POINT OF VIEW
The
Business of Radio We speak with Mike Marohn, majority owner of 94.5 ROXY and former Thurston County Chamber board chair about his career in radio, trends and his predictions for its future. by Natasha Ashenhurst According to market researcher IMARK, radio advertising represents one of the oldest forms of advertising globally and is relatively inexpensive compared to other channels. Despite the current attention toward online ads, radio holds a considerable share in the market. In addition, radio serves as an excellent publicity channel and is preferred by both large and small companies worldwide. They predict the radio advertising market to experience growth over the next five years stating, “One of the significant market trends is the increasing penetration of smartphones and internet facilities, which has led to a rise in online radio audiences.” According to Insider Intelligence, an advertising data agency, “During the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns, fewer people commuted to work every day, and many local businesses cut their marketing budgets as they fought to stay open. These conditions have strained the radio advertising market, but they expect radio to partially rebound next year, rising 16.8% to $12.18 billion.” To learn more about the business of radio and to get a local 8 I
October 2021
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Thurston County Chamber VOICE
point of view, we spoke with Mike Marohn, the majority owner of 94.5 ROXY. He has spent many years both in and adjacent to the radio industry; including while working as a local financial consultant from which he is now retired. Mike’s love of radio began when he was a high school student at North Thurston High School in Lacey, Washington. “A friend and I decided to put on dances and to advertise on the radio. We wrote and voiced the commercials. Later, when I was going to college someone told me I had a good voice for radio and I ended up volunteering as a DJ on campus radio. Later that resulted in getting a job doing the midnight to 6:00 A.M. slot and the morning news for a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia,” he said. Mike attended three different colleges and found work on the air everywhere he went. However, his focus shifted when he discovered that stations were charging $30 for a 30-second commercial spot. He compared ad revenue to his hourly wage of $2.50 and realized he was on the wrong side of the microphone. thurstonchamber.com
