More podcasts than radio

According to SiliconRepublic, there are now more podcasts than radio stations. I'm not exactly sure why that's relevant, but I love a good stat. Especially when it sticks it to radio. Oh and don't give me that "radio is going to live forever" line I've been hearing from Rob Irwin and Ben Barren non-stop. Yeah yeah so what if it does. If I wanted to hear that line, I'd go listen to Freddie Mercury.

Comments

[Rob Irwin]

Yeah, but how many people are actually listening to them?

Take TPN's total listener base, across ALL it's podcasts, and compare it to one major radio station.

See a difference?

I mean it's great, absolutely great, that there are now all these niche programs for people interested in different topics. And you can time shift. And you can save them to replay whenever you want. Yeah, all that stuff's great. Really fab. And I'm not being sarcastic for a change!

But pointing out there are lots of podcasts... some of which are popular... some of which barely scrap together a roomfull of listeners... doesn't show me a direct competition to radio. Particularly when it comes to advertiser dollars.

Can a podcast take my ears away from the radio? Yes, for the time I spend listening to it. But if I listen to one or two podcasts every week or two (because most shows are, what, weekly? fortnightly?) there's a whole bunch of time where I'm not listening to podcasts, either, where I can still be listening to the radio.

And, another thing, there's probably also an argument that podcasts don't always detract from other media anyway. If I know I want to watch Life Support, followed by Chappelle's Show, on the Comedy Channel (and you could replace this example with any other TV or radio shows you like), well, I'm just not going to listen to a podcast then, am I? It's time shifting nature allows me to listen to it when I wouldn't be watching or listening to other things, anyway!

So, with that meandering response, I bid you good morning and repeat the assertion that MSM isn't going anywhere, as cool, useful and fun as the new mediums are. They will co-exist <--- My mantra for ages, now.