Edison Research and Arbitron have just released their benchmark 20th study of digital media usage “The Infinite Dial 2012: Navigating Digital Platforms”. The findings clearly demonstrate that online radio has become a must-have part of any radio enterprise. The 32% growth of the weekly online audience from 22% in 2011 to 29% in 2012 is truly an amazing number. But there is much more--mobile listening is growing even faster, owing to the fact that 44% of American’s 12+ now have a smartphone and that represents half of all cell phone owners.

There is a wealth of data in this study, and any radio operator who hasn’t joined the digital revolution should take a few minutes and read and digest the data presented. If your station, or group of stations, is not providing a way for your listeners to listen to your station online or on mobile you are missing a tremendous opportunity. Your audience wants to be able to listen to your station wherever they are, whenever they want, on whatever device they choose. If your station isn’t there when and where they want it, there are plenty of other choices.

Let’s look at two staples of radio listening: at work and in the car.

At work listening was reported in this study last year at 21% of people 18+ who were employed full or part-time and listened to the radio while working. This year that number had swelled to 38%, and for the first time is broken out as 18% listening on a computer and 13% listening on a smartphone. That’s over a 47% increase year-over-year.

Radio’s last bastion of listening, the car, has not escaped the pattern either. In the 2011 study 11% of cell phone owners listened to online radio by connecting that device to their car stereo. In 2012 that number had grown to 17%, a 54% increase year-over-year. Keep in mind that most cars are not Bluetooth equipped, meaning that these folks had to use a cord to plug their device into the car stereo, which should give you an idea of the appetite for online radio.

What all of this clearly points to is that online radio is not a fad or a passing fancy. It’s the real deal, and if your station isn’t in the digital space, you risk becoming irrelevant to your audience and your advertisers. Much has been written about how online advertising is interactive, targetable and trackable and how Pandora is using those strengths against broadcast radio and targeting your advertisers. You can sit back and wish that things would return to the way they were and that all this online stuff would just go away, or you can join the online revolution using the same weapons that Pandora uses to lure your advertisers, couple them with the strengths your local brand has that services like Pandora don’t, and build an online business that is additive to your broadcast business.

The choice is yours and it’s not too late to get on-board, but the train is leaving the station. The signals are clear; get on or be left behind.

During the 2011 Streaming Media West Show, Abacast CEO, Rob Green, presents aspects of Abacast’s digital audio monetization ecosystem, its evolution into a mature digital radio 

The presentation includes two case studies of mid-level market broadcasters showing digital radio success when adopting Abacast’s Digital Radio Blueprint combined with increased efficiency in managing ad inventory using Clarity™ Digital Radio System. Mr. Green also shares strategies for in-house ad sales, how ad network revenue share and auction models contribute to profits, and the importance of validated audience metrics.platform, and how it’s helping broadcasters generate significant profits on an annual basis.

Viewers will learn about the Abacast Digital Radio Blueprint, what it is, and how it integrates with all the components of Abacast’s Clarity™ Digital Radio System creating one complete system for digital radio streaming.

The presentation speculates the business strategies that may be leading the way for video streaming providers as they find their place in the overall picture of the streaming landscape.

Radio has always had a strong connection to and ability to connect with its audience. Radio is the local source for music and news and it is available in the home, car, work, gym, etc. People depend on radio to tell them about traffic and concerts, tragedy and comedy, and everything in-between. Your audience has always been able to tune into your station because radios have been fairly ubiquitous. But that’s rapidly changing.

 Don’t misunderstand, radios are still important, but they are being superseded by Internet devices including smartphones, tablets, and even Internet-connected televisions. The question then is no longer how are you reaching your broadcast audience, but rather what are you doing to connect with your digital audience? Is there a difference in how to reach and engage this audience? Unequivocally, the answer is YES. Connecting with your digital audience is more than just propping up a website and repurposing your radio signal; much more.

 In the broadcast world, you are competing for your audience with a small number of competitors, and only a few of those are in your same format.  In the digital world, your audience has the ability to pick thousands of stations, with no geographic limitation, and for free. If all your digital offering consists of is the same playlist as your broadcast, you will be in trouble as we shift towards digital consumption.

 In the digital realm, your audience is expecting engagement on many levels.  They are expecting an immersive experience. They want a rich engaging website, cool mobile apps, and the ability to see your playlist, share it, comment on it, and influence it. Most of all - they want it to be fun. Which of these should you invest in? All of them.