Media Bites-September 1 2010

Radio. Its come a long way since the early part of the 20^th century when families sat in the

living room to listen to President Roosevelt’s fireside chats or to enjoy the latest adventures

of Amos and Andy. Radio was king until the 1950s when a little invention called television

came on the scene changing the world forever. Fast-forward 50 years and radio is still

around today. According to a March 2008 radioworld.com article, there are 13,977

licensed commercial radio stations in the US and over 151 Stations on Sirius satellite radio.

And spot radio continues their growth pattern with another positive quarter. According to the Radio Advertising Bureau, radio revenues are up 6% in Q2 2010 compared to Q2 in 2009. It was the second quarter of positive numbers, following a long period of negative growth. In the period from April-June 2010, local radio revenue was up 3%, to $3 billion, while national increased 17%, to $702 million.

That being said, one of the greatest strengths of radio is its ability to target locally. Wherever you live, radio is a part of your community. Beyond that, because local radio does not have a long lead-time from production of your ad to the airing, it’s sales and promotions groups work diligently to help you develop an event around your sale or promotion that fits with their station’s target audience.

To learn more about the power of Radio as well as the ins and outs of all other forms of media, check out our book: Your Ad Here De-Mystifying the Business of Media and Advertising. Available NOW at http://www.youradherethebook.com, http://www.amazon.com and http://www.barnesandnoble.com. Download an e-book version at Scribd.com.