Marketplace Features

Friday, May 21

Music & Taste
Amid unprecedented consolidation in the radio industry, the only argument you're likely to hear is how consolidation doesn't matter at all. The weird left-right consensus on the innate decentralizing power of markets. Telecommunications reform loosed a floodgate of consolidation in the radio business -- broadcasters can now own up to eight stations in a given market. Deregulation advocates have always claimed that freeing up ownership rules would lead to more variety -- in music, talk, news programming. Commentator Tom Frank contends just the opposite.  RealAudio

Let the Market Decide
As long as advertisers have the money to spend, they'll spend it on radio of whatever quality. In other words, the economy needs to take a turn for the worse before radio improves thanks to an economic impetus. While most of the coverage of broadcasting in the financial press tends to focus on the video side of the business, the truth is that radio is where the real steady money is. Business is booming, and profits are soaring, for the four biggest owners of radio stations in the country -- Chancellor, Jaycor, CBS, Clear Channel. Good for stockholders ... but not necessarily good for listeners, in the opinion of commentator Vince Santarelli.   RealAudio

Thursday, May 20

Tastemakers Online
For those who aren't satisfied by radio, musical choices abound on the Internet. But how do you know what you like? By listening to Internet DJs, of course! As the range of music available on commercial radio narrows, more listeners are turning to the Internet to hear something new or different. From the Marketplace Technology Desk, Scott Horsley reports.  RealAudio

Ad This
We continue our special series with a look at the power of advertising. Did you know this medium reaches 76 percent of American consumers each day? 96 percent over the course of a week. Marty Goldensohn reports on what it takes to make ads that work.  RealAudio

Wednesday, May 19

Capitalizing on the Good Word
Religious programming is huge. And not as local as you might think. Consolidation happens even on these hallowed airwaves. Religious radio stations nationwide are ditching their home spun formats for slick news/talk and Christian pop music. Lording over the new sound is Salem Communications, a for-profit, media conglomerate. Beatrice Black has a profile.  RealAudio

Micro-Radio
The balance of power has shifted in radio. Now the stations tell record companies how high to jump if they want their music broadcast. Consolidation has driven the entry costs for radio sky high. The Federal Communications Commission wants to open the airwaves to low power stations. Is the agency making trouble for big broadcasters? Our series continues with a report from James Jones.  RealAudio

The Same Seven Songs
Why is there so little variety in commercial radio music? Because the vast majority of listeners like it that way! Whatever direction your tastes run, there's probably a commercial radio frequency for you. The question is, how long can you stay planted on the same station, as it runs through an obvious shortlist of greatest hits? Are station music directors trying to drive you nuts? As a matter of fact, no. Marketplace's Rachael Myrow explains.  RealAudio

Demise of the DJ
Remember the days when DJs had personality, and provided local color? Thanks to corporate ownership, today's DJ is consistently professional nationwide, but some call it bland radio. Jim Kane reports.  RealAudio

Monday, May 17

They Own It
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was supposed to open up the commercial radio market, but after a massive wave of consolidation, a handful of companies own sizeable chunks of bandwith nationwide. Stock holders are being served, but are the listeners? We asked the Wall Street editor of Newsweek, Allan Sloan, what he thinks.  RealAudio

News & Weather Together
The more conglomerates gobble up stations and try to maximize profits, the more appealing subcontracting news becomes. But what kind of service are listeners getting? Roam the commercial dial in a cursory fashion, and there appears to be a variety of voices on the airwaves, delivering a variety of news headlines. Or maybe not. Nina Teicholz reports.  RealAudio

Get Free RealPlayer 7 from RealNetworks