Often referred to as underwriting, this method of advertising is in blatant contrast to commercial broadcasting. An underwriting spot is usually an announcement made by a major donor in the form of a traditional commercial. The idea is that the company making the announcement gets the exposure they want without an overly abrasive jingle or call to action that, in any way, subtracts from the listener experience.

This method of advertising has served NPR well in the past and it continues to provide listeners with a unique alternative to typical, commercialized radio and its incessant advertising. Ask anyone who listens to NPR if there are any commercials and they might have to think about that one. Commercial underwriting, the way it’s done on NPR, can blend so seamlessly with the content that you might not even realize you’re hearing an ad.

With the birth of the internet came almost unlimited access to music. No longer were teenagers required to call into radio hosts and beg for their favorite song to be played. They simply could log online and type in the name of the song they wanted to hear. They could stream it for free, download it to a portable player, or even watch the video of their favorite singer or rapper performing the track. Why would they need the radio?

For several years after this new phenomenon, the radio was still useful in the car. However, with the appearance of iPods and satellite radio, typical radio is merely a last resort.

When it’s traditional radio listenership declined in the past few years, NPR has began to offer the majority of it’s most popular programs as downloadable podcasts. Shows like This American Life with Ira Glass and Fresh Air with Terry Gross are still regularly featured in the top ten most downloaded podcasts on iTunes each week.

While NPR’s podcasts still bring in regular advertising dollars, they are now potentially facing their biggest competitor in the form of larger media personalities starting their own podcast “empires”. In the past year, film director Kevin Smith, former Loveline co-host Adam Carolla and comedian Scott Aukerman have all launched podcast franchises with multiple shows featuring interviews with celebrities, stand-up comedy and entertainment news. NPR may have initially won the podcast battle, but a whole new and tougher opponent is readying to face them.

Another advancement that you have probably heard about if you ever listen to the radio is the digital radio. Digital radio broadcasting technologies allow there to be more stations in a spectrum, while also making the sounds you hear better quality because of the digital format. Digital radios are great if you would like a high definition sound.

When trying to choose between a digital or satellite radio the choice is up to you. Neither of them are better than the other, and in the end it all comes down to what is important to you. If you are making a purchase be sure to do your research to make sure you get the best deal possible.

Another advancement that you have probably heard about if you ever listen to the radio is the digital radio. Digital radio broadcasting technologies allow there to be more stations in a spectrum, while also making the sounds you hear better quality because of the digital format. Digital radios are great if you would like a high definition sound.

When trying to choose between a digital or satellite radio the choice is up to you. Neither of them are better than the other, and in the end it all comes down to what is important to you. If you are making a purchase be sure to do your research to make sure you get the best deal possible.Can’t get enough? There’s more: Get Serious About Radio with the SIRIUS Connect for Kenwood