What is the role of community broadcasting in the contemporary media landscape and how are people currently consuming the media we produce? Our reporter Jess Pantou attended a session discussing this topic at today’s CBAA Conference in Adelaide.
radioinfo’s Steve Ahern opened a Q&A style panel session this morning to address these loaded questions.
“I want to talk about that little devil in your pockets … it’s not a mobile phone, it’s the world’s most powerful portable digital multimedia consumption device. It’s changing everything and we need to get a grip on it.”
He said the current model we use is outdated, “we as broadcasters need to get up to date with that news cycle”
We need to consider how people are consuming our product now, there is a Device Divergence occurring, people are consuming radio on many platforms. Steve reassured us though that in the connected household, “there’s a lot of research that shows radio usage is still strong, even though people may not always be listening to the audio on a traditoional radio.”
Tess Lawley General Manager for SYN Media said that it is about having creativity with the platforms and knowing the audience you are trying to reach “Think about reaching you audience in terms of form (platform) as well as content”
She also said “the actual word radio is being strangely redefined as anything that is audio.”
Steve agreed: “Radio is the word that used to describe our medium, but now we are perhaps more accurately known as audio content developers. Radio is the transmission medium, but its more about the content than the delivery platform these days.”
The conversation then turned to the debate of Streaming online VS Digital Radio after General Manager of 31 Digital Brisbane, Scott Black said “I think that we agree ‘the net’ is the way all broadcast is going it’s just a time thing…”
Lack of regulation in online environment is concerning to digital 31 for the future of community TV and with the government forcing the move to online. Scott warned delegates, “it is going to happen to community radio too… best prepare ideas now.”
The twitter feed lit up with people joining in on the debate:
@tesslawley from @synmedia “there's no one platform young people use” you have to “tailor for your audience” old-new-old-wisdom #CBAAConf
— Yen Eriksen (@yeneriksen) November 7, 2014
“Everyone wants to go digital, but no one wants to pay for it (including the Government)” – David Sice #CBAAConf
— Jo Curtin (@jojocurtin) November 7, 2014
“Streaming is not a substitute for free to air broadcasting” – @SteveAhern on community broadcasting and media consumption #CBAAConf
— CBAA (@CBAA_) November 7, 2014
@CBAA_ let's not dismiss apps and streaming! Consider and challenge the music services out there! #CBAAConf #cbaa2014 #technologyandradio
— Justin Fenwick (@justnfenwick) November 7, 2014
Ah, radio “brings people from the margins into the centre”. Yes. YouTube is not the same. #CBAAConf
— Steph (@steph_possum) November 7, 2014
Anyone can create content in the online age, but our stations offer institutional knowledge, community and a sense of history #CBAAConf
— PBS Radio Melbourne (@pbsfm) November 7, 2014
“Media today is so time consuming as you can't just do one thing” – @LateNiteMedia on creating a cross platform mentality #CBAAConf
— Bethany AQ (@bethanyaq) November 7, 2014
“Think of red tape as red ribbons, and what it's around, is a gift” – David Sice on legislation not being inherently “bad” #CBAAConf
— CBAA (@CBAA_) November 7, 2014
Fantastic panel on media transformation #CBAAConf Kath Letch: “Don't be worried – be excited” #queenofthesoundbite
— Anne Frankenberg (@AnneFrankenberg) November 7, 2014
If you start a youtube channel it's like shouting into an abyss where you throw a bunch of money in it. The structure is important #CBAAconf
— Bec Petraitis (@becness) November 7, 2014
Jess Pantou