LONDON�Graham Dixon, the head of Radio for the European Broadcasting Union, delivered a keynote speech at the WorldDAB General Assembly on Nov. 3.�
�Audiences are more demanding, encouraged by online usage and provision. To meet this need, and others we have not yet considered, the future is digital,� said Dixon, as reported by EBU news. �The challenge is how to maintain listener loyalty during the transition to a digital environment, with all the increase in alternative media temptations and limited personal time.
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�Inevitably, audiences have been trained by their internet experience to challenge us with new demands, new expectations. They want to be served more personally, and they also want to know what they are listening to, rather than waiting until the end.� At the recent EBU New Radio Day in Latvia, we heard about systems being invented for skipping individual pieces, and then even re-synchronizing with the live channel.� People also, of course, and this is one of the joys of live radio, want surprises � there are very few of those, when you are playing your own favorites.��
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Dixon�s full speech is available here. �
