How technology is impacting radio and the need for evolution to incorporate new developments for the medium’s survival was explored at a recent conference on the future of radio…

By Instrata

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“The customer is always right” – Dr Rachel Jones, founder of the people-centred innovation company Instrata, told delegates at the annual Radio Academy conference Radio at the Edge why this familiar saying is the key to ensuring the future of radio.

With traditional radio listeners being wooed away by other technologies and services, such as mp3 players, iTunes and podcasting, the future of radio could look bleak. My session presented a stark contrast between two different paths: how to evolve into a vibrant service or how staying still could lead to radio becoming the sole preserve of enthusiasts.

Which groups are abandoning the radio spectrum?

Ofcom recently undertook research into how consumers use radio, identifying a number of distinct groups of listener types. Although most are satisfied with current UK radio, there are several groups who are ambivalent.

One such group is the “mobile music specialists”: typically young and open to new, competing technologies. This group provides an insight into the future, and is set to grow. The question for radio is one of how to evolve whilst not losing its distinct identity so that it also continues to appeal to traditional “linear” listeners.

Service to fit a lifestyle

In an age of on-demand availability of information and entertainment, radio needs to respond to keep up with the changes. The answer is to develop new services that listeners want. A service that fits a lifestyle is often set for greater success than a single emphasis on increasingly complex gadgetry.

However, competing technology does have to be understood, and new technological developments in radio explored. This together with an understanding of listeners’ everyday lives is the key to radio’s evolution. A successful adaptation would create a vibrant sector catering to a range of tastes, available on different platforms, supported by multimedia and interactive services.

The session, entitled “The Customer is Always Right”, was presented by myself, Rachel Jones, alongside speakers from Ofcom and Human Capital on Thursday 24 November at the RSA. We presented the findings of the research, explored the threats facing radio and likely future scenarios for the UK radio industry, and discussed ideas about potential opportunities that this climate of rapid change might offer.

About the Author:
Dr Rachel Jones founded Instrata in 2001, a multi-disciplinary team specialising in people-centred innovation and design. Rachel has worked at the two foremost pioneers of people-centred techniques in design: Xerox EuroPARC and Sapient (formerly E-lab). She has over 20 international publications and has authored 10 patents. Instrata clients include: Microsoft, Vodafone, Yahoo, The Automation Partnership (TAP), University of Cambridge, British Design Council and The Countryside Agency. www.instrata.co.uk