To start off, what are your
thoughts about sports talk radio off the top of your head? Find it interesting?
Do you think it is doing well? Or struggling?
Due to the increases of digital
technology, such as the Internet, television, live streaming, and video
podcasts, radio can be viewed as “old” technology. According to the chapter titled, The Coverage of Sports on Radio, written
by John W. Owens, “ when one discusses the media and sports, it might be easy
to sidestep our mature broadcast companion in favor of the ‘fresh’
communication technologies that deliver us multimedia highlights of our
favorite athletes and/or teams” (117).
When fans want to get scores, updates, or highlights of a game they
missed, the first place they are going to look is not radio. It seems today, fans want to see all the
action play out, not listen to it. However,
in an article titled, “A Strong Signal,” found in the Sports Business Journal, the author, John Ourand, discusses how old-fashioned
sports talk radio proved to be most popular during Super Bowl week and how
sports talk radio is going through a renaissance.
In the
article, Dennis Wharton, an executive vice president of the National
Association of Broadcasters, is quoted saying, “There’s never been more sports
radio stations than there is now. It
would be great if former station owners got back into the business with highly
localized sports stations. There’s just
a tremendous appetite and audience for that” (Sports Business Journal).
One of the main reasons why fans still turn to sports talk radio is
because they can find all the latest news and updates about the team they care
about. Fans can tune into ESPN on
television and get highlights about their team and other teams around the league,
but they only focus on the game of maybe 30 seconds. On the other hand, sports talk radio stations
that are localized are going to go into further details, analysis, and interviews
from the local teams. Who else agrees
that television is only going to show a recap of your favorite team and radio
will debate about your team all day? When
the textbook, Handbook of Sports and
Media, discussed the history of radio in chapter 7, it mentions that, “by
the end of the 1920s, radio had penetrated 1 in 3 households” (120). Back then, radio was the source of all news,
information, and sports for people, however, today television has taken over
that role. Do we all agree? Radio, which is in cars, is still prevalent
in today’s society because we are consistently driving. Because we are always traveling and on the
move, localized sports talk radio provides fans the perfect way to hear all
about their specific teams. For example,
my father is always driving because of his job and listens to Dennis and
Callaghan on WEEI, sports talk radio station in Boston. This allows my father to hear about the teams
he cares about. All their topics focus
on the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, Bruins, and some college teams in the area. What does everyone think? Do you feel that one of the main reasons why sports
talk radio has endured success through this technological revolution is because
stations have become more localized?
The
article also suggests that sports talk radio continues to grow because stations
are starting to air on FM. The article
states, “At the end of 2011, 125 sports talk radio stations were operating in
FM across the United States” (Sports
Business Journal). Many AM stations
are deciding to switch over to FM because the audiences are much bigger and
younger. As Owens writes in his chapter
about radio, “By the late 1970s, radio listeners, especially younger listeners,
perceived FM stations as superior, as a part of their new generation” (123). For example, the WEEI station that I
mentioned before used to be an AM station but more recently switched over to
FM. Are there any other recent examples
of sports stations leaving AM to FM? Sports
radio stations are going to look for audiences that are young because they want
to keep their ratings high through each generation. Sports talk radio is popular to the
demographic of young men. This
demographic is also popular for sponsors who are willing to place
advertisements on these sports talk shows, ultimately fueling the fire of this
recent renaissance of radio. A lot more
people are listening to FM stations, so why wouldn’t sports talk radio expand
through the FM stream. Do you think that
FM is playing an important role of the continued rise of sports talk radio?
Ultimately,
the big question is whether or not this traditional sports talk radio can
continue to be popular. For me, I feel
that it has the opportunity to continue to grow. As the article discusses the future of the
radio business, it states that people have different avenues for listening to
radio nowadays. Live streaming online,
podcasts, and mobile apps are common examples.
However, the article mentions that the ratings for the traditional radio
listeners have still remained consistent.
If this is the case, then I feel that sports talk radio can be
successful despite this technological revolution. As the textbook writes, “Combined these
characteristics with skilled announcers, loyal fans and the brain’s ability to
paint unrivaled images and one has a formula for cost effective programming
that will continue for the foreseeable future” (128). This quote sums it up perfectly. If fans who love listening to the games of
their local teams continue to tune in each night or as they are driving to
work, the sports talk radio business is going to continue to flourish. What are everyone’s thoughts about the future
of sports talk radio? Do you see it surviving or diminishing?
Article from Sports Business
Journal: http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2012/02/13/In-Depth/Lead.aspx
I liked all the supporting evidence shown to illustrate the idea that sports talk radio has continued to survive and flourish at times. To answer your questions, lets start with TV. TV has definitely taken away from the success of radio in some aspects. Before you watch a game on TV, radio was probably the best way to go, short of going to the game yourself. I don't think that TV has completely taken over because there are still certain things that radio has to offer that are a little different than TV. It goes together with the concept of localization. I think that localization of radio stations has helped, but i don't think it's the only reason for the continued success of it. Same with FM. People view FM as the cleaner, younger crowd side of things, whereas AM is associated with being boring and dry at times.
ReplyDeleteTV and twitter and other social media are always going to win certain battles, but radio still has a personal feel to it that still makes it popular. What i mean is that the listeners after a while become loyal to a certain station or talk show. The radio allows you to call in and voice your opinion while talking to the host. You develop a sense of relationship with your favorite talk show host, and this gets to a more personal level when it's a local station.
Besides that sense of security and loyalty to a station, radio can do some pretty unique things on a weekly basis. There are always contests and prizes you can win on the radio, you can change the topic to whatever you want to talk about when you call in,ect. It really comes down to what the consumer is looking for. If they just want the facts, the score or an update for a breaking news story, they might turn to ESPN or the internet or Twitter. If you want to listen to an entertaining debate about the super bowl, or the NFL draft or whatever, you can turn to the radio; and not only can you follow along with the topics and debates, you can become a part of the conversation. Those types of unique things are why i think radio will survive. I'm not saying it's going to be booming, but it should be able to maintain a certain level of popularity.
The incorporation of radio into new media (particularly the Internet) indeed has led to a resurgence for some radio stations. It will be interesting to see if this impacts a younger generation of listeners, especially when actual games can now be streamed online or through smartphones. However, many of the points raised here are valid.
ReplyDeleteOver the past 20 years, there have been many advances in technology which have provided a selection of sources of sports coverage. With the creation of high definition television, live streaming on the internet, and even 3d television, the odds have been stacked against sports radio. However, I believe that this is a huge opportunity for sports talk radio to attract listeners because of their differences from these advancements in technology. As society progresses, we are pushing to be more interactive and engage our audiences any way in order to gain loyalty and continued viewership.
ReplyDeleteThe radio offers things that neither television nor the internet can offer. The radio gives listeners an opportunity to interact with the expert and engage in discussions (which typically turn into arguments) on a sports topic in which they are interested. Television has recognized the importance of this interaction and has tried to implement a strategy to combat the radio. If you ever watch a pre or post game of the NFL or NBA, you’ll notice that they will encourage viewers to tweet at them in hopes that it may make it on air. This minimal interaction does not provide nearly the interaction that the radio can offer. When it comes to the internet, this medium provides an enormous amount of interaction however, it lacks structure. Anyone can post whatever they want on the internet whereas the radio is structured with a host, who can control the conversation and avoid irrelevant comments or spam.
I think that this interaction is important because personally, I don’t enjoy just watching the “professionals” sit around and discuss sports topics because half the time they aren’t even correct. The radio is the only medium that provides a structured conversation where the “ordinary fan” can voice his or her opinion to not only the “professional” but to the rest of the sporting nation as well.
Dom, I completely agree with what you are saying. As we both said, FM appeals to much more of a younger crowd and this is the type of people who are going to love calling in each morning and listening to debates about sports. But more importantly THEIR teams. This is where the localization comes in. As mentioned in class, individuals who are of a younger demographic love to listen to two guys debate back and forth about their favorite sports team. This is why radio is continuing to survive. I 100% agree with what you said about ESPN, Twitter, and other social media outlets handling the updates, scores, and news story, but fans love to listen to the fun entertainment that comes from debating about their favorite local teams.
ReplyDeletePhil, I think that radio stations are going to thrive by using online streaming, podcasts, and even the emergence of mobile apps. Instead of listen to music on their iPhone, many young sports followers would prefer to listen to sports talk radio and that will be available to them through their phone. Personally, live streaming online has been a help for me. When the Patriots and Broncos played in the AFC semifinals, I was traveling back on a bus from a basketball game in PA. I listened to the game online through live streaming. Also when the Celtics are not playing on ESPN or TNT, I have no way of watching the game. So I sometimes tune into the live stream online. I think this is going to help radio stations greatly.
Brian, I completely agree. No one wants to listen to the same top story or experts break down the game, they want to hear the banter of two loyal fans arguing. It gives the "ordinary fan" (as you put it) an opportunity to speak from a different perspective. The best part about it is that both the host want to hear from the fans. Radio is that avenue where fans get to voice their opinion about their favorite team, the way their playing, the moves they are making, and the moves they should make, etc. Its an interaction that is not like any other.
I don’t think that sports radio is struggling as much as everyone thinks it is. Yes, it’s not as popular as mediums like television or social media. But it appeals to a much narrower group of fans. With radios current ability to expand to the Internet, I think that is has potential to stay alive as long as sports remain a popular part of American culture. Sports also have such a nostalgic feel to them – so many people are fans of teams and have game day traditions because of things their families have done over the years. My father watches every Mets game with the volume of the TV off and the radio on. And while my brother and I don’t share my father’s love for the Mets, whenever we’re home, we watch Yankees games with the TV off and the radio on. Since the radio has no visual accompaniment, the announcers give you a much better, more detailed play by play of the game. Sports radio has a sort of nostalgia that TV just doesn’t give you.
ReplyDeleteIn the Sports Handbook, John Owens concludes with a discussion of the progression of radio, rather than the downfall.
“Sports are also finding their way within the programming of satellite radio providers. In 2003, Sirius Satellite Radio signed an agreement to distribute the regular season and postseason games for the National Basketball Association (Sirius Provides Complete Coverage, 2003). The following year Sirius inked a seven-year pact with the NFL to become its official satellite radio partner (Sirius and National Football League, 2004). XM Satellite Radio offers coverage of Major League Baseball through its partner ESPN Radio, and they created NASCAR Radio, the first 24- hour resource devoted to Americas most popular spectator sport (XM Satellite Radio, 2004)” (Owens 131)
I really believe that SIRIUS radio is the future of sports radio. Since it’s subscription based, there’s less filters required of the hosts, and they are extremely specific. There are currently hosts on SIRIUS that were rejected by other radio stations, most notably in the sports world, Don Imus. Right now, there are dozens upon dozens of sports stations on satellite radio, and it’s growing fast. I don’t think that sports radio is dying; I just think that it’s changing.
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ReplyDeleteWhen I think of sports talk radio, off the top of my head, I am reminded of every car ride I had with my dad. He never listened to a music station. For the longest time, I don’t think he even realized there was an FM. I grew up listening to the sports banter of Boston sports talk radio stations like WEEI and WBZ. It was consistantly listening to sports talk radio that gave my dad and me something to talk and debate out, and made me the avid sports fan I am today. Because of my upbringing in sports talk radio , I am biased, but I do believe that it is doing well. In addition, I do not see it disapearing any time in the near future because the fans want it and need it.
ReplyDeleteAs I was watching an episode of the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" the other day, the character of Ted said something about sports that reaffirmed my belief that professional sports exists because of fans. He said, “That’s what’s great about sports. They take your mind off your troubles. If only for a moment.” Fans enjoy sports because of the ability to talk about them, so they can forget about something else for a moment. If your not an athlete, or gambling on a game, whether your team wins or looses has no real affect on your life. But, we still tune into sports because it is something to talk and debate about. Fans can talk about their teams with each other, but sometimes fan want to be heard by more than just their friends. Which is when they will turn to some form of media. Television is not the media forum where fans have the ability to chip in their two cents. But sports talk radio is. I whole heartedly agree that television is only going to show a recap of your favorite team and radio will debate about your team all day. It is the place, besides the actual game, where the ability of sports to take our minds off our troubles takes affect. It has it’s issues, like being male dominanted, often uncensored, and being consistantly a place for people to rant and complain about a team or player. But, without sports talk radio the fandom that goes along with sports would not be the same. I believe that sports talk radio has seen the growth mentioned in the Sports Business Journal article because sports talk radio is driven by the fans, and as long as there are professional sports there will be fans who need a place to discuss those sports.. With accessbility to radio being so easy, sports talk radio will continue to be popular because audiences can listen to it everywhere.
What makes sports talk radio unique is that unlike TV, it is providing more of a fan's perspective. Most sports talk radio hosts are fans, and they interact with other fans, and the conversation is something you'd hear at a game or in a bar. I think that sports radio will continue to thrive because this. To be able to call and provide your perspective and opinion gives the fan a closer connection. Whereas in TV, it is mostly limited to journalists and former players.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to note that podcasts and switching to FM is occuring to continue to reach a younger audience. This is definitely a key to help continue the success of sports radio because whichever way the younger audiences are listening to sports radio is how it will be listened to by people in the future.
I completely agree with what John is saying. You can listen to the analysis of former players on ESPN all day, but what does the common man think? Like we saw in class on the Francesa clip, sports talk radio provides some competitive banter among us commoners.
DeleteI will say however, that I feel the way in which games are announced over the radio is somewhat iffy. For example, being a Yankee fan, I'm forced to listen to John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman. I feel while listening to their broadcast, I find myself bored with what they're talking about, and not really knowing what's going on. I don't know how many times I've heard Sterling call a ball a pop up off the bat, yet the ball ended up finding the seats. I just feel like seeing the game is much better than just listening to it, therefore, that's the part of sports talk radio that can easily see a decline.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone's comments. The thing I question about sport talk radio is similar to what we discussed in class Monday. It's hard to determine the quality. Everything in our society today has become so overcome by the entertainment aspect we sometimes forget that this is a game not a spectacle. It takes real talent to be a talk radio host, because you have to literally reenact the game. You have to have some sort of charisma to apply yourself and be successful as a sports talk radio star.
ReplyDeleteMuch like PJ, I feel that its difficult to really get into a game you are just listening to. Like many individuals in our generation, it is hard to focus with out visualizing, or I know that is true at least for me. I believe that as unfortunate as it is the demise of Sports Talk Radio will be just this. It is now a trend that the viewership of sports talk radio is declining and I really do not see it picking back up again.
Kevin, I really enjoyed your blog. I believe that you really hit home in discussing sports especially when you discussed the segment from How I Met Your Mother. I also completely agree with your statement on the way to save sports talk radio is to influence the younger generation. Well done.
- Christina Lombardi
I agree with the notion that even while radio is a fairly simple and somewhat antiquated technology, sports talk radio's use of new technology to its advantage certainly helps its cause. I have a friend from New Jersey who graduated from Quinnipiac last year and now works just outside Dallas, and he still enjoys listening to WFAN thanks to internet streaming. Now, with smartphone apps, it has become even easier to listen to one's favorite sports talk shows.
ReplyDeleteSports talk radio thrives in local markets for the reasons that everyone has mentioned--more detailed and constant coverage of local teams and games. Nationally syndicated sports talk radio is a bit different, as it usually doesn't rely as much on listeners' calls. I prefer the national versions of sports talk radio because I'm not very attached to one particular local region of sports, and because I generally don't care about callers' opinions. A few comments mentioned that the view of the "common man" is important to sports talk radio, but why should I care about some random fan's opinion? I'm enough of a common man to know the opinion of the common man.
-- Kyle Brennan