Radio

How the Changing Face of Radio Affects Your Listening Experience

Radio has come a long way since the analog AM days of yesteryear. In fact, radio can now be transmitted not only via FM radio waves, which make sound clearer, but also via satellite directly to your receiving device. Radio is also a changing industry that is not only highly affected by iPods, MP3 players and other digital music, but it also is becoming a business beast for musicians and DJs to conquer.

Due to the digital influence, it is more and more difficult to break into the radio if you are a musician. Radio stations continuously play the same songs because the stations are owned by the same parent company that owns the record company. Therefore, independent musicians have found it very difficult to make their breaks via the radio. Therefore, there trend in music is to download tunes over the Internet directly onto the listening device. Thus, many people believe the radio is a thing of the past. Here are a few things to think about in regards to radios:

Radio Waves

When you listen to the radio, you are listening over radio waves, which are, essentially, waves that are transmitted through the air. The waves, just like waves in the ocean, can easily be broken up by interference in the atmosphere. AM waves travel further than FM waves, but because they are so long, the are easier to break up. Thus, FM has the clearer sound when it comes to radio waves. Satellite radio is radio that is transmitted via satellites that orbit the earth in outer space. The satellites transmit high frequency waves that are converted into digital using the receiving mechanism in your radio unit. Thus, the satellite radio waves are clearer than basic AM and FM waves.

Know Who Pays

Radio is a business that is paid for by advertisers. Thus, when you listen to music, you are forced to listen to ads, unless you invest in satellite radio. Satellite radio is paid for on a subscription basis, so you will not have to deal with expensive ads when you deal with satellite radio. Generally speaking, the advertisers control who gets on the air. The better the music, the better the ad rates. Therefore, you can trust that you are not getting the most current and complete view of the music industry when you listen to radio alone.

Hear New Tunes

Despite its setbacks, many people enjoy listening to the radio because the radio allows you to get a taste of another city or another culture. If you take a road trip, for example, you will find new and different radio stations with each town that you visit. Therefore, each station will also have different music and a different style. If you are a culture maven, you may enjoy listening to the radio so that you can get a taste of how others live.

Since its invention, people have enjoyed listening to the radio as a way to take in culture and new music acts. Whether you are a music fan or just enjoy having something on in the background, keeping a radio around is a good way to cheaply get a new listening experience. Alternatively, satellite radio provides a diverse range of music for a very low subscription rate - and no advertisements!