Making Radio Postcards from the Future

With the dismantling of the last main mediumwave (AM) mast in the Netherlands a few days ago, I was prompted to revisit some videos I made in 2010 about the future path for radio.

I still find it hard to believe it is almost a decade ago. I recall Carlos Ghosn (yes him) was clear that radio was an app in the vehicle platform, not a discrete pieces of hardware that people could steal. Back then I wrote

"Why do people still listen to radio? Because FM works, especially in a crisis. It doesn't crash and it doesn't need rebooting. I trust the people I choose to listen to and I can let someone else surprise me. Why are not more people using it? Because most web radios still have a poor interface and they're fiddly. The EPG's on some brands are full of mistakes and seems to be getting worse not better.

But I believe in a hybrid future so also love webradio for the serendipity that FM/DAB cannot deliver. It gives me access to stations outside their FM range - no way I could listen to Radio 4 in the kitchen in the Netherlands in the same kind of quality.

Having worked in production, I hate AM for the lousy sound quality. I don't believe DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) is going to succeed. I was one of the first to be involved in 1996. I'm the first to say it stands for Doesn't Really Matter.

But don't take my word for it. Have a look at this video I made recently about the cross media future that is waiting for those radio stations that want to be found in cars of the near future."

So what did we get right? What are the answers we would give today? I'm working on some answers, but would appreciate input.

p.s. Did anyone collect the radio (stars) cigarette cards like these?