"You Know Radio Is In Big Trouble When..."

By Jerry Del Colliano

The big box stores are supposed to be selling HD radios and breathing
new life into a declining industry -- if you believe the hype.

Nope -- not flying off the shelves.

Instead, Wal-Mart is selling new George Foreman grills that come
equipped with speakers that allow you to hook up your iPods while
cooking -- God forbid you have to be away from an iPod for a few
minutes.

Here's the pitch on Wal-Mart's site:


"Whether you're grilling indoors or outdoors, you'll love the
convenience of listening to your iPod or other MP3 player while
cooking. This electric grill has all of the features you've come to
expect from the George Foreman line, along with a built-in amplifier
and speaker".
Isn't that what radio used to do? Entertain at the old barbie -- and
everywhere else.

Radio is losing its place to the changing lifestyles of its listeners.
You don't need the George Foreman grill to tell you that -- just look
around at all the people using MP3 devices instead of radio. But the
Foreman grill, already? Geez, what a low blow.

You know radio is in big trouble when...

QVC does a big sales push on home shopping network and they can't sell
any radios. They can't even sell enough to put the number remaining to
be sold on the screen -- too embarrassing. And QVC likely had to eat
the radios it couldn't sell. (Maybe they could put them on the George
Foreman grill).

Now I have heard people say it doesn't matter -- that QVC sells to
older women anyway but if that's true they are certainly smarter old
women. They understand what radio operators don't -- that HD radio
(whatever that is) is not desirable. It's the Custer's Last Stand of
radio and the carnage is everywhere. Imagine, all those digital
channels with nothing to listen to. And no digital radios to listen
on.

You know radio is in big trouble when...

Group owners attack the ratings technology that it will eventually
have to embrace causing everyone including agencies and buyers to
question its viability. I see several radio groups taking credit for
derailing the Arbitron People Meter (PPM) rollout in many of the top
markets. I've said it before and I'll say it again, they have some
legitimate methodology and response concerns. But once you've
destroyed the very instrument that you're asking advertisers to rely
upon -- what kind of victory is that? It's stupid -- like a lot of
other strategical blunders in radio.

And you really know radio is in big trouble when...

The industry is a monopoly that can do just about anything it wants
and the most it can accomplish is drive its stock down to near
worthless prices. How bad is that?

Maybe cutbacks, firings, voice tracking, "Less is More", proliferation
of nationally syndicated shows on a local medium and HD radio didn't
work.

Ya think?

http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com...uble-when.html

Yea, i think!