ASIA

“Why should you use AI for sales?” asked Herrman Del Campo of Zaibr.com, in a Radiodays session titled AI-Powered Sales Strategies for Radio Stations and Audio Companies.He listed the following reasons:
It can be automated
Personalised
Done by everyone
Work 24/7
Del Campo displayed a sales flow chart and then suggested  AI programs that can enhance the work flow. For example, begin by looking up leads using Leadinfo or Echobot, then get some information about the lead using ChatGPT, Adthos, Radio Admaker and others.His sales work flow reflects all the processes in detail.Once you have decided on the process, you need to use the right commands to refine the AI output. Example listed below (click to expand slides).“Anyone can do this,” he told the audience. […]

“Radio will stay relevant in 2030…” said Christian Schalt, Chief Digital Officer RTL Radio Deutschland.“We need to understand the present challenges  for radio in order to understand the future challenges.”These present challenges include:
more competition and more digital stations means a more crowded market
new audio players
consumers’ time is competitive
Time spent with radio is decreasing. Younger listeners have a more rapid decrease. Although cume is going down it’s stable as it’s only down by 1% between 2021 and 2022.The good news is that radio will still be relevant in 2030 due to the following:
it’s position in cars
music discovery tool, radio retains top 3 position
Schalt said the survey conducted by the Katz Radio Group (U.S) 2022 showed that radio advertising is highly effective as it’s also the least annoying medium in the advertising space. It’s also seen as the most trustworthy medium in Europe. The research shows that Brands using radio get back their money nearly eight times over on average.Another reason for radio’s continued survival is that radio personalities are influencers, just like influencers social media as 84% of audiences said they’d follow their favourite personality to a new station. When their favourite radio or podcast personality recommends a product 77% would try the recommendation.Radio will stay resilient as it will operate on more data. Data shows in real time how to monetise inventory, realtime KPI’s for spot monetisation.Radioplayer, more personalised app experiences and smart speakers will also play in role in keeping radio relevant.Schalt said that radio will be essential in home entertainment through the rise of the smart TV for mostly radio listening. Schalt quoted another 2022 study that 37% of online audio users who own a Smart TV use it for Webradio.AI can help reduce costs and add functional benefits by helping create content, market and sell plus broadcast, said Schalt.AI can add value to the chain by using:
Synthetic and artificial voices for reading news but not replacing DJ’s
Automated spot creation to make spots more affordable.
Artificial voices for speaking sponsor message e.g.. Tom Hanks contextual audio add.
Summing up Schalt says that radio will stay relevant in 2030 because:
It’ll be driven by data and insights
Strong in the car
Smart and connected
Highly effective for advertising
Leveraged by AI […]

At the start of Erin Callaghan the Director of Enterprise Partnerships for Futuri‘s talk at RadioDays Europe 2024 she spoke of people’s reticence the year previously to acknowledge AI, and it’s potential to replace sales, copywriting and on air talent. This year is different with Callaghan speaking to the importance of “live and local”, not necessarily “alive and local”.Futuri offers a selection of Audio AI solutions including Topic Pulse, which can create show prep and talking points based on what is trending on social media and even can predict future trending topics. They also have Spot On, which can create a commercial, to the length you require, AI voiced, in literally seconds – even creating A & B options for the client. They can additionally make AI voiced current news and weather spots for dayparts that might otherwise have no presenter, and the option of having it “voiced”, using the technology, by the familiar news presenter of the station.Of course that has ethical implications, and Callaghan also spoke to the lessons Futuri have learned through progressing the options they are rolling out to US radio stations. Top was transparency about any AI being used. But Futuri’s position is that AI must be incorporated into radio scheduling as a net cost saving option, rather than replacing people with Callaghan saying:“It is possible, and essential, to come out swinging and for us to claim AI.”Callaghan mentioned the statistic that the top US influencers on social media have a bigger audience than TV and radio stations, and how that shows that we are still invested in what people are saying and doing. From that she said that no day part should be a throwaway, ie devoid of local voices and current news and information, as that is our ongoing point of difference.What AI can do is shorten creation time, take over repetitive non human tasks and provide an immediate and current audio solution when a station is unmanned. Radio stations and audiences are ready for that now. […]

AI is a big theme of RadioDays Europe 2024 with Max Brandl from Bayerischer Rundfunk demonstrating a targeted and localised news service delivery option that is being trialed in Germany.This backend technology, using geolocation information, allows people to be able to select the suburb they live or work in, with the Remix Regional metadata then creating a circle around that area you have personally targeted of a size you determine, lets say a radius of 20 kilometres, as you can see in the image.What this AI summariser does is break down audio news bulletins into individual stories taking key words, in this instance relevant to location. A person can then get five stories that are specifically targeted to where they are. They can set the age of the stories, and this information is kept and reapplied the next time the person seeks their local stories.This summariser doesn’t have to be geolocation based. The metadata could be set to political key words, names of people or industries, sports and so on. It allows for current news, on topics of interest, targeted to the individual, who can change the subject or location as they wish. […]

According to local sources, two private radio stations – Shamla and Dehkada, were temporarily closed by the Taliban municipality on March 10 in Ghazni province in Afghanistan.The stations were shut down for not possessing the required municipal licenses, although they had licenses from other government entities. This was the second closure of the stations for the same reason in a week.The closures, which lasted for three hours, led to protests from media officials and local journalists and an intervention from the Information and Culture department.They were permitted to resume operations, provided they agreed to meet the municipality’s taxation demands within one week.Taliban municipal officials have conveyed to the media organizations that pressure from Kabul authorities necessitates the enforcement of municipal law, which includes an annual “license tax” of 7,000 Afghan afghanis, approximately US $100.This action, according to the Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) places undue pressure on media organizations, effectively subjecting them to double jeopardy by demanding additional licensing when they already comply with broader regulatory and tax requirements.Photo: AFJC […]

Nearly 40 exhibitors and a thousand visitors attended the ABU’s Digital Broadcasting Symposium 2024 in Kuala Lumpur from March 4 to 7.The theme for the 20th edition of DBS was ‘Navigating AI Horizon’, exploring the opportunities and challenges of generative AI.DBS2024 was officially opened by Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Communication Teo Nie Ching, who delivered the keynote address. She said broadcasters should be mindful of their ethical and social responsibilities when using generative AI, and in responding to issues such as algorithm bias.The symposium, through its conference sessions, panel discussions, workshops and masterclasses, featured more than 80 eminent experts from around the world. They sought to find solutions and share experiences on issues ranging from digital transition to enhancing user experiences.The main focus of the discussions was the use of AI and how it improves efficiency, offers more personalised content for the audience and revolutionises virtual production.The use of AI for nonprofits was highlighted as well, such as the use of AI technology in digital radios for the purpose of disaster-preparedness.Speakers debated whether AI brings more harm than good, with some concerned AI might replace workers, or even create a dystopian future where technology dominates humans.Lindsay Cornell, Principal Systems Architect at BBC Digital in the UK was quick to declare we have nothing to fear. He said: “People use AI for everything. There is a fear of the unknown, such as what people felt during the radio a hundred years ago, but things keep getting faster. Do we humans run out of capacity to adapt to change? I don’t think so.”Sanjay Das, VP Global Sales & Business Development at Cite’ de Memoire in India, said: “We must see AI as a little child – what do we teach it?” emphasising the importance of controlling AI, rather than letting it control us.Satriyo Dharmanto, Director of Technical Operations at TVRI Indonesia, emphasised the importance of providing a sustainable media ecosystem to support AI governance, including in areas of climate action and social inclusion. “Together we have the power to reset the narrative and create a better world with AI,” he said.In the closing ceremony, Dr Veysel Binbay, Director of ABU Technology and Innovation, thanked the attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, ABU staff, and the student volunteers who helped to make the event a success. […]