How has the Evolution of Radio Changed the Lives of Radio Companies and their Audience over the Past Decades?

Radio has played a major part in the lives of the American people since its inception in 1893 (Fardon 203). Since first hitting the air, the radio industry has made many changes and has seen multiple different forms. All of the changes in radio technology have an affect on radio companies as well as radio consumers. With these radio changes, advertising and other forms of communication have made great advancements. In turn, radio has changed the world people live in and how people view it. This paper will focus on the types of new radio technology and how they are affecting the public. Terrestrial Radio, XM radio, HD radio, internet streaming, Podcasts, and radio company growth are all shaping the America's youth and their culture. Radio and radio technology has shaped American culture for many decades and many more to come.

Terrestrial radio has been in use since 1887 when David E. Hughes transmitted the first signals by using a Spark transmitter to transmit a signal to a target 500 meters away (Science...Non-Fiction! 157). Today, radio is transmitted using a radio transmitter, communication links, and a receiver. Transmitters can be comprised of banks of computers with modems that change words, pictures, data, or sounds into electrical signals and then send them to a receiver. Once the transmission is complete, the receiver converts the signals back into their original state. The communication links between the transmitter and receiver can either be a direct link with cables, or radio waves transmitted through satellite (Fardon 203). These systems help make radio signals travel faster and farther. Terrestrial radio is free and all a consumer has to due is purchase a radio system. Terrestrial radio stations are local and provide much information about what's going on in the area (Parks 26). More people are able to listen to the radio, and more information is being sent through the signals.

A brand new type of commercial free radio is beginning to sweep across the nation, and it is gaining great popularity. This type of radio is known as XM satellite radio. XM satellite radio is transmitted directly to your car or home receiver from a satellite, and is associated with no local terrestrial station and uses digital signals, as opposed to radio waves, to transmit signals. XM radio was invented in 2001 and is the largest satellite radio company in the world ("What is XM?"). With XM radio, the consumer is able to get many different channels of music, news, sports, and talk shows without any interruptions or commercials. Consumers can listen to their favorite programming anytime during the day or night and always get the information they need. Consumers are informed continually about what goes on in their world in many different aspects.

Another radio system that is relatively new and just beginning to gain some popularity is HD radio, or high definition radio. HD radio is a totally different radio receiver that picks up different signals than a normal stock radio. These new signals produce extra channels, crisper reception, text information, and the ability to tag songs to use on your computer. The difference between XM and HD radio is that HD radio is still broadcasted with the consumer's local FM and AM channels. The actual station has to broadcast in HD for an HD receiver to provide its benefits. Nearly two thousand out of the nation's thirteen thousand terrestrial stations broadcast HD radio signals and HD radio receivers average to be two-percent cheaper than traditional AM/FM radio receivers (Harris 1). Thanks to HD radio, local information can get to the consumer in a crisp, clean fashion and contain extra benefits that standard radio does not.

Another new form of radio that is beginning to emerge is internet streaming. Internet streaming is not listening to radio in the car or by a radio system, but in fact by a personal computer (PC) or via cell phone. Since the internet is perhaps the most widely used information resource in the world, radio stations have made it possible for their listeners to consume their live broadcasting through their station's website. Terrestrial radio sites may feature little more than a stream of on-air programming; however, some station websites make it possible for the user to create their own custom playlists of music and content. To gain popularity, a website must cover all niches of music and make it possible for the user to create a custom list of music that will appeal to their personal taste. Rebroadcasting doesn't always meet the needs of the user. More than twenty-one percent of people like the control of their own playlist. Also, seventeen percent of people who consume online music listen to the audio because it is unavailable elsewhere, and fourteen percent like the access to the more music variety available online (Bruno 14). These pure-play radio systems have taken advertising a step further, from commercials on the radio now to banners online. These advertising markets expand each year as more and more radio websites are being published.

IPods and ITunes have changed the music industry dramatically. The users are able to listen to their music when they want and how they want. This is fairly similar to what is now beginning to take the shape of business information and advertising; podcasting. Podcasting gives to user the ability to download company information when they want. Once the user downloads the information, from then on the information is automatically updated whenever the company updates their podcasts. Podcast have to be downloaded using the internet, unlike a broadcast which uses the television set. Current market research shows podcasting is actually starting to grow, thirteen percent of United States internet users listen to podcasts, with more than three fourths of those business people listening to them more than once (Rust 80). At least one fourth of all business people in the United States listen to podcasts regularly, with most listening to industry related topics (Rust 80). People can now view or listen to a company's information a lot easier and get the latest information as soon as it is published.

Radio companies have to learn to deal with new technology or they will be forever forgotten. Many of today's radio companies have taken the new technology and changed it into a new form of profit for advertising and promotion. Radio companies have begun to expand their horizons from not just normal FM/AM radio, but now to the other newer forms of radio. These changes will either make or break certain small radio companies, while the other large companies will prosper greatly.

Radio and radio technology has helped shaped American culture for many decades and many more to come. Radio has played a big role in America and will continue to do so. Some people are beginning to say that the new radio is the internet, but radio stations will still be around for a very long time. FM/AM radio, XM radio, HD radio, Internet streaming, and podcasting are all doing their part in the evolution of radio technology. The media is one thing that America focuses on greatly, and radio is a big part of this media. People will always need to be informed on current events and that will never change. Even though broadcast methods of the past are quickly becoming more obsolete, radio will always be evolving in to something greater.

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