Radio Resources had a chance to present at The Small and Medium Market Radio Forum at this year’s NAB.

The Forum was very well attended with station owners, managers, programmers, salespeople, and on-air talent looking to learn, connect, and stay on top of the latest trends and best practices in radio.

The opportunities and dangers of AI and keeping AM on the dashboard were on everyone’s mind. That was followed by how to overcome the challenges and struggles of running the day-to-day operations of a radio station without getting bogged down and distracted from the real work of growing the business. This topic was especially of concern to medium and small market owners and operators. From replacing station personnel that are retiring to adopting and integrating new technologies that can ease and streamline workflow efficiencies, to accounting and billing, station owners and managers need solutions. There was more interest than I’d seen before in finding remote resources that can partner with stations and provide the help and assistance they need.

One of the key themes of the Forum was how local radio can adapt quickly in a rapidly changing media landscape. As more audio options like streaming and podcasts become available, radio stations in medium and smaller markets are facing new challenges in attracting and retaining listeners. However, these radio stations also have unique advantages when expanding to these digital platforms because of their deep roots in their communities and their ability to provide live, local coverage of news, events, and sports.

To capitalize on these strengths and adapt to changing listener habits, radio stations in medium to smaller markets also have the advantage of being nimbler and more innovative than their corporate counterparts. This means exploring new technologies and platforms, such as smart speakers and mobile apps, while also staying true to the values that have made local radio a beloved part of many communities.

We came away from the Forum seeing that there is still a lot of passion in Radio and stations in these markets are willing to make the changes and advancements needed to keep Radio the most powerful medium in Audio.