The business of radio has been in some turmoil even before the economic downturn of 2008-2009. There’s a lot of consolidation, competition, and less advertising to go around. Add in satellite radio and internet radio to the mix with earthbound stations and the pie seems to be getting cut up into more pieces. The Radio industry will have to look to new technologies and innovation to get healthy again. iPhone applications are one of these new innovations to watch for.

Radio is moving in a new direction with streaming audio on iPhone apps. The mother of all radio iPhone apps would be Clear Channel’s “I Heart Radio” application, which feeds off of Clear Channel’s “I Heart Radio online streaming website of 750+ radio stations. Last count showed 150+ stations streaming via I Heart Radio on the iPhone. But streaming individual stations on a giant aggregator app like this can sometimes be slow with lengthy buffering times.

Another option is for a radio station, either land based or online or satellite to have its own dedicated iphone app. Why be one of hundreds or thousands of radio stations on someone else’s app when you can have your own custom Streaming Radio iPhone app with its own icon on your listener’s iPhone screen? Your radio station gets one step closer to your audience, and your listeners have direct icon access to your streaming broadcast! Add advertising to your Radio Station iPhone app for increased revenue and social networking features to build your listener community.

A recent count in the iTunes App Store showed over 40 radio stations of all kinds with their own iPhone apps for streaming their broadcasts. From large organizations like Public Radio to smaller niche online stations like Classical Philippines Radio, streaming broadcasts via iPhone apps.

The cost to develop a streaming radio app is very reasonable if the station already has an MP3 or other compatible stream. A basic streaming radio app can cost as low as 00.00 with optional upgraded features possible, or the app can be upgraded at a later date. The initial development cost can be offset by adding advertising, sponsorships, selling playlist music through iTunes, and more.

Will iPhone applications turn the radio industry around? Not by themselves, but this new technology should be seriously considered by any radio station that’s seeking to position themselves for the new era of broadcasting.

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