Wave: “Thinking outside the traditional radio box”

Photo: Tereza Kunderová, Czech Radio

Czech Radio’s youth and alternative station Radio Wave lost its FM frequency not long after its launch. But that didn’t stop the channel finding sustained success online, thanks to clever marketing and pioneering use of podcasts.

The Czech Radio youth and alternative station Radio Wave was launched to some fanfare in 2006.

However, only a year later the fledging channel lost its FM frequency.

Though that may have seemed like quite a setback at the time, the station’s operators quickly switched to becoming an online only broadcaster – and have tried to stay ahead of the game ever since.

This includes being a pioneer of podcasting and on-demand in Czechia.

Barbora Šichanová is the head of the station.

“For Radio Wave it demands a lot of effort to figure out new ways of distribution, smarter strategies, promotion using new tools and so on. So I wouldn’t say I see linear broadcasting as a limitation. For me it’s more crucial to be able to recognise and follow upcoming trends and also new habits of young people. We need to be creative and think outside of the box of traditional radio.”

See the rest here.

Author: Ian Willoughby