A grande ameaça à rádio

«With car makers moving to integrate iPod technology into the dash, Lehman Brothers analyst Anthony DiClemente sees a growing threat to in-car radio listening. He theorizes that iPod integration in cars could accelerate a decline in radio TSL [TIme Spending Listening], particularly in younger demos. "While traditional listening to CDs and cassettes was always a competitor to radio for listeners' ears, the robust nature of iPod integration amplifies the differentiation," DiClemente said in a note to clients. At a recent conference in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said 70% of new cars sold in the US by the end of 2007 will offer iPod connectivity as an option. "The concern to broadcasters is that iPod integration into automobile manufacturing could fragment an audience that, until now, has had few alternatives to radio in the car, especially during 'Morning Drive' and 'Afternoon Drive.' An estimated 74% of MP3 owners are between ages 18-54. In conjunction with slowdowns in car listenership among this targeted group for advertisers, the predominant ownership of iPods in this demographic could signal a shift in listening patterns that would translate to the car with this newly introduced iPod functionality," DiClemente said. The Lehman Brothers analyst, who has a Negative indication for the radio sector, sees further erosion of what had been AM and FM radio's prime venue, the car, as listeners shift to iPods/MP3 players and satellite radio. "If ratings prove to show declines at a more accelerated rate than they are already doing and car listenership begins to show declining trends, terrestrial radio may find itself losing market share in a space where radio has traditionally achieved its highest rates for advertising, and as a result, may find that advertisers are less likely to pay premiums for spots in these time slots, thereby having a negative impact on revenues for radio broadcasters," he concludes. »

fonte: RBR news (Daily Morning Epaper), Volume 23, Issue 195, Jim Carnegie, October 6th, 2006