Investigates

The Future of Radio (Part V): The online transformation


By Steve Faguy IS TERRESTRIAL RADIO dead? Well, no. The Canadian commercial radio industry brought in $1.45 billion in total revenues in 2018-19, according to CRTC data. But that's a steady decline from $1.6 billion in 2014-15, and even without the effects of Covid-19, it looks like the only way forward is down as both advertisers and audience increasingly migrate toward digital services. Faced with this decline, broadcasters are taking various strategic approaches to the future. Some are embracing new platforms, launching podcasts and streaming services of their own. "I think there's still a place for terrestrial radio," says Troy...