WORLD RADIO DAY 2026: HOW RADIO IS MAKING WAVES IN A NEW VISUALISED MULTI-PLATFORM WORLD
On World Radio Day, we celebrate radio’s enduring role as one of the most trusted media channels and recognise how it continues to evolve through new technology, emerging platforms and changing listener habits. Since Marconi’s first signal 128 years ago, radio has consistently delivered connection, credibility and companionship.
But the way radio reaches audiences and the value it delivers for brands is changing fast and offering extra opportunities. Visualised radio, podcasts, and short- and long-form content are extending the impact of broadcast moments well beyond the live studio appearances.
Interviews and features now resonate across digital, social and on-demand platforms, giving broadcast PR a longer lifespan and greater reach – all in addition to syndication.
And, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) increasingly embedded in everyday life, a new chapter is opening, creating a real opportunity for broadcasters and brands alike to innovate responsibly, deepen audience connection, and build trust at scale across multiple platforms.
SCALE AND CREDIBILITY
In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, radio’s defining advantage remains trust. It is grounded in reliability, authenticity and human connection. Plus, the medium still delivers serious reach. The latest RAJAR figures show more than 50 million UK adults (about 86% of the adult population) tune in each week.
That combination of scale and credibility keeps radio central to broadcast PR and brand storytelling.
RADIO MULTI-PLATFORM BY DEFAULT
Radio is no longer a single live, analogue moment. Listening is increasingly digital, connected, and on-demand, with smart speakers, social feeds, podcasts, and visualised content now integral to the ecosystem.
A strong interview or feature with a camera on, or even better in studio, can now deliver:
- Live on-air exposure
- Podcast and catch-up listening
- Social, video, and creator-style amplification
- Extended visibility across station and brand-owned channels
When we take guests into News UK to see talkSPORT, they are often also asked to feature in recordings for digital-first propositions such as YouTube show, The KickBack, as well as social posts and long-form podcasts.
This multi-platform reality extends both the lifespan and impact of broadcast PR, turning placement on a programme or news bulletin into a content asset with multiple touchpoints.
AI AND THE FUTURE
AI offers a chance to reimagine radio with care, creativity and connection. From automating routine tasks to improving accessibility as well as supporting fact-checking and archive rediscovery, AI can help radio serve audiences better, with human judgment at its core.
For brands, this means campaigns can become more relevant, more measurable and more reusable, as a single broadcast moment can be transformed into multiplatform content assets, while maintaining the highest editorial standards and credibility audiences value.
Used responsibly, AI strengthens what radio has always been built on: trust. Ultimately though, radio’s credibility still comes from the people behind the microphone and the teams behind the scenes, supported by the editorial standards that underpin what audiences hear and believe.