Once radio became a medium through which sports could be broadcasted, it created what we would call “a new concept of community”. Sports radio brings people together and allows them to imagine participating in the event from home, work, or walking to the next destination.
Speaking of being on the go, advancements in technology have led to the term from John Vivian that used in my last post called “Convergence”, giving people the ability to access multiple outlets and utilize multiple mediums on one device. Convergence has increased people’s ability to access radio, music and video on the go.
In addition to a change in technology, there has been a change or spread in the purpose of sports radio. It has evolved in that its more than just facts and stats. Sports radio now has sports talk shows like, The Stephen A Smith Radio Show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd, and The Dan Patrick Show. Sports talk podcasts have come about too, such as The First Take with Stephen A Smith and Max Kellerman and Pardon the Interruption by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon.
Show hosts can debate on social issues, fiscal strategy, and more. Thanks to podcasts, some of their favorite shows or topics can also be accessed on demand. Shows are also more interactive now, allowing listeners to call in and give their input.
Both changes are taking place in the spirit of demassification, fragmenting the audience into niches (sports announcing/sports talk & debates and radio/podcast). They also each create new communities inside the circle or community of sports enthusiasts and/or listeners already created. Listeners can now choose whether or not they want to listen to the game or talk about the team. Whether or not they have the time to tune-in to and participate in the discussion now, or will just download the episode and hear the show hosts’ opinions later places them in a niche.
Here is a video of Stephen A. Smith’s recording one of the latest podcast episodes on The First Take:
Once again, we see the evolution of sports in this post, but in a different way than before thanks to the Journal of Sport and Social Issues. Technology and its advancements are obvious, but the slow change from only announcing games, to debating about a fight that broke out on the court, and the creation of sports podcasts has yet to be discussed in great detail. Which do you prefer? Radio or Podcasts? Announcing or Debating ? Let me know below!
Sources:
Books:
The Media of Mass Communication by John Vivian, 12thEd.
Journals:
CALL AND RESPONSE: Sports, Talk Radio, and the Death of Democracy
Cool as the Other Side of the Pillow: How ESPN’s SportsCenter Has Changed Television Sports Talk
Podcasts:
Radio Shows:
The Stephen A Smith Radio Show
Media and Sports 
You are very right, the transition is not just about the actual media, but the material covered. You ask at the end of your post, radio or podcasts, and announcing or debating? To be honest I like it all. I can’t go too long listening to just one, I need a mix of everything in order to keep me tuned in for the max amount of time. I suffered a concussion and was unable to listen to music or look at screens for two years. Due to this I used radio and podcasts to keep me updated on everything that was going on in sports world. I would say it was a pretty fair balance between announcing and debating. Thanks for sharing!
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I think you did a very good job bringing in topics from the class like demassification of a large audience. I have found it interesting how some of the original sports radio personalities have turned their podcast into shows on television. Paul Finebaum who has a radio show about SEC Football does his radio show on the SEC Network on television. It is just interesting to me how television and radio are beginning to merge more and more.
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As someone who spends a lot of time keeping up with sports radio and podcasts I greatly appreciated this post and all of the links your provided. It is incredible that how convergence has allowed for podcasts on the go- I know people who listen to them while they run! As sports continues to grow and podcasts bring athletes on to speak people can feel like they have special connections that are more than just through sports that is similar to how social media has transformed relationships. I am interested to see how long this industry will flourish as technology continues to advance.
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