mentioned that "radio is not a viable business anymore" this time. Sounds like things will only go downhill from here on.
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97435 is a reply to message #97429] Sat, 17 February 2024 07:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Joyce is currently offline  Joyce
Messages: 25
Registered: January 2020
Chancellor
My childhood had lots of moments spent with the radio. I feel less lonely listening to the human voices and interactions on the programs. Newer generations seem to prefer something more practical. These radios are less accessible from smartphones or other popular gadgets they use as well, so the traction is just not enough.

I'm sure there are still people like me who will stick around, but we can't save an entire industry.
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97437 is a reply to message #97435] Sat, 17 February 2024 20:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
gofar99 is currently offline  gofar99
Messages: 1944
Registered: May 2010
Location: Southern Arizona
Illuminati (5th Degree)
I own a number of devices that will get AM and more that will do FM, but I don't recall using the AM in the past 2-3 years and FM only about once a month. Vinyl, CD and DVD are pretty much the only things I listen to regularly. Once in a while reel to reel tape and cassette. With on line services available for free in many cases that can be received (via web) on phones thus most folks don't see the need for radios. XM and Siris for autos if you want to pay is fine, but I got rid of that a while back. Now I just stick a USB drive in the port and can have anything I want. Additionally radio used to be important for news and weather. Any smart phone can get as much of that as you want.

Good Listening
Bruce
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97439 is a reply to message #97437] Sat, 17 February 2024 21:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18774
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

I love my old tube radios and usually spend an hour or two listening to talk radio every day while I'm working. I just love knowing that the radio I'm listening to presented news broadcasts of the history of the world during most of the last century.
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97458 is a reply to message #97437] Sun, 25 February 2024 20:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Joyce is currently offline  Joyce
Messages: 25
Registered: January 2020
Chancellor
gofar99 wrote on Sat, 17 February 2024 20:03
Additionally radio used to be important for news and weather. Any smart phone can get as much of that as you want.
No phones allowed while driving, and it can get confusing to check the routes before we start, so those news and weather programs are the best friends on the road. They also give live, up-to-date information as it happens, which is helpful. Music wise, I agree the competition is tough.
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97466 is a reply to message #97458] Wed, 28 February 2024 09:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Rusty is currently offline  Rusty
Messages: 1175
Registered: May 2018
Location: Kansas City Missouri
Illuminati (3rd Degree)
I listen to radio mainly in the car, and NPR usually because the commercial stations play such banality. For me. There is a nice local community radio station that has good programming. My favorite is the Dr. Mike show. Old country music, rockabilly and bluegrass. Which, a little dab'l do ya on my part again. Those old vocalists always sounded like they had a clothespin clamped on their nose singing.
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97586 is a reply to message #97435] Thu, 04 April 2024 05:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Echo is currently offline  Echo
Messages: 34
Registered: June 2019
Baron
Joyce wrote on Sat, 17 February 2024 07:42
My childhood had lots of moments spent with the radio. I feel less lonely listening to the human voices and interactions on the programs. Newer generations seem to prefer something more practical. These radios are less accessible from smartphones or other popular gadgets they use as well, so the traction is just not enough.

I'm sure there are still people like me who will stick around, but we can't save an entire industry.
I am the same! I spent my entire childhood listening to the radio. I am an only child and radio was a great companion for me. I must confess though that I haven't listened to it for so many years, but it will always have a special place in my heart.
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97595 is a reply to message #97586] Fri, 05 April 2024 08:33 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Barryso is currently offline  Barryso
Messages: 202
Registered: May 2009
Master
Back before the communications act of 1996 there was a limit on how many radio and tv stations a company could own in a market. There were still many locally owned and managed radio stations at that point.

After the act, the big companies started a radio station buying frenzy that had many stations bought and sold several times over a short time span. Each sale drove up the debt held on that station and required those stations to run formats that were uber commercial just to keep up with that newly acquired debt.

DJ's weren't allowed to say much anymore, if in fact there were still DJ's at the stations. Commericals started taking up more and more minutes in the hour. And playlists were culled to 100 or 200 songs. Great songs perhaps but they didn't play many of them.

So you ended up with stations that had a very bland presentation, no local connection, and a ton of commercials. This is not a recipe for long term success.

When I was a kid radio was pretty entertaining. Lots of great memories listening to some great stations with very talented DJ's.
Re: "Not a viable business anymore" [message #97862 is a reply to message #97595] Sat, 13 July 2024 10:07 Go to previous message
Kingfish is currently offline  Kingfish
Messages: 555
Registered: November 2012
Illuminati (1st Degree)
Barryso wrote on Fri, 05 April 2024 08:33

So you ended up with stations that had a very bland presentation, no local connection, and a ton of commercials. This is not a recipe for long term success.
So the guy in Canada was right: It's not viable. Because people like him make it unviable simply by their business practices.

This is what happens when corporations buy something they know nothing about.
Previous Topic: Less People Listening To Radio
Next Topic: Don't overpay for SiriusXM
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Mon Oct 07 05:53:53 CDT 2024

Sponsoring Organizations

DIY Audio Projects
DIY Audio Projects
OddWatt Audio
OddWatt Audio
Pi Speakers
Pi Speakers
Prosound Shootout
Prosound Shootout
Miller Audio
Miller Audio
Tubes For Amps
TubesForAmps.com

Lone Star Audiofest