By David Alpern
Rick Dees, The Real Don Steele, Don Imus, Cousin Brucie, Kevin & Bean, Scott Shannon….these are all larger than life personalities that busted through the radio over the years and became huge radio sensations and thus ratings monsters. Comparing that to the non-interrupted music flow that comes from Amazon Music, Rhapsody, Spotify, Songza, and others is not truly a fair comparison. One is full of life and the other is full of efficiency. Some services like Slacker try to inject pre-recorded announcers, which is a nice effort, but does not even begin to approach the presence that a “jock” brings to a station.
That is why the re-emergence of cultivated content is a refreshing trend. As Wired Magazine reported last month in “Internet Radio Is Fixing to Make a Comeback”, several Internet streaming providers including Apple Music (with its impressive Beats1 radio station guided by Zane Lowe) and the new premium service from TuneIn are working to inject a personal touch into online music services.
“TuneIn anchors a human at the other end of the broadcast,” says CEO John Donham.
Nobody Killed the Radio Star
Despite the recent proliferation of online streaming alternatives, rumors of radio’s decline have been greatly exaggerated. Due to its cultivated and personality driven heritage, it’s managed to hold its own. The reach of radio and the number of people listening to the radio have remained mostly constant over a long period of time.
That is why stations like K-Earth 101 and KOST 103.5 tend to be heard all over town. While all those stores and food stalls and passing cars could choose to stream a personality free online alternative, the DJ driven presentation along with the program director cultivated playlist still conspire to produce a compelling listener experience and Internet Radio is certainly noticing and adjusting. South Korea . Game on!]]>
