The Death of AM Radio

Japan has announced that they will be phasing out AM Radio in favor of FM and the digital format. In countries in South East Asia, however AM stations continue to exist, while some may thrive others are struggling to survive.

The struggle is in the local content, people now get their news straight from social media, which is news anchors are now shifting their strategy to Facebook live streams.

There is also been a shift now of news talk migrating to FM with hybrid formats like those in News FM and Brigada Network in the Philippines.

In the US, a major radio network is testing a new format, playing podcasts 247 on an AM station.

Speaking of podcast, streaming giant has made another big step in the world of audio. New acquisition in the podcast world by Spotify, after those of Gimlet Media and Anchor completed in the past months.

The audio streaming company has signed an agreement to buy Parcast, a storytelling-driven podcast study. Launched in 2016, it has 18 podcast series including Serial Killers, Unsolved Murders, Cults and Conspiracy Theories and the Mind’s Eye fiction. Parcast brings a loyalty audience to Spotify and the experience in the creation of crime-themed, sci-fi and story content as well as twenty new titles to be launched in the coming months.

A transaction is expected to close in the second quarter.

As Dawn Ostroff, Spotify Chief Content Officer explains, the new purchase is functional to the goal of becoming the main audio platform in the world, thanks to content such as mystery stories and mysteries that are at the top of users’ preferences.