As we rush headlong into another holiday season of gift giving – with an emphasis on gadgets and electronics – radio finds itself in the challenging position of having to rethink content and distribution models.
We addressed some of these challenges in yesterday’s post, “…And Distribution Is Queen.” Bob Kernen, COO of jācapps, is all about new pathways for radio station content creators. His team of developers and marketers has focused on new places where apps can be accessed and enjoyed – beyond smartphones and tablets.
When you say “Happy Holidays” to his staffers, you might hear the response “App Everywhere” because that’s where their thoughts are running as we head into the guessing game of what’s under the tree or in those stockings.
One of the brightest lights this holiday season will be smart TVs, and Bob opines about radio’s amazing opportunity to reclaim the living room, den, and perhaps the entire house. -FJ
One of my favorite bands is TV on the Radio. In addition to enjoying their music, I was always a fan of their odd name. But with the rollout of Apple TV, maybe it’s time to start thinking about “Radio on the TV!”
That may sound far-fetched, but these new devices, including not just Apple TV, but also Google’s Chromecast, Roku, and other smart TVs, give radio an opportunity to reclaim an important listening environment: the home.
Radio listening in the home has declined as those old “stereo systems” that us Xers and Boomers put together back in college have disappeared. At the same time, these new connective devices and home theater audio systems like Sonos and Bose have proliferated. Most already have Pandora natively installed, and obviously Apple TV comes equipped with Apple Music. Why shouldn’t broadcast radio be there?
The other more important shift is in consumer behavior. As more and more people “cut the cord” by eliminating cable and satellite TV, they become accustomed to an a la carte model of content consumption that opens up huge opportunities for smart media companies and great brands.
Chris Young of TechCrunch recently wrote, “Millennial viewers barely distinguish between YouTube, TV, social networks and video messaging. Now that group is aging into the living room and they’re not interested in taking a step backward in their media consumption experience just because they bought a couch.”
These users don’t distinguish between “TV time” and “radio time.” It’s just time to be filled with the media content (and media brands) that speak to them. Their loyalty isn’t to a “channel” or “station;” it’s to a brand that provides them with the stuff they like. And increasingly, they don’t care if that brand is a Swede who plays video games, a standup comedian, an extreme sports brand, a scripted serial drama, a podcast, or their favorite morning show.
Why should radio or any media brand tether itself to one media type or another? The same guy whose video makes us laugh, often drops hilarious tweets, or uploads a podcast.
So when it comes to the “idiot box,” think outside the box.
Paul Jacobs made a splash earlier this month at the Nielsen Client Conference when he showed off an app that our team here at jācapps built based on Emmis’ Where Hip Hop Lives smartphone app (which we also built). The Apple TV app version of WHHL is a startling example of the possibilities for a brand that already has outstanding content, targeted at a specific audience. The app includes lots of video (perfect for large TV screens) as well as streaming audio, pictures, and other content.
When announcing the newest Apple TV, Apple exec Eddy Cue said, “The future of TV is apps.”
This new world where the content and the brand drive the consumer decision, independent of the medium, is great for media creators. And it can be radio’s pathway back into media rooms, man caves, rec rooms, and even bedrooms.
The next time someone asks, “Hey, what’s on TV?” the answer may very well be “radio.”
Last year in Techsurvey11, four in ten respondents told us they have a smart TV. How much growth will we see when TS12 goes into the field in January – after the holiday season? To become a stakeholder in radio’s largest research study, click here.
Bob is a seasoned entrepreneur and startup specialist, but has also worked for major media brands including Martha Stewart, A&E Television, Hearst and Microsoft. Throughout these experiences Bob’s focus has been on new product development around emerging platforms with an emphasis on user experience and monetization.
At jācapps Bob oversees strategy and operations for the company that has produced over 1200 apps, which have been downloaded over 25 million times.
Bob is also an Emmy Award-winning writer and published author.He has a BA (Cinema-Television) from the University of Southern California.
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Fred
RADIO ON TELEVISION
We wrote and produced an entire series named “RADIO ON TV” 15 years ago for CBS. We inbvolved all the stations poissible in Detroit. There were three specials. Ratings were through the roof. But its not just a camera sitting there somewhere. It is hilarious, interesting, powerful, . And answers the question……… Why don’t they look like they sound ? We still have it available to produce for any, station, group,market, or natinal. Much more to this. Is anyone “watchin” ? want to see it ?
I’ve seen some “Radio On TV” and it’s fun to “watch radio.” Being able to consume all the diverse content on radio apps is part of the reason why it is essential they have more functionality than just streaming. Thanks for weighing in, Lee.
For quite some time now, I’ve been listening to radio….on the TV. My Roku box apps include Tune-In, Shoutcast as well as some individual station apps including The Sound (KSWD) Los Angeles.
With the external sound systems that are attached to big screen TVs, it only makes sense.
Yes, it does. And more and more people will utilize apps on their connected TVs, another reason why radio needs to be there. Thanks for joining the conversation, Dan.
This seems like an opportunity for some kind of consortium. Roku/Apple TV/Chromecast might be tough to connect with for an individual station, But if one person representing a long list of stations with compatible apps contacted them, a deal to include radio apps seems more doable. This way, as stations joined, they would just be added to the mother app and each could be downloaded individually. Make deals with the major TV manufacturers too for their smart TV’s and radio would have a new and important access point.
On it. 🙂
Seriously, a good suggestion, Bob. But in much the same way the automakers are working away at their proprietary platforms, walk into a Best Buy and start looking at the number of different manufacturers, as well as the aforementioned Internet devices. Sounds like a job for a major industry entity, don’t you think? Appreciate the comment.
A major industry entity should do this for sure. The RAB could do it, so could Katz. Get Apple/Google/Roku and the top 6 TV manufacturers and you’d probably have a good % of the US TV owners.
It would be nice to see local radio horn in on TV’s dashboard…
It’s a great thought, Bob. Just as TV has “morning shows” with talk, weather, and traffic, there’s no reason why your favorite station’s app shouldn’t be on the “desktop” of your big screen TV. Thanks for the comment.
I love radio and i would like to be able to switch my 48in tv to listen my favorite fm radio stations. Is there such a thing?
If your TV is “smart” (Internet connected) you might be able to use it to stream radio.
Would LOVE to know how! We have our own Internet radio station and I’m trying really hard (like four hours now) to find a solution to get it onto our RV’s outside Samsung Smart TV. It’s not a “published” (TuneIn, etc.) type station. Just a regular ol’ streaming URL. I can’t figure out how to get it into Plex and I can’t figure out how to get it directly onto the Samsung Smart TV and I can’t figure out to get it into Roku. You’d think ONE of those three could do it!