Radio Industry Interviews with Alex Cosper
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History of Corporate Radio
Have you ever asked yourself why radio became so generic sounding in the 21st century? A lot of it has
to do with independent radio stations across the country being bought out by big corporations in the
late 90s and early 2000s. This huge buying spree, as Alex Cosper explains, happened because of a law
that went into effect called the Telecom Act of 1996. Prior to this law there were limits imposed on
radio companies as to how many stations a company could own.
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Memories of Great Radio
Whatever happened to great radio? A lot of people have been asking this puzzling question in the new
century. Alex Cosper explains why radio changed so radically into a bizarre nationalized industry. But
back in its heyday, radio was fun and local. Up until about the late 90s radio stations in general were programmed from
a local audience perspective whereas in the 2000s many stations in big cities are programmed from a
national headquarters or from a source outside the station.
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Why Radio Plays Too Many Commercials
In this discussion Alex Cosper talks about how radio plays loads of commercials to try to pay down their
enormous debt. Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s radio corporation became big through mergers based
on borrowed money. They ended up buying stations at market top prices and then saw their value shrink through
two recessions. Ever since then radio companies have been trying to pay down debt by running increased
commercial loads.
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Who Controls Music on the Radio
The music that gets played on the radio is often thought of as music that reflects public taste. However,
in 2014 when we take a close look at where radio playlist originate, it's a pretty controlled list of songs that
doesn't leave much room for indie music. Alex Cosper talks about why so many radio stations sound the same and it's
not because of any real trends. It has more to do with corporate radio that's dictated to the masses.
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The Future of Radio Automation
Radio's final frontier may turn out to just be automation. Since the late nineties the trend among
radio corporations has been to downsize operations and replacing live air staffs with automation. This
video interview scratches the surface but serves to identify one of the major factors why many people
now consider radio to be a mediocre medium.
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Internet vs Terrestrial Radio
Even though internet radio has been around since about the late 1990s, it still hasn't really taken
off yet, other than Pandora and a few other streaming services have attracted millions of followers.
Internet radio isn't yet the mainstream, but Alex Cosper believes it is poised to be the main medium
of the 21st century, overshadowing radio, which is gradually fading in popularity. The internet simply
offers more choices and serves individuals with nich programming better.
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Why Internet Overshadows Radio
So what will become of the radio industry now that it has backed itself in a corner and no longer
commands the urgency it once did? No longer do you need to listen to radio to find out about music
or what's going on in the world. Talk shows are no longer as popular as they once were now that there
are so many other alternatives to choose from online. Alex Cosper gives his views on how much longer
radio can survive as an industry.
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