For almost a century,
public service radio shaped how we discovered and experienced music - not just
through programming, but through technological leadership. Advances in
recording, editing and broadcasting enabled radio institutions to document and
convey entire musical cultures in real time.
In recent years, however, the relationship between radio and technology has
weakened. While digital-native platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify have
transformed music discovery through algorithms, microformats and generative AI,
traditional broadcasters have often held onto linear structures and legacy
formats. This keynote reflects on what public service radio lost when it
stopped evolving technologically - and how emerging tools within computational
musicology might help re-establish its role as a relevant and trusted music
medium.
Thomas Dose leads DR Music
Services, the department that provides the music metadata powering DR’s
editorial workflows, archives, and digital platforms. With a focus on
activating cultural heritage and ensuring discoverability, the team delivers
structured music data that supports products, processes, and knowledge across
the organisation.