Radio Ready expands with South African broadcaster support

The National Association of Broadcasters South Africa has joined the Radio Ready initiative, becoming the first African broadcaster association to participate in the campaign focused on protecting radio’s visibility and accessibility in connected cars.

Radio Ready says the initiative now includes more than 23 broadcasters, industry bodies and associations across Europe, Australia and Africa. The campaign was launched in 2025 by founding partners including Bauer Media Group, European Broadcasting Union, BBC, ARD, Radio France, NRJ, RTL, AER and Sveriges Radio.

According to the organizers, the campaign was created to encourage collaboration across the radio sector as broadcasters respond to changes in automotive dashboards, connected vehicle platforms and in-car content distribution. The initiative has gained additional visibility following the “Connected Journeys” campaign linked to World Radio Day earlier this year.

Radio Ready said South Africa’s participation adds a new perspective to discussions around in-car listening, particularly in a market where radio continues to play a significant role across both private vehicles and commuter transport systems.

Sustainability and growth

Nadia Bulbulia, executive director of the National Association of Broadcasters South Africa, said the organization views connected-car visibility as increasingly important for the long-term sustainability of radio services across Africa. She also described the initiative as an opportunity to contribute an African perspective to international industry discussions around in-car listening.

“NAB South Africa is proud to join the Radio Ready campaign as radio remains vital in Africa and the evolving media ecosystem,” said Bulbulia. “As an industry body representing a wide range of licensed radio broadcasters in South Africa, we recognize the importance of ensuring that radio remains accessible and visible.”

Bulbulia said radio’s role across both private vehicles and commuter taxis makes the connected-car debate particularly relevant in the South African market. She added that the organization sees the initiative as aligned with its broader mandate to support the sustainability and growth of the country’s radio sector. “We look forward to collaborating with international colleagues in strengthening the position of radio globally,” added Bulbulia.

Tobias Nielsen, SVP digital at Bauer Media Audio, described Radio Ready as an attempt to create greater alignment across the broadcast industry as automotive platforms become increasingly software-driven. He said the addition of South Africa marked an important milestone for the initiative’s international expansion. “Radio Ready is about bringing the industry together to ensure radio remains easy to find and simple to use in connected cars,” said Nielsen. “Welcoming NAB South Africa is a particularly important milestone, marking our first partnership in Africa and reinforcing the global relevance of this work.”

Radio Ready said the initiative is intended to support broadcasters, platforms and industry partners as they navigate changes in connected-car distribution and automotive interface design. The organization also encouraged additional broadcasters and industry bodies to join the campaign as the automotive media landscape continues to evolve.

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