How did advertising come to support radio economics?

Radio advertising is affordable and has proven to be the most effective medium for delivery of advertisements to a target market. There are many reasons for the radio being an effective source of advertising and make sure that the widest range of people can be exposed to it. People wake up to the radio in the morning, listen to it to and from work, hear it at the workplace, and stay up to listen to late night talk shows. Radio spots can require a smaller a smaller budget than advertising in newspapers and magazines. While T.V. pulls the big audience, it's still radio thats there everywhere all day and all night. Maybe the most beneficial use of radio advertising is is the effectiveness of ads on listeners. Radio is perceived as the most intimate of advertising mediums, because people are often alone when listening to the radio, either from work or when they are just bored at home. Maybe the reason why people are more accepting of radio advertising as opposed to other forms is because people tend to develop a personal relationship with radio stations, shows, or presenters, more so than than with television.

Why should we care about the concentration of radio ownership?

We should be deeply concerned about the concentration of radio ownership otherwise known as media consolidation. What is happening is that few huge corporations are expanding by taking over our local radio stations and by that local and independent owners are pushed of the airwaves and out of the market. This means fewer voices and viewpoints, less diversity in ownership and programming, less coverage of local issues that matter to communities, and simply more biased journalism that abuses power. This is clearly a danger for our world democracy. The reason for this change to less individual ownership is mostly due to the fact that The Telecommunications Act of 1996 lifted ownership limits for radio stations leading to radio consolidation. An example is how Clear Channel In owns about 12,000 radio stations across the country. Before the change a company couldn't own more than 40 stations nationwide.

Watch link below:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilNLeXefmNw

Advantages and disadvantages of satellite radio

One of the greatest advantages of satellite radio is that the shows are not interrupted by commercials as the provider's income comes from listeners and not from advertisers. Satellite radio offers many more channels which gives greater variety of choice, compared with terrestrial radio. Also as satellite radio is digital, you do not get static no matter where you go, instead giving a perfect sound. This also means that if for example you are traveling from east coast to west coast, you can listen to the same station without interruptions, whereas with traditional radio you will eventually lose signal along the way.

The disadvantages of satellite radio is the fact that you have to pay for it, where you can get radio simply for free. Also satellite radio does not offer local radio channels, therefore you cannot find out the news in your area. Another disadvantage of satellite radio is that there are only two providers of satellite radio service in the United States (XM and Sirius) and one worldwide provider (Worldspace). This then means that there are limited satellite radio service offerings.

Reactions to Ned Sublette

Our guest speaker Ned Sublette was an amusing and interesting character. He discussed many things, for one was the the origin of radio, internet and television and how they progressed and how depending on each country they are controlled to limit on what information is accessible to the public.

I didn't think about it is the cheapest form of media out there, all you need is a microphone and a transmitter and you can create your very own radio station!

A very interesting point that Ned talked about was the fact that people who actually lived in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina did not know it was coming and nor the ferocity of it. To the contrast, Cuba are well prepared for the hurricanes each year and the people know how to react and evacuate the area. Hard to believe when you hear about all the bad things about the Cuban government through the media when they can protect their people better than Americans can.

Describe what convergence has meant in your life and how it effects you.

Convergence has defiantly changed my life and how I do things and for many other people too. For example, by using one simple device like the ipone, we can watch movies, listen to music, read the latest news, shop, oh and make phone calls, and many more things!

Today, we are a world where speed is of the essence and information is readily available at the click of a mouse. As people we are becoming more and more demanding and are continuously looking for ways that will make our lives more convenient and in many ways better, such as not go out looking for a travel agency instead being able to book online.

However, since social websites such as Myspace and Facebook have been established we are more connected with people in a way that was not possible before although there is even more disconnection in the fact that some people are obsessed with those websites and prefer to communicate through them rather than socializing in person.

What is your favorite medium, and how does it make money from you?

My favorite medium is television. Television today has become a fundamental part of almost every household. It used to be considered as a luxury but nowadays has become somewhat of a necessity, and emerged to be an important source of knowledge and entertainment. Even with other types of communication such as the internet and the mobile phone, the television still has its dominance of media communication.

The television still remains the oldest and most popular form of communication amongst the majority of people, young or old, even with the internet threatening to be a new leader. This is because of the ease of using a television and being able to watch many different channels from around the world. Secondly, it is the most relaxing, being able to watch it at a distance while sitting on a sofa in the living room. Also, it is the most socially form of communication meaning you can watch it together with your family or a group of people while remaining in comfort. Television service providers make their money through advertising and commercials. Indirectly, audience viewers help broadcasting companies make their money through airtime depending on ratings of their shows.