With all eyes on the FCC to act on ownership deregulation by the end of 2025, the conversation across the radio industry is shifting from if to how scale will reshape the business. Is bigger always better?
As Radio Ink Magazine prepares to reveal the 40 Most Powerful People In Radio for 2025, we asked the upper echelon of leaders for their take: Is there an optimal size for a radio company in today’s marketplace? The answers reveal a mix of optimism, caution, and a sharp understanding that scale alone won’t guarantee success.
“Everyone is talking about deregulation like it is a magic pill to success and fortunes. I’m confident that scale offers several advantages, but it is not a guarantee of success. I’m not sure what the optimal size is for a radio company in today’s media environment, but I’m sure that scale alone will not guarantee success.”
“First, I think that deregulation is completely overdue. Big tech is unregulated and continues to take dollars from our local clients, and we are competing with one arm tied behind our backs due to outdated regulations. Deregulation doesn’t solve the entire problem, but it helps by providing greater scale either within the context of a single market, regionally across multiple markets, or nationally across all markets. That said, scale alone doesn’t win.”
“What’s most important is that you have programming that consumers want, need, and respond to, which will lead to building a highly loyal audience. There’s no optimal size, but there are certain advantages to small to medium-sized radio companies. Deregulation will allow these companies, since they are more agile, to create more scale that will allow them to service their local community with additional expense efficiencies, which in turn makes them more financeable.”
Curious about who said what? Radio Ink Magazine‘s 40 Most Powerful People In Radio issue comes out on Monday, July 14. Click HERE to subscribe today.
