Wheatstone Corporation has just released a white paper that examines the viability of streaming Internet radio and what impact sound quality has, or is likely to have, on monetizing such streams. Presented are statistics about the number of stations now streaming, projections on when those who don’t stream believe they are likely to start, and interviews with industry professionals who are successfully streaming their audio today.
Key indicators of the present and looming importance of streaming are presented, such as the fact that a whopping 40% of all vehicles sold in the US in 2011 could connect to wireless data networks, enabling drivers to listen to Internet radio. In 2012, Ford, Subaru and Honda all announced plans to put Internet Radio capabilities into their cars as well. In a January 2012 article, The Wall Street Journal found that 59% of car buyers between the ages of 19 and 31 view in-car connectivity to the Internet as the most important aspect of a car’s interior.
Leo McCloskey, Vice President of Airbiquity, Inc., a company that manages wireless communications for Internet-connected cars, predicts that by the year 2014 “nearly all vehicles from every auto manufacturer will have a connected vehicle option.” When coupled with the fact that most people have desktop or laptop computers and/or mobile devices capable of playing Internet radio within their reach at all times, this suggests that within a couple of years the primary sales engines of local radio will be facing stiff, if not primary, competition from Internet radio stations.
In this white paper, radio professionals who recognize the importance of addressing this market demonstrate some of their business tactics, as well as how they are processing audio for their streams to capture and maintain their desired audiences. All agree that a strong strategy for how to approach the type of market opportunities the internet presents is key in determining how to process and present audio for each segment.
For radio stations considering Internet streaming or, perhaps more importantly, those who aren’t, this white paper presents a compelling and concise examination of this market and the impact proper audio processing, a solid IP network and, of course, a sound business/game plan, can have on the success of such endeavors.