Class discussion: Radio
Demassification refers to the breaking down of an industry into smaller parts. In the radio industry, this was a necessary shift to appeal to certain audiences and remain relevant.
Radio reached its peak of popularity in the 1940s when correspondents would report back details of World War II.  Radio was able to offer breaking news before newspapers could issue special editions.
After World War II, and with the invention of television, many actors as well as the audience left radio for TV.  The comedies, dramas, variety shows and quiz shows that were a big draw for radio listeners, were now available for viewing on TV.  As a consequence, radio switched to recorded music, versus live performances.  This saved on expenses, and it allowed the radio industry to co-exist with television.            However, in order to keep the listeners, radio stations had to tailor their programming to attract different groups.  This resulted in the radio industry's efforts to reach certain target audiences.
Today, with a push of a button, you can hear country music, as well as various other music formats such as oldies, rock, top 20, as well as religious, sports, talk, and news programming.  The radio industry must constantly be changing to meet listeners' changing needs.  As listeners bring their iPods into their cars to listen to their own music, instead of what is on the radio, the industry once again is challenged to adapt in order to remain relevant.