2nd Annual Youth Radio & New Media Study: Not Much More Damage iPods Can Do To Radio TSL
10:18:30 pm | Youth Radio, Miscellaneous | Larry Johnson
iPod ownership is practically universal: 85% of 18-24 year olds own an iPod or portable MP3 device. iPods are now part of the landscape and pose formidable competition for radio Time Spent Listening (TSL). However, part of the reason radio made a comeback in Paragon Media Strategies’ Second Annual Youth Radio and New Media Study may be that radio now has absorbed the impact of the iPod attack.
There doesn’t appear to be a whole lot more damage iPods can do to radio TSL now that iPod use and ownership has permeated our culture. When iPods first hit the scene, there were some articles that said that once the newness wears off, people will not use their iPods as much. We may have reached a threshold as the number of songs on listeners’ computers, iPods, and personalized CDs seems to have tapered off a bit.
The time spent with iPods seems to have leveled off too, but by no stretch of the imagination have people stopped listening to music on their iPods.
Could it be that radio has withstood all the challenges new media can muster for now? By way of perspective however, radio must acknowledge that youth 14-24 years old continue to use iPods as a permanent part of how they listen to recorded music. The good news is as nearly universal penetration of iPods becomes a fact, the meteoric impact that iPods and portable MP3 devices have had on radio TSL has leveled off.
Detailed results of the complete Second Annual Youth Radio and New Media Study on our website www.paragonmediastrategies.com
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Seems to me the cellphone is the real enemy.
bobwood | 09/18/08 08:31:44 am
Seems to ME that Radio is the enemy. Flasback to 1955. “Could it be that radio has withstood all the challenges the “Hi-Fi” can muster for now? By way of perspective however, radio must acknowledge that youth 14-24 years old continue to use “The Hi-Fi” as a permanent part of how they listen to recorded music.
Flasback to 1980 or so - - “Could it be that radio has withstood all the challenges the “Walkman” can muster for now? By way of perspective however, radio must acknowledge that youth 14-24 years old continue to use the “Walkman” as a permanent part of how they listen to recorded music.”
Should I repeat 1985 and the CD?
I certainly hope the research of the next 5 years goes to help radio reinvent itself. The medium has survived the onslaught of other media for decades. The missing element is the “desperate” operator who, like in the 50’s was FORCED to abandon the networks, do local compelling programming and succeed.
The first step? How about someone coming up with the compelling content for the intended audience (in this case 18-24). Market it to them and poof! It will succeed. Give them what they want. As long as the media is adequate (and WHO will deny that radio is still very adequate) - it can survive.
It’s still free. Easily accessable. Does the work for them. Right now it’s just not as attractive as the “gadgets” because we insist on feeding them six minutes of stupid commercials that do NOTHING for them. But WHY do we keep losing sight of that?
davemasonsd | 09/28/08 11:07:52 pm