From Turntables to TikTok: Radio’s Next Act
I sat down at my new desk in my new office, staring out at the skyline of a city way too big for me. The thought rattling around my head: What on earth did I say in the interview that convinced them I was qualified to be the next PD of this monster station? Imposter syndrome was cranked to eleven. So, naturally, I pretended to look busy.
I pulled open the biggest drawer, the one that looked like it should be packed with files, secrets, or something impressive. Instead, there was just a cardboard box with a Sharpie label that read: The Box of Broken Dreams. It was filled with dozens of cassette tapes of demos and airchecks. (Remember cassettes? Google it.)
I started flipping through them and saw names I recognized. Some I knew personally, others I’d admired from afar. All of these people wanted a shot here? I was floored. Right then, a jock I had barely met poked his head in and asked if I wanted him to carry the box to the studio. Turns out, the on-air staff used those cassettes to record airchecks, and every month the PD would replace the full box with a new one.
Every. Single. Month. The station hadn’t posted a job opening in years.
That was radio then. PDs got invited into college classrooms, talking to media students about careers in broadcasting. I did plenty of those dog-and-pony shows. I’d open with the same question every time: “Who here wants to work in radio?” At first, plenty of hands went up. Over the years? Fewer and fewer. The last time I asked, not a single hand. Not one.
So… what broke? Why has radio dropped from the top ranks of places young creatives imagine themselves?
Don’t get me wrong. There are still young people lighting up radio stations with fresh energy. Just last week, a morning show host I know was nearly in tears bragging about their 20-something brand-new producer who put together a video so sharp, so creative, it was the best their show had ever posted for that segment. Talent, drive, passion. They’re out there.
The problem isn’t that young people don’t want to create. They do, more than ever. Social media, YouTube, TikTok, podcasting. They’re swimming in it. Their stage just isn’t us. And when it is us, nine times out of ten, they’re thinking video first.
Here’s the reality: It doesn’t matter why they aren’t showing up at our doors. What matters is what we do to show them the creative firepower that still lives inside radio. That’s going to take work on our part, and getting more inventive by meeting their ambitions where they are.
Think about it:
Morning shows hosting free “How to Start a Podcast” workshops.
Stations running contests where under-25 creators have to build the best video using nothing but morning show audio.
Events where the focus isn’t “look how cool our station is,” but “look how cool you can be if you play here.”
Kill off the unpaid internship stigma by working with advertisers to fund real entry-level opportunities where creativity and hustle are rewarded.
Position radio as the place where young creators sharpen skills that transfer to TikTok, YouTube, and beyond: storytelling, audience connection, and consistency.
Lean into how stations are using AI, short-form video, and streaming. Make it clear they’ll get their hands on tools and tech that keep them ahead of the curve.
It’s like the pizza joint that puts a fan in the doorway to blow the smell of fresh pies down the sidewalk. The point isn’t to sell them on pizza in general. The point is to lure them in, hand them a slice, and let them imagine another one.
Invite young creatives in by appealing to their ambition. Then show them the gear, share the tricks, and give them a taste of what it feels like to make magic in this medium. Hand them the mic and let them imagine what they’d do with it.
You’re not showing them how radio can survive, you’re trading the box of broken dreams for one labeled ‘Dreams in Progress.’
