Radio’s Digital Shift Takes Heavy Focus At NAB Show New York

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Radio gathered in Manhattan on Wednesday for the NAB Show New York Radio & Podcasting Interactive Forum, where industry leaders explored the intersection of content, technology, and marketing, emphasizing radio’s resilience and adaptability in today’s media landscape.

NAB President Curtis LeGeyt opened the forum by addressing how, “You’ve got to connect with your audiences through every means possible. And that means, obviously, for many of you who are here at this conference, your terrestrial radio stations, but supplementing that with audio, podcasts, with newsletters, with your stream.”

“I just want to put in a plug for what we are doing here, that in the midst of all disruption, we’re providing our listeners with a sense of intimacy, a connection, trusted information, bringing communities together. No one else in media is doing that right now. And we see over the course of the last two weeks in the Southeast…this is radio’s best moment. It is another reminder of our durability, the lifeline that we’re providing at times of emergency that no one else can, and that’s not just preparing our communities for the storm, it’s helping them through it when other forms of communication fail and it’s helping to rebuild in the aftermath.”

Building Impactful Content

“It Takes a Team,” moderated by McVay Media President and Radio Ink columnist Mike McVay, talked about strategies for creating impactful content and engaging audiences.

Legendary WDAS talent Patty Jackson emphasized the importance of adaptability, sharing how she shifted to YouTube and social media while recovering from a stroke, turning herself into a pop culture expert. She stressed the value of staying current with trends and embracing the future, adding, “Your attitude will affect your altitude.” She also shared her concern about AI in radio but acknowledged the need to learn about it, underscoring that “nothing can replace the human spirit on stations.”

Harlen Lobley, Alpha Media Director of Sales/Sports for Tyler and Longview, TX, shared his success in doubling ad revenue during high school football broadcasts by ensuring his entire team was aligned on goals. He advised that everyone in a station system must be committed to growth, even when jobs disappear. He encouraged content creators to experiment with live content, using the example of his unscripted Friday shows.

Sarah Austin Jenness, Executive Producer of The Moth, focused on storytelling, emphasizing the connection between the storyteller and the audience. She explained her technique of helping storytellers memorize key parts of their narrative and think of the five senses when crafting a story. Jenness highlighted the importance of keeping content alive and interactive, not as a monologue but as a dialogue with the audience.

Blending Legacy Media with Modern Marketing

“How Marketing and Technology Work Together” held court on how radio can adapt and grow through the integration of podcasts, digital content, and advanced marketing strategies.

Audacy VP of Podcast Content Strategy and Business Development Leah Reis-Dennis looked at the company’s experiments with podcast promotion, including on local radio stations. iHeart’s Jeff Cucinell emphasized the importance of redistributing content to increase reach, such as how The Breakfast Club syndicates on radio and offers on-demand podcasts, adding that iHeartMedia has a dedicated team to repurpose audio into visual and social media content.

MediaCo’s Alex Roman stressed the need to quickly turn around topical content for same-day engagement, freeing listeners from being tied to specific dayparts. Wavland CEO Jason Hoch discussed the challenge of moving audiences from one platform to another, explaining that people reading articles may not jump directly into podcasts but can be introduced gradually across different channels.

On monetization, Cucinell highlighted radio’s strength in building trust, with 80% of listeners trusting radio hosts and 66% considering purchases recommended by them. He shared that integrated, multi-touchpoint campaigns leveraging on-air talent and influencers are key to driving results. Hoch shared his personal experience of turning himself into an influencer by creating multiple digital assets for each podcast, while Alex Roman noted that nearly anything can be monetized, with digital providing a different buying experience from over-the-air content.

The session also emphasized the importance of analytics in targeting the right audience, with Cucinell noting that everything shared on-air is based on audience data. Hoch and Roman both touched on using tech stacks and data bundles to maximize revenue and guarantee inventory for advertisers.

Innovating Sports and News Radio

For “The New Playbook,” panelists discussed innovative approaches to content creation in sports and news radio, and how technology plays a key role in expanding reach across multiple platforms.

Jonathon Williamson, of the popular soccer podcast Men In Blazers, noted that leveraging high-action clips can instantly capture global audiences. Beasley Media Group RVP Mary Menna, whose domain includes 98.5 The Sports Hub (WBZ) in Boston, emphasized the importance of platforms like YouTube, explaining that using tight editing, good thumbnails, and captions helped her station grow from a few hundred followers to significant engagement after hiring a consultant. She added that mixing traditional broadcasts, such as an NFL Draft event, with unique content on YouTube provided fresh engagement opportunities.

ABC Audio VP Liz Alesse stressed the need to balance production quality with journalistic integrity, especially in today’s crowded digital space. She highlighted that content must be tailored for platforms like YouTube and live streams while staying true to core public service missions. Alesse and Audacy CTO Sarah Foss both noted that success in digital spaces is driven by excellent content that creates meaningful engagement and revenue growth.

Alesse also addressed the rise of AI in media, describing it as both exciting and concerning. While AI presents opportunities for improving efficiency, she cautioned that it must be used responsibly to maintain reliability in news. Menna agreed, noting AI’s usefulness for tasks like transcribing audio but stressed the importance of getting feedback from younger audiences on social media trends.

The panelists all agreed that great storytelling remains at the heart of successful content, regardless of platform. Williamson noted that while the mediums may change, the intimacy of audio storytelling remains irreplaceable, though it can be supplemented with other formats. Alesse and Foss encouraged radio professionals to respect the differences between radio and podcasting, while Menna emphasized that radio must evolve into a multimedia platform, using niche content to add depth and appeal to new audiences.

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