People born between the mid-90s and the end of 2011 make up the so-called Generation Z, which, as Lecturer Francesc Robert says, have practically zero radio consumption. Is there a reason for this? According to Robert’s study it is due, “to the lack of specific content for this group and to the perception of radio as a something foreign." Moreover, “the drop is even lower in the next generation.” With this outlook, the Communication lecturer proposes “creation of Generation Z-specific content for Generation Z that would revitalise a community around brands (new or pre-existing) of the radio companies themselves.”

However, the situation is not critical if one takes into account the phenomenon of podcasting. As the Communication lecturer acknowledges, “there is podcast consumption that comes from radio that is not collected in audience data because the young people who listen to it do not know that this content is a segregated from radio programming.” In fact, Robert says, “the young listener is a regular consumer of this genre.”

The new doctor explains that the industry has gone from a time of maturation to a moment of defensive resistance. Although the data from research shows that radio, as an industry or as a sector, is showing signs of weakness, large companies may still have years of profitability ahead. Now, “a transformation process is needed that addresses digital production, distribution and consumption and the aging population that still listens to radio;" if not, he says the digital offer will predominate among the younger generations. “If digital advertising doesn't solve its reputation problems, it will be a serious problem for future financing of private radio,” the lecturer explains.

Faced with this panorama, the thesis is a prospective analysis with four possible outcomes in the future of radio, taking into account two elements of impact for the future: the ageing population and the digital transformation.

On the one hand, the desired scenario would be a digital triumph in an ageing world, in which radio companies will have to adapt to digital distribution and generate interesting content for the younger population. In the worst case, which Robert calls “audio killed the radio star,” the problem of audience renewal with generational ageing will not have been solved, as the result of not producing attractive content and not transforming digitally. “In this situation, radios will be diluted in an ocean of digital companies.” As Francesc Robert says, “the moment has come for us to make the decisions that will guide the sector's future.”

The cum laude doctoral thesis entitled “The future of the private radio industry in Spain. Application of the prospective scenario methodology. Prisa Radio, Ábside Media and Atresmedia Radio in the face of digital transformation and the challenge of the ageing population,” aims to contribute in bring together both worlds, Lecturer Robert's specialty: audiovisual system structures and their link with the business world. The thesis was guided by lecturers Santiago Justel and Montse Bonet, and carried out in the doctoral programme under Communication, Education and Humanities.