Towers and Transmitters

Is the writing on the wall?

Will towers and transmitters, those that transmit traditional AM and FM radio, eventually fade away like a spring-loaded Victrola?

I think so.

Despite the fact that simply turning on a traditional radio and selecting a station is ridiculously simple, easy, and works very well the mobile streaming train has left the station and accelerating to bullet train speeds.

While out and about this past weekend I brought a pair of ear buds with me and "dialed" up a few different platforms on my 2G/EDGE Blackberry Curve and flawlessly listened to a number of different radio stations. It could not have been easier. I can't remember the last time I listened to a radio on a "Walkman" type device outside of a business application.

Transmitters? Transmitters? We don't need no stinkin' transmitters!

When will this take place? I don't know. But the next five years will make even the traditional radio person wonder how much time is left for the tried and true. That I do know.

Think about this, a recent report identified the largest group of Twitter users are people OVER 35! Wait, over 35? Yup.

The mobile device is the most tranformative piece of electronic gadgetry of our time. Not sure any of us thought that would be the case when we first started carrying around those early Motorola brick [in size and weight] cell phones in the early 90's.

Remember, IBM in the early days of the PC thought nobody would want one and passed on being a part of that revolution.