Gary Lycan: Radio in 2008: Nowhere to go but up next year

Read more: Radio Facts Legacy 30th Anniversary Issue.

On the radio: Stations hire and fire, many favorites vanish and meters track listening habits.

We’re heading into 2009, so it’s time to look back at 2008. Next week, we’ll look at radio’s future. This week, radio’s recent past, and sad to say overall it’s been a terrible year.

Radio revenues have declined for 19 straight months. Local radio revenues were reportedly off 21 percent, national revenue off 24 percent in November. One analysis called it the worst month in more than 20 years.