Every year, the Radio Hall of Fame holds its annual ceremony to induct the latest crowd of radio royalty. This year was no exception. Ten of radio’s best were celebrated at a gala in Chicago for their accomplishments in the industry. Tom Carballo from Mojo in the Morning, DeDe McGuire, and a personal favorite of mine, Colin Cowherd, etched their names into the hall.
For one night, the radio industry came together to celebrate the accomplishments of the past and elevate the stories told by these ten individuals. For a single night, the challenges that the industry faces were washed away as the evening recalled the great memories of the past.
As I glanced at the photos from the night, there was one question I couldn’t avoid. In ten years, what will this night look like for the Radio Hall of Fame? Will it be filled with just the best of the best from the radio industry as we’ve known it? Or will it be time for the doors of the hall to open to a new generation of content creators?
If you’ve followed the industry at all, the buzzwords that surround it have begun to morph over time. The radio business is now the audio business. Talent are now content creators. The output they provide is no longer shows—it’s content feeding the ever-moving hamster wheel of the content business.
Radio Has Evolved
For as long as I’ve been involved with the radio industry (or is it the audio industry?), I’ve heard the narrative: Radio is dying, dead, forgotten, but also still here somehow. Music radio stations have gone from live and local talent (content creators) to voice-tracked personalities who supplement multiple markets for 15–20 seconds at a time.
Or are personalities now called influencers? I digress.
At this time, the 18–34 demographic that most radio stations once owned is now dominated by streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube. The age of peer-to-peer sharing changed the music industry forever in how people purchase music. The streaming age has changed forever how people consume music—wherever and whenever they want.
Furthermore, Nielsen just released its latest audio reports, showing a 22% plunge in AM/FM Cume listening since 2020. That’s only five years ago. The data also shows Spotify and YouTube Music now capturing 59% of the 18–34 listening share, up from 38% five years ago.
In ten years, where will those figures be, and how involved will radio be in it?
Sports Content Conversation
While many sports radio stations say they focus on the M25–54 demographic. In fact, the real secret sauce is that many truly lean on the 35–64 crowd. Much like streaming and peer-to-peer have morphed the music radio world, podcasting has continued to chip away at the sports radio world.
As each day passes, the demand from consumers is content (see, there’s that buzzword again) on their schedule. Appointment listening no longer applies in many cases. Attention spans are at an all-time low, and the consistent messaging at every turn on social media, broadcast, and digital media has weakened the hype machine for promotion.
Sports radio stations used to be the destination for sports conversation. Is there a sole destination today?
People are adapting as technology continues to adapt. The radio talent that grew to be my companions during my youth are no longer the type of companions that the 18–34 demographic flocks to. In ten years, that demographic plays squarely into the 25–54 window.
Which brings me back to the Radio Hall of Fame. While it’s almost certain that the hall will induct an all-radio class in a decade. Because it takes history to be considered for induction. Will there be an adaptation within the Radio Hall of Fame?
In other words, will podcasters be represented? Influencers? Could we see the hall begin to look at different wings for its induction ceremonies? Maybe a sports podcasting wing or a streaming video wing?
Open the Doors
The mission statement of the Radio Hall of Fame states the following.
“The Museum of Broadcast Communications’ Radio Hall of Fame honors those who have contributed to the development of the radio medium throughout its history in the United States,” reads via RadioHallofFame.com
Broadcasting is changing. Radio is audio. Talent are creators, and shows are now content.
If the Golden Globes can begin recognizing the podcast industry with an annual award this coming winter, will the Radio Hall of Fame make way for the same in the future? The podcast industry is over twenty years old. In another decade, where will the podcasting industry be, health-wise, compared to the radio industry?
If podcasts and broadcasts are kissing cousins, it’s long past time for the Radio Hall of Fame to begin inducting podcasters and recognizing the industry’s finest in the same light as radio. Professional sports recognize different eras of their individual sports—why can’t the Museum of Broadcast Communications?
Broadcast communications is a ubiquitous term in today’s media landscape. Broadcast can mean many things. But content (or shows) is what people consume. No matter where the content is distributed.
The Radio Hall of Fame can’t keep guarding the gate to a house that’s already been remodeled. Podcasting isn’t a threat to radio’s legacy—it’s the next generation of it. Moreover, if the hall wants to stay relevant to the world of audio it claims to represent, it’s time to turn up the volume on inclusion.
The future isn’t about transmitters or feeds—it’s about storytelling that connects. The hall can either evolve with that truth or risk becoming a museum of what used to be.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
