Topics
The MARCONI project has explored topics such as interaction automation through the use of chatbots and smart speakers, voice-driven interaction with broadcast radio and tools that support radio producers and their editorial teams in creating compelling radio content. For each of these topics, functional prototypes have been developed and pilots have been deployed at actual radio stations. These practical evaluations in turn yielded valuable insights, which were fed back into MARCONI's development efforts, in order to further align the features of the MARCONI platform with the needs and desires of its prospective customers.
Concepts
However, the topics that have been tackled in the MARCONI project thus far only scratch the tip of the iceberg with respect to radio innovation. In effect, the MARCONI research team have been pondering many innovative concepts in the course of the project, of which only a few have been fully implemented due to resource constraints. With the MARCONI project drawing to its close, the consortium realises that it would be good to tentatively explore interesting radio innovation concepts that, due to resource limitations, will not be developed as part of the MARCONI project but which represent promising avenues for extending the functional features of the MARCONI platform in the future.
Workshop
To this end, an intra-consortium workshop was organised in October 2019, with the objective of uncovering potential future developments and exploitation opportunities for the MARCONI platform. In particular, consortium members were asked to think, at a high-level of abstraction, about interesting and/or valuable types of functionality that are currently still missing in the MARCONI platform yet which could be developed and deployed in a time frame of five years. As such, the workshop led to a number of high-level themes with respect to future MARCONI functionality, which were then prioritised by the consortium and described by means of distinctive keywords. Some representative examples of identified themes include "live events and experiences", "personalisation of the musical playlist", "seamless device handover for on-demand audio content" and "participatory storytelling".
We need you!
Grounded on the themes and keywords that were elicited during the intra-consortium workshop, consortium member UHasselt drafted a questionnaire that inquires respondents about their propensity towards radio innovation concepts that are currently not (fully) covered by the MARCONI platform. And guess what? We need your input! So, if you are interested in having a say about the future of broadcast radio, don’t wait any longer and fill out our questionnaire. Your contribution will help to shape future radio innovations. If this is not enough of an incentive for you, you also have the chance to win a €20 euro gift voucher.
