77 WABC has seen a resurgence since being purchased by billionaires John and Margo Catsimatidis of Red Apple Media. President Chad Lopez has some theories for why that has come to pass.
While speaking with the New York Post, Lopez was asked why radio is “suddenly booming.”
In his response, Lopez shared that a change in philosophy from some advertisers and some content companies has led to an overall resurgence of the medium.
“Once the new shiny thing was digital. Big brands leaped to advertise and it exploded. But that’s wearing off,” said Lopez. “Broadcasting went to the wayside because it was all too much to manage but not sustainable without traditional media, which just needed to shine up a bit. Phones and radio, a one-to-one connection, it’s theater of the mind.”
He continued by noting that digital platforms do help radio, and pointed to evidence of just how popular the 77 WABC has become as proof.
“Streaming also popularizes radio because phones stream these shows. There’s 173 countries streaming us right now,” he shared. “Some don’t allow our content in at all. But we’re in 149.”
