Abstract

This paper presents an exploratory study on content diversity in the local music radio and the recording industry in a small media market (Greece) analyzing the most heavily promoted output in a short period of time. This is the first study for the Greek case based on primary data and focuses on supplied diversity.

A sample of 563 songs aired most often by 57 stations dispersed in 28 regions of the country is analyzed considering variety, balance, and disparity as properties of diversity. The Simpson's D index, the Lorenz curve, and the Gini coefficient, have been used. To compare with the repertoire promoted by the recording industry, the charts published by the Greek branch of the IFPI before, during, and after the broadcast period, were used.

Analysis shows that although there is no significant correlation between the content promoted by the local music radio and the recording industry in terms of artists and albums, both media are very close in terms of lower diversity of genres, languages and countries represented in their repertoires. In this respect, a clear indication that various communities are inadequately served, was found. Nevertheless, diversity in the charts – i.e. in a far more concentrated industry – is larger. As this is an exploratory study, the limitations and the directions for future research are also discussed.