WAVES 2025 | Radio silence: Is the analog radio industry nearing its death in India? Here's what broadcast experts say
With the advent of new forms of digital media that rely more on video, is radio dead? Well, industry pioneer and president of WorldDAB Jacqueline Bierhorst does not think so. According to her, digital radio is the future.
During the session ‘Radio Reimagined: Thriving in the Digital Age’ at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai on Friday, Bierhorst highlighted the importance of radio and what the future of the medium holds.
The commercial radio veteran joined Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) Chairperson Ruxandra Obreja, DRM Vice Group Leader Alexander Zink, former CEO of Prasar Bharati Bharat Shashi Shekhar Vempati, and broadcast technology expert Ted Laverty for the discussion on the second day of WAVES 2025.
Despite hailing digital radio as the ‘medium of the future’, the WorldDAB president stated that analog radio should co-exist with modern broadcasting mechanisms.
“While analog radio remains relevant in some contexts, particularly for simpler communication and in areas with limited digital infrastructure, the shift to digital broadcasting is ongoing and expected to continue”, Bierhorst said.
Yet, analog radio is relevant during emergencies and exigencies such as flood, earthquakes, and terrorist attacks, the panelists noted. DRM Chairperson Ruxandra Obreja stressed on the importance of preserving analog radio in India, given its listeners spanning about 6 lakh villages in the country.
“The challenge is to introduce new technologies, without disrupting the old ones”, added Obreja.
Bierhorst also highlighted how the classic 5Cs of radio communication—conciseness, clarity, confidence, control, and capability—have now transformed to a new set of 5Cs—coverage, content, consumer devices, car (vehicle audio), and communication.
Future of radio is hyperlocal: Radio Mango CEO
The WorldDAB President also implored radio networks to make sure that they were covering the right areas where their listeners are based. Major players in the Indian ecosystem backed this focus on the ‘hyperlocal’ aspect of radio coverage.
THE WEEK caught up with Radio Mango CEO Manoj Mathan during the four-day summit at Jio World Centre in Mumbai, ahead of the session.
“The future of the radio business in India isn’t just about technology, it’s about creating a business model that’s hyperlocal, multiplatform and emotionally sticky, becoming a high-impact storytelling engine—one that blends on-air, online, and on-ground to deliver ROI-driven brand experiences,” said Mathan.
“Radio in India is transitioning from a linear broadcast model to a multi-touchpoint content business. It has evolved into a digital-first, emotionally resonant companion that connects, informs, and celebrates local voices like never before,” he added.
According to Mathan, more than anything, radio offered brands a unique edge—trust, cultural context, and local intimacy, at scale—which were very much in demand in a “noisy” digital market.
What Mathan—a seasoned professional who moved to Radio Mango after a 15-year tenure at Radio Mirchi—stated was very much in line with the panelists in the session that followed.
During the discussion, Obreja highlighted how, in Europe, various governments played a significant role in expanding reach and empowering digital radio. This meant having radios in cars, smartphones, and access to radio sets in markets. For this, a digital radio consortium needed to be built up in India, other experts chipped in.
India is a considerably large market for radio. However, the operation of traditional radio is marred with issues such as the regulatory hurdles on broadcasting news through privately held stations, and the limited slots available for auction of radio frequencies in tier-2 and tier-3 cities and towns. The lack of radio tuning facilities in Indian smartphones also add to the industry’s woes.
Moreover, there have been no marked regulations in digital radio licenses. This lack of a digital radio consortium or watchdog organisation to set and enforce broadcast rules (such as setting royalty payment slabs, like in traditional FM radio channels) have led to a marked dip in private players not entering the market.
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