Radio’s Future… on the Internet?

Red, first off may I say that I started listening to you before I knew how to operate a radio and you may very well have been my first favourite DJ, and have gone on to become a radio host and DJ myself, so you deserve a bit of credit there.

The reason for my email however is regarding your blog post about the demise of C-FUN. Not so much the station itself, but your comments regarding the future of radio. Until this blog entry I was heavily considering a career in radio by taking a full-time program at BCIT (currently I have my own electronic music internet radio show and podcast but want to take the next step and into the real world). You mentioned the ability to get internet radio in your car for a reasonable price, and how it will be a whole new world – well, its coming. Soon. I currently work for a technology company and have a bit of inside information, and widespread use of internet radio in your car is only 12-18 months away (and it will be next to free if you have a cell phone). It’s because of this that I am concerned for my future.

I attended a seminar at BCIT to get an overview of their Radio Broadcasting program headed by Randy Taylor. Everything about the program interests me from the marketing, to the technical ops, to the on-air hosting – everything. I am now having serious doubts about the future of this profession and I’m hoping you would be willing to provide some insight as to where the industry might be heading and whether or not this is a viable career choice. I’d love to be the next Red Robinson (I even grew up in Courtenay where they have your star on 5th street!) but I’m concerned that the radio industry as we know it today may simply die off and my education turn out to be a giant waste of time and money.

Matt Saunders aka Sinesthetix
www.sinesthetix.com
www.suaveassassins.com

Matt, I love living in a world of reality. I have seen decades of radio come and go and from my vantage point not only radio but television and newspapers are about to change drastically. My reasons for not going into radio today if I was a young man with ambition are simple. One cannot progress beyond a 20 hour work week and most likely will be a slave to operating a template created by some consultant (an expert from out of town). If you have a creative bone in your body you will be frustrated beyond belief. There are 80 or more professionals in this town alone with 10 or more years experience who can’t get arrested. Most have chosen other avenues of employment. If this doesn’t tell the story what the hell does? Why not look at the new media, at film, at animation, at anything that is similar to radio and television and spend your time being creative there.