Today I was given the honor to speak on a panel at the Radio Ink Tech Summit, lead by Fred Jacobs of Jacobs Media. Alongside Rick Ducey (Chief Strategy Officer, BIA/Kelsey) and Bill Saurer (who just happens to be from Millenium Radio Group in New Jersey…what a coincidence) we discussed the consumer’s experience and reliance upon mobile applications and the implications they have on radio broadcasting. You may be asking how, exactly I got to this point. Believe me, I had the very same ‘what the f***’ moment while sitting on the panel, but that needs some backstory-telling.
Let me start by saying I am a very lucky woman. I don’t always think so, but when I really lay it all out on the line, it is hard to deny the facts. Crunch the numbers as you may, my life is good. Not only have I been able to find steady and fulfilling work in the radio industry since returning from the UK, where I studied a Master’s Degree in Radio Broadcasting, but I have started to gain some credibility in the business at a very rapid pace. Furthermore, The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (or NABEF) has decided that this year, of all year’s, to add an additional program to their roster of already stellar training programs they offer from High School level to CEO/Radio Ownership training. I have qualified and been chosen (along with 9 other amazing (mostly) people) to participate in the NABEF’s first Technology Apprenticeship Program (TAP). This is how I ended up at the NAB Conference last month, where I met Deborah Parenti the VP/General Manager of Radio Ink Magazine, who asked me to participate in this panel put on by Jacobs Media.
There were many other interesting panels discussed at the first day of the Tech Summit, including James Cridland’s keynote address that introduced a platform that will combine all outlets of radio broadcasting in one place that will transition seamlessly. AM/FM to internet to HD and back again. Personally I enjoyed his presentation of different radio stations in the UK, mainly because I was familiar with them all, which made me feel worldy and cool in an utterly dorky way. The only other female to speak on a panel today was Keynote speaker Denise Oliver who aggregated top players in the Radio industry and their thoughts on the future of radio. Guess what…I’m on the right track. Probably because I AM the future of radio broadcasting. My ideas, my drive and motivation, my passion for making the medium thrive. The ideas that me and my TAP colleagues discussed over breakfast at Denny’s this morning, were the same ones that Denise discussed with top CEO’s, PD’s and Media guru’s who have been doing this for decades. Like it or not folks, we’re coming up right behind you ready to grab the torch.
So…the Mobile Experience. Yeah, Pandora is a major competitor, in some ways. In others, it will NEVER achieve what Radio is capable of. Radio professionals should not be discouraged with all the competition that Pandora, internet radio, and Sattelite radio are presenting. You probably wouldn’t be in the Radio business if you didn’t belive in it as a medium, or if you were afraid of a challenge. It will thrive. It will adapt. It will evolve. The consumer experience with mobile radio apps needs to change…and quickly. There needs to be more interaction with the user, and we need to take what works and over-emphasize it. Local, local, local….and hyperlocal. That’s what Denise Oliver reiterated in her talk. The future of radio depends on thier ability to produce a quality local output. It needs to be easier to get and share information about artists that are playing. Radio audiences like the music your playing, but that doesn’t mean you have to simply stream your station on your app. Try putting the entire library out there, so your audience can make thier own playlist from your music library (kinda sounds like a Pandora station…hmmm…).
PS…The reason that I think that radio execs don’t want to talk outwardly about Pandora, even at these thinktank conferences, is because they don’t have a clear strategy to go up against it…yet. When they do, I’m sure we’ll all know about it.
On the agenda for tomorrow….opening remarks by Kurt Hanson….Smartphone Apps For Streaming Radio/The Device Play….Internet Radio Coming To Your Dashboard (aka…more competition)…Ad Insertion and CDN Roundtable: What, When and How
Ok Radio Ink Tech Summit…I give you permission to blow my mind
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