The transition from terrestrial radio to audio-on-demand: analyzing audience autonomy and emotional connection among urban youth in Surabaya
Frontiers in Communication, cilt.11, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 11
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.3389/fcomm.2026.1803100
- Dergi Adı: Frontiers in Communication
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Linguistic Bibliography, Directory of Open Access Journals
- Anahtar Kelimeler: audience autonomy, audio-on-demand, digital mutation, emotional paradox, Generation Z, radio, social presence, Surabaya
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- İnönü Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The rapid evolution of the digital media landscape has fundamentally restructured audio consumption, shifting the paradigm from linear broadcasting to asynchronous, platform-based environments such as Spotify and YouTube Music. This study investigates the transition among urban youth in Surabaya, Indonesia, from terrestrial radio to audio-on-demand (AoD), focusing on the critical tension between audience autonomy and emotional connection. Utilizing an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 university students (aged 19–25) to explore their lived experiences across diverse situational contexts. The findings reveal a dualistic consumption pattern in which terrestrial radio is relegated to a “situational utility” or “commute companion” due to its linear constraints and high density of “auditory clutter” (intrusive advertising), yet it remains a resilient source of social presence. Conversely, AoD platforms are prioritized for their technological affordances, granting users absolute autonomy over their sonic environment. However, a significant “emotional paradox “emerged: despite the algorithmic efficiency of digital platforms, young audiences continue to seek the “human anchor, ” “characterized by real-time interaction, cultural proximity, and the local Suroboyoan dialect, which remains largely absent in AI-driven curation. This study proposes the digital mutation framework, arguing that the survival of legacy audio media depends on a hybrid model that integrates technical adaptability (on-demand access and clean content) with emotional amplification (contextualized human spontaneity). These insights offer a strategic blueprint for broadcasters in the Global South to achieve ontological relevance in an increasingly algorithmic media ecology.