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Shantelle Nagarajan

posted on Jul. 11, 2025 at 11:16 am

How the story of radio and podcasts unfolded

Shantelle Nagarajan

posted on Jul. 11, 2025 at 11:16 am

Team Red Dot’s Aseem Bhandari tells the story of the evolution of radio and podcasts in the UAE.

story

Aseem Bhandari, Head – Media Investments and Partnerships, Team Red Dot.

Once upon a time …
Radio reigned supreme in the UAE’s audio landscape. It was the voice that millions woke up to, relied on during their commutes, and turned to for music, news and companionship. From bustling city streets to quiet desert highways, radio connected a diverse audience in real time, becoming an integral part of daily life.
And every day …
Listeners tuned in religiously. Virgin Radio Dubai kept them energised with international hits; Dubai Eye 103.8 engaged them with insightful discussions; and Al Rabia brought them the best of Arabic culture. Radio was king; it was an advertising powerhouse that delivered mass reach and real-time engagement.
Until one day …
Digital dis

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Tags:Advertising AI-driven personalisation Aseem Bhandari audio community-driven engagement Corporate and educational podcasting ecosystem future of audio Hybrid content models marketing opinion podcasts radio Smart speaker and in-car integration Subscription-based revenue models Team Red Dot

the authorShantelle Nagarajan

Shantelle Nagarajan is Campaign Middle East’s Junior Reporter who covers marketing news which focuses on FMCG, real estate and brand retail industries. Her features delve into brand strategy, appointments, trends in consumer behaviour and CX. Shantelle also contributes to social media coverage, editorial event programming and print content work. She previously worked in PR and marketing, most recently at Edelman, where she was part of the Brand team. When she’s not writing for her day job, you can find her with her nose buried in a book, playing at a weekly open mic night or doom-scrolling the latest make-up challenges on TikTok.