Southern Cross Austereo CEO Grant Blackley has spoken about how radio has weathered the pandemic and challenges for broadcasters in 2021.

Blackley appeared in a video presentation with Commercial Radio Australia chief executive officer Joan Warner for the ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union) General Assembly and associated meetings, which is being held as a virtual event this year.
 
He is optimistic about a return to business as usual in 2021, following a “deep dark” drop in ad revenue at the start of the pandemic.
 
“We’re seeing more than green shoots, we’re seeing small shrubs.  We’re watering those shrubs to get us back to a level of normality and I’m hopeful as we hit early in the new year, there is increasing optimism and improvement in health and economic factors,” he said. “I do feel that coming into 2021…we’ll see a level of normality and a renewed vigour back into investing in the market to build brands and stimulate sales.”
 
Blackley says the path to recovery will include enhancing audience measurement and continuing to use technology to make radio more effective and efficient. 

Subscribe to the radioinfo podcast on these platforms: Acast, Apple iTunes Podcasts, Podtail, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, or wherever you get your podcasts.