Be The Best Button

Of all findings in the latest Edison Media Research study on the Internet and Multimedia this one stands out the most:

People choose to listen to Internet radio and other new media sources because of the content.

Well, yeah.

It’s always worked that way. For some reason though, conversations around new technology always end up focusing on how the technology will change everything. But it doesn’t.

That’s because the technology eventually melds together. Our family just bought a new car. We have AM with 5 presets, FM with 10 presets, XM with 10 presets, and a 6-CD changer – all seamlessly integrated into one unit. It’s not hard to imagine adding an MP3 player with download capability into that mix.

Eventually, all the technology just become buttons on the dashboard and the button with the best programming always wins.

Edison reports that more people than ever are using new media such as Internet radio, satellite radio, and MP3 players. Yet listening to public radio is up. There’s a good reason for that. Public radio has concentrated on serving its listeners with compelling content throughout the day, every day.

We’re the best button. And it is completely under our control to keep it that way.