Free «Radio Success and Longevity» Essay Sample

From its inception, there were technologies that rivaled or even outperformed radio. To what do you attribute radio's success and longevity?

The first steps to the radio invention were made in the 1887, aiming at point-to-point communication and eventually playing a significant role in the World War I. The official development of this informational source dates 1920s, and in 1930s radio became a mass medium. Before the radio spreading the sounding industry was considered to be the only one mass medium, and the existing of the second one reduced its popularity and income. Without doubt the radio did not rival recording industry– it just won it, but it did rival television, invented in 1940s.

From its inception radio was developing and could not rival at all. The first radio listeners had to possess great knowledge of electronics. But in a few years radio had better antennas and became a modern piece of furniture which was easy in use. It was more convenient to listen to the various radio programs and music than to buy one record and re-listen it thousand times. Moreover, in length of time different radio formats focused on different people’s interests: there were radios for all ages, sexes and tastes, broadcasting local and foreign news. The final spurt in the rival between radio and recording industry was made during the war time. It is the period of prosperity for the radio, which was informative, cheap, mobile and entertaining, and the period of decline for the recording industry, which required outlay and was not so portable in use.

The TV investigation made radio secondary but not less important. Unlike the television radio remains the most portable and universal: one can listen to it almost everywhere including car, beach and work. Moreover it is supplemental and, as a rule, it creates a background for other activities of the listener. Finally, it is selective what makes radio a nice medium when television relies on the large public. All these advantages made radio successful and ensured its longevity.

The recording industry has historically been bailed out by technology. Presently, it is losing revenue owing to new technology. What can be done to halt the industry's losses?

The history of the recording industry started in 1877 when Thomas Edison recorded the first spoken word. The graphophone appeared and led to the gramophone and flat disks invention. Soon they changed to vinyl records, tape cassettes and plastic CDs, which made music shareable information. The technology improved the quality of recorded sounds and eased its use helping the development of the recording industry, but at the same time ceased its prosperity by the new social media development. The customers did not want to pay for the record with a few songs they like. It is easier to download the favorite one.

In Dominic (2011) it is mentioned that since the sound industry is supported exceptionally by audience purchases and statistics says that in 2009 the 6 billion songs where downloaded, one can just imagine the amount of illegal files sharing and this gives the recording companies a vision of the new technology’s power. .

Dominic (2011) states that in the struggle against digital revolution the distribution system, traditional business model and economic base should be transformed. In 2008 the Recording Industry Association of America announced a change in strategy. As the result the concept “a 360 deal” appears. A 360 deal means that the recording company will get a percentage from all revenue generated by the performer. This policy calculates that customers may not buy recorded CDs but they definitely will visit the singer’s concerts, buy tickets, T-shirts, posts and other promotional things.

The recording industry is kept by four big companies which have earned some money, thus if someone of the producers confirms that it is real talent the company will sponsor all expenses to record the new star and get further percentage. The idea is not bad, but, unfortunately, not every new talent becomes popular though this variant it seems to be the only way for halting the industry’s losses.