When Reginald Fessenden made the first radio transmission on Christmas Eve in 1906 little did he know that a century later people would be talking about its demise. “Radio is dead,” said Joseph Warungu former BBC Focus on Africa editor, “Rest in peace.”

At an Internews discussion forum to engage editors, called “Coffee with the Editors”, Warungu said journalists had failed to cover stories comprehensively. He said for many journalists, only politics was news. Add to this, he said - the popularity of the internet, mobiles phone apps, news alert services and migration to digitization could phase out radio as we know it.

There have been numerous predictions that have nearly killed off radio. Even an American rock band called Creamer Limp Bizkit sang “Man I got news for you - radio is dead!”

However, Warungu also showed a too familiar picture of TRAFFIC JAMS! This was the captive audience that only radio has, he told the editors. Millions of people worldwide are in jams almost every day - on their way to work and back - and that is where radio has the upper hand. So: journalists should grab this opportunity, Warungu said, even if the new tools make radio look dated. Old, but not dead.

What do you think? What is radio’s role in the age of new media?