Resilience and Anomalies of Religious Radio Broadcasting in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to explain the anomalous conditions in the radio industry in Indonesia, where several radio stations are experiencing difficulties in business aspects and audience competition due to the dominance of social media. Islamic radio emerged as a format that significantly succeeded in attracting many listeners and maintaining its business strength. The main focus of this study is to analyze the success and resilience of Islamic radio without discussing broadcast controversies, but rather through the management of broadcast programs, human resources, and finances and its business model. The results of this study explain that Islamic radio broadcasts in West Java create deep listener loyalty by presenting broadcasts that are considered worship, supported by a non-commercial business model that relies on donations and social programs. However, the risk of commodification of religion arises when efforts to attract audiences have the potential to shift the focus from religious values to marketing strategies, so it is important to maintain the integrity and quality of content to remain relevant and have a positive impact on society.