If you believe a new survey, listeners say personalities actually beat out hearing their favourite music as the reason they seek out a radio station. At least 60% of those asked in the Jacobs Media Techsurvey say they tune in for the guy or gal in the airchair, vs. 53% who chose music as their main reason for listening. 

This commentary on Barrett Media asks the question that follows-up on those numbers: if that's true, why are so many stations cutting back on talent?

"At some point, “How do we create more profit?” can’t keep getting answered with another round of layoffs. Whether radio leaders want this to be true or not, the data is unambiguous: in radio, people are the commodity. Listeners want entertainment. They want connection. They want it for free. Someone is going to fill that need — and if radio keeps gutting its talent base, another platform will gladly step in and do it."

I've always believed that anyone can play the music. It's what's on between the tunes that differentiates one station from another. Yet they're now too often considered expendable. I know many here will not believe these conclusions, but I can say from my own experience that I often make my listening decisions depending on who's hosting a show.

It would be nice if this kind of research winds up making a difference. But my guess is it won't. 

Radio Personalities Are Why People Listen — So Why Does the Industry Keep Cutting Them?