Indestructible Radio: The Oldest Electronic Medium Does Not Create Addiction and Does Not Steal Time

Radio is the medium that Europeans trust the most, according to a Eurobarometer survey. It is the oldest electronic medium, but it is also listened to by younger generations as radio is ‘youthful’ due to new technologies. It is easily accessible at any time via mobile phones, in cars, on computers, and tablets. It is very practical as it virtually does not distract attention, informs us about the most important events, and does not take up time. To convey the latest information, a radio journalist must be at the scene, which contributes to the truthfulness and persuasiveness. In Croatia, radio listenership is also high. Commercial radio stations have a more relaxed program and target a younger audience, specifically those under 49 years of age, while the public service Croatian Radio, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, adheres to established formats and meets the informational needs of all generations.

Measuring Persuasiveness When asked about listenership, well-known Croatian radio stations emphasize that it is high. Danijela Novosel, the program director of Open Radio, claims that this radio has the highest daily listeners in Croatia. – In the target group we have focused on, those aged 18 to 49, we are the most listened to. Within that group, almost every fifth resident of Croatia listens to us daily. We make radio for people, and our listeners come first. We talk about topics that interest them, play the music they want to listen to, and strive to be one of them, not ‘someone behind the microphone’ – says Novosel. The fact that Open Radio listeners give their trust daily is proof of the radio’s persuasiveness, according to Novosel, who states that persuasiveness is the only thing worth measuring because without listeners, the whole story falls apart. – Today’s media consumers have very high criteria because everything they need can be obtained without us on portals, social media, YouTube, etc. Therefore, we respect our listeners immensely and strive to create programs according to their needs and desires, and perhaps our greatest advantage is that we are aware that we are never good enough and the desire to be better every day – notes Novosel.

Advertised Undervalued However, that radio as a medium in Croatia is extremely undervalued is claimed by Katijan Knok, director of Narodni Radio, a radio station with high listenership. – The issue is that clients still prefer advertising on television or in print, even though these traditional media have seen a significant decline in viewership and readership over the past three to four years. Everywhere in the world, including this part of Europe, radio is the only traditional medium that has managed to retain its consumers – listeners, which advertisers also notice in the effects of advertising products on a market leader like Narodni Radio – emphasizes Knok. According to Ipsos Pulse research, Narodni Radio is listened to by about 600,000 people across Croatia every day. On a weekly basis, that number rises to as much as 1,300,000 listeners. Radio prime time extends from six to 18 hours. In the format represented by Narodni Radio, the most listened to part of the day is from nine to 13 hours. – It is therefore extremely important to start the day with the highest quality program that will generate as many listeners as possible, with whose help we reach a higher peak, which will result in more stable listenership until the evening slots when television and their prime time take precedence. I emphasize that Narodni Radio has proven that good program content can achieve excellent results even in the evening hours, both in Croatia and around the world. Narodni Radio, as the most recognizable media brand in Croatia, is also recognized in the diaspora around the world, so while some sleep, others listen and vice versa. Daily, we receive a multitude of calls and messages from Australia and New Zealand, through Canada and the United States to Argentina and Chile, which proves that Narodni Radio is listened to 24 hours a day – says Knok, emphasizing that they are extremely proud of this result.

Listened to for Music However, they are not satisfied with this and will soon prepare some surprises for listeners. What these are, they do not want to reveal yet, except that Narodni Radio will continue to maintain the recognizability that makes it the most listened to in Lijepa Naša – the best domestic music. – Music is the main reason why radio is listened to. Every month we conduct research on a representative sample of listeners to find out which songs they like, or which songs they want to listen to, on which we base our success – explains Knok, emphasizing that in Croatia in recent years, due to the global economic crisis, as well as increased competition and the desire for market dominance, the radio business is developing faster than ever. All this points to the need for adaptation of business segments, which can only contribute to market progress and achieve desired results through coordination and collaboration. – Keeping in mind that Narodni Radio operates in the public interest, advocating for objectivity, impartiality, and freedom of expression, we have been collaborating with Media Service, the strongest information agency for the production of radio content, for years, which has contributed to our credibility, which listeners recognize and appreciate – says Knok, adding, among other things, that radio is still the fastest medium in terms of delivering information to the end user. The business strategy that Narodni Radio follows offers numerous platforms for program, personnel, organizational, economic, and technological development, but more than all other activities, the most important role of this radio station is to produce and broadcast quality and diverse program content with the help of creative journalists and producers. This year, Croatian Radio celebrates 90 years of existence. When Radio Zagreb began broadcasting on May 15, 1926, it joined a small number of ten European countries and a total of 15 countries in the world where radio stations existed.

Young 90-Year-Old It is precisely the long tradition of existence and professionalism that gives credibility to Croatian Radio, as well as the professionalism of Croatian Radio journalists specialized in certain areas, which is recognized by both the profession and the public, as evidenced by numerous awards. Informative programs of Croatian Radio have been broadcast at the same time and on the same program for decades, and some, such as ‘Morning Chronicle of Croatian Radio’, have been among the most listened to informative programs in the Croatian radio ether for over forty years. According to listenership data, ‘Morning Chronicle of Croatian Radio’ is followed daily by approximately 110,000 listeners, which is twice as much as the second most listened to informative program. The listenership of Croatian Radio, HRT – HR, is a consequence of the recognizability and consistency of the program schemes of all its national and regional programs. Three national radio programs; the first, second, and third programs of Croatian Radio, as well as the international radio program – Voice of Croatia and eight regional radio programs, cover the interests of all target groups with the breadth of content, say Croatian Radio. Thanks to new technologies that HRT uses in broadcasting programs, users of this public media service can follow all 12 radio programs and the international radio program live via mobile devices, laptops, and tablets. This multimedia service of HRT, launched at the end of last year, attracted as many as 240,000 users by September 10 of this year.