Skip to content
1981
Volume 23, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 1476-4504
  • E-ISSN: 2040-1388

Abstract

This study analyses the older adults’ participation in the production of programmes broadcast on RadiUS, the radio station of the University of Seville, and its contribution to their active ageing. To identify the interests that people over 65 pursue as prosumers through multiplatform radio and podcasting and to define the challenges and benefits of this practice for them, a mixed methodology was employed: a content analysis of the programmes making up the sample, a questionnaire delivered to each one of the 40 people who participate in these programmes and a focus group conducted among participants. Findings confirm that older adults’ participation in the production of multiplatform radio programmes and podcast episodes makes a key contribution to their active ageing; they organize themselves by sharing roles and tasks without hierarchies and tend to adopt a proactive attitude to improve their technical radio skills as well as the content quality of their programmes.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/rjao_00117_1
2026-01-20
2026-04-22

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Aguaded, Ignacio and Contreras, Paloma (eds) (2011), La radio universitaria como servicio público para una ciudadanía democrática (‘University radio as a public service for democratic citizenship’), A Coruña: Netbiblo.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Amezcua, Teresa and García-Domingo, Marta (2022), ‘“¿Mayor, yo? ¿Dónde lo pone?”: Concepción y atribuciones sociales a la vejez según la autopercepción de las personas mayores del siglo XXI: de la seneficiencia al elder pride’ (‘“Me, old? Who says so?”: The social conception of and attributions to old age according to the older adults in the twenty-first century: From “senefficiency” to elder pride’), Recerca: Revista de Pensament I Anàlisi, 27:1, https://doi.org/10.6035/RECERCA.5778.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Backhaus, Bridget (2022), ‘“Just like us”: Community radio broadcasters and the on-air performance of community identity’, Continuum, 36:4, pp. 58194, https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2022.2060938.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Bardin, Laurence ([1977] 1986), L’analyse de contenu (‘Content analysis’), Paris: Presses universitaires de France.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Bonini, Tiziano (2020), ‘A segunda era do podcasting: reenquadrando o podcasting como um novo meio digital massivo’ (‘The second age of podcasting: Reframing podcasting as a new digital mass medium’), Radiofonias: Revista de Estudos em Mídia Sonora, 11:1, https://doi.org/10.63234/radiofonias.v11i1.4315.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Bosetti, Óscar and Haye, Ricardo (eds) (2016), Radio, comunicación y nuevas tecnologías: Encrucijadas del nuevo milenio (‘Radio, communication and new technologies: Dilemmas of the new millennium’), Buenos Aires: UNDAV Ediciones.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Boulton-Lewis, Gillian and Tam, Maureen (2011), Active Ageing, Active Learning: Issues and Challenges, Dordrecht: Springer.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Buendía Astudillo, Alexander and Pino Correa, Juan Carlos (2008), ‘Radio local, opinión pública y participación ciudadana’ (‘Local radio, public opinion and citizen participation’), Signo y Pensamiento, 27:52, pp. 8496.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Butler, Robert N. (1969), ‘Age-ism: Another form of bigotry’, The Gerontologist, 9:4, pp. 24346, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/9.4_part_1.243.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Contreras, Paloma and Parejo, Macarena (eds) (2013), Más Ciencia: Cómo trabajar la divulgación científica desde las Radios Universitarias (‘More science: How to communicate science on university radios’), Salamanca: Comunicación Social.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Creative Labz (2019), Boomer Remover, Myrtle Beach, SC: Creative Labz Packaging Solutions.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Derhun, Flávia M., Scolari, Giovana A. de Souza, Rissardo, Leidyani K., Salci, Maria A., Puig Llobet, Montserrat and Carreira, Ligia (2022), ‘Contributions of university activities to active ageing: Grounded theory’, Revista da Escola Enfermagem, 56, https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-220X-REEUSP-2021-0237.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. El arte de envejecer (2018), RadiUS, Spain, 22 October, https://radio.us.es/programa/el_arte_de_envejecer/. Accessed 21 October 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Epdata (2023), ‘Tendencias de consumo de radio y televisión en España, en datos y gráficos’, Epdata, https://www.epdata.es/datos/tendencias-consumo-radio-espana-datos-graficos/300. Accessed 21 October 2025.
  15. García-Jiménez, Antonio, Tur-Viñes, Victoria and Pastor-Ruiz, Yolanda (2018), ‘Consumo mediático de adolescentes y jóvenes: Noticias, contenidos audiovisuales y medición de audiencias’ (‘The media consumption of adolescents and young people: News, audio-visual content and audience measurement’), Icono 14, 16:1, pp. 2246, https://doi.org/10.7195/ri14.v16i1.1101.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Guarinos, Virginia (2021), ‘La vieja radio del salon: La programación radiofónica española hecha por y para mayores de 65 años’ (‘The old sitting room wireless: Spanish radio programmes produced by and for the over-65s’), in V. Guarinos (ed.), La isla etaria: Tercera edad y medios de comunicación (‘The age island: Old age and the media’), Seville: Readuck, pp. 1934.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. INE – National Statistics Office (2021), ‘Una población envejecida’ (‘An ageing population’), INE, https://www.ine.es/prodyser/demografia_UE/bloc-1c.html. Accessed 1 October 2023.
  18. Infoaula de la experiencia (2021), RadiUS, Spain, 15 October, https://radio.us.es/programa/infoaula-de-la-experiencia/. Accessed 21 October 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Kiaru, Hilla and Valokivi, Heli (2022), ‘“I do those things to pass the time”: Active ageing during fourth age’, Journal of Aging Studies, 61, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2022.101037.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Kischinhevsky, Marcelo, Lopez, Debora and Benzecry, Lena (2020), ‘Podcasting tensiona categorizações e ganha, enfim, destaque como objeto de estudos’ (‘Podcasting has stretched classifications, before finally coming into its own as an object of study’), Revista de Estudos em Mídia Sonora, 11:1, pp. 612, https://doi.org/10.63234/radiofonias.v11i1.4333.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Krause, Amanda E. and Davidson, Jane W. (2021), ‘A qualitative exploration of aged-care residents’ everyday music listening practices and how these may support psychosocial well-being’, Frontiers and Psychology, 12, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.585557.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Krause, Amanda E. and Fletcher, Heather (2023), ‘The purpose of radio and how it supports older adults’ wellbeing’, Frontiers in Psychology, 5, https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomp.2023.1111806.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Krause, Amanda E., Dimmock, James, Rebar, Amanda L. and Jackson, Ben (2020), ‘The role and impact of radio listening practices in older adults’ everyday lives’, Frontiers in Psychology, 11, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.631033.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. La experiencia de leer (2021), RadiUS, Spain, 14 October, https://radio.us.es/programa/la-experiencia-de-leer/. Accessed 21 October 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. La isla etaria (2020), RadiUS, Spain, 16 October, https://radio.us.es/programa/la-isla-etaria/. Accessed 15 July 2024.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Laor, Tal (2022), ‘Radio on demand: New habits of consuming radio content’, Global Media and Communication, 18:1, pp. 2548, https://doi.org/10.1177/17427665211073868.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Legorburu, José M., Edo, Concha and García-González, Aurora (2021), ‘Podcasting as an opportunity to recover and renew the audio feature genre in Spanish: A case study of Cuonda and Podium Podcast’, Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, 19:2, pp. 31126, https://doi.org/10.1386/rjao_00046_1.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Los reporteros del aula (2018), RadiUS, Spain, 23 October, https://radio.us.es/programa/loa-reporteros-del-aula/. Accessed 15 July 2024.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Magadán-Díaz, Marta and Rivas-García, Jesús (2020), ‘El audiolibro en España: ¿Industria o modelo de negocio?’ (‘Audio books in Spain: An industry or a business model’), Profesional de la Información, 29:6, https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2020.nov.25.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Marta, Carmen and Segura, Ana (2012), ‘Emisoras universitarias españolas en la Web 3.0: programación y contenidos’ (‘Spanish university radio stations on the Web 3.0: Schedules and content’), in C. Espino Narváez and D. Martín-Pena (eds), Las radios universitarias, más allá de la radio: Las TIC como recursos de interacción radiofónica (‘University radio, beyond the radio: ICTs as resources for interaction on the radio’), Barcelona: Editorial UOC, pp. 10324.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Martín-Martín, Francisco M. and Monedero Morales, Rocío (2022), ‘Mapeo y caracterización de los programas de radio realizados por el alumnado mayor universitario en España’ (‘Mapping and characterizing the radio programmes produced by students of later learning programmes in Spain’), in J. Rúas Araújo, P. Carlos López López and I. Puentes Rivera (eds), Política, sociedad y tecnologías (‘Politics, society and technology’), Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch, pp. 11944.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Martín-Pena, Daniel, Segura, Ana and Marta, Carmen (2015), ‘Profile of contributors of University radio in Spain: The case of students in the area of information science’, Studies in Media and Communication, 3:2, pp. 16471, https://doi.org/10.11114/smc.v3i2.1228.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Order, Simon and O’Mahony, Lauren (2017), ‘Building a purposeful identity in the older adult volunteer space: A case study of community radio station 6RPH (Radio Print-Handicapped)’, Communication Research and Practice, 3:1, pp. 3144, https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2017.1271971.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Ortiz Sobrino, Miguel Á. (2014), ‘La radio como medio para la comunicación alternativa y la participación del Tercer Sector en España y Francia’ (‘The radio as a medium for alternative communication and participation in the third sector in Spain and France’), Comunicación y Hombre, 10, pp. 2536, https://doi.org/10.32466/eufv-cyh.2014.10.176.25-36.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Ozamiz Etxebarria, Naiara and Ortiz Jauregi, Miren (2019), ‘Mejoría de la sintomatología depresiva en personas mayores gracias al programa universitario de “Las aulas de la experiencia” de la Universidad del País Vasco’ (‘Improvement in the depression symptoms of the older adults thanks to the “experience classes” programme of the University of the Basque Country’), European Journal of Health Research, 5:2, pp. 15966, https://doi.org/10.30552/ejhr.v5i2.186.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Pedrero-Esteban, Luis M., Barrios-Rubio, Andrés and Medina-Ávila, Virginia (2019), ‘Adolescentes, smartphones y consumo de audio digital en la era de Spotify’ (‘Teenagers, smartphones and digital audio consumption in the Spotify era’), Comunicar, 27, pp. 10312, https://doi.org/10.3916/C60-2019-10.
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Pérez-Martínez, José E. (2022), La voz de las sin voz: El movimiento de radios libres entre la Transición y la época socialista (1976–1989) (‘The free radio movement between the transition and the socialist period’), Madrid: Sílex Ediciones.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Perona-Páez, Juan J., Barbeito-Veloso, Mariluz and Fajula-Payet, Ana (2014), ‘Young people in the digital sonosphere: Media digital, media devices and audio consumption habits’, Communication & Society, 27:1, pp. 20524, https://doi.org/10.15581/003.27.36011.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Piñeiro, María T. and Ramos, Fernando (2011), ‘Potencialidades educativas de las webradios universitarias: Una aproximación desde la perspectiva de docentes y discentes’ (‘Educational potentialities of university web radios: An approach from the perspective of professors and students’), REDMARKA UIMA-Universidad de A Coruña – CIECID, 1:6, pp. 85112, https://doi.org/10.17979/redma.2011.01.06.4722.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Piñeiro-Otero, Teresa and Pedrero-Esteban, Luis-Miguel (2022), ‘Audio communication in the face of the renaissance of digital audio’, Profesional de la información, 31:5, n.pag., https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2022.sep.07.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Pinilla, Claribeth (2017), ‘Adultos mayores y programas universitarios: El envejecimiento activo’ (‘Older adults and university programmes: Active ageing’), in E. Lucio-Villegas, A. Camacho, D. Limón, M. A. Ballesteros, N. Melero, R. Valderrama and M. Pabón-Figueras (eds), Actas del XXX Seminario de Pedagogía Social: Pedagogía Social y Desarrollo Humano (‘Proceedings of the 30th social pedagogy seminar: Social pedagogy and human development’), Seville: Universidad de Sevilla, pp. 25973.
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Punnett, Ian (2016), ‘Digital is the future-and the now: EmPosium on digital platform listening trends’, Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 23:1, pp. 419, https://doi.org/10.1080/19376529.2016.1156394.
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Ramos-Soler, Irene and Carretón-Ballester, M. Carmen (2012), ‘Presence and representation of older people in primetime television advertising: The Spanish case’, Revista Española de Geriatría y Gerontología, 47:2, pp. 5561, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regg.2011.11.010.
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Real Adame, Leonor, Martín-Pena, Daniel and Parejo Cuéllar, Macarena (2020), ‘La radio universitaria como herramienta de inclusión social: OndaCampus en contextos como la cárcel y barrios desfavorecidos’ (‘University radio as a tool for social inclusion: OndaCampus in contexts like prisons and poor neighbourhoods’), Ámbitos: Revista Internacional de Comunicación, 47, pp. 13553, https://doi.org/10.12795/Ambitos.2020.i47.07.
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Reporteros del aula (2018), RadiUS, Spain, 23 October, https://radio.us.es/programa/loa-reporteros-del-aula/. Accessed 21 October 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Rhoads, Jerry (2012), Restore Elder Pride: Shift the Paradigm, Bloomington, IN: IUniverse Inc.
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Rime, Jemily, Pike, Chris and Collins, Tom (2022), ‘What is a podcast? Considering innovations in podcasting through the six-tensions framework’, Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 28:5, pp. 126082, https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565221104444.
    [Google Scholar]
  48. Rojas-Torrijos, José Luis (ed.) (2020), Manual de estilo RadiUS (‘The RadiUS style guide’), Seville: Editorial de la Universidad de Sevilla.
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Sanz Garrido, Begoña (2018), ‘La radio como espacio participativo para las personas mayores: Análisis del programa Nunca serás tan joven’ (‘The radio as a participatory space for the elderly: An analysis of the programme You’ll Never Be So Young’), in T. Aguado and M. P. Rodríguez (eds), Representaciones artísticas y sociales del envejecimiento, Madrid: Dykinson, pp. 17998.
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Sauls, Samuel (1998), ‘The role of alternative programming in college radio’, Studies in Popular Culture, 21:1, pp. 7381.
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Sutton, Candace (2020), ‘“#Boomeremover”: Millennials shocking new coronavirus hashtag’, The Chronicle, 30 March, https://www.thechronicle.com.au/technology/online/boomerremover-millennials-shocking-new-coronavirus-hashtag/news-story/272615e3969096711c6dfedd9ad6f8fa. Accessed 1 July 2024.
    [Google Scholar]
  52. TeatrUS al oído (2019), RadiUS, Spain, 7 November, https://radio.us.es/programa/teatrus-al-oido/. Accessed 15 July 2024.
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Walker, Alan (2002), ‘A strategy for active ageing’, International Social Security Review, 55:1, pp. 12139, https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-246X.00118.
    [Google Scholar]
  54. WHO (World Health Organization) (2021), Global Report on Ageism, Brussels: World Health Organization.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Wilson, Deborah (2015), ‘The learning curve: Distinctive opportunities and challenges posed by university-based community radio stations’, Interactions: Studies in Communication & Culture, 6:1, pp. 87105, https://doi.org/10.1386/iscc.6.1.87_1.
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Wimmer, Roger D. and Dominick, Joseph R. ([1983] 2011), Mass Media Research: An Introduction, Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/rjao_00117_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/rjao_00117_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test