Radio in transformation: a powerful medium in a changing landscape

Thierry Mars, Radio Director at egta (the international organisation for multiplatform TV and audio companies), shares his vision on the role of radio in a rapidly changing media ecosystem. Drawing on years of experience, he explains why radio and audio remain indispensable for brands — and how they keep reinventing themselves.

1. What is radio and audio's greatest asset in a high-performing media mix? What does radio offer that other media simply cannot today?

Thierry Mars: That's an excellent question to start with. Radio and audio bring a lot to a media plan, and singling out just one advantage is no easy task — a bit like asking a child in a sweet shop to pick only one treat. First and foremost, radio is a medium with exceptional reach, allowing brands to connect with a large number of consumers every single day, across different contexts and in a safe, trusted environment. According to the latest Eurobarometer, it is also THE medium Europeans trust most. Several studies have shown that this trust in the medium translates into greater trust in the brands that advertise on radio (brand trust). According to a recent study (2025) by RTL Ad Alliance, radio is the medium that generates the highest level of brand trust — closely followed by linear TV — when a brand advertises on radio, even if that brand is not yet well known.

The impact of radio should not be underestimated either. It goes well beyond broad reach. Radio is also a powerful business booster for brands (drive to web, drive to store, ROI…). And it amplifies media plans. But above all, radio and audio demonstrate the power of sound and the freedom of imagination. Where other media rely on static or imposed visuals, sound evokes emotions and mental images. No other medium fires the imagination quite like radio. That narrative freedom gives brands and creatives a unique opportunity to truly captivate the listener.

Radio and audio can also be enjoyed anywhere, with complete freedom (hands-free, eyes-free). In the car, at the office, at home, at the gym — as a companion to daily life — creating a bond of closeness and trust. Radio and audio speak directly to the listener, without a screen or visual distraction, offering a unique and personal connection. Brands can reach their audience at meaningful, high-value moments — for instance as the last touchpoint before a purchase, or during specific daily rituals, such as that first caffeine hit in the morning or the last caffeine-free coffee of the evening.

2. What are the biggest challenges facing the audio market today in terms of measurement, digitalisation and advertising sales?

TM: The audio market faces a host of challenges — but there are plenty of strategic opportunities to turn those obstacles into levers for growth and innovation.

Radio remains a powerful and influential medium. Yet to stay indispensable in an ever faster, ever more digitalised media landscape, the key challenge for radio and audio — in my view — is embracing change as an engine for transformation. The future is already being shaped today, and as Darwin put it: only those who adapt best to change will survive.

Radio stations have understood that they need to adapt and innovate — both to respond to new consumption patterns and to meet the expectations of brands. In an era where the volume of content is overwhelming, stations have grasped that content is more than ever king. The challenge will be to be consciously chosen and actively listened to. It is essential to create audio content and formats that can be turned into experiences — live and on demand, and beyond the airwaves (social media, events, and so on). That is the only way stations can capture attention, retain existing listeners and attract new ones, particularly younger audiences.

They have also recognised that this "king" needs a queen: distribution. Stations are actively working to make audio content available, coherent, seamless, complementary and impactful — wherever the listener happens to be. At the same time, radio stations absolutely must develop a data strategy, a key lever for enriching the listener experience with personalised content and advertising messages. Brands need communication that is more targeted, more effective and more measurable. Technology is increasingly being deployed in service of strategy — simplifying access to inventory and strengthening creativity, targeting and interaction.

I also have to mention AI, which has become far more than a technological trend — it is an essential vector. A recent survey of executives at egta member sales houses found that 70% see AI as an opportunity. It is already being used extensively by our members, for example in the production of advertising spots or content, yield management, and more.

Measuring radio and audio audiences remains a challenge, but here too there is extensive experimentation and innovation happening in other markets. Since every market has different characteristics and needs, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The next phase will likely focus on online audio, including streaming and podcasts. I believe we are moving towards total audio measurement — integrating all audio formats with the goal of mapping the full spectrum of audio consumption and sustainably strengthening audio's credibility with brands.

Beyond mapping listeners, measuring commercial results and business impact is essential to support the growth of the audio market. Advertisers no longer just demand reach — they increasingly ask for proof of impact, which requires measurement frameworks capable of linking audio exposure to concrete outcomes such as brand awareness, engagement or sales. To meet these expectations, the industry must continue developing robust tools, standards and methodologies that allow results to be measured across all audio platforms and within a broader media and marketing mix.

Impact studies are being conducted all over the world. Our role at egta is to share these with our members — to inspire them and drive innovation.

Finally, the rise of AI-driven media planning introduces a new risk. If planning algorithms are trained primarily on digital data and lack sufficient insight into how radio is bought and how it performs, radio could be excluded from plans by default. The risk is not that radio does not work — it is that it becomes invisible to the machines making the decisions.

3. What is egta's position on podcasts? Do you see significant growth in advertiser investment and interest in the format? Is Belgium lagging behind in this area?

TM: At egta, we see podcasts as a natural extension of broadcasters' audio ecosystems, not as a separate or competing medium. We view podcasts as part of a broader audio ecosystem in which radio, streaming and on-demand content reinforce one another.

Listener numbers and listening time are growing across all age groups, driven by an expanding catalogue of podcasts covering topics tailored to the needs of an ever-wider audience — which in turn is fuelling advertiser interest and investment across all markets.

That said, monetising podcasts remains a significant challenge. To achieve real growth, inventory needs to be bundled, simplified and made accessible via programmatic buying and dynamic ad insertion.

Belgium is somewhat behind more mature podcast markets such as the United Kingdom or France, but there is enormous growth potential. It is a matter of offering podcasts on a paid basis and integrating them more effectively into broadcasters' portfolios.

Want to know more about podcasts — facts and figures? Take a look at our recent study: Latest Podcast Facts and Figures

4. Can you give an example of a recent audio or radio campaign that illustrates the medium's potential in terms of impact or results?

TM: At egta, we firmly believe that demonstrating radio's impact through concrete examples is one of the best ways to champion the medium. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are at the heart of everything egta does. To inspire our members, we organise events (both in-person and online) and regularly publish examples of particularly high-impact campaigns.

Spoilt for choice, as they say. Picking just one example from our collection of over 200 is no easy task. Even so, I'll go with the audio Xi campaign for UNICEF. It's not the most recent, but it's a great illustration of an innovative, successful audio campaign for a good cause.

UNICEF used 'Shake Me' technology to invite listeners to shake their phone during a radio spot — taking them directly to UNICEF's donation page to support hospitals in Ukraine. The campaign combined digital innovation with social engagement, won gold at the Irish Audio Awards in the category 'Best Audio Innovation'**, and generated a significant number of donations — proving just how effective interactive audio can be at mobilising audiences for a good cause.

Want more details on this campaign? Click here. Keen to browse our full case library? Check out this link. I'd also like to take this opportunity to invite all readers to share their business cases by e-mail at radio@egta.com. We'd love to put them in the spotlight!

5. We often hear that radio is "dead". What do you make of this claim, and how do you see the future of radio and audio in general?

TM: Declaring radio dead has become a sport — and everyone wants the champion's title. It's nothing new: the gramophone, the cassette, the CD, the TV, the Walkman, the iPod — radio has been sentenced to death more times than we can count.

But reality tells a very different story. Radio is alive and kicking, in peak condition, despite a slight dip in listener numbers. The medium still reaches a vast share of the world's population. 84% of all Europeans listen to the radio every week. And in a rapidly expanding audio landscape, radio remains the backbone, holding the largest share of listening time across all platforms combined. If we zoom in on the ad-supported landscape — so excluding paid, ad-free platforms — radio is the only audio format that gives brands access to a mass audience.

As mentioned, it is also one of the most trusted media environments, at a time when trust is becoming increasingly scarce. In a world flooded by AI, human involvement — both in editorial direction and radio programming — becomes more valuable and essential to that trust. That is precisely why radio has not only a future, but a strategic role to play.

The future of radio does not lie in choosing between traditional and digital broadcasting. Stations need to be omnipresent: live, on demand, in the car, on social media, via podcasts, at events and within communities. Radio presenters are not just voices — they are influencers, content creators and cultural reference points.

To finally answer the question: yes, I see a promising future for radio (and audio). Today's radio stations are rising to the challenge by responding to the evolution of new consumption patterns. We also see that among our members — the advertising agencies — the transformation is already well under way to better meet the needs of advertisers, by offering new services (full-funnel solutions, high-quality and relevant data, tailored creative services, strategic advice, predictive models, and so on). This is how we help brands achieve their business objectives, moving from a purely transactional relationship to a genuine strategic partnership.

Radio is not dead. It lives, it evolves, it inspires. It is more than a medium — it is an emotion you can listen to and share. The biggest challenge is not what radio and audio deliver, because the performance is already there. It is the way advertisers look at it that needs to change. Together with our members — and those of the World Radio Alliance, which we founded four years ago — we want to say this clearly and make our voices heard.

The future is hear!