There are certain things repeated in the radio business more because they are repeated than because they are true. Some things just sound good rolling off the tongue, so off the tongue they roll.

One of those things is the expression: “Radio is the original social network.”

I don’t know who patient zero was for this particular ailment but it has spread like a virus and now seems to be the thing we tell each other when we want to see heads nodding in agreement.

Unfortunately, it’s wrong.

What bugs me about it isn’t just that it’s wrong, but that the implication behind its use is so destructive. The implication is “Sure, Facebook is great, but radio was there first!” or “There’s nothing really new about social media that radio didn’t capture years ago!” or “Radio is the same thing as social media – stop worrying!”

These are all wrong.

Read the entire column on Mark's blog.