The UK radio industry is approaching a crossroads: it has more platforms available to it than ever before, meaning it faces more opportunities and more threats and some difficult and far-reaching decisions over its future direction.

Digital broadcasting is already beginning to change in-home listening patterns, but radio also has real potential to engage consumers in the potentially lucrative out-of-home ‘Third Space’ and is well-placed to take a central position on the converged mobile devices of the future. On the other side of the coin, new digital technologies are exposing it to new levels of competition from new sources, while it must also adapt to wider changes in media consumption patterns.

This report assesses how radio is approaching these challenges and opportunities by examining and testing the hypothesis that: “the emergence of new radio platforms is changing fundamentally the way consumers engage and interact with the medium, but is not yet attracting new listeners to the extent that was hoped.”

Key themes:

How are radio listening habits changing with the growth of digital radio and an increasing variety of listening platforms?

Is radio listening becoming more interactive?

How is radio competing with other entertainment media?

How effectively does the radio industry promote itself?

How is the structure of the industry changing?