Radiodays Europe 2019
“Sound Matters – The Future of Audio”
Lausanne 31 March – 2 April 2019
Preliminary Programme
More speakers and sessions TBA
Radiodays Europe 2019 – opening session:
“Sound Matters – The Future of Audio”
Welcome to Lausanne and the 10th Radiodays Europe! What are the big themes for radio and audio this year? How is our industry changing? What are the new challenges and the latest innovations in radio and audio in 2019?
A fast paced first session, with a number of shorter keynotes, interviews and surprises!
Keynotes by:
Paul Keenan (CEO of Bauer Media UK and European Radio, UK)
Gilles Marchand (Director General, SSR SRG, Switzerland)
Noel Curran (Director General, European Broadcasting Union, Ireland)
The rise of the humans
Dave Coplin (Founder & CEO, The Envisioners, UK)
The rapid growth of internet-connected devices has brought huge advantages, however the same technology has also disconnected us. We are drowning in a digital deluge where intelligent agents bring an overwhelming wealth of information to an endless sea of devices which all vie for our attention to the point where they are beginning to remove us from the real world. Business leaders, meanwhile, worry that they might miss the next big technology trend and fail to realise the true potential of the A.I. wave.
In this fascinating and entertaining session Dave will explore how a world of Artificial Intelligence and other digital technologies will affect all aspects of our lives as individuals, as consumers and customers, as workers, and in business. He will look at the problems we face, and the mistakes and assumptions we make and how we should be using such technology to reimagine how we live, work and do business.
You’ll find out how data will become the fuel of your business, how machine learning and artificial intelligence are redefining what it means to be human and why pitting humans vs machines is a fruitless, pointless battle! Ultimately we’ll discover why it is humans, not technology that holds the key to our future success.
Stewart Copeland – On stage, in conversation
Stewart Copeland (Musician, USA), Ben Jones (Presenter, Virgin Radio, UK)
Stewart Copeland is a music industry legend, having been part of one of the most successful rock bands of all time – The Police. He has performed on some of the most memorable songs in music history, and is cited as one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. In this session, Stuart will be in conversation with Ben Jones from Virgin Radio (UK), talking about his amazing career in music, the role radio has played, and how the music industry has changed over the years. In this unmissable session, he will share some of his experiences of being in the one of the world’s biggest bands and the stories behind the recording of some iconic records.
Planet Audio in the year 2025- The actual future of using radio and audio
Charlotte Hager (Comrecon Brandnavigation, Germany)
We speak a lot about radio and its transformation into audio in the future. In a new study, first presented in full at Radiodays Europe, it is all about the listener, the consumer: how will they see radio and audio develop? For the first time, a qualitative map of what will happen in which area has been assembled. The basis is a new form of study, which German radio industry body Radiozentrale together with the two major sales houses RMS and AS+S have commissioned. While the findings for commercialization and advertising are highly remarkable, the results that are relevant to programmers and content directors have not been shared until now. Get a first exclusive insight into what audiences will actually want from you, in a few years down the road.
The SOUND of radio in the future
Carnelius Ringe (Managing Partner, WESOUND, Germany), Sebastian Fuchs (Voice Director, WESOUND, Germany)
The radio landscape is in turmoil – the digital disruption poses dangers, just as much as it creates opportunities. Coincidentally, an increasing number of people are asking themselves (or their voice assistant) whether artificial stupidity also exists. Where is the creative potential in disruption? How do we intend to design our new audio world? What remains of the radio sound of the past? And how will our radio of the future sound like? Cornelius Ringe and Sebastian Fuchs from WESOUND, a leading sound agency in Germany, will provide answers to these questions. With their refreshing infotainment show “SENSEation”, they will take a proactive stance and give new impulses in an entertaining way. Join our sound journey through cultures and time.
Checking the pulse on America´s largest radio group
Darren Davis (President, iHeartMedia Networks Group, USA)
iHeartMedia owns the biggest radio group in the world, with 858 radio stations serving 150 markets throughout the United States, and a staggering quarter of a Billion monthly listeners which gives it the largest reach of any media outlet in America.
Darren Davis started with the company over 27 years ago and has a unique perspective on how the company has grown.
Find out how the biggest still strives to be the best, with their unique digital assets which have a massive reach and create innovative campaigns and programs for key advertising and marketing partners, while providing world-class programming and events for its listeners.
Why award-winning work works
Ralph van Dijk (Creative Director, Eardrum, Australia), Paul Waters (Executive Creative Director of Babel, France)
There are two types of radio advertising; the good stuff and the other 90%. Yes, clients want to be on-air tomorrow, yes, they insist we add too much detail and no, they won’t pay for it. But things would be different if they knew how much more effective their campaigns would be if the creative was better.
In this session, award winning creative directors Ralph van Dijk and Paul Wauters of Babel dissect the world’s most awarded radio ads to reveal the eleven herbs and spices that made them so successful. They then re-engineer a selection of typical radio ads and demonstrate how it is possible to apply award-winning thinking even when the odds (and deadlines) are against you.
How to programme for smart speakers
Steve Henn (Content Lead for News on Assistant at Google, USA)
39 million Americans own a smart speaker. How can radio stations leverage their existing audio content to capture this new audience? Steve Henn, a longtime public radio reporter (Marketplace, NPR), is now the Content Lead for News on Assistant at Google. In this session, Henn will talk about what the radio of the future will look like and how radio newsrooms can best position themselves in this new ecosystem. Henn will discuss Google’s commitment to local radio and how technology can help radio stations meet listeners where they are.
Podcasting health check
Tom Webster (Senior Vice President, Edison Research, USA), James Cridland (Editor of Podnews.net, Australia)
The latest research and global overview on podcasting from two perspectives, from Edison Research and Podnews, our speakers will share data and insight from across the planet. If you want to know who is listening to podcasts, what they are consuming, how they are listening and how it’s being paid for, then this is a must-attend.
Visioning an audioplayer for the future: BBC Sounds & ARD Audiothek
Alison Winter (Head of Audiences, BBC, UK), Ben Chapman (Head of Digital for BBC Radio & Music), Thomas Laufensweiler (ARD, Germany)
In this session we will hear from Alison Winter (BBC Audience Research) and Ben Chapman (Head of Digital for BBC Radio & Music) about BBC’s new audioplayer Sounds, which was launched in November. Ben and Alison will take us through the research and innovative ideas behind the development of Sounds and show us the latest figures on, how this new innovative player is doing among especially the younger audiences. Also in this session Thomas Laufensweiler from ARD will take us through the development and build up of the German public service audioplayer Audiothek, which already has been quite a success in Germany.
BBC Radio 1 – The new Greg James Breakfast show
Aled Haydn-Jones (Head of BBC Radio 1, UK), Nichola Ntim (Assistant Producer Radio 1 Breakfast Show, UK)
In November BBC Radio 1 changed host and set-up for the morning show on BBC´s youth channel Radio 1. The show was up for a great start. With a new structure, a new approach, new events, new feeling – and a rocking start in numbers.
A couple of months into the new show, what have been the lessons so far? Aled Haydn-Jones and Nichola Ntim will share their experience, the laughs and the tears of changing one of the most legendary UK mornings shows.
Virgin Radio reloaded
Francis Currie (Group Content Director Music Radio, Wireless, UK)
Chris Evans is the most famous Breakfast Show host in the UK and his unexpected announcement in September that he was leaving the UK’s biggest Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 to re-join Virgin Radio, sent shockwaves through the UK radio industry.
Group Content Director – Music Radio, for Wireless, Francis Currie, will take us through the process behind poaching a ‘radio giant’, the planning behind launching a new high-profile show, and update us on how this significant signing is part of a bigger strategy to refresh the station.
Imaging: The goal of emotional connection
Kelly Doherty (Owner, the Imaging House, USA)
The goal of every radio station is connection. Specifically, Emotional Connection. Nail THAT- and you’ve got your ratings. Kelly ‘K3’ Doherty, owner of TheImagingHouse.com, held the most powerful Imaging position in the world: Vice President of Imaging for iHeartMedia and Imaging Director for On Air with Ryan Seacrest syndication. In this one-of-a-kind session, Kelly takes you on a melodic journey through the creative mind- how it works and how it attracts listeners while finding an effective marriage between copy and creative. Hear amazing Imaging that changed stations, creative audio that never hit the air, best practices to get the most out of your producer and why she says the ‘status quo’ is outdated.
Where radio was king… or radio in the car of the future
Morgan Jouber (UX evangelist, PSA, France), Martin Koch (Head of entertainment & multimedia development, Audi, Germany)
Today, the car is one of the most prominent places to listen to the radio. Many say, the power of radio is rooted in the importance of in-car listening. But once your car is truly connected, we know there won’t be a “radio” button any more. Is radio threatened by its former best friend, the car? With an all-digital future ahead: Do car manufacturers actually care about radio stations? How can radio stations get constructively ready for the in-car of the future? And how do car manufacturers respond to the needs of the radio industry, and their consumers?
Radio Summit
Speakers TBC
In the Radio Summit we will again hear from four top-level radio executives from across Europe, both private and public. They will share their views on present challenges and future opportunities for radio. What are the key challenges for broadcasters today? Smart speakers and global digital players – how do we meet new competition? When is it right to be on other platforms, “work with the devil”? What can we agree to collaborate on? And how do we fight fake news and continue to play a key role for informing listeners and communities? These, and many more questions will be addressed in this high level panel session.
All we hear is…radio data – How artificial intelligence (AI) will influence the world of radio and how close this future is today
It is obvious that data is the new gold. How will this change our industry? In this bundle of sessions, we will take a detailed look at several aspects of what digital disruption will mean and how it can be mastered.
*Each of these sessions can also be attended independently.
1. AI in radio & audio: The big picture
Mustafa Isik (CEO, Kerngedanke, Germany)
Mustafa is one of the most forward-thinking and digitally-minded radio managers in Europe. Mustafa led the digital team at Bayrischer Rundfunk and recently founded his own enterprise “Kerngedanke”.
2. AI in radio & audio: Programming
Francesca Shaw (Head Linguist, Lyrebird, Canada), Nico Aprile (CEO, StreaMonkey, Germany)
Both music and spoken content are highly influenced by the power of data and AI. To illustrate this, we experience with Francesca Shaw from Lyrebird how close computer-generated voices get to reality. Will a computer take the DJ/host’s job eventually? As for the music, the listener has never been more powerful. Nico Aprile from StreaMonkey will show how major stations in Germany use personalized music within the known brand experience of a well-loved station.
3. AI in radio & audio: Monetization
Frank Bachér (General Manager Digital, RMS, Germany), Thomas Kabke-Sommer (General Manager, Crossplan, Germany)
Selling advertisements, promotions and other products through data is the big shift for radio marketeers. Not only because it may be new to most, but also because suddenly you are competing with Google, Facebook & Co., who have very sophisticated data targeting intelligence. Frank Bachér from the German sales house RMS will introduce the first made-for-audio DMP (data management platform), which may help radio and others to level up against the giants. Thomas Kabke-Sommer from the Crossplan agency will demonstrate how stations can still get their share from data-driven advertising revenues.
You are not alone: Building community through audio
Paula Szuchman and Emily Botein (WNYC Studios, USA)
Join the leaders of WNYC Studios in New York for a dive into their pioneering engagement strategies. WNYC podcasts like Death, Sex & Money and Nancy have built loyal audiences not just with great stories and conversations that speak to their listeners, but from great stories and conversations that allow their listeners to speak to each other.
As the on-demand audio market becomes more saturated, WNYC has continued to stand out from the crowd. They also have built into them an unrivaled approach to engaging with listeners. Every new show is developed with this interactivity in mind. Paula and Jennifer will also reveal the results with one of the newest shows, 10 Things That Scare Me. A tiny podcast about our biggest fears, 10 Things That Scare Me reflects the particular anxieties of the American consciousness today.
In the presentation Paula and Jennifer will explain what it takes to launch a successful engagement project (along with the pitfalls), and share reactions from listeners.
Fake News – a threat to the democratic conversation
Flora Carmichael (Senior Journalist, Beyond Fake News, BBC World Service, UK), Ulrik Haagerup (Founder and CEO of Constructive Institute, Denmark), Jessikka Aro, (Investigative reporter, YLE Finland), Thomas Buch Andersen (Editor in Chief, DR P1 and radio news, Denmark)
Thomas Buch Andersen has a long experience behind and in front the microphone covering the news and will start the discussion with three perspectives on fake news. Flora Carmichael will share how the BBC is trying to combat fake news in their new news unit “Beyond fake news”. Jessika Aro will share her experiences as an investigative reporter into fake news, who as a consequence was made the target of Russian trolls in a massive social media smear campaign. Ulrik Haagerup will share his thoughts on constructive news as an antidote to fake news. During the discussion the audience will be encouraged to participate with questions for the panel and to raise new discussions and questions to be answered in the panel or by other members of the audience.
Create better ideas for your station: Or how to stop brainstorming
Wade Kingsley (Founder, the Ideas Business, Australia)
Brainstorming has been scientifically proven to be one of the least effective ways to create ideas. If you have ever been stuck in a boring brainstorm then you would probably agree. Yet most people conduct brainstorms because they don’t know any other way. In this interactive session, Wade will demonstrate proven idea generation techniques that you can take back to your station and implement straight away – for any format. And to prove the techniques work, you will leave with a brand new idea. It is a session that guarantees ROI – Return on Ideas.
The art of the aircheck
Speakers TBC
‘Airchecks’ still lie at the heart of coaching many radio presenters, but how do you get the best from these sessions with your on-air talent? What are some of the techniques you can use, and how do you coach your hosts to deliver noticeable improvements?
We’ve gathered some of the best talent coaches around to chat together in this interactive session. They’ll share their methods, and give away some practical tips you can use in your own airchecks. Plus we’ll hear from a range of PDs and Producers who’ll also join in the conversation.
The latest research on youth and their changing
Rasmus Kidde (Audience Researcher, DR, Denmark), Trine Sollie (Editor, NRK P3, Norway)
Our younger audience are adopting new media habits – moving away from traditional broadcast and towards social. This session will give you an updated view of this development and show you how you can optimize the lessons learned in research into your organization.
From Public Service broadcaster in Denmark DR, Rasmus Kidde will share the results of a big segmentation study of youth done by DR in Denmark recently. What is a youth media day? What are the most important drivers behind the media use of youth through the day. What are the patterns to the way the young use different media platforms.
From Public Service broadcaster NRK in Norway, Trine Sollie will share how NRK is implementing research and knowledge about youth into the organization. How they are trying to make all producers for their youth platforms in to “target group agents” in order to get better at creating media content for this hard to reach audience.
Measuring true audio listening on all platforms
Jeroen Verspeek (Head of Audience Measurement, BBC, UK) and others
In this session Jeroen Verspeek (Head of Audience Measurement, BBC) will take us through the development of CMM – the new total audience measurement tool from the BBC. CMM, which was jointly developed with Ipsos, can track media user behavior across all media platforms passively. Jeroen will show how the mobile based electronic measuring app CMM provides key insights into audience behavior across all media platforms – focusing on audio for the audience of Radio Days Europe. CMM is combining innovative and proven techniques to deliver new metrics to the BBC and to meet its business and research objectives of finally being able to measure audience behavior across media platforms. Also in this session we will learn about the new Total Audience Measurement currency recently agreed on in December in the Netherlands, which also will be able to track audience behavior across media platforms.
Top 10 radio promotions
Niall Power (Head of station sound, Beat 102-103, Ireland)
Never want to say “be caller number 9 to win this prize” again? Then this is the session for you! Niall Power from Beat102-103, Ireland’s award-winning regional radio station returns with a look at the Top 10 best promotions from the past 12 months. Having combed the world for innovative, creative and imaginative promotions Niall will share the best in class, which not only engage listeners but also create attractive opportunities for advertisers as well.
Imaging:
1. BBC Radio 1’s Ibiza Anthem
Matt Fisher (Lead Producer Imaging & Programme, Station Sound for BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, 6 Music & Asian Network, UK)
Truly blurring the lines between programming, promotion, marketing, music, and imaging, hear the unique story of “BBC Radio 1’s Ibiza Anthem” – a highly credible dance track created exclusively for the radio station, that went on to smash its way to Number 1 in the Shazam UK Dance chart. How can ‘imaging’ find new creative ways to connect a station with its listeners? In this case study, hear how they do it at BBC Radio 1!
2. Reimagining Finnish icons – YLE Radio Suomi
Petri Alanko (Audio Director, Radio, YLE, Finland)
Renewing the sonic appearance of an iconic radio station in Finland offered a branding and sound design challenge for the in-house team – a challenge of a lifetime, quite literally. Yle’s Head Of Sound opens up the reimagining process, mental imagery and the design choices made during the process.
Fostering an independent audio sector
Siobhán Kenny, (CEO Radiocentre, UK), John Purcell, (CEO KCLR 96FM & Chairman of the IBI, Ireland), Jakob Munck (Founder & CEO of Munck Studios, Sweden)
How many good programming ideas have been shot down by the phrase “We cant afford it”? New sources of funding are beginning to change this rhetoric. From Broadcasting Funding Schemes where a portion of Television Licence Fees is allocated to allow public service programming to be made by independent broadcasters to new and alternative funding sources being uncovered by independent production companies, this session will explore the positive and negative impact of alternative funding sources on independent production companies, on radio stations and on the audience.
New revenue – exploring untapped markets
Siobhán Kenny (CEO Radiocentre, UK), Rob Timony (Audio XI, Ireland)
Commercial radio has always worked on the basis that we eat what we kill. Increased competition and the growth in advertising opportunities have meant that radio has to be much more innovative when seeking revenues. In this session Siobhán Kenny, CEO of the Radiocentre in the UK will share her work in attracting new SMEs to radio advertising while Rob Timony from Audio XI in Ireland will discuss digital audio exchange which will provide advertisers with new and innovative ways to access previously fragmented audiences.
