broadcasting started in 1920

big business took control of industry
they need to improve receivers

In 1920
- networks were formed
- the Federal Radio Commission was set up to regulate radio

TV forced local station to adopt formats (Top40)

FM = dominant form of video

In industry during 1990s
loosening up ownership rules consolidation (Telecommunication Act of 1996)

- Nowadays, traditional radio compete with Satellite radio & Internet radio
- Introducing HD radio
- promoting as social media

- dominated by big companies (e.g: Hup Seng)

- National Public Radio (NPR) best known

Radio audiences
Arbitron: using a diary method or personal people meter (ppm)

- demographic

Radio in the digital age

- Terrestrial radio stations

- early radio stations --transition streaming of audio

- adjuncts -- over the air service

- current web formats

- listeners can create & share playlist

- collaboration (select from stations / channels)
(e.g: AOL Music + CBS Radio)

- have various formats

(e.g: Pandora / slacker.com)
- allow users to create radio stations

Issues with online radio

- financial problem -- royalty

HD Radio (FM)

- digital service

- it sounds like CD

- AM stations sounds like current FM stations (static free)

- digital signal -- compression of many programs

- e.g: Top 40 music while broadcasting jazz only sub-channels

- receiving set -- receive HD signals

- some systems allow for tagging

- for commuters

- have also portable receivers (can be used at home too)

- attracting talents (Howard Stern & Opral Winfrey)

- Podcasting

- unable to engage the crowd (poor personalization)

- but have also success e.g: Pandora FB fans reach over 800 thousand

 

- portable

- small&personal / big&Public-boom box

- supplemental (while doing something)

- universal

- selective

 

- local radio stations + Networks + Syndicators -- across the country

- locally produced music & talk

- popular syndicators: Premiere Network-Clear Chanel & Westwood One Networks

AM & FM stations

- AM: amplitude modulation -- signals travel further at night, classified by channels,  clear, local, regional

- FM: Frequency modulation -- better sound quality, less affected by weather

 

- music format: largest category (include sub-division & variation)

- e.g: Hits of 80s, country

 

Format Homogenization  (all have the same format)

- e.g: large medium markets, morning crew, shows

- because of the same owner

- it is based on market research tested

- served by NPR

- founded by education institutions / private foundations

- supported by foundations / federal government

- generates significant revenue (bigger podcasters)

- found on Apple’s iTunes

 

- streamed directly to a device

- types of stations:

- connect with a terrestrial station & play the same things

- choice-based stations (e.g: Pandora / Spotify) (users can choose their own stations & create their own favorite playlist)

- format specific Internet only stations (focus on some format)