Let's Not Make A Deal

Let's say right up front that radio is still a great medium, that it still has a lot to offer, that it isn't, as some people insist, dying but is in the process of reinventing itself for a new era and new delivery options. Can we at least agree on that part? Good.

Then why do the people running the business persist in making the industry look failing and desperate?

The reception was at best muted and at worst derisive about the news that the NAB is willing to trade a performance royalty for, among less notable things, a mandate that all mobile devices have FM tuners. Nobody's buying the "we need it for emergencies" argument, since there are other ways to deliver emergency information, and while cell service could go down, so can FM transmission. And, let's face it, if you're going to turn to radio for emergency information, you're going to use, you know, a RADIO, because pretty much everyone has one, in the car and on the nightstand. You're not going to run your cell phone battery down listening to FM radio if you can use a separate radio for that. The emergency thing is a phony (no pun intended) issue, and the prevailing image from all these machinations is that "buggy whip" radio is running to Congress to be propped up. It just looks bad, and the public isn't clamoring for FM on their Droids.

So why WOULD anyone want an FM tuner in his or her cell phone? Why would they not just use a station's internet stream? Audio streaming doesn't use up that much of your data allotment, it works all over the place, and it goes well beyond the limits of a broadcast signal. Plus, for AM stations or rimshot stations whose signals are weak or interference-ridden, the stream is a vast improvement over the over-the-air signal. Why would I flip from the stream to a broadcast signal if I don't have to? And if AM isn't included, isn't the radio industry saying that AM's not worth saving?

The primary benefit radio gets from this is that if a user listens to "MixLite 109 Now FM, The Best Variety of the 80's, 90's, and Today" using the tuner, the radio station saves on bandwidth costs. But that's a benefit to the station owner, not the consumer. The consumer, on the other hand, sees "music on my portable device" as including streaming, MP3s, Pandora and Last.fm, and every other option. In other words, that FM tuner is one of a lot of options, and far from the most attractive one. If someone wants to hear a station, you know, there's an app for that.

We've gone over all this before, yet here we are again, and the CEOs and lobbyists are ready to declare some sort of semi-victory if they get Congress to force FM tuners down the throats of the device manufacturers (and, in turn, the consumers). I know these people know better. Some of them are as progressive in their use of new media delivery systems as any actual new media company. They do streaming, they do podcasts, they do video, they have iPhone and iPad and Android apps. They're already in there doing what they need to do, and if the programming is compelling, they'll be able to compete just fine. Then why do they need a cell phone or MP3 player to get that material over FM when a stream or download will do the trick? And why is THAT the bargain they're prepared to take in exchange for a performance royalty? Is that the best they can get? Is this to somehow convince investors that the value of the antennas and transmitters and FCC licenses hasn't eroded THAT much? (Tell 'em that those facilities still reach something close to 100% of cars and alarm clocks, where a lot of audio listening takes place; that oughta help)

FM tuners in cell phones and music players won't save anybody. Good programming and compelling content delivered the way a consumer wants it will, whether it's a stream or an FM signal or a download or through a bullhorn out the window. This isn't hard to figure out. Everyone else has.

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Also not hard to figure out (way to force a segue there, real smooth-like) is where you can get the best material for your show every day: Talk Topics at All Access News-Talk-Sports. There's lots to talk about this week, including a truly disturbing eye-for-an-eye situation, the angst of being a sperm donor, some very fattening food items (and one fake one that fooled a lot of people), a 10-items-or-less violation that drew the police, the hidden risk of Facebook Places, some epic DUI stories, why being married might be good for your health but diet soda might be bad for pregnant women's health, how not to act old, a mouse in milk, a snake in the garden (center), the latest charge against Snooki, some unfortunate acronyms, attacks by bees and bedbugs, the pension problem that states are facing, a few more ways airlines are making you part with more money, a school that canceled recess, and a man with hot dogs in his pants. No, really, actual hot dogs. And those are just a few examples; there are a lot more, from "real news" on the economy and sports and war and crime to goofy stuff like dog poop in a pool and Brett Favre. Don't forget, you can keep up with all the headlines at the Talk Topics Twitter feed (twitter.com/talktopics).

Also this week, read "10 Questions With..." KMBZ/Kansas City host Darla Jaye, who's talking about radio and politics and life, plus the rest of All Access with radio and music industry news first, fastest, and best, plus columns, ratings, job listings, and all the resources you need, all free.

And don't forget to follow the Net News Twitter feed at twitter.com/allaccess, and my own personal Twitter feed at twitter.com/pmsimon (All Access is not to blame for that one). Download the All Access iPhone app by clicking here or the All Access Android app by clicking here; both apps were developed by the fine folks at jacAPPS. And there's always pmsimon.com, where some of my other non-radio writing appears (also not to be blamed on All Access).

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There's lots more to talk about, but I'll save it for next week. Try to stay out of trouble until then, okay?

Perry Michael Simon
Editor
All Access News-Talk-Sports
psimon@allaccess.com
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www.twitter.com/pmsimon