Let’s start by explaining what the platform is. Radioplayer Estonia is a radio technology platform that allows users to listen to their favorite radio stations and radio shows over the internet. Radioplayer is accessible to listeners through web browsers, mobile apps, in newer cars (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), smart TVs and many other devices, with the list growing over time.
From the Radioplayer Estonia website, radioplayer.ee, you can download the Radioplayer Worldwide Ltd app for your smartphone, enabling you to listen to more than 60 Estonian web radio stations on various smart devices. This next-generation solution offers both well-known FM radio stations as well as a wide selection of web radio stations for every taste, from rock to retro and from pop to children’s stations.
Radioplayer provides a convenient way to listen to the radio without the need to have a physical receiver. Additionally, it can offer features like recording, listening to podcasts and other interactive options. Available features depend on the specific app or platform used for Radioplayer.
Everything needs to look good
“Radioplayer emerged in 2011 on the initiative of the BBC and it aimed at revitalizing linear real-time online radio listening,” says Kindel. “It quickly became clear that instead of the old-fashioned web radio, the focus should be on smart radio, i.e., making classical radio broadcasting accessible from any smart device. Radioplayer Worldwide Ltd calls this solution hybrid radio. It seems that the 440 million Radioplayer app users across 23 member countries have really embraced the concept of smart radio.”
A convenient app and 60 stations are not enough. In addition, everything has to look good on smart devices and car displays.
“Consumers are accustomed to the good design of ecosystems like Apple’s,” says Kindel. “In cars, Radioplayer is available via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. At home, smart TVs have become the main media hubs and Radioplayer can, of course, also be used there. In addition, it can also be used with smart speakers like Sonos and Bose.
The Radioplayer Worldwide Ltd development team has been so successful in developing new functionalities that it’s even become a challenge to precisely describe the platform at industry conferences. When a need for a new feature arises, it quickly appears on the development team’s roadmap and becomes a reality on our smart devices within a few months. This actually does bring radio closer to young people since it makes it accessible on the technology platforms that younger audiences actively use.”
Social media is fragmenting society
Recently, we wrote about the decline in print media advertising volumes. Although radio advertising volumes have increased according to a Kantar Emor study, there is still much discussion about the future of radio.
“Radio can keep up with technological changes and it’s essential for radio signals to be available on various technological platforms,” he says. “FM radio isn’t going to disappear in the near future and as a platform it is not suited for sudden changes. Radio still has a unique socializing role, acting as a medium that connects communities. For instance, television is a crucial unifying force for the nation, as seen during major sports events or song festivals. In contrast, social media and streaming platforms are often described as fragmenting and anonymous. Only local media channels produce journalistic content that deals with local Estonian topics.”
He also believes that podcasts won’t spell the end for radio.
“All major podcasts and shows from Estonian radio stations are available for playback on the Radioplayer Estonia platform,” he says. “Podcasts are a pleasant addition to radio, but the scenarios presented a couple of years ago have burst like a bubble.”
On February 8, the Association of Estonian Broadcasters organized a radio day at the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA), where Swedish commercial broadcasting legend Christer Modig gave a fascinating presentation on the future of audio. He reminded us that the biggest headlines in specialized journalism late last year were about the burst of the podcast bubble. Listening to podcasts remains a pleasant pastime, but according to Kantar Emor’s Radio Audience Survey, the time spent listening to podcasts constitutes a surprisingly small – actually a very small – portion of the total time spent listening to the radio.”
A constant search for solutions
In addition to bringing radio closer to the younger generation, the platform has other goals.
“The Association of Estonian Broadcasters aims to assure marketers that radio broadcasting is sustainable,” says Kindel. “One of Radioplayer’s strategic goals is to counter the undivided worldwide dominance of US tech and entertainment giants. The problems are the same everywhere and there is a constant search for solutions.”
Kindel says that Radioplayer is currently a popular topic in the industry. At Radiodays Europe, Europe’s most important radio industry gathering held in Munich in March, the Radioplayer exhibit was rated by the participants as the most significant event in the conference. In addition, the latest meeting of the Association of European Radios (Europe’s biggest association of private broadcasters, representing 5,500 radio stations) focused solely on Radioplayer.
In conclusion, Kindel encourages everyone to try out the Radioplayer Estonia platform during the summer.
“Summer is the time when we travel more around Estonia and Radioplayer allows you to listen to all Estonian radio stations via various smart devices anywhere in the country.”
Author: Siim Kera, TULI