What Can Radio Do Differently in 2026 to Improve and Grow?
By David Kidd, BPR
As radio heads into 2026, the challenge is no longer about defending the medium. Audio is thriving. The real question is whether radio is evolving quickly enough to match how people now live, listen and choose.
Audiences haven’t rejected radio; they’ve rejected clutter, friction and predictability. I suggest growth will come not from doing more, but from doing less and doing it better.
Here are five practical thought starters that will separate stations that grow from those that simply hold on.
- Move Beyond Dayparts. Program for Moments.
Listeners no longer “tune in” for blocks of time. They move fluidly between platforms, dipping in and out based on mood, context and need.
Stations that perform best in 2026 will:
- Design content around listener moments (commute, companionship, focus, relief)
- Make it instantly clear what the station offers and stands for. Ambiguity will stand in the way of growth
- Remove the penalty for joining late or leaving early. Promote content and re-set.
Radio’s competitive edge lies in understanding why someone is listening — not just when.
- Reduce Cognitive Load
One of radio’s biggest self-inflicted wounds is noise.
Too many elements competing for attention — long links, crowded breaks, layered messaging — create mental fatigue. In a world of infinite choice, friction is fatal.
Improvement will come from:
- Simpler clocks
- Fewer messages per break
- Clearer language and tighter execution
Energy doesn’t come from busyness.
It comes from clarity.
- Sound More Human Than Ever
As synthetic voices and AI-generated audio become commonplace, human presence becomes radio’s most valuable asset.
Stations that grow will:
- Allow talent to sound natural and conversational
- Encourage opinion, warmth and lived experience
- Move away from over-produced, over-scripted delivery
Listeners don’t connect with formats.
They connect with people.
- Use Research to Sharpen, Not Sanitise
Research is often used to avoid risk. The smarter use of data is to remove weakness and protect strength.
In 2026, best-practice stations will:
- Identify content that causes indifference, fatigue or tune-out
- Measure emotional response, not just liking or familiarity
- Use data to clarify positioning, not blur it
The goal isn’t to please everyone.
It’s to be compelling and memorable to someone.
- Shift from Reach to Relationship
Reach still matters but relationship matters more.
Radio’s enduring advantage is its ability to feel local, live and personal. Stations that grow will:
- Treat audiences as communities, not statistics
- Extend engagement across platforms without fragmenting the core product
- Make listeners feel included, recognised and valued
- High cuming stations with low TSL are abundant……but they lack engagement
Attention is rented.
Loyalty is earned.
Remember the days when you were proud to wear your favourite radio station’s T-shirt?
I don’t see that in 2025.
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