Why hasn't broadcast radio disappeared like broadcast tv?

Question

I still remember a time when you could buy a TV and a pair of rabbit ears and other than a little bit more drain on your electric bill that was all you ever had to pay for. Now a pair of rabbit ears might pick up one staticy incoherent station. Why does broadcast radio still have so many viable options? With the increasing prevalence of satellite and internet radio, will broadcast radio meet the same fate as broadcast tv?

Answer 1

Not likely. Satellite radio is touchy, requiring a satellite to relay the signals from space. That costs a LOT of money, because the satellites have to orbit, and you have to have multiple satellites orbiting to consistently cover the broadcast area. Broadcast radio, on the other hand, merely needs towers on the ground to relay the info. It's dirt cheap in comparison, and even dirt poor countries can still operate them. The same can't be said for launching satellites into space.



Maybe someday in the distant future we will have the technology to revamp all radio (and internet) communication, but the price difference between satellites and relay towers makes terrestrial radio a viable option still. And currently, terrestrial radio can go many places that satellite radio can't.



I won't even get into the legalities / business side of the issue, it gets pretty complex.



For an interesting read, I've linked you the Wikipedia on Sirius radio, which once competed with XM radio until they merged to compete with terrestrial radio. There was a big antitrust issue during the merger, and it opened up the doors to discussions and questions such as these.

Answer 2

Because the federal government has not forced the radio stations to go digital that either is there or not and much harder to tune than the the old signal. You need the whole signal not just part with digital.

yes you can get the converter box and you could possible get more channels. I am hoping the new TV designed to be used with new signal will work better than the TVs I own now do with the converter boxes.



Broadcast TV is still around just much harder to get and much of the TV on cable is broadcast stations

Answer 3

broadcast TV is still around. Portable televisions use it. radios are more portable than televisions and standard in nearly all cars. Cable television is more popular because you have a bigger selection of channels, than with broadcast television. you can't do "cable radio" but satellite radio is catching on. Radio will never go away.

Answer 4

Satellite radio required a lot of initial capital outlay and never really caught on as well as they thought it would (I think they didn't spend enough money or time on programming because I get tired of the repetitive stuff on their channels which is what they initially were supposed to combat) because the consumers weren't buying, wall street investors pulled out and now its just not getting a lot of financial support so it's not moving forward at a very rapid pace.