Radio and audiences research: towards an understanding of new modes of listening and of cyberlisteners’ profile

Jedrzejewski, S. (2011). Radio and audiences research: towards an understanding of new modes of listening and of cyberlisteners’ profile . Zagreb conference: "New challenges and methodological innovations in European media audience research". 7-9 April 2011.

Abstract: Throughout its history, radio has been undergoing constant transformations. After the invention of television it had also to face the general challenge of technology revolution. Actually, shaping audio messages to fit the web environment is a challenge that demands reflection on the changes that are occurring in the discursive characteristics of sound messages and the concomitant effects it has in listening practices. One of the most complex sectors of radio in this post-technological world is probably its audience, each more characterized by diversification and dispersion. In fact, following the trend of many other sectors of social life, radio listeners are leaving the mass community they used to be a part of to join smaller groups of interest. Fragmentation seems to be the phenomenon here that better defines what is happening with radio audiences. In this sense, the main goal of this paper is to discuss the current practices of listeners and the modes of listening in the context of a kind of migration from radio on air to radio on web. The objective is to reflect on the process of individualization of ‘media consumption’, especially in what concerns radio, as well as to question the meaning of the promotion of audiences’ participation in contents production. On the other hand, we will try to characterize the cyberlistener and the habits of radio listening young generations seem to have. To reach this objective we intend to inquire students from different graduation programs.