Streaming services, podcasts and social media have shifted the landscape and approach of the media, but do people still listen to the radio?
Bruce Barber, long-time Connecticut radio host and general manager of the school’s WNHU radio station, says radio is still relevant.
“In the past,” said Barber, “local radio stations — along with local TV and newspapers — owned a virtual monopoly in the way that people consumed news information and entertainment in real time. Today — in the age of smartphones, podcasts, streaming and social media — content choices have expanded exponentially.”
According to the 2023 report from Edison Research, U.S. adults spend 71% of their time listening to AM/FM radio, compared to 29% of their time streaming audio. Nielsen, the data and marketing measurement firm, said that radio reached more American consumers than any other platform last year.
Barber is best known as the long-running shock jock co-host of “Smith and Barber: The Morning Show” on 99.1 WPLR in New Haven. This experience propelled him to be one of the leading observers of this evolution of media, especially in radio. He said his longevity is how radio retains its relevance. Unlike streaming services, radio focuses on the local angle.
“Radio maintains its relevance when content is presented by local personalities dealing with local issues, and properly run stations have the opportunity to build wonderful communities around this content,” Barber said.
Barber came to the university in 2018 to work with students who want to work in radio.
“I jumped on the opportunity to share my accumulated knowledge with the next generation of broadcasters and podcasters,” said Barber.
The path from mainstream radio hosting to academia suited Barber, he said. Many radio hosts align with positions in media hosting, like TV hosting, podcasts and executive roles at other stations. Students at the station on Ruden Street acknowledge the decline of radio listeners but say they believe they have the opportunity to have an impact at WNHU.
“The campus station provides a unique academic experience where the audience tuning in is other university students,” said Isabella Idarraga, a junior at the university. “As a listener, I feel that WNHU does a good job creating shows that New Haven is interested in.”
In the evolving media landscape, streaming services and digital platforms redefine how media consumers connect with content. Barber says that radio’s history, community-driven programming and reach prove the power to maneuver radio waves goes beyond generations and technological shifts.
“Radio maintains its relevance when content is presented by local personalities dealing with local issues, and properly run stations have the opportunity to build wonderful communities around this content,” said Barber. “I know from experience. I was the morning show co-host at 99.1 WPLR in New Haven for 18 years — and Chaz and AJ [who also host on WPLR] have been there for another 20.”