Keeping Radio Relevant
By Jon Holiday ~ Managing Partner Radio Consulting Services
“What happens here, stays here,” was a slogan unlike any other in the history of advertising. It was a perfect pitch for a city built on excess, one that became as ingrained in the American vernacular as “Just do it,” “I’m lovin’ it,” “Tastes great, less filling,” “Don’t leave home without it” and joined others on the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame.
That slogan was updated in early 2020 to “What happens here, only happens here”. Vegas is always looking for the hot new thing. Las Vegas is always reinventing itself. Since the middle of last decade with a new generation in mind, and for them, gambling is not the primary draw to Sin City.
Indoor-outdoor spaces have become a thing there. Who thought there would be a focus on outdoor dining and parks in Las Vegas? All of this is to keep Vegas relevant, especially with the millennial generation that’s more likely to be found dancing in state-of-the-art nightclubs or singing at music festivals than playing the same old craps game.
It used to be about going to see a show and then playing craps. and you’re watching the show, to going to a nightclub, taking a selfie, putting it up on Twitter or Instagram. And you’re being the show now. Despite the increase in platforms such as Apple Music or Spotify, the most popular way to discover new music remains the radio. Listening online via smartphones or other devices grows in popularity each year and, in turn, allows internet streaming stations to also expand their audience.
Will Radio be visual?
Doesn’t adding visuals to radio make it just like TV? No! Modern society is image-obsessed, but radio can maintain its individuality. From the very beginning, the advantage of radio has been its ability to boost the imagination via the audio content it’s broadcasting. Adding images to its content will only enhance its charm and not scar the identity of radio. Even so, radio can also benefit from adopting other ways of communicating and diffusing new content to attract on-air listeners (YouTube videos, website news, podcasts, and social networks, etc.).
Car Radios and the future.
Recent studies in the U.S. show growth in online radio listening. This is a direct result of the ongoing evolution of internet radio in the modern world. The creation of mobile apps for smartphones and tablets, plus the development and adaptability of web radio across social networks, is turning audio streaming into the airwaves of the future.
If you think that listening to internet radio in your car is impossible, think again. It was before the arrival of connected cars, which since 2014 have opened up a field of opportunities for streaming. The future of radio is the connected car.
As with FM, internet radio stations will broadcast to listeners in their cars! By simply connecting a smartphone to a CarPlay or Android Auto compatible screen, your listeners can tune in to your station from their car (assuming it’s streaming and/or has a streaming audio app). Radio needs to sound better, be more present (i.e., local) and look better in the dash.
Radio is everywhere.
The possibilities are endless and will continue to multiply. The consoles connected watches and TV’s that we use every day are just other ways in which radio stations can broadcast and increase their audience numbers. Whichever way you look at it, radio is and will remain a simple, direct way to capture the hearts of its listeners.
About Radio Consulting Services
Radio Consulting Services is the multi-format consulting and programming services company advising stations on how to grow their audience. Every day, our winning Programming and Consulting team keeps radio stations on top. For more information on how Radio Consulting Services can help your company gain more listeners, achieve higher ratings and grow revenue, contact Jon Holiday.