Format Monopolies: The Evolution of “Nationwide Format Oligopolies”

Abstract

Almost ten years after the Telecommunications Act of 1996, 26 different radio station formats in Arbitron's 296 survey areas were examined in 2005 as a followup to Wirth's 2001 “Nationwide Format Oligopolies.” This longitudinal study sought to ascertain if format oligopolies (four companies reaching over 50% of a specific radio format's audience nationally) had evolved into format duopolies (two companies reaching over 50% of a specific radio format's audience nationally) and into format monopolies (one company reaching over 50% of a specific radio format's audience nationally). Five format monopolies, 7 format duopolies, 13 format oligopolies, and 1 format non-oligopoly were documented.