How the radio industry is fighting to remain relevant 100 years after its Golden Age – From CBS Saturday Morning:
The Golden Age of Radio began in the 1920s, and a century later, an unexpected group of artists are fighting to keep it relevant amid the rise of podcasts and other popular forms of digital media. “CBS Saturday Morning” co-hosts Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson deliver two hours of original reporting and breaking news, as well as profiles of leading figures in culture and the arts. This story includes an interview with Herkules (Aaron Graves) a former Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA on-air personality, who is now a night host on Sirius XM FLY Channel and high school teacher by day.
Is the radio industry actively working to stay relevant in 2025? This recent CBS News story doesn’t offer meaningful analysis or solutions for radio’s current challenges. While nostalgia for radio’s “golden age” often dominates the conversation, real strategies for a rebound require much deeper transformation than what is typically highlighted. CBS television is no longer in the radio business. It’s radio division was sold to Entercom (Radio.com) a few years ago. It is now known as Audacy.
Radio faces skepticism among young listeners, who overwhelmingly prefer streaming their own music or podcasts through connected devices. Corporate consolidation, lengthy ad breaks, and lack of local talent have all contributed to diminished radio experiences, further alienating younger audiences. Many industry insiders agree that without embracing new technology and hyper-local, audience-driven content, traditional radio will continue to struggle to attract new fans.
The CBS Morning Show report overlooked the complex realities of engaging younger audiences and offered no practical guidance for the future of music-driven radio. In a world where musical tastes are increasingly diverse and niche, radio cannot survive by relying on the same approaches it has used for the past 50 years. The industry needs a sustained, collective commitment to real reinvention—especially from the large corporate ownership groups that still seem to think handing out podcasts is a sufficient strategy.
Yes indeed. Shout Out to 96.3 WHUR.


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