No.

Oh! Not substantial enough an answer for you?

Okay.

Absolutely not.

Alright, I’ll explain.

Terrestrial Radio is, without a doubt, suffering from an identity crisis. iPods, Satellite Radio, Online Radio, Pandora, Last.FM, et.al. are all conspiring to make the original Radio obsolete. Good luck. Won’t happen for a long, long time, and here’s why:

1. It’s in virtually every car on the road today. Sure, there’s the aforementioned Satellite Radio (stock price – about a dime right now), 1/8th inch stereo jacks for iPods, etc. Cassettes and CDs in the dashboard couldn’t kill Radio, so I’m not sure why people think an iPod jack could. Radio in the car is easy, it’s ubiquitious, and it’s well-branded. Until the economy sweeps all the cars from the highways, Radio is the media of choice for the motorist.

2. It’s free. Sure, commercials pay for it, but it doesn’t cost money to consume it. You don’t have to pay to download music, either in the form of currency or the threat of legal action associated with illegal downloads.

3. It’s local. Is that a huge thing today? Some say “yes,” some say “no,” but in difficult times, it will become more and more important, and make no mistake, we’re entering difficult times.

Will Terrestrial Radio continue on exactly as it is today? No, it won’t. Radio operators are working hard to move their brands to other delivery platforms, like podcasts, websites, and streaming. There will be a winnowing of the talent pool as tough economic times force operators to adjust (often downwards) the big paychecks of some talent, while using their shows on multiple platforms and in multiple markets.

There will also, most probably, be a shakeout of operators, returning more locals stations to local ownership. The “Mom and Pop” radio station may well return, and with it a more sane and reasonable business model.

But Terrestrial Radio is alive, and will remain so.