“The auto industry is marketing lucrative subscription services for audio and GPS.”
Anymore, at least for me when driving, the competition for radio and the endless commercials is silence. I suspect its not entirely just me being old and grumpy.
There really is little reason to turn on the radio.
Streaming services can be just as bad. I believe the “Ad supported model” in broadcast/streaming simply doesnt work and is detrimental to providing anything of entertainment value.
I also posit that most if not all internet content cannot be profitable - because there is no way they make it worthwhile to sit through ads, and nobody can afford to “go ad free” on every individual information/entertainment service they may happen upon.
I have thought for many years that “big radio” wants to phase out broadcasting due to the massive energy cost of transmitters.
Engineers aren’t cheap either.
“I also posit that most if not all internet content cannot be profitable”
ISPs and cell phone service companies might sell ‘penny points’ - say 1,000 for $10.
A NY Times article might be offered for sale for three ‘penny points’.
This is because there are literally THOUSANDS of ways to get 'information' these days, and the number of advertisers have remained basically the same.
Thus, less money available per each.