I’m sure those of you who still listen to the radio think this is an April Fool’s joke? Unfortunately, it’s not. Just yesterday, on March 31, 2026, right as I was doom-scrolling through Facebook, I came across some truly shocking news—especially for the loyal radio listeners in my city, Kediri. One of Kediri’s oldest radio stations announced it would end its broadcasts this year, after having been on the air since 1968, bringing entertainment in the form of comedy, dangdut, and much more. Previously, one of my favorite radio stations, Bonansa FM, had also stopped broadcasting, marked by the final play of my favorite song request from the Kessoku band during the KMB Special Anime segment, which aired every Thursday.
At first, I didn’t believe it was an April Fools’ Day prank, since I’m used to seeing jokes pop up on my Facebook feed every April, so I took the time to listen to it while I was in Surabaya via online radio.
The defeat by digital platforms
One reason that I think might make sense is that people now prefer to listen via YouTube, podcasts, and Spotify. Another reason that might also make sense is the decline in advertising revenue and increasingly fierce technological competition.
What will happen to radio in the future?
Although radio is now accessible anywhere—especially via streaming, as I did yesterday when I listened through my favorite audio player—some radio stations, particularly in major cities like Jakarta, Semarang, and Surabaya, are still on the air today. That said, some have had to downgrade their streaming quality from stereo to mono to save on costs, such as server expenses.
With the publication of this article on April 1, 2026, they have officially ceased broadcasting. Thank you to all our colleagues and listeners who have faithfully tuned in and supported us—including the author of this blog—wherever and whenever. I’d like to say otsukare.