Assignment

Topic:
Future of radio in Pakistan
Submitted to:
Dr. Arshad Ali
Submitted by:
Muhammad Bilal
Roll No:

13051516-001

The future of radio

This is the fifth in our Future Of series, where we analyze and dissect
one facet of life thats been impacted by digital technology. Today, we look at
radio.Radio is the original form of social media in that it allows you to
connect with other people and ideas in your community or beyond, for free;
this is what makes radio unique and the reason behind its longevity.
Terrestrial radio is growing as well as the Internet and online radio the
entire pie is getting bigger.
A recent report by Nielsen found that traditional broadcast radio is still
the preeminent means of consuming radio in the US. According to its
research, almost two-thirds (63%) of music fans say that (traditional) radio is
their chief means of discovering new music. Of course, thats not to say
alternative means of consuming radio arent rising in demand too it just
means that your trusty ol FM/MW wireless remains a force to be reckoned
with. For now, at least.
The accessibility of music has seen tremendous expansion and
diversification, explains David Bakula, SVP Client Development, Nielsen.
While younger listeners opt for technologically advanced methods,
traditional methods of discovery like radio and word-of-mouth continue to be
strong drivers. With so many ways to purchase, consume and discover great
new music, its no wonder that the consumer continues to access and enjoy
music in greater numbers.
Defining radio in the digital age
Radio isnt what it once was. That 30-year-old battery-powered work-ofart that sits on your bathroom window sill may be what you immediately
think of in terms of radio, but its now so much more than that. The lines
where radio and music-listening meet have blurred, making it difficult to
distinguish whats what.
The lines where radio and music-listening meet have blurred
In the analog days or yore, it was easier to differentiate radio, from
someone listening to music, say, on their record player. Now, with Spotify,
Pandora, podcasting and all the rest, the waters have muddied.
At a Music 4.5 event in London recently, a number of key movers and
shakers from across the industry gathered to discuss whether we were
moving towards the death of music radio. Mark Mulligan, and analyst from

Midia Consulting, attempted to define what radio actually means in 2013. If

all radio is, is an antenna broadcasting content, then how is that different
other than the delivery technology to something thats streamed to your
computer?, he asked. He gave a handful of broad categories encapsulating
what could be construed as radio today:
Traditional and DAB
For all intents and purposes, we can actually just lump digital radio (e.g.
DAB) and traditional (terrestrial) radio together into one category. Sure, the
quality may be better on digital, but theyre both essentially the same
medium dedicated devices for listening to broadcast radio.
Interactive Radio
Then theres interactive radio on your PC, smartphone or tablet, which lets
you open a specific app and gives you more control over the radio station in
question, but its essentially still radio, insofar as it adheres to a linear
broadcast schedule. There is often the added bonus of being able to access
catch-up content too.
Podcasting
Popularized by the advent of the iPod era, podcasts typically offer
episodic shows, similar to how radio shows have been broadcast for decades.
However, when you downloaded them all in one fell swoop to a portable
media player, you can listen to them in any order and they become part of
your broader music and audiobook collection. The lines are blurring indeed.
Subscription services
Much like radio, Spotify, Deezer, Rdio et al are all about access over
ownership. But here, you must pay anything up to $9.99 a month to access
the full array of features, such as mobile and offline access.
You have an unlimited amount of music at your disposal, which you can
hand-pick from and create playlists, or tap radio-like features that play music
randomly. They may even learn what you like over time and improve
accordingly.
Web and mobile streaming services

The likes of SoundCloud behave a little like a subscription service, but it

includes other kinds of audio tooincluding podcasts. Also, it may run
contrary to your intuition, but sites such as YouTube, Vimeo, Vevo and all the
rest encroach on radio territory too. YouTube may be a video site, but it can
also be used as a radio-like platform, letting you subscribe to other users and
queue up audio to listen to in bed.
Does it really matter whats called radio though? Mulligan reckons not he
says it doesnt matter if its digital or anaglogue, on-demand or scheduled.
Its really just about whether theyre competing for the same consumer
hours (as traditional radio), and whether theyve contributed to its growth.

This is one in a number of stories on radio in Media Lifes ongoing series

The new face of radio in America, examining all the changes taking place
in the medium.
Of all media, radio will undergo the most dramatic change in the coming
decade, and these changes will radically transform the industry.
Below are some of the most important of those changes, based in insights by
various media forecasters and analysts and media buyers, and the Media Life
radio advisory panel.
1)

The collapse of Big Radio.

Radio is a local medium and is most efficiently managed locally. Large

players may reap efficiencies of scale but are very difficult to manage. Cases
in point: IHeart and Cumulus, the two largest, are struggling under debt and
are on the verge of collapse. They will be broken up, their stations sold off to
small, locally managed radio operators.

2) A renaissance of local radio.

This must follow from the above, and it will be driven by market forces, led
by advertiser demand and also consumer demand. In the new, much more
competitive local marketplace, radio offers what no other medium offers,
true community engagement with local on-air talent and events. Smart
operators will work that to their advantage.

3) Radio will go entirely digital.

The structure of the radio industry was built around a technology thats a
century old. Radio can and will chuck all that technologytowers and

transmittersin favor of sending content over the internet, at huge costs

savings and unimagined efficiencies.

4) The merging of radio, TV and news under single operators.

What separated newspapers, television and radio all these years were their
different technologies. With digital, they now share one technology, one
platform, and we already see them moving into each others turf, such as
newspapers posting video. Radio stations can also post video on their
websites, and they can expand their news to compete with both newspapers
and local TV. TV can broadcast audio, challenging radio, and expand its news
coverage, challenging the local newspaper. Local papers can expand into
audio and promote morning and evening newscasts.

5) A revolution in radio content.

Radio is now mostly music with some talk. What we are seeing with all the
excitement over podcasting is the potential for radio to be so much morein
some regards to return to what radio was before the advent of television, as
a medium for storytelling that in many ways is far more compelling than
video.

6)
A transformation of the industry around this broader definition of
radio as encompassing all things audio. The industry has been hugely
resistant to digital, rejecting the likes of Pandora and Spotify as not really
radio. Its been slow to develop its own digital offerings. Radio at some point
must step forward and claim ownership of the whole lot of it, traditional
radio, digital radio, satellite, podcasting. If it goes into your ear, and its not a
pencil, its radio.
7) An opportunity for radio to grab a larger share of consumers time
and attention. The mobile phone has freed Americans from having to be in a
particular place to stay in touch. But is has also freed us as media consumers
from the couch and the TV set. TV is a couch medium; radio is a movingabout medium. It is a mobile medium. You can be in your car, walking down
the street, riding in a train or on a plane, and enjoy radio. The more mobile
our society gets, the greater the opportunity for radio to become the medium
of choice. Media people marvel over the strength of outdoor ad spending at a
time when other media are suffering. Out of home is benefiting from
societys increasing mobility. Radio stands to as wellPakistani society is
shifting towards change. Media is playing a vital role in this social change. In

this regard, FM channels are being considered as more effective medium.

These channels are running under the control of Pakistani Government.
Now, these are spreading far and wide from metropolitans to towns. Due to
this mass acceptance, these channels are acting as leverage of media
revolution.
The government regulatory authority PEMRA is regulating these channels.
PEMRA has issued many licenses to cross media groups, businessmen,
advertising agencies, public universities, etc. This analysis is about the
popularity of these channels and examines the quality of different programs.
This covers maximally the quality of different programs. Covering maximum
aspects of FM radio channels in Pakistan as well as focusing on the freedom
of information and public right to know. Some details of PEMRA's efficiency in
four years have also been discussed. The relevant bodies can improve the
role of these FM channels. A task is also added for previous, about FM
channels in Lahore .
The Listener ship of FM Radio channels in Pakistan
After the start of FM radio channels, various types of research have been
conducted to analyze the effects of these channels on Pakistani society.
According to a research, FM 100 increased the radio listening habit in Lahore
from 40.45% to 82.02% in 1998, during its first three years of transmission.
FM 100 has gained immense popularity in a short span of time in the major
cities of Pakistan i.e. Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad as it
provides services in these cities .In Pakistan, the music played, the dialogue
and language used by the DJs (disk jockeys) the conversation between call
and show hosts. 11
According to Gallup Survey of Pakistan :
FM 100 was more popular channel among the metro FM listeners. Among the
listeners nearly 86% said they listen to FM 100. In cities, towns and villages
within the transmission reach of FM 100 Islamabad, FM 100 was the most
preferred channel among the FM listeners. 12
A research reveals the percentage of FM 100's listener ship; in 1995 this was
90%, in 1996-88%, in 1997-75%, in 1998-86%, in 1999-90%, in 2000-87%, in
2001-68%, in 2002-85%. 13
This was suggested in a research thesis that for the improvement, FM
101 should transmit its programs 24 hours, more educational programs, live
calls should be increased, sound system and comparing style should be

improved, young talent shows, road shows, old songs, information and
religious programs should be increased. 14
The advertising professionals are also keeping am eye the introduction of FM
channels is a major break-through. These channels are very cost effective,
normally coverage areas with a range of 25-30 Km and are popular for
excellent noise free reception in nation wide vast areas. These channels offer
much lower charges for target audience belonging to different age groups,
communities, professionals and traders. 16
PEMRA has also issued FM channel licenses to public universities. University
of Peshawar and University of the Punjab are running successfully their
channels. Particularly, FM 104.6 of Punjab University has played very
effective role for the earthquake effects in Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir. This
role was very much appreciated by the public, the government as well as
international media. This channel is being run by the Institute of
Communication Studies .
Another channel FM 103 is gaining popularity among Lahore 's public. Some
trends of it were very new and attractive, for them. FM 103 started to
broadcast BBC's Urdu service new bulletins. The anchorperson's accent and
style was more localized. The caller's interaction was also more frank. Beside
this, violating the PEMRA's rules, FM 103 introduced to broadcast its own
investigative news bulletin. These bold steps were unbearable for higher
authorities. So, on 12 th November, 2004 authorities raided on the channel's
office, confiscating equipment and brining transmission to a halt.
After Fm 100 and 101, another channel FM 103 is gaining popularity among
Lahore 's public. Some trends of it were very new and attractive for them. FM
103 started to broadcast BBC's Urdu service new bulletins. The
anchorperson's accent and style was more localized. The caller's interaction
was also more frank. Beside this, violating the PEMRA's rules, FM 103
introduced to broadcast its own investigative news bulletin. These bold steps
were unbearable for higher authorities. So, on November 12. 2004
authorities raided the channel's office, confiscating equipment and brining
transmission to a halt.
Conclusion
This in detail account of FM radio's revolution reveals during next four years
that in near future, further channels would be started. This development is
very hopeful. In different towns and cities, these channels would be provided
maximum communication facilities, guidance and entertainment to common
public. These channels will upgrade the taste of low literate and illiterate
people of Pakistan .

Suggestions
PEMRA should encourage new FM radio channels to minimize bureaucratic
complications.
PEMRA should allow broadcasting local news bulletin to town based FM
channels.
The license holders should strictly follow the rules and regulations of
PEMRA.
The license holders should set the agenda of FM radio programs for Islamic
moral teachings, patriotism, social welfare and guidance.
The advertisers should pay more attention towards FM channels to
establish them economically.
The listeners should record their feedback regularly about FM programs.