Hope for radio.

A moment of calm reflection produces the realization that: 1) Radio was supposed to kill newspapers. Didn't. 2) TV was supposed to bury radio. Didn't. 3) Cable was supposed to vaporize network TV. Didn't.

Ergo, Ipods, satellite radio, and Internet radio won't kill over-the-air radio (once, long ago, called "wireless").

There is still a place in your day for the switch that turns on the live connection to your town, your kind of music, your world, in progress. Today, most people spend most of their TV viewing time with major networks and local stations. TV learned how to keep the mass audience coming back. Radio can learn how to fit into the new ear-scape. It won't be pretty, but it'll happen.

I still think the best new radio will be local, produced by new local radio people, most of whom are not in the business today. And the fastest, most creative changes will occur in the smallest towns, on stations whose licenses are not held by major corporations. I don't really care what the major radio license collectors do in the major markets. I'll keep my eye on the little guys.

Note to the big guys: pick up and read Time's cover story this week, on Apple, and think focused, local, creative management. (You'll have to subscribe to read it all online.)