Mumbai: “Digital radio is the medium of the future, but analog must co-exist,” was the consensus among industry leaders at the panel discussion titled 'Radio Reimagined: Thriving in the Digital Age' at WAVES 2025, held in Mumbai on Friday.

The high-profile panel brought together global and Indian thought leaders including Jacqueline Bierhorst, pioneer of commercial radio; Ruxandra Obreja, Chairperson, Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM); Alexander Zink, DRM Vice Group Leader; Ted Laverty, broadcast technology expert; and Shashi Shekhar Vempatti, former Prasar Bharati CEO. The session was moderated by Nisha Narayanan, Director and COO of Red FM.

While highlighting the advantages of digital radio—superior sound, efficient transmission, and multimedia integration—Bierhorst and Obreja underscored the need to retain analog broadcasting, especially during emergencies like natural disasters and terror attacks. “Analog radio reaches over 600,000 villages in India. In times of crisis, broadcast radio is unmatched,” Obreja noted.

The panel introduced a modern outlook for the sector with a shift from the classical 5Cs—Conciseness, Clarity, Confidence, Control, and Capability—to a new digital-focused framework: Coverage, Content, Consumer Devices, Car, and Communication. Measuring listenership through non-intrusive apps like Radioplayer was recommended by Laverty to enhance data-driven decisions.

Content variety, reduced licensing fees, and cross-platform collaboration were flagged as crucial for the growth of private FM stations. “Content is king, but variety is what keeps listeners coming back,” Narayanan observed. Bierhorst cited the enduring success of Britain's Absolute Radio as an example.

Experts highlighted the ecological advantages of digital radio, citing reduced energy consumption. However, they cautioned against full FM switch-off. “Digitisation must complement—not replace—existing systems,” Obreja remarked.

The discussion closed with a call for a robust ecosystem in India. Vempatti proposed policy interventions mandating radio compatibility in devices, while Obreja advocated for a national digital radio consortium. “India is a golden goose with nearly a billion mobile users and massive public broadcaster reach,” she added.

The panel agreed that India's radio future lies in a balanced, inclusive, and innovation-driven approach that supports both digital and analog technologies.