Part of my job as a consultant is to look ahead and make an educated guess what our industry will look like in the future. That way I can better advise my clients on how to prepare for that future. When looking forward at the remainder of 2026 one thing is pretty clear to me. I believe this will be the year of the pivot, meaning that either radio stations and groups will pivot this year or their remaining personnel will. My hope is that it’s the stations and groups that choose to pivot so our most valuable asset, our personnel, will not have to. Here’s what pivoting could look like.
Groups and stations need to prioritize digital content creation and build everything around that. Redesign or retrofit studios, and unused offices, to make them content creation studios that are conducive to recording and live-streaming multiple types of content. This starts by getting away from traditional, large studio furniture that’s anchored in one spot, filled with equipment we rarely use and lit like a cave. Then being open to more flexible designs, minimal equipment, furniture on casters, backdrops that can be adjusted with the push of a button, video friendly lighting and camera friendly angles. All with the goal of making some single studios multi-functional and others purpose-built for specific kinds of digital content like audio/video podcasts. Then, identifying the people within the organization capable and willing to create content in all of these spaces and adding a few others from outside the industry who already have experience creating that kind of content. That way the old media and new media employees can learn from each other. All of this also opens up massive amounts of new sales opportunities but only if we adjust our sales approach to take advantage of those opportunities.
Individual personnel who work for groups that refuse to do these things and continue to just do things they way they’ve always done it, doubling down on what’s worked in the past, need to go into self-preservation mode. Not waiting on their companies to invest in AI tools, doing so themselves so they can learn them on their own. Not waiting for a boss to tell them they have to do an audio/video podcast, have to commit to YouTube, improve their social media skills, learn to think like a journalist and capture content throughout their day, improve their writing skills or use AI to enhance their writing skills, and stop looking down at digital content creators and start learning from them. Then look for radio opportunities at groups who have evolved and pivoted or outside radio to any number of other industries that are in need of content creators and willing to pay liveable wages for them.
Because the path we’re on isn’t sustainable for either radio stations or our employees. Audio is no longer enough. But it’s not too late to make the changes necessary to save this hundred-year-old industry. Which I know we collectively have the talent and intelligence to do, but time will tell if we have the willpower and determination necessary to do so.
What do you think, will 2026 be the year of the pivot and how have you pivoted already? Comment below or email me at Andy@RadioStationConsultant.com.
Pic designed by Freepik.com.