Format Monopolies: The Evolution of “Nationwide Format Oligopolies”

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.