'Radio Is Everything': Best Quotes From The Future Of Radio Q&A At Billboard Latin Music Week 2024

The future of radio may be hard to predict, but one thing is clear: Radio is well positioned and adaptable — that's what makes it ubiquitous, says Raúl Alarcón, president and CEO of the Spanish Broadcasting System. During a moderated Q&A entitled The Future of Radio Bulletin boardHelping Leila Cobo kick off the first day of Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 on October 14, Alarcón was candid about the state of radio in the United States and the impact it has on an artist's career today.

“It's been about 100 years and that's no accident,” the executive says flatly. “It will always be with us, it's ubiquitous, it's free, you don't need an external way to get it. The radio is in a good position.”

SBS, a family-owned company that has been in business for more than 40 years and has withstood the power of the streaming era, is home to radio stations such as Mega 97.9 (New York), 97.9 La Raza (Los Angeles) and La Ley 107.9 (Chicago). ), to name a few. “We always have to keep adjusting, correcting, refining, but radio allows us to do that more than any other medium. Radio is also extremely local and that's important.”

Below, find some of the best quotes from The Future of Radio Q&A with Raúl Alarcón.

Is there a risk to the radio?

“It has been, it is and it will be, so it must always evolve. We were the first to put on comedy in the morning. I remember when the morning show started, that was a novelty. We took a risk, but that's what it's all about — always evolving and, after a while, adapting again.”

Exciting trends

“We can pick up on trends because radio stations are hyper-local. Like corridos tumbados or bélicos, we were able to catch this trend as it happened, we saw signs of the trend and we were able to adapt quickly because radio is local. People will tell us immediately whether they like it or not — it's one of our strengths. We tailor what our listeners want.”

Artists still want a No. 1 on the radio

“The artists told us: 'You make the hits, you sell tickets, you make deals.' People now realize that radio was a discarded… that medium, as it was discarded before when television came along, now I have noticed that there is a resurgence. Radio is important, radio is everything, it's connecting with local audiences, it's trending, it's entertainment. He's not just a repeater, few people can create, and creativity is adaptation.”

Does the radio update the stream or vice versa?

“These two are not mutually exclusive – what we're implementing is just another adaptation. They are both different but can be combined together. But while digital is expanding, it doesn't give you the immediate local fan base.”

A new network

“We're starting a network over the air and digital, for the new fusion of local Mexican with urban, because we've seen that the music is attractive. And La Privada isn't just a station, it's a whole network. We are still in preparations, but in the next 90 days, we will be rolling out in Chicago, New York and other major cities.”

Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards airing at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 20, on Telemundo. It will be available simultaneously on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.