After a performance by best-selling artist Darin, Paul Robinson (Director of Creative Media Partners) and Lisa Wall (Host at Swedish Radio) welcomed attendees with a quick Swedish lesson before Peter Neigel (General Manager of Radiodays Europe) took to the stage.
‘Audio today is stronger than ever’ and ‘audio tomorrow is brighter than ever’ he said, setting the agenda for the conference which promises to deliver plenty of information on the current state of radio and both educate and encourage its attendees to think ahead.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine will undoubtedly shape some of the conversation at the conference, as both Edita Kudláčová (Head of Radio at the European Broadcasting Union) and Cilla Benkö (Director General of Swedish Radio) touches on. Swedish Radio has seen large increase in listeners since the start of the war proving that radio remains a valuable public service.
Appearing via video link from a bomb shelter, Ukraine Public Radio’s Dmytro Khorkin (Journalist) and Andriy Taranov (Board Member) says that they have not stopped broadcasting since the start of the war in February, highlighting that Russian groups have destroyed Ukrainian telecoms networks but that radio continues to connect the country’s citizens. The only form of media somebody in Mariupol can receive is Ukrainian AM radio.
Speaking of collaboration between radio and politics, Stefan Möller (President of the Association of European Radios) said that ‘radio is the most trusted medium’ and that conference goers should use radio to ‘protect freedom of speech and bring entertainment and news to the listener’.
Meanwhile, Siobhan Kenny (Communications Consultant) spoke about the diversification of radio and the importance that radio stars can hold in listeners lives. Christer Modig (VP Radio at Nent Group Sweden) also believes strongly in the connection that radio hosts can have with listeners and doesn’t believe that streaming service like Sweden-founded Spotify can compete.
