Traditional Radio and Listening to a Station Via a Mobile App

Compare traditional radio listening with listening to a station via a mobile app. How are they different?

When the radio became a popular past-time in America, it changed society. The radio industry is a rapidly growing business; the number of stations increased by 100% from 1970 to 2010 (Dominick, 2013, p. 189). Traditional broadcastings like talk-shows and National Public Radio announcements eventually shifted into a majority of music-orientated stations; however, both formats still remain.

Traditional FM radio stations that are available nationally or locally have limitations of the genre of music that one listens to; opposed to the mobile apps, such as Pandora, that allows you to choose specific genres. Traditional radio stations have more commercials than mobile apps; therefore constant interruption during music streaming. Some traditional radio stations have embraced the apps.

Clear Channel, a radio company, has had success with the merge of traditional radio to a mobile app. Clear Channel has developed the IHeartRadio app; which allows users to listen to local radio stations in over 150 stations where ever their location (Dominick, 2013, p. 188). I prefer mobile apps because they stream directly to a computer, smartphone, or other portable devices (Dominick, 2013, p. 194).

Apps offer choice-based stations like Pandora (Dominick, 2013, p. 194). Choice-based stations “…let listeners choose their favorite artists and types of music to create their own playlists. In effect, listeners program their own unique radio station (Dominick, 2013, p. 194). ”

References

Dominick, J. (2013). The dynamics of mass communication: Media in the digital age (12th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill.