Diana Uribe: From Radio to Podcasts?

Diana Uribe was a successful cultural personality in her native Colombia, best known for her national radio show about world history. Since 2000, the show had aired every Sunday on Caracol Radio, Colombia’s most popular news radio station. On October 9, 2018, Caracol Radio announced to Uribe the unilateral termination of her contract, effective in one week. Uribe felt pressured to act. She knew that her future work opportunities would depend on her ability to remain visible and popular with a diverse audience. The unexpected termination prompted Uribe to think of alternative options to continue to communicate with her audience and ensure continuity for her team. Was the time ripe to move to podcasts?

This case primarily targets undergraduate courses on entrepreneurship, innovation, or information systems and information technology, although it could also be used with graduate or executive education courses on these same subject matters. Specifically, the case deals with podcasting as a business model innovation and speaks closely to challenges faced by small entrepreneurs—in particular, digital content creators. The case challenges students to consider whether launching an independent podcast is a suitable next step for Uribe and, if so, how she can go about monetizing her podcast. In their analysis, students are asked to take into consideration the extent to which podcasts provide Uribe with a financially viable option, while simultaneously granting her sufficient intellectual freedom. Furthermore, although the case does not deal directly with issues of gender, it tells the story of a woman in a position of leadership, thereby helping to bridge the gender gap in teaching cases. After working through , students will be able to<ul><li>understand the dynamics and consequences of digital disruption and piracy for creators in the cultural industries;</li><li>design an appropriate business model for a podcasting initiative, considering monetization; and</li><li>assess the viability and suitability of a podcasting initiative, taking the perspective of a digital content creator.</li></ul>

• digital disruption, business models