Is live streaming replacing the need for radio?

In this day and age, it seems a large amount of people have thought about becoming live streamers!

The charm, the video quality, the content offered, the thriving community that gathers around your publications… everyone has their own reasons for believing live streaming is great. But the question is “Is live streaming replacing the need for radio?” The really crazy aspect to consider is that there are some reasons why live streaming could be an improved version of radio, which implies that it could cast a shadow on the traditional and trusty communication technology.

Spoiler: no, live streaming is not going to entirely replace the need for radio. But there are some evident changes going on beneath the surface, which are starting to come above. If you want to know why, keep reading on!

Why is the industry changing?

It’s a matter of fact, the radio industry is changing, but why? Well, let’s dive quickly into the past for a moment.

The radio has been an extremely important communication tool since the 1900s. It has been a cornerstone for news, culture, and entertainment. The “funnier” side of the radio has been increasingly demanded and produced since the 1950s, reaching a new format in the 1990s with the “infotainment” type of communication—blending information and entertainment for a new, more exigent audience.

Let’s jump to the big change that reshaped the audio content industry: live streaming services. In the 2000s, with the introduction of the Internet, the whole world shifted its perspective and expectations towards a renewed, high-bar type of entertainment that found live service streams and podcasts to be extremely satisfying.

MP3 audio files, YouTube, Facebook, and other important platforms—such as MySpace, Messenger, and others—brought a significant change in people’s habits, permanently modifying the way they consume information and exchange opinions. From the 2010s, it was only a matter of time before live streaming services would beckon, this time also tackling the radio (which was only partially impacted by the previous technological changes).

That is when the industry shifted significantly, and the reasons are quite obvious. People could still listen to the topics discussed via audio, but they could also look at the people involved, see what they were doing, their facial expressions, physical reactions, and so on. Communication isn’t just the words spoken: it’s the tone of voice, inflections, and melody (the radio could still capture those nuances), but it’s also proximity, body language, and facial reactions (which the radio couldn’t capture).

Live streaming platforms are on the rise

It goes without saying that live streaming platforms are on the rise. Innovation is also an important playground that is being explored by important companies. There are many digital live streaming platforms offering a wide array of entertainment activities, such as Kick.com, one of the newest platforms supported by the online casino review brand, Stake.com. 

Platforms such as Kick.com have many advantages that younger, tech-savvy audiences like. Features such as on-demand accessibility allow them to view the live streams they prefer, browse their favorite videogames and follow the streamers they prefer. The algorithm is designed to suggest the type of content a user likes, based on a variety of factors such as likes, time spent, and follows. 

The personalisation aspect is crucial and represents a huge advantage compared to the traditional radio schedule. Live streaming platforms can study users’ behaviours and offer what people are really looking for in real time. With traditional radios, users must accept the agenda. This doesn’t mean that the radio can’t adjust and update the content offered, it simply implies that it takes longer to generate the right content for their audience. And given that people now live in a fast-paced society, taking weeks to update the schedule is just going to be a disadvantage—a gap that can’t be filled in a competitive market. 

Also, let’s not forget the interactive features that live streaming platforms offer. Real-time chats, survey polls, giveaways, emotes, and other types of games make it more entertaining for younger users and keep them engaged for long periods of time. 

Last, but not least, it’s possible for a live streaming service to have a global outreach thanks to the Internet, which is also possible for a radio communication service, but it’s more challenging. 

Radios are fighting back to keep up the pace

It’s easy to assume that radios are about to go “offline”, meaning that they could shut down their operations and stop creating content due to the pressure and new technological demands that live streaming services can satisfy.

However, that’s simply not true.The radio is not going to disappear any time soon—it’s fighting back. 

Digital integration is the battlefield where radio is regaining territory. Enhanced services are part of this effective strategy. Besides, let’s not overlook the fact that radio can offer significant benefits to people working on certain activities, such as factory workers who are focused on the machines and can’t look at a screen to enjoy content. 

For these workers, activities like BBC’s Live Listen are actually more valuable than live streaming services—it all depends on the consuming modality that it’s possible to activate at a particular moment of the day. 

And why not mention live podcasts? In a world of high-dopamine consumption of content, a good audio podcast can provide relaxing, high-quality level information or entertainment. Let’s think about the famous international Joe Rogan’s live podcast. His ability to attract (and choose) people from all over the world, different industries, backgrounds, and beliefs is highly appreciated by those who are looking for something new and refreshing.

So, let’s recap, live streaming services are not going to replace the radio, as long as radio operators are able to keep up the pace and propose high-quality content that can bring in a whole variety of listeners.