Are our traditional channels of media becoming irrelevant? In my opinion, we’ll be reliant on TV for a while, but what about local radio stations? There are a few apps that attempt  to save local radio by giving the option of streaming stations off of mobile devices and laptops (TuneIn Radio and iHeartRadio). This is a convenient option for most dedicated listeners, but is it enough to maintain the demand? It’s likely that local radio will slowly fade as dedicated listeners get older, and as application systems are developed in cars. With the advent of companies like SiriusXM and Spotify, local radio seems to be holding on by a thread. The thought of local radio dying due to the advent of technology is a disappointing thought. For many, they grew up listening to the same radio show hosts every morning —it was a way of connecting with their surroundings. If this option is gone, the way we use radio will loose that local aspect (which will make it a lot less meaningful). Technology has a way of doing this, it’s one of the negative aspects of it. Online retailers have made it difficult for small business and mom and pop shops to exist. So, just as technology has transformed our consumer options and means of communication with each other, it has also changed the way we relate to the world and our surroundings. This is something that will continue to evolve, and the outcome is not too clear.

-Michelle Rosin (socialnetworkingwomen.org