Radio’s Balancing Act: Lessons in First-Party Strategy and Third-Party Reliance After the Google AAC Glitch
We are witnessing the greatest listener transition of all time. The way audiences consume radio has shifted rapidly, from traditional AM/FM/HD/DAB+ to streaming, apps, and smart devices. This evolution offers incredible growth, but also challenges—as many of us recently learned when Google made changes that disrupted AAC audio streams.
This accidental update left certain streams inaccessible on Google Home devices. For listeners, it was frustrating. For us in the industry, it was a wake-up call about just how much we depend on platforms outside our control—and why a balanced approach to streaming strategy is critical.
What Happened and How It Was Fixed
In the past few months, Google updated their device configurations, unintentionally breaking support for AAC streams—a long running industry standard. The Google platform that carries our streams from aggregators like TuneIn, were suddenly unable to deliver these streams, leaving listeners with no way to connect.
While Google worked to resolve the root issue, waiting indefinitely wasn’t an option. Many stations took action to safeguard their audiences. I had the privilege of working with several stations to troubleshoot and implement fixes, including creating backup MP3 streams to replace the affected AAC ones. Once stations submitted updated URLs to TuneIn, devices reconnected seamlessly, and audience disruption was minimized.
This highlighted a crucial reality: third-party platforms are vital tools for expanding our reach, but they must be actively managed and complemented by strong first-party strategies.
What Should We Be Doing?
Here are three steps we can take to protect our audiences and strengthen our operations in the face of similar challenges:
- 1. Ensure First-Party Platforms Are Strong
Platforms we own—our websites, apps, and direct streams—must provide listeners with a superior experience. While Google, Alexa, and TuneIn are excellent for discovery, our first-party platforms are where we build loyalty by offering greater functionality and a more engaging user interface.
- 2. Optimize and Enhance Third-Party Platforms
Third-party platforms, such as Alexa, iHeartRadio, TuneIn and Google Home remain powerful for marketing and exposing our brands to new audiences. Actively manage your presence by ensuring URLs are accurate, metadata is clean, and your station is easily accessible. Use these platforms to draw in new listeners, but focus on bringing them closer to platforms you control.
- 3. Adopt an Audience-Centric Approach
Listeners don’t care whether they’re using Google, Alexa, or your own app—they just want it to work. If one option fails, many won’t hesitate to turn elsewhere. Regularly monitor and test all platforms to catch and address issues quickly. By maintaining a frictionless experience, we keep our audiences engaged and loyal.
Final Thoughts
The Google AAC issue reminded us of the importance of taking charge of how we manage our digital presence. Third-party platforms like Google, Alexa, and TuneIn are powerful tools to extend our reach and connect with audiences we might not otherwise reach. But as convenient as they are, relying on them entirely leaves us vulnerable to changes beyond our control.
The future of radio depends on us finding the right balance. We need strong first-party platforms that cultivate listener loyalty and give us control, and we need to actively manage our presence on third-party platforms to maximize their marketing power. Most importantly, we need to think like our listeners: ensure their experience is seamless, no matter how they choose to tune in.
We’re in a period of incredible opportunity to grow and expand our reach. By combining strategic use of third-party platforms with investments in our own ecosystems, we can build a stronger, more resilient industry—ready to meet our audience wherever they are.
Jarrod Gräetz – Audienceologist
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GRÄETZ Media Group – The Äudience Company
We help radio stations grow audience and revenue – even when the radio is off!
The industry is currently witnessing the largest transition of radio audiences in history. This moment offers you the chance not only to engage your existing audience but also to captivate an even larger listener base.
GRÄETZ Media Group was founded to help you make the leap and impact 200 million listeners by 2030 through streaming and providing the right content to reach them all the while growing revenue.
