Radio content throughout other platforms. An analysis of the distribution and communication strategies of content on social media and platforms by different radio producers in Argentina (2019-2020)

Abstract

Multi-platform radio incorporates new channels of communication and contact with its audiences within its artistic and commercial universe: streaming such as Spotify, YouTube, and radio aggregators, combined with social media. This article analyzes the decision-making process of radio stations (online and hertzian) to manage their services of streaming, external to their own channels. Particularly, the study compares 30 stations, located in four Argentine cities. We conducted a content analysis and semi-structured interviews with key sources. We suggest how to classify such multiplatform strategies. The most important broadcasters conceived these platforms as tools for competitive but not complementary purposes. Digital media appear as an extension of radio stations’ lives and narratives. Consequently, both informative and advertising strategies are the ones radio stations deployed the most. The “conviviality” of digital radio stations, particularly in their social media, is still framed by a top-down approach of communication.