Swedish Radio’s declining youth listenership highlights a critical challenge for traditional audio. While digital detox trends exist, young people predominantly consume content on platforms like Spotify and social media, viewing radio as outdated. To counter this, broadcasters are shifting strategies. Simon Gooch, Head of P3 & Head of Music Strategy, Swedish Radio, emphasized listening to youth rather than assuming their preferences. Chanelva Rier, Radio station manager, NPO FunX, advocated for platform omnipresence, ensuring relevance across all youth-centric channels. France Inter’s Head of Podcasts, Fanny Buhoun believes in early engagement, targeting children 2-12 to cultivate future listeners. Emma Lawson, Digital Producer, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, utilizes short-form video and TikTok collaborations to bridge the gap with 16-25-year-olds, creating memorable national events and campaigns.
Content creators like DJ Cain Slobbe stress the importance of youth representation in production teams, advocating for personalized content experiences and Radio France journalist Claire Moutarde emphasizes co-creation with young audiences, ensuring their voices and concerns are heard. Hugo Holmquist, Creative, MrBeast LLC, urges traditional media to adapt to modern attention spans, eliminating “fluff” and focusing on concise, engaging storytelling. He suggests leveraging radio’s strength in spoken word to enhance video podcasts, capitalizing on the convergence of audio and visual content. The overarching message is clear: to reach young audiences, broadcasters must embrace digital platforms, prioritize youth perspectives, and create content that resonates with their evolving needs and preferences.
