The Big If

Some radio people like to brush off the threats posed by satellite, iPods, webcasting, podcasting and such, suggesting that increased competition makes for better radio.

It's certainly true that competition leads to a better product (for all whom survive of course). That's true no matter what business you're in. But the realities of radio today will determine radio's success or failure as much as will outside competition.

New competition will only lead to better radio *IF* broadcasters adapt by making their stations better. That's one hell of a big if.

VT, national contests, eliminating dayparts, jockless national formats... are these better? Not in the least.

Radio needs to learn from the new competitors.

• Learn what they're doing right.
• Learn why a listener would choose them over us.
• Learn what they're doing wrong.
• Learn why a listener would choose us over them.
• Learn what their limitations are. Can we capitalize on them?
• Learn what our own weaknesses are. Can we minimize them?

By taking a look at satellite radio, it's clear that terrestrial radio has the advantage of being local, and thus, more personal. And yet, terrestrial radio is busy launching jockless formats. So much for personal.

HD is another fine example. HD could help terrestrial radio to minimize the impact of new competitors - especially satellite - by allowing us to offer up far more specialized content. But I'm betting that it won't help, because HD will mean more work, and I doubt more people will be hired to do it. Worse still, HD could actually make radio worse by further adding to the workload and causing lowered standards overall.

Aren't we already seeing that? Doesn't HD limit the quality of the audio on the traditional FM signal - even if only slightly (the word 'slightly' being debatable)

The answer is yes.

Competition could make radio better. But it could also make radio worse. It all comes down to how owners operate their stations. Will Infinity demand individual excellence among its stations? Or does Infinity want them programmed "The Infinity Way"? Will Clear Channel use its size to create a giant talent pool that represents the best radio talent, bar none? Or will Clear Channel use its size eliminate costs at all cost?

We all know what Clear Channel, Infinity and others have done up to this point. But now that some of the architects of impersonal radio are realizing the errors of their ways, it makes me wonder what the next phase of corporate radio will be.

I believe the real threat to radio is the lowered standard that most radio operates by today.