The 11th edition of UNESCO’s World Radio Day celebrates on February 13th, more than a century of radio and how radio continues to be one of the most trusted and consumed media worldwide. The 2022 theme is “Radio and Trust”.
Radio has always been easily accessible anywhere to everyone, has been innovating and adapting with changing technologies and consumer trends. Radio is nowadays accessible through computers, smartphones, smart speakers and in-car infotainment systems, so people can listen to their favourite station whenever, wherever and however they want.
And most importantly, people turn to radio because they trust it.
Radio is the trusted friend people take with them on their daily commutes, who keeps them company and improves their mood, helps them feel less isolated and more connected to their community.
Radio is a source of trusted information. In an era of fake news and unverified stories on social media, listeners value and trust the curated and high-quality content that radio provides, news that are required to be accurate, trustworthy and reliable.
It is no surprise that, according to the annual Eurobarometer survey from the European Commission, radio has been scoring very high in the level of trust of European citizens, confirmed being the most trusted medium in Europe compared to social media and the internet for more than a decade now.
The global pandemic has made it more important than ever for people all over the globe to get information they trust and to find ways to connect with people: radio has continued to play a crucial role throughout these uncertain times, providing a much needed and sought out trusted companionship and reliable information for millions of listeners worldwide.
Stefan Möller, President of AER says: “Today, on World Radio Day we celebrate how unique radio is and how vital is to have a source of information that you trust, and a friend you can turn to for reassurance but also entertainment, like your favourite radio station. For us at AER, it is extremely important to continue to work with the EU institutions to make sure radio is well protected so it continues to function effectively and continues to provide the widespread societal benefits we all know, especially during these times of crisis and increasing disinformation.”
To learn more on how great radio is, please see here.