Celebrating World Radio Day 2021: New World, New Radio

February 13, 2021, marks the 10th anniversary of World Radio Day and more than 110 years of radio. According to UNESCO, this year’s radio theme is “New World, New Radio”, focusing on how radio has evolved, innovated and connected the world over the last 110 years. Read on to learn more about the advancement of radio over the years.  

Evolution: "The world changes, radio evolves." 

Since radio technology pioneer Reginald Fessenden, and the world’s first radio broadcast in 1906, we’ve learned that advancements to radio are typically attributed to evolving technology. Radio is the #1 reach medium in the world, and as with all media, consumption is moving online. Today, an estimated 192 Million Americans stream radio online each month*.  

Innovation: "The world changes, radio adapts and innovates." 

One aspect of radio’s innovation over the years is how its advertising inventory is sold. In 2013 Triton launched the world’s first online audio marketplace, making radio audiences available to programmatic buyers for the first time. Utilization of the marketplace increased significantly over time, with programmatic audio spend increasing more than 200% from 2018-2020. 

Buying audio programmatically has many benefits, including listener-level targeting, tracking audio capabilities with addressable usage, detailed exposure tracking, and an increase in control of your campaigns. Furthermore, new technology allows for dynamic ad creative to be served to relevant audiences, increasing engagement and enhancing the overall listening experience for your audience.  

Connection: "The world changes, radio connects." 

This past year more than ever, streaming radio, especially local, has served as an easily accessible way of connecting the world through a time of isolation and anxiety. According to the 2020 Australian Infinite Dial study, 82% of Australians listen to AM/FM stations online each week, and over 60% of the population in Germany, Canada and South Africa mimic this behavior.  

In 2020, radio, in both traditional and digital forms around the world, remained resilient and important during this unprecedented year of crisis and uncertainty. Across the globe, people turned to radio to keep them informed, entertained, and even distracted from the uncertainty that the pandemic brought.  

We are proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the World Radio Day and remain committed to providing the global audio industry with the technology and data needed to propel its continuous connectivity, innovation and growth.  

To learn more about Triton’s programmatic audio solutions, contact marketops@tritondigital.com.  

*Source: The Infinite Dial Study (2020, U.S.)