Wharton Responds to Radio-Capable Cell Critics

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, August 25, 2010 | 4:56pm CT

NAB Executive VP/Communications Dennis Wharton (pictured) has issued what he calls a "fact-based response to the critics of radio-capable cell phones." Wharton notes that radio's audience is growing as the most recent report from Arbitron shows that radio reaches more than 239 million American listeners ages 12 and older. That's an increase of seven million listeners in just one year.

Any claim that radio is "dying," "declining" or "losing listeners" is simply not accurate, says Wharton, who also cites a New York Times piece called radio "a classic evolutionary survivor" in an article detailing the history of media and technological consumption changes.

Wharton also points to two studies, a 2008 TNS study and an Alan Burns study, that when given the choice, consumers like radio-capable cell phones. From a global perspective, he says, it's expected that there will be roughly 700 million FM-capable cell phones on the market by next year, representing 45% of all active cell phones.

The 2008 study from TNS found that 45% of mobile users in Latin America and Asia cite AM/FM radio as one of their top three reasons for purchasing a mobile phone. The Alan Burnsstudy showed 47% of women in the U.S. and nearly three-quarters (73%) of female early adopters would buy a different cell phone if that phone contained a built-in FM receiver. 54% said they would listen to local radio more if they had a radio-enabled mobile phone.

More importantly, says Wharton, radio serves as an information lifeline during times of crisis. Whether it's lifesaving information provided during Hurricane Katrina, evacuation information broadcast during the terrorist attacks of September 11, or a missing child saved with an AMBER Alert -- local radio stations are uniquely positioned to reach their listeners with timely, critical information.

There is also Congressional support for radio-capable cell phones. Last November, a bipartisan group of 60 U.S. House lawmakers wrote to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano asking them to consider adding an FM radio receiver on mobile phones handsets sold in the U.S., citing safety and emergency alert concerns.