We live in a society where having many choices is a thing. If you want to listen to music, you can easily open your Spotify app or visit YouTube for a podcast. Radio stations now have to compete with a growing market where people have a wide range of options that cater to their varied needs. 

Radio, as a longstanding medium, needs to adapt its strategy to not only meet its audience's needs but to also compete with digital growth. 

Still, the opposite is also true — radio has become more than just a good playlist for you to listen to on your way to work. It has evolved into a sustaining medium that:
  • reports on relevant news 
  • entertains listeners, and 
  • provides them with a new perspective on the world.
This medium is starting to align its strategies to other platforms like social media or streaming platforms where radio content can also be viewed. A presenter has the opportunity to create a space where the theatre of the mind can enhance your audience's experience.

Your audience doesn't need to visually see anything, because if your strategy includes storytelling with a consumer-centric approach, your listener can have a magical adventure.

media update's Jana van der Westhuizen speaks to some of your favourite radio stations to find out what is buzzin' and how radio stations manage to stay relevant in the industry. 

Stay tuned for some industry insights:

How, in your perspective, has the radio industry evolved over the past few years?
Caitlin Weber, Tuks FM acting station manager and sales manager

Radio, much like any other medium, has definitely evolved over the years. From technology to content, stations have needed to up their game to keep up with the ever-growing entertainment industry. Gone are the days when one tuned in to their favourite FM show and listened to a few tunes. Listeners have far more choices these days. 

Only want to listen to music? Why not pick your own playlist with a music app, or only enjoy listening to people talk? Why not listen to a podcast centred around your content preferences? 

In short, radio no longer competes solely with other radio [stations]. And if stations want to keep the time spent listening up, they need to put in the work.

What are the elements that need to be present when creating a good radio show or campaign?
Tim Thabethe, OFM programme manager

While both a good radio show and a campaign need to be effective to succeed, the process by which success is attained can be different. Ultimately, both require a response from an audience. 

A good radio show elicits an emotional response. It is internally stimulated through familiar experiences. A good campaign calls for an audience to respond positively to a particular message or call-to-action. 

This too can be an emotional trigger, but it is stimulated by external (commercial) factors. Both, however, talk to a need, which can then be applied to elicit a specific response and reaction.

How do you keep your audience interested when there is no visual element to radio?
Sarina Bosman, Pretoria FM programme manager

Radio is the theatre of the mind! It's one of the magical things about this medium. You can also get away with more because your listeners tend to accept what’s given to them, even without proof. 

For example, a presenter can make a comment about another presenter's red dress, while she is in fact wearing jeans and a T-shirt. The key to keeping the audience interested is in the way the information is delivered. 

Aim for connection, keep the energy and keep teasing listeners with what lies ahead. Most people have a fear of missing out, so by alluding to what may happen next, your audience will stay captivated.

How can young aspiring radio hosts get their foot in the radio industry?
Caitlin Weber, Tuks FM acting station manager and sales manager

Quite simply, if you want to 'make it big' in radio, you have to be willing to put in the time. Many of your favourite presenters and news personalities have spent years doing graveyard shifts and early morning shows honing their craft. 

Along your journey, you will find that consistency, growing your industry network and taking every opportunity that comes your way are the best ways to slowly grow your resumé and, ultimately, increase your chances of getting better opportunities.

Do you think that language has a major effect on the demography of listeners that you target?
Tim Thabethe, OFM programme manager

Massively. South Africa has multiple languages, each with its own unique culture, customs and behaviours. 

A language preference plays a large role in deciding who listens to what brand, and with the broad radio offering — over 300 radio brands in South Africa — audiences have the choice to consume radio in their chosen language. 

What would be the biggest obstacle for upcoming radio stations and what advice do you have for them when tackling this?
Sarina Bosman, Pretoria FM programme manager

Upcoming radio stations would most likely have a struggle with the broadcasting authorities. Frequency and spectrum availability is always a problem. Once that is sorted, you need to look at technical equipment, mixing desks, mics [and a] soundproof booth. 

The best advice would be to find someone who knows the broadcasting business to help with both these aspects. If you've got your license and the studio is set up, you're pretty much ready to go and can train talent along the way.

Want to create a lasting footprint within the radio industry? Share your thoughts on how you think that this can be done in the comment section.

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It is clear that language plays a big role in the content that listeners want to hear. Want to know how you can give your audience what they want? Then read our article, Decoding community radio and its content.
*Image courtesy of Canva