Public radio stations around the country are trying to regain their equilibrium in the face of rising deficits and difficulties monetizing their digital assets. But there’s one glaring opportunity few have truly leaned into that could exploit and enhance one of its true “superpowers.” Problem is, the competition sees it, too.

A comfortable trope in the radio broadcasting industry has traditionally implied that just as the medium survived and even thrived after the television revolution in the 1950s, radio will innovate its way out of its current challenges. But is this historical perspective valid? In today’s blog post we journey back to the pivots radio made during those years, as well as the technology of those times that saved the day for radio. What can we learn from those wily broadcasters who figured out how to reinvent radio?

Last week in Prague, I was honored to speak at the WorldDAB’s auto event. Like our DASH Conferences, it was a fascinating mashup of automotive execs and radio broadcasters, coming together to discuss opportunities and challenges. There was a lot to take in so I boiled down the big takeaways in today’s post.

An amazing 60-second video of an over-the-top contest winner is a reminder to everyone in radio not just about the value of prizes, but the impact stations can have on people’s lives. Even a correct caller ticket giveaway that looks like just another element on the program log can provide the thrill of a lifetime for a listener, something that radio does like no other medium. At a time when many people are in need of a little joy, it can be radio to the rescue.

The excitement and drama surrounding AI intensifies when talk of the technology replacing jobs and entire industries takes flight. While the radio industry has been emotionally debating whether bots could replace DJs and VO pros, a new application has emerged: audience research. And a brand new startup claims “synthetic research” among avatars rather than human respondents is faster, cheaper, and just as accurate as the real thing. In today’s post, I break it down and tackle a topic we no doubt will be discussing and debating for the foreseeable future.