From the Antenna to the Display Devices: Transformation of the Colombian Radio Industry

Abstract

Consolidation of the digital environment has become an irreversible global reality and, for the Colombian radio industry, it implies not only assuming a process of transformation in its actions, but, above all, continuous learning. Technological innovation imposes new forms of consumption whose logic corresponds to new systems for the production, distribution and commercialization of information, culture, science and entertainment. Object of study. Adaptation of the radio medium to the digital ecosystem of audiences invites us to focus the attention of researchers on the media’s use of web-radio, app–radio and social media; the relevance of sound semiotics compared to other components of the message on users’ screens; and the alterations suffered by the business model and productive routines of the radio. Methodology. This research took as its focus of study three Colombian radio stations and their informative stations—Caracol Radio, W Radio, Blu Radio, RCN Radio and La FM—through a mixed methodology. Quantitative instruments—numerical data to monitor activities on social platforms—and qualitative instruments—interpretation of messages and visual composition of the message—allow for the monitoring and analyzing of the performance of the radio medium in the digital environment, and the tactical approach of radio agents to delineate the strategies that promote the expansion, positioning and participation of radio in the Colombian media ecosystem. Results. Normalization of connectivity, ubiquity, timelessness and interactivity are, today, inherent values of the content broadcast by the radio industry, which needs to appropriate the tastes and interests of the audience through multi-device, multi-tasking and multi-user devices. Conclusion. Consumption actions of listeners: users are concentrated on the Smartphone screens, which provides a habit of listening and monitoring that forces the media to incorporate the format—and language—of video into their productive dynamics in order to attract and retain the attention of their audiences.

The Colombian Media Industry on the Digital Social Consumption Agenda in Times of COVID-19

“…The design of the consumption route addresses action, visualization and interpretation logics that are linked to the dynamics of access to the communication proposal on an Information 2022, 13, 11 2 of 19 interactive screen with resources, such as the inclusion of links or links between texts, graphics, video sequences, sound, animations and even music, which are interconnected and hierarchical among themselves [14]. The innovation phenomenon that impacts the global media industry makes it interesting to stop at markets defined a priori by centers of interest or by geographic areas, as is the case in this study; research focus group that allows for the analysis of the dynamics of content production [15] and thus the assessment of its implications in a given media ecosystem. The informative synergy of conventional media, web-media and media with @ Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube [3] where business conglomerates, owners of traditional media-press, radio, television-are committed to establishing a communication pool from which to standardize their content agenda [4].…”