One major truth that jumps out at you when you peruse the results of our Tech Poll IV is the screaming speed at which technology and gadgetry are permeating the lives of Rock radio listeners. That’s the purpose of these polls that we’ve been doing for four years now – to track the media and tech activities of our audience.
It’s been an amazing ride, as we’ve seen iPod ownership zoom from 21% in ’05 up to 58% this year. And it’s not going to stop. Our projections show continued growth for these "take them anywhere" devices that have totally replaced Walkmans. And in the process, downloading and listening to podcasts has doubled each of the last three years. And this signals great growth potential for radio. Because while the iPod has taken away some radio listening, the fact that three-fourths of Alternative fans own them opens up great potential for us content providers to create great programming for these devices.
That is, if we’re focused on creating content for podcasts. And that’s the problem at most stations we visit. The digital application is an after-thought – not an immediate, urgent, top-of-mind initiative.
So, we’ve created LiveStrong-type wristbands that simply say – W.T.D.A. – or "What’s the digital application?" as physical reminders about the need to rethink how we’re doing our jobs every day at our stations. The entire W.T.D.A. memo is on our site, and hopefully, worth your time.
As Jeff Haley told the industry at the recent RAB get-together, radio needs to be on every mobile device, player, and gadget in the next five years. David Rehr’s "2020" initiative points in the same direction. We need to more strategically create content while using new distribution outlets to make this happen. We need to rethink our jobs, and the contributions we’re making to our stations.
Thus, our W.T.D.A. initiative.
It’s time for radio to start walking the walk on digital because next year’s Tech Poll is very predictable. Radio needs to change its architecture to better reflect new technologies, and the lifestyle changes they have created.
So, as you walk into your programming, sales, or promotional meetings (and perhaps it would make sense to start bringing all those managers together in ONE meeting moving forward), start asking the question, "What’s the digital application?"
We hope to see these wristbands over the next year during market visits, but more importantly, we hope to see and hear radio making a more concerted effort to break the routine, and start thinking and acting digitally.
If you want a wristband (or a few), write me, and we’ll send them out to you.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Thanks for the link to my blog, Customers Rock! As a regular personality on a nationally syndicated radio program, I find that the whole “digital thing” is not very well understood by most. Great idea to focus on keeping it “top of mind”.
Rock on!
Fred,
This is a smart way to think about the broad integration of radio throughout the technological playing field. While radio can stream beautifully through new technologies –- offering listeners the same engaging personalities, music discovery and passive listening experience –- we shouldn’t exclude other opportunities. The ability to integrate tagging for downloads, or even creating programming “chunks” as Mark Ramsey has suggested on his Hear 2.0 blog, can take advantage of technology in new ways. Nobody in radio should be afraid of digital applications any more than they should be afraid of new content ideas. They may not all work, but just the fact that the industry is increasingly willing to experiment is a great thing.