I keep getting this gnawing feeling that some satellite radio channels are sounding more and more like the terrestrial radio from which it was supposed to save angry listeners fed up with hype and commercials. Today I heard Sirius Six -- the Sixties channel -- with a live jock promo (over an intro no less) for a Sirius promotion (buy an another subscription, get a Sirius radio for home included in the price). This, along with jocks who are trying to sound like terrestrial djs, seemingly endless promotion of other Sirius channels and modern Top 40 formatics tells me you've got to hate terrestrial radio commercials an awful lot to put up with this insult to a paying monthly subscriber. Terrestrial radio operators are under the false assumption that satellite radio is their undoing. It's not. They are their own worst enemy. Average quarter hour listening shares have been declining in radio (according to Arbitron figures) since the early 90's -- way before satellite, way before the Internet revolution, hell- way before the iPod, MySpace -- you name it. Radio templates are the last ones satellite should be imitating. The next generation has moved on -- and with each year they grow older, take their place in the work force, marry, have children -- spend money become desirable consumers for advertisers. The terrestrial model works for Gen X and older, but it doesn't work for Gen Y and younger -- your future. It's ironic that some satellite operators can't do more than do a "wanna be" radio station. But the real news is that both are wrong. The future is interactive, Internet-based, fickle and mobile. The sooner traditional media starts dealing with these realities the sooner it can get in on the future.
Sirius Terrestrial Radio
I keep getting this gnawing feeling that some satellite radio channels are sounding more and more like the terrestrial radio from which it was supposed to save angry listeners fed up with hype and commercials. Today I heard Sirius Six -- the Sixties channel -- with a live jock promo (over an intro no less) for a Sirius promotion (buy an another subscription, get a Sirius radio for home included in the price). This, along with jocks who are trying to sound like terrestrial djs, seemingly endless promotion of other Sirius channels and modern Top 40 formatics tells me you've got to hate terrestrial radio commercials an awful lot to put up with this insult to a paying monthly subscriber. Terrestrial radio operators are under the false assumption that satellite radio is their undoing. It's not. They are their own worst enemy. Average quarter hour listening shares have been declining in radio (according to Arbitron figures) since the early 90's -- way before satellite, way before the Internet revolution, hell- way before the iPod, MySpace -- you name it. Radio templates are the last ones satellite should be imitating. The next generation has moved on -- and with each year they grow older, take their place in the work force, marry, have children -- spend money become desirable consumers for advertisers. The terrestrial model works for Gen X and older, but it doesn't work for Gen Y and younger -- your future. It's ironic that some satellite operators can't do more than do a "wanna be" radio station. But the real news is that both are wrong. The future is interactive, Internet-based, fickle and mobile. The sooner traditional media starts dealing with these realities the sooner it can get in on the future.
