Going back through the annals of time, there have been feverish headlines that “you name it” media is dead.  Consider:

• In the 30s, TV was going to be the death of radio

• In the 60s, FM was going to be the death of AM radio

• In the 80s, cable was going to kill off broadcast TV

• And, in the 90s the clamor began that the internet was going to kill off all of it – including printed media!

As we all know, none of this has come to pass.

There are more than 10,000 radio stations in the U.S.  And, there are still very strong AM stations in every market.  Maybe the family doesn’t sit around the radio console every night to listen to the same show – but that’s good news; radio has evolved to please divergent, individual tastes.  Satellite radio was to be the next evolution, but as a fee-based medium, it’s still overshadowed by traditional radio.

The strength of cable TV viewing has become of more concern to TV broadcasters than ever before.  The number of networks available, and the inherent volume of program options, has certainly diminished broadcast TV shares.  But to say that TV is dying would be inaccurate.  TV viewing in 2009 was up 1.2% (about 93% of the population) over 2008, and recent figures from Nielsen show that Adults 18+ average more than 5 hours a day in front of the tube.  TV isn’t dying.  Fifty years ago there were only 3 networks plus PBS, which nobody could really see clearly.  And forget watching something at 1 a.m.  TV has evolved to 400+ channels, is available 24/7 – and still taking up most of the average American’s media time.  The next evolution may come in the “boardroom” with the takeover of NBCU by a cable system – Comcast.

The internet has been a phenomena both in its rapid growth and almost-daily evolution.  There doesn’t seem to be any accurate count of how many sites are in existence at a given time.  But we know it’s being used – more than half (53%) the population uses the internet on a daily basis, and the average time online is nearly a half hour each day.  Marketing on the internet has finally settled down to standardized sizes, and the ability to target specific audiences which was a welcome evolution for everyone’s ROI.

But the biggest evolution in the works is with the transition of the standard telephone into a marketing device.  Approximately 85% of the U.S. population has a cell phone from which they can call, text or receive marketing offers.  While only 2% currently have Blackberries or iPhones, the growth of mobile marketing can be assured.  As with the internet, we are in for a period of marketing trial and error, but it will be worth the effort in the long run.

Sure, the marketing environment has changed over the decades and that will continue. But as history supports, media willing to evolve will survive.

Posted by: Becky McIntyre, Media Director, Meridian Group

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