Mobile Radio Simplified. Accessible. Relevant.

Although there are many resources you can easily access to find reports on the Austin conference, both for and against its success and relevance this year, it is a good idea for you to hear from me on the specifics of how the industry is advocating mobile radio… or not. I was there pressing our case of course, getting a great response, advancing the cause, and at times discerning a ration of lip service.

Michael Harrison had a great session that created the bedrock context for serious discussion of radio’s relationship with the changing media landscape. He spoke about the advent of the media station, with the emphasis being the continued loss of relevance of the AM/FM delivery bands. There was a degree of emotional resistance in the room, and I had the opportunity to comment in the session that regardless of whether people can or should accept the ultimate decline of the status quo, the next step is to progress beyond the debate and seriously consider the merits of the newer platforms. Michael so clearly and respectfully sounds the alarm, it makes it easy for me to come in and outline a path toward solutions. So here goes… If you are a content owner and/or producer (whether you are a network, group or station) your most productive course is to:

1) Accept that you need to consider diversifying distribution onto new platforms.
2) Research the various new ways to get your content distributed. (Streaming, podcasting, cellecasting, webcasting, etc.)
3) Weigh each distribution method according to their key consumer benefits, including: accessibility, immediacy, interactivity, mobility, mainstream adoptability, and mostly its personalization and on-demand appeal, which are the key trends of this hour.
4) Then weigh the new media tools that make the cut in step 3 on the benefits they can bring to your bottom line, including: Revenue per listener, brand enhancement, reinforcement of radio tune-in for affiliates (to complement, not supplant radio identity), PR value, competitive reach, listener loyalty, ad sales support, and most of all — REVENUE, REVENUE, REVENUE.
5) Record the results of this research on paper and write above it in all caps: PLATFORM DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY - FIRST DRAFT

This list crystallized in my head as I was listening to Michael, so sorry if you just wanted a basic report, but most readers here want an actionable report relating radio’s latest news to ways to profit in the mobile revolution.

Within the context of the entire show, I felt that the majority of the people I interacted with were ready to move on toward productive steps rather than just picking sides of a debate on whether radio can keep it’s relevance. Most of the sessions were helpful in gathering people around ideas, even if some in attendance were resigned to playing out remaining on the wrong side of them. There was continued top-down advocacy of HD Radio from David Rehr, but little support from attendees, and even small signs of revolt on the subject. It was good to see the clear disconnect on this issue, as it is forcing radio’s leaders to look more diligently toward viable solutions that fit the demands of today’s consumer, rather than depending on a delegated entity to secure radio’s longevity.

People on many occasions loved to bring up the fact that AOL Radio’s iPhone app was the sixth most downloaded app on iTunes. I felt it was just one story among many that could have been shared about mobile radio. Rehr and Haley each said that 13% of cell phones have FM tuners, which irks me when we can deliver radio now to 100% of cell phones (264M) and 100% of landlines (181M). But hey, they will catch on soon.

I could share 100 personal stories of meetings both chance and planned, but all in all, the conference was great. We were able to position ourselves as key advocates for mobile radio being a centerpiece of radio’s future. Not as rabid detractors, but as welcome newcomers.

I am optimistic about what the next months will bring.