Radio broadcasters face challenge from tech heavyweights

Radio remains the world’s most popular form of media in terms of audience, with listener figures at their highest levels in decades. The industry, which generated revenues of $44 billion last year, up more than 2 percent on the previous period, continues to attract advertisers. Incumbents such as Clear Channel, Sirius XM and Global Radio have largely survived the rise of digital focused start-ups such as Spotify, Deezer and Pandora. But broadcasters face some of their fiercest competition for years as the world’s biggest technology companies – including Apple and Google – take aim at their business.