AER, the Association of European Radios, organised a unique Special Focus Workshop in the context of Radiodays Europe, the most important annual conference for radio professionals in the world, held in 2019 in Lausanne. The AER/MediaRoad workshop titled “Is Internet reinventing broadcast radio?” and held on 31 March 2019, explored, in a series of three thought-provoking sessions, how the radio industry will change in the next years, the innovations transforming the role of radio in people’s lives and the most recent technological disruptions seen as an opportunity and a threat at the same time.
Will the radio of tomorrow still face the challenges of today?
Words by Marie-Pierre Moalic & Francesca Fabbri, AER – Association of European Radios
Radio is the most intimate medium: radio listeners access programming they enjoy and useful information. Radio plays a fundamental role in today’s society: it is often quoted as the most trusted medium by citizens, and, as national audience measurement shows, 80% of the EU population on average listens to radio for at least 2 or 3 hours per day.
Radio is…
Radio is a mixture of audio content which is well-edited and well-produced.
Content is Free-To-Air / Free-To-Access /Free-To-Use, transmitted via wired or wireless means – such as, first and foremost, broadcast, but also cable, satellite or online – and typically consists of talk, stories, entertainment, news, music and surprises. Radio is the most intimate medium: its character is by nature local, regional or at the utmost national – and so is its audience:
AER 2018 Conference – Report
On Thursday, June 7th, 2018, the Association of European Radios – AER, organised a conference at the European Parliament stressing the important role played by radio in fighting against disinformation.
John Purcell (IBI President), moderator for the conference, welcomed the guests to the 2018 AER Conference. Mr Purcell stressed the difficulties faced by radio to guarantee its future in today’s world as technology is rapidly changing.
07 Jun 2018 - Brussels, Belgium - AER 2018 Conference. © Bernal Revert/ BR&U
Marlene Mizzi MEP (Member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament – S&D, Malta) outlined the work her team and her performed on the European Electronic Communications Code. She stressed that the legislators have managed to reach what seems to be an acceptable compromise for radios, pushing digital broadcasting in cars, whilst recognising that online is important and that FM is still the main door to access radio. In that sense, radio is essential for citizens as it enables them to reach a free and accessible medium, helpful in cases of disaster or to tackle fake news. This is why radio should maintain a good shape, through FM as it is currently the case.