How to change that?
It used to be that “radio,” with its small-town chatter, strong community bonds, and presenters we admired and laughed with, filled the soundtrack of our lives, providing entertainment, companionship, information, and relevant news.
Radio connected us to our community of like-minded people, keeping us informed and engaged. It was a gathering place for airing our needs and wants, our likes and dislikes. It served as our “voice,” allowing us to express our opinions and hear opposing views.
The community flourished not because Radio thundered against the giants, but because it encouraged unity around the little things that mattered most to the listeners, our immediate community. Radio celebrated small successes and triumphs, achievements, and issues relevant to the community. Radio had a true purpose and essence.
Today, radio is largely seen as a “business”, which indeed, it is. But we have forgotten that it was the original social media platform, and that it can remain so. We have forgotten that other radio stations on the local dial are not our enemies; they are our allies, helping us defend against our real enemies.
Who are those enemies? It isn’t social media, the internet, streaming, or even audio recordings on people’s cell phones. It isn’t Television, and it isn’t the myriad sources of news, much of which is of dubious authenticity or relevance. These are, in fact, allies in our battle for relevance and attention.
Our true “enemy” is our own arrogance and the striving for profit over relevance. We have forgotten that our prime weapon is being part of the community family.
We should be supporting radio, including our direct competitors. Build confidence in radio’s reach and frequency, as you build confidence in your own station. And we should be embracing all other possible forms of communication: social media, websites, streaming, TV, billboards, and any other available media to bolster our offerings. Our use of these should enhance our advantage.
Radio remains free-to-air. It is pervasive; it can accompany you twenty-four hours a day, even naked in your shower or in your bed. Radio can burble in the background even when you are working or studying. It doesn’t require you to stay in one position, unlike TV or staring at a cell phone or PC screen for far too many hours per day. And it doesn’t demand total attention to the exclusion of everything else around you.
Radio remains a true, undemanding, and non-judgmental companion, wherever and whenever you need it.
