Radio broadcasters discuss new challenges

The meeting was organised within the framework of the 50^th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union General Assembly (ABU GA 2013).

VOV Vice Director General Vu Hai addressing the event

Hai’s remarks highlighted the increasing attendance enjoyed by the Radio Working Group over its eight-year history. He cited the trend as demonstrating the common interest in quality shared by the region’s radio broadcasters.

He said the Vietnamese Government’s investment policies show its special regard for the medium. Vietnamese radio broadcasters are currently upgrading technology across the industry, professionalising production, and diversifying its programming to meet modern audience demands.

Vietnam’s terrestrial radio network reaches 99% of residential areas, helping to boost socio-economic development and improve cultural and spiritual life. Its positive effects are especially evident to citizens living in disadvantaged and remote areas. Radio is sometimes the only reliable source of information during natural disasters and floods, Hai said.

The VOV Vice Director General also touched upon recent advances in science and technology—particularly digital technology—and the changes set off by the arrival of the social media era,

“This is simultaneously an opportunity and a challenge. Radio broadcasters must become more dynamic and creative if they want to hold on to listeners,” he noted.

ABU Radio Senior Executive Vijay Sadhu said media agencies are exploring mobile journalism via radio as part of the search for new audiences.

She foreshadowed a number of the ABU’s planned 2014 activities, including a song festival hosted by Sri Lanka and a world summit on media for children.

Senior officials and radio managers debated the topic “Radio – Still Captain of Your Airwaves” under the direction of Australian Media Training Managing Director Steve Ahern.

Other delegates focused on the emerging strategic issues facing radio in the Asia-Pacific and Europe, reiterating the need to win larger audiences by providing better services.

Broadcasters must harness social media to reach radio audiences and engage them, they said.

Participants underscored younger listeners’ demands of radio are very different from their predecessors.  New genres of programming and innovative methodologies are needed to engage with youth.

They also stressed the importance of delivering content compatible with all existing and future devices. The industry cannot afford the segmentation of audience according to constantly changing makes and models.