I love cruising bookstores looking for ideas. Newsstands have always yielded niche titles, new authors and a flood of potential fresh ideas. sadly I have noticed recently that the racks have started to dry up. While some may say that consumption of printed word is going way, in reality I hear form more young people who are interested in engaged in written word and multimedia more than ever before…they just aren’t consuming it in the form of a magazine or gasp…a printed page. I did find it surprising a few weeks ago when a leader of the disruptive space, an executive at a streaming service, was talking with a writer who does a great job in the online space, and asked him if a story was going to appear online or in the printed magazine he was working for…Rolling Stone.
The writer explained about the issue of fast braking news and the problems a publication has in work being dated, but this story, about the disruptive growth of influencers tied to traditional sports and entertainment, could have great legs because of the access he had. “Oh that’s great,” the company exec said. “There is nothing better than turning a page and reading a story in an iconic magazine, even today.” I chuckled, because the exec had remarked just a few days earlier about how “articles” don’t drive engagement, it’s audio and video that does. Unless I guess, you get a chance to appear in a print publication like Rolling Stone, or Time, or even Sports Illustrated. The tactile still has its place, even to the savviest of disruptive leaders.
That being said, we still see audio continue to grow. In the past few weeks we have seen the NFL do a deal for all forms of audio with I Heart Radio, while Spotify cranked up its new partnership with Clubhouse rival betty labs. Given the growth of 5G connectivity, the ease of use of earbuds, and the fact that more people are just out and about now, spoken word as a platform has never been hotter, and there is no sign of letting up. There was a time not too long ago when many thought that audio as a medium was almost dead. More people listen to storytelling via audio devices today than ever before…you can be very choosy about your interests, and if you have the means, can create your own broadcasts online for you, or whomever you want, to hear. (and always check out our podcast at Columbia, with over 220 episodes of fun, disruptive, big thinkers in sports business and tech).
One thing is sure, and the Pandemic seems to have literally amplified it…audio is back.
And while more people are listening, the Pandemic has brought along some painful, hopefully short-term casualties. First, cutbacks in advertising and events led to a downturn in staff. Whereas we might have heard a wide range of voices mixed in with score or weather updates on audio, now we hear many fewer. The lack of live sports during the hiatus also drastically reduced staffing, and many outlets still scrambling to recoup dollars have kept headcount lower. Hopefully that changes going forward, and we get to hear many familiar voices again soon.
Another area of growth twas stymied is school. College and high school stations, on air, on line from no less than 25 nations and all 50 states have taken part each fall in college radio day a program, which was designed to draw attention to the value of college radio as a training ground not just for DJ’s, but for engineers, writers, bloggers, vloggers and broadcasters. Enterprising students, especially in politics, news and sports, found a niche that was impossible to break into in years past. Want to host a sports radio show and get guests? Be professional in your approach and just ask whoever runs the station where you are in school. Some call letters and some informed opinions and you can build your own portfolio, and some great references. The cost of production dropped astronomically, so the ability to record and broadcast, even live sporting events from high school games in a town to collegiate events, is more of an opportunity now than ever before. More importantly for the enterprising young man or woman, the ability to market oneself and be heard by the mainstream is easier than ever before. Educational outlets which once reached a few blocks can now be heard online around the world, and the ability to customize files and pass them along to those who may have missed a key broadcast can give anyone the ability to have an amazing career through the spoken voice. A recent New York Times story showed that there are almost 1,000 MORE college media outlets in the US than there are daily commercial newspapers, and in markets like Ann Arbor, Michigan, the college paper is now the primary news source for residents.
However, with the move to virtual classrooms last spring and this fall, we have heard that many college radio stations have either shuttered or vastly decreased any “hands on” applications. Then you have the thousands of budding young people interested in calling sports…and without sports on campus, that hands on experience slides away. Of course, streaming provides live talk and reporting and other forms of self-expressive audio, but having experience in a studio with a group, or at a game or another live event, can’t be really replicated. Last summer we saw broadcast camps go virtual with some great results, as we wrote about here…can those experiences be amplified and repeated as we turn the corner? Probably so.
Now going from podcasting to pod listening is a challenge. Using spoken word as a way to amplify your brand to a niche audience, or to better document your projects (especially given the ease of use and quality of audio that comes with video streaming) is a really smart thing to do. You are probably not going to be Joe Rogan or Bill Simmons, but then again you don’t have to. Understanding of tools, improving conversational skills, good notetaking, listening and questioning skills, and overall learning in short audible bites, are really the key part of what spoken word is doing for people while they garden, walk, run, multitask, and drive. Oh and how does music fit into podcasting, here is a great read on those choosing the music.
There is still a great imaginative opportunity when we read through the printed page, and there is still a majesty to seeing things in print, even for the most progressive or disruptors. However hearing someone speak, full of nuance and emotion and thought, is also a hidden joy, one that keeps growing, and another reason why being “well read” involves all senses, especially those originating from the sides of your head. And while audio is booming, “appointment” audio is not. Good one from Seth Everett to check out here.
Keep listening and sharing…and yes pick up a magazine from time to time as well. As Ben Franklin, that old disruptor himself always said, “Moderation in all things.” Just keep learning with all the tools around us.
