Adoption and acquisition of mobile radio applications in Indonesia: Strategies and challenges

In the era of rapid technological advancements and shifting audience behaviours, mobile radio applications have become a vital innovation for broadcasters. However, user adoption remains low. This study conducted qualitative interviews with chief editors and radio directors from major national radio stations in Indonesia to examine the strategies and challenges in promoting their mobile applications. The findings reveal that low adoption is primarily driven by perceptions of limited benefits, compatibility issues and higher complexity compared to other platforms such as audio streaming platforms. Additionally, the significant costs associated with developing and maintaining these applications, coupled with minimal revenue generation, present substantial challenges for radio stations. To address these issues, broadcasters have implemented strategies such as promoting app benefits through traditional broadcasts, offering download incentives, providing exclusive content within the app, integrating app features into conventional programming, partnering with audio streaming platforms, optimizing app discoverability and simplifying the login process. These approaches aim to enhance the perceived value and usability of mobile apps while reducing user resistance. However, current strategies predominantly focus on factors like relative advantage, compatibility and complexity, with less emphasis on trialability and observability. Moreover, efforts are mainly concentrated on the initial stages of adoption – knowledge and persuasion – rather than on decision, implementation and confirmation stages, which are crucial for ensuring sustained app usage. While these insights are specific to Indonesia’s radio industry, they may be applicable to other countries facing similar challenges, though cultural and social differences should be considered.