Content Niching of AM/FM Vs. Digital-Only Audio Media in Pakistan: An Empirical Analysis of Competitive Distinctiveness in the Content Available on Websites

ABSTRACT

The study investigates competitive distinctiveness by measuring niches in the content available on websites of traditional AM/FM and Digital-only audio media which is currently addressed by very few studies. Guided by Dimmick’s Niche Theory, we niche-analyze content categories on audio media websites (N = 72) in Pakistan by computing breadth, overlap, and competitive superiority. Drawing on data collected through content analysis for the period of June 2021 to July 2021, we found that Digital-only audio websites dominate in terms of niche breadth and competitive superiority in all content categories except news and information as compared to AM/FM websites. Digital-only audio websites have occupied the niche in the Entertainment content category. Higher niche overlap was observed in the news and information category, weakening the players’ competitive distinctiveness.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Alan Albarran, Professor Emeritus University of North Texas, USA, Dr. Mohammad Yousuf, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication & Journalism, The University of New Mexico and Dr. John Feaster, Associate Professor and Dept. Chair, Department of Communication Studies, Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts, Rowan University for their valuable help and guidance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/14241277.2023.2183501