Abstract

Pioneer in taking the first steps in the digital environment, the radio has broken into the network reinforcing its sound identity. The objective of this research is to identify and characterize the online radio in Spain. To this end, a database of online media has been created in which the number of online stations, platforms, territorial scope, ownership, content, use of social networks, funding channels and the languages used are identified. The study shows that online radio in Spain is reinforced, and this happens mostly in the local area and with generalist content, while the financing model remains a pending task.

Abstract

The shift of radio listeners from radios to smartphones has expanded the communicative potential of the broadcasters due to the characteristics of this new distribution platform. The convergence of content and communication on the smartphone screen gives radio stations the opportunity to enrich their multimedia messages, explore new ways of distribution and achieve advances in customization of the medium. The connectivity of these devices and location technologies also multiply the potential for local information, enabling a contextualized experience. This paper aims to analyse the adaptation of talk radio stations in Spain and Portugal to the radioapps from a content perspective and also to assess the possibilities of customizing access and consumption.

Abstract

We analyze the influence that participation in radio workshops (citizen empowerment –development of communicative and social abilities, self-esteem-, social visibility, understanding disability, and media literacy) has on individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. This study, which is based on structured questionnaires sent to tutors and participating subjects, presents a picture of the current workings of a radio workshop, confirms the exponential growth of radio projects in the last five years in light of the new technologies of information and communication, and reveals a new scenario of opportunities for accessing the radio medium through the Internet ecosystem (online radio and podcast hosting). The high degree of satisfaction shown by individuals with intellectual disabilities who collaborate in these workshops is revealed.

Abstract

After an initial period characterized by experimentation, amateurism, small audiences, technological difficulties, and scarce funding, podcasting is now fully consolidated. The aim of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of the Spanish podcast sphere: its structural, personal, thematic, formal, economic, and dissemination aspects. To this end, a content analysis of 21 variables was applied to the 206 programs that attained the highest popularity in the general rankings of Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iVoox during the first quarter of 2021. Along the structural dimension, the results reveal the preponderance of digital-native podcasts in comparison with previously broadcast podcasts, and of podcasts promoted by radio stations or those associated with networks over independent ones. Regarding the personnel involved, programs produced by professionals from the media or other cultural industries are more popular than those produced by amateurs, while those presented by men are more popular than those presented by women. Regarding their themes, content related to mystery and/or crime, history, entertainment, and emotional well-being predominates. In the formal sphere, the majority of programs are exclusively audio programs, produced weekly and in Spanish, with a limited presence of the other co-official languages in Spain. In terms of funding, the most common situation is production by media groups or podcast networks, followed by monetization on YouTube and offering additional services. Based on all this, the main conclusion of this study is that podcasting in Spain has abandoned the democratizing potential attributed to it by some theorists and researchers in its beginnings to become embedded in a largely commercial logic.