TOP 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR OWN RADIO PROGRAM AT WUNR

Is radio still relevant today? Absolutely.

One of the age-old mainstays of advertising, radio has controlled a significant portion of the market in the United States since 1922. In the near-century since the start of paid radio ads, the industry has maintained a stronghold in the world of media, connecting listeners around the world with music, talk shows, marketing messages, and more. But with the rise of digital tactics, some might claim radio is too old-school to appeal to modern consumers.

My answer, without hesitation, is no, there’s nothing old-school about radio. While radio has evolved over the years, from traditional AM/FM programming to digital alternatives such as Pandora or Spotify, listening to music and news is still a central and habitual part of daily American life. For small businesses seeking affordable paths to advertising, radio still has plenty of potential … and plenty of relevancy. Here’s how.

1. EVERYONE LOVES MUSIC

Twice a year, Active Arts, a series of programs run by the Music Center in Los Angeles, invites recreational musicians to the arts center’s campus for a 30-minute outdoor practice session called Public Practice. There are no rules about what participants can and cannot play, and mistakes are more than welcome.

“I looked at it as a way to make the time to practice, because I’m always so busy,” explains Price, a legal secretary. Having participated in Public Practice three times, she’s found that bringing her music outdoors helps her focus. “Playing out in public encourages me to approach things a little bit differently. Even though it’s not a performance, knowing that I might have observers helps me to organize my practice session,” she says.

On the other hand, Eric Oto, a saxophonist and two-time participant, has occasionally found himself sidetracked during outdoor sessions–but in a good way. “The acoustics were so fascinating that I ended up, for a little while, just strolling around the campus plaza listening for different sounds,” says the 48-year-old lawyer. “Hearing the sounds bouncing off of the granite, concrete, and everything else outside was really interesting, and it got me to think a lot more about sound production, rather than just technique.”