MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

Social Media Internet Radio Networks: The Impact of Streaming Interpersonal Communication Messages to Culturally Diverse Millennial Listeners

Otis Thomas, Ph.D. Bowie State University, Bowie, MD

This study explores the cultivation of Internet radio technological convergence capable of reaching social media global network communities to generate revenue and improve local and national communication connections. Specifically, we examine the technological phenomenon advancement of Internet radio, streaming programs and information, and how this new media technological innovation is revolutionizing culturally diverse millennial listeners.

This study uses grounded theory to examine how the social media technological processes provide its users access to broadcasting networks. The impact of convergent media presents mobile phone listeners numerous radio broadcast programs ranging from news, talk, music, entertainment, government, political, educational, and specialized formats. The power of Internet radio reaches various global audiences simultaneously. New digital audio delivers sounds and images that are formatted through customized streaming media systems. For example, radio audiences are able to access programs around the world in seconds. Bloomberg News (as cited in Biagi, 2017, pg. 119) reported that Internet radio corporation providers like Pandora and iHeartRadio are providing broadcasting opportunities for advertisers, music producers, radio station programmers, and political candidates to reach millions of listeners both nationally and internationally through live local broadcast programming. Through these digital distribution channels, data is collected, analyzed, and stored for marketing companies and media organizations. These advanced digital services are able to track, engage, respond, and resonate with Internet radio consumers through innovative new terrestrial broadcasting cyberspace technology (Biagi, 2017, pgs. 115-119). Research provides us a closer look into the world of terrestrial digital media platforms with ubiquitous network transmission services.

Keywords: Social Media Communication Technology, Ground Theory, Internet Radio, Convergence of Online Streaming, Interpersonal Mediated Communication, Culturally Diverse Millennial Listeners