Radio’s future doesn’t look too different

Technology is driving the music industry — people can stream music from a Web site or listen to any song at any time of day.

So what does this mean for traditional radio stations?

Broadcasting and Cinematic Arts instructor Jeff Smith said the future of radio will not be much different than it is today.

Smith, who has extensive radio experience at commercial and non-commercial stations, is a huge fan of sites such as Pandora.com, which allow listeners access to free Internet radio and does not see this as a threat to radio stations.

“Technology is good for music,” he said. “What’s good for music should be good for radio.”

Part of the reason radio will not change too drastically, Smith said, is because radio stations offer local information, including weather and news.

“There will always be a market for radio, especially in cars,” he said. “You can’t get local information from Pandora.”

Artists need record companies

Heather Polinsky, broadcast and cinematic arts assistant professor, said although streaming music and personalized radio sites could be the future of radio, there are some things which will stay the same.

One thing that will stay consistent is artists will always need record companies.

“You need to have somebody with a good marketing arm to get your name out,” she said.

Polinsky said radio stations will need to focus more on personality, incorporating things such as interviews with the artists for its listeners rather than offering strictly music like Pandora does.

“Radio can’t just be a music service,” she said. “They need to focus on more than just the music.”

Pandora, founded in 2000, also allows artists to upload and distribute their own music.

Their music can be recommended to people based on musical preference, regardless of whether the artist is signed to a major label.

A bad bill?

This spreading of music does pose problems, however. Web sites such as Pandora pay royalties to artists and many artists believe radio stations should do the same.

This notion prompted a bill awaiting the House floor’s approval that could devastate the radio industry, Smith said.

The Performance Rights Act, a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, would require radio stations to pay an annual gross revenue for playing music and give the money to the artist and their label.

Radio stations across the nation are not happy about the idea of having to pay a fee to play music.

“If this bill passes, you can wave goodbye to radio, as we know it,” Smith said.

Smith doubts the bill will pass. He said radio is likely to stay the same and Internet radio will continue to allow artists get their voices heard.

“More and more people are realizing they don’t need a music studio to distribute music, but it hard for them to get on the radio,” he said. “When was the last time you heard a new independent artist on a Clear Channel radio station?”