Where does radio sit in the modern media world? #RDE25

Where does radio sit in the modern media world, and what is its role today?

That’s just one of the issues keeping CEOs awake at night.

Five CEOs from around the world have talked about the biggest radio issues on their minds at RadioDays Europe.

In preparation for this session, RadioInfo’s Steve Ahern asked the CEOs to keep a notebook by their beds. When they woke up at night with a big issue on their mind, they were instructed to write it down.

Baiba Zuzena, Chair of Latvia’s public broadcaster, listed ‘visual radio’ among the issues keeping her up at night. Is visual radio a fusion of genres, or a threat?

In 2022, tech founder Hidde Schultze looked at radio’s relevance in the face of converged audio and video platforms, noting that visual radio was on an upward trend.

Every radio professional and radio station that aims for growth must be relevant online, he said.

“Listeners expect more than sound. Listeners want to discover who is producing the sound.”

“Listening is fun, but listening and watching is more fun.”

Other issues identified among the CEOs at RadioDays Europe included how to develop new radio shows and make them exciting, how to manage strong personalities, and how to attract and retain talent – especially that which appeals to younger audiences.

Konstantinos Fotopoulos, CEO of Audiomax in Greece, is excited about the potential for developing new radio shows.

“In radio, the story is always the people, that is the exciting part. You’re talking about how to build a new show that will not only be a successful show in itself, but also to serve the brand values of the radio station.”

“We have an amazing privilege to talk to our audience and unite our society.”