DAB receiver sales pass 166 million as digital radio expands globally
Innovators see possibilities where others see roadblocks. When faced with a bottleneck in the value chain, they envision alternate routes; where there is a gap in the system, they build bridges; where technology ventures into uncharted territory, they map the way forward. This ability to transform obstacles into opportunities defines true innovation.
With this in mind, we spoke with leading thinkers in the radio and digital audio industry and asked them:
Where in the audio sector do you see untapped potential, and how are you bringing that vision to life?
Luca Viscardi, Chief Digital Strategist, 102.5 Italy
In my view, despite the challenge of staying relevant in a landscape dominated by photos and videos, the audio sector still holds significant untapped potential. This is particularly true for traditional media, which has the opportunity to extend the value of its content and reach new audiences with the right technological solutions. To achieve this, it’s essential to move beyond the traditional offline media notion of “brand loyalty” and focus solely on delivering quality.
Over the past years, we’ve learned that the key to success lies in embracing a modern media company approach and leveraging the best technological tools available. However, the real challenge compared to the past is ensuring proper monetization, which is crucial to maintaining the business’ sustainability. By striking the right balance, the audio sector can evolve and thrive in this competitive environment.
Guillermo Franco, CEO, Grupo Multimedios, Mexico
While technology, artificial intelligence and data analytics are important drivers of change, the future of media will ultimately be determined by people—both the talented professionals working across the industry and the diverse audiences they serve. Long-term success will require thoughtfully balancing technological innovation and automation with irreplaceable human expertise, creativity and emotional intelligence. Organizations must invest in cutting-edge systems and the human capital to leverage them effectively.
Nikola Kovačević, CEO, Naxi Media Mix, Serbia
At Naxi Media Group, we see enormous potential in highly targeted audio programming across multiple channels and formats. While many stations are content reaching 10% of their potential audience, we’re pushing boundaries by creating specialized content for every demographic—from children’s bedtime stories to youth entertainment to evergreen topics. We’ve launched over 1,000 digital channels, podcasts and music streams, all driven by constant audience feedback and minute-by-minute ratings analysis. Our vision is to meet every listener on their preferred platform with content designed specifically for them. We believe radio’s future lies in this hyper-personalized, multi-platform approach that reaches audiences wherever they are, on any device, now and in the future.
Nada Wotshela, Group Executive for Radio, SABC, South Africa
The most significant opportunity in the audio broadcasting sector lies in seamlessly integrating digital and traditional platforms to reach a more diverse, fragmented audience. At the SABC, we are capitalizing on this by expanding our digital presence through live streaming, podcasts and the SABC+ OTT platform, ensuring that our 19 radio stations remain accessible anytime, anywhere. By leveraging data analytics, we are tailoring content to audience preferences while continuing to champion local music, culture and multilingual programming. This approach futureproofs our brands and strengthens our role as a public broadcaster committed to inclusivity, community engagement and innovation.
Jason Bryant, Founder, Nation Broadcasting, United Kingdom
The future of commercial audio will likely involve connecting advertisers with listeners through ever-more personalized messages. Advertising will become individually personalized, with copy generated and served using AI that can mention your name, locality and interests. Commercial messages will include personalized offers and calls to action, incentivizing you to respond in real-time.
As audio moves inexorably toward a programmatically dominated ad environment, ads will be traded on increasingly open ad platforms in real-time. This will offer more advertisers access to great radio and audio output. There will be a significantly reduced need for a traditional agency or media sales house approach—ads will be bought and sold via open marketplaces.
This will open up a long tail of advertisers who might previously have found radio too expensive or too broad in its audience delivery. Attracted by its ease of access, speed and programmatic functionality, direct-to-customer streaming will make audio ads increasingly personalized, making radio an even more cost-effective, accountable and in-demand medium.
Nation has invested in companies that speak to this future, such as Fenestra, a pioneer in using AI to power optimization for biddable ad campaigns.
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