Social Media the future of radio?

A Facebook page for a radio station why would we ever need that? This was the day I got into trouble when I created a Facebook page for my presenter and got her to mention it on air.  By the end of the afternoon over 200 people had become friends, within a few weeks she had 1500 friends.  This was less than 5 years ago and the first reaction from the management was that radio had nothing to do with social media, I am pleased to say they were wrong.

As broadcasters we have reached the next stage of social media and must now integrate it into our everyday programming.  Jessica Davies from New Media Age thinks we could learn from the big brands who have discovered that social media is a great way to communicate with consumers. It also offers a two-way street where consumers can feel part of the brand.  Read her article in New Media Age

And let's not forget the children "While children under age 10 still spend most of their media time watching television, they are increasingly being exposed to and growing more savvy at using a variety of digital channels. Kids are focused more on computers and mobile devices, engaging in an assortment of activities ranging from playing games and watching videos to social networking."

This follows a survey in the US by AVG that 70% of 6- to 9-year-olds are using children’s social networks. Read the whole article from eMarketer Mobile

Social Media, podcasting, having a website with streaming video and good visuals it's what your listeners now expect - are you giving them that?