U.S. radio consolidation : an investigation of the structures and strategies of selected duopolies.

This study investigated the organizational structures and management strategies of selected radio duopolies. At the time of this study radio duopolies had been legally permitted to exist throughout the radio industry for less than two years. Radio broadcasters were groping for the appropriate designs and strategies to successfully operate a duopoly. Sixty-nine owners and managers representing 16 duopolies and 15 markets were interviewed using an interview guide. Two of the 69 interviews were conducted as a pilot study to revise the interview guide and develop more precise research questions. Station documents were analyzed from the local public file and the stations' files at the FCC building in Washington, D.C. An FCC official was also interviewed for background information. Observation of some duopoly activities was also used in data collection. Qualitative analytic techniques used by three other researchers (McCracken; Strauss and Corbin) were used to develop an overall model supported by four themes and 12 sub-themes. The interview transcriptions were individually analyzed word by word and by participant. The interview transcriptions were collectively analyzed by six responsibility areas and by nine question groups. Results indicated some consensus among duopoly managers on the ways available to structure and manage duopolies. However, there was not uniformity in the implementation of those strategies throughout the duopolies in this study. Duopoly managers and owners have used a vehicle (the duopoly staff) to travel along the duopoly highway in three phases. The travel process model consisted of the finding, learning, and leading phases. Duopolies have succeeded in the radio industry. The success rate may not have been as fast as some owners hoped. Duopolies have put some people out of work. Duopolies have eliminated some niche formats from certain markets. On the other side, duopolies have added jobs to a community and created new positions in some radio stations. Duopolies have brought niche formats to a market to serve an unserved audience. Duopolies have kept some stations on the air. This study has shown that duopolies on the local level can be a benefit to the communities of listeners, advertisers, and employees.