New Morning Shows, New Imaging, New Venues, New Ventures, New Announcements And The New Sound Of Radiodays Europe In Switzerland

Wrapping Up

Beautiful LAUSANNE on the shores of LAKE GENEVA SWITZERLAND and it’s SWISSTECH CONVENTION CENTRE played host to over 1500 of the world’s top radio people for RADIODAYS EUROPE’s last two days of live sessions, workshops and exhibits as well as special events on the EFPL campus on MONDAY, APRIL 2nd and closed yesterday, APRIL 3rd by revealing the location for next year’s annual conference.

Highlights for a majority of the audience attending all 3 days were: 

GREG JAMES (Breakfast Host BBC RADIO 1 UK) and his Assistant Producer NICHOLA NTIM’s session about JAMES' new RADIO 1 BREAKFAST SHOW where he said his listeners are the show - saying, “Why would I have funnier stories than the 6 million people listening? So, we focus on them.” The production team’s creative process begins in a WHATSAPP group conversation, with germs of ideas being thrown in from any member of the team. This happens early in the day, before these ideas get turned into a full ideas at the 5.30a production meeting. JAMES reiterated the importance of having listeners at the core of his show, referencing #PassThePasty, a feature where listeners drove a pasty (*Pasty = a baked pastry, a traditional variety of which is particularly associated with CORNWALL and DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM.) from one end of the country to another. 

MATT FISHER (Lead Producer Imaging & Programme, Station Sound for BBC RADIO 1, 1XTRA, RADIO 2, 6 MUSIC & ASIAN NETWORK, BBC, UK) talked to delegates about how the public service broadcaster has re-imaged their Dance Anthems Show. The BBC commissioned WISEBUDDAH, as well as U.K. producer JACOB PLANT, to create the new package. The resulting imaging became so popular with listeners that they decided to make it into a proper music track. The song was added to the BBC RADIO 1 playlist, both as a regular track, and remixed to fit into areas of the schedule it wouldn’t normally fit. It was also used for idents and promo trails for IBIZA 2018.

In addition to her popular MONDAY session on how to create an emotional connection with the listener through powerful copy and great imaging, KELLY DOHERTY (THEIMAGINGHOUSE.COM USA) spoke to RADIODAYS EUROPE about the gender issues in radio and you can hear the podcast audio here. 

DAVE COPIN’s session described how Artificial Intelligence should be thought of not as terrifying robot overlords, but as “automation”. In the same way machines changed our working lives during the industrial revolution, automation will do the same for cognitive tasks, including law, medicine and even radio. 

BBC R2’s "How To Refresh A Market Leader" session with HELEN THOMAS (Head of Content Commissioning at BBC RADIO 2 UK) and JEFF SMITH (Head of Music at BBC RADIO 2) discussed how to effectively make changes at a market leading radio station. They spoke about the new breakfast show on BBC RADIO 2, presented by ZOE BALL. They highlighted the “family vibe” of the show and the station, and how important that is for listeners. THOMAS said that “the key quality of a RADIO 2 presenter is warmth” and that a mix of talent, from through-and-through radio guys to presenters from different backgrounds, builds the strength and depth of a station.

STEWART COPELAND from THE POLICE talked to BEN JONES from VIRGIN RADIO (UK DAB) about his career, and the role radio has played in his life. In a hugely biographic, colorful, captivating and dynamic 45 minute chat where STEWART shared memories of his life in music and even a short spell working on air at KALX/BERKELEY, CA (USA), he spoke about where music is going now. “I strongly believe It’s all about campfire music - music emerged from our species for many different reasons, primarily sex - but it’s the specialisation came later and of course I benefited from the fact that I got real good at bangin’ on drums and you just get to sit there and take it! I’ll do the drummin’ around here and you do the listening around here. Oh really? Music has a different purpose; music’s purpose is really for us all to be joined together to make music and music has gone back closer to that place where it really should be. Which means everybody can do it, everybody has a song in their heart so if you’ve got a laptop or even an iPhone you can make music – that’s good for the culture” It’s tougher – the kids don’t need to turn on the radio station or they don’t need YOU to pick up their record and add it to your playlist – they’ve got their own followers and once again it’s a democratisation which is good culturally for our culture but tough for the individual artists or radio station owners” Pointing to the audience at RADIODAYS EUROPE, COPELAND said, “look there’s a couple of radio station owners/bosses here tonight” 

For the widely attended session entitled, “The Art Of The Aircheck” VALERIE GELLER (GELLER MEDIA, USA) said the best coaching sessions are not about changing what presenters say. They are mostly about giving them the tools to frame what they say in a way that works better for the audience. What is that? It’s the phrase GELLER is by now well known for reminding broadcasters about time and time again. “Tell the truth, make it matter and never be boring”

As always RADIODAYS closing session shares 30 ideas in 45 minutes to leave the conference attendee inspired for another twelve months. During his part of the presentation within the idea sharing session FILIPO SOLLLIBELLO RAI RADIO 2 ITALY asked the question, “How can radio face the big changes of our time?” while he gave the audience a chuckle with statements like, “Do you want an audience of sheep? Or an audience of lions?!” FILIPO said, “Smart speakers create smart listeners!” 

The RADIODAYS EUROPE PODCAST DAY 2019 is happening in LONDON at KINGS PLACE (near KINGS CROSS) JUNE 13th. 

RADIODAYS ASIA is at HOTEL ISTANA KUALA LUMPUR CITY CENTRE MALAYSIA on AUGUST 27-28, with more speakers to be announced soon on ALL ACCESS.

You can have a listen now to RADIODAYS Organiser ANDERS HELD chatting to ENDA W. CALDWELL for ALL ACCESS and PULSE 87/NEW YORK yesterday right after the end of #RDE2019 as he talks to ENDA in LAUSANNE about the last ten years of his life at RADIODAYS and the upcoming ASIA new project here on SOUNDCLOUD. 

The next RADIODAYS EUROPE takes place MARCH 29-31 in LISBON, PORTUGAL.

Follow ENDA on INSTAGRAM at enda1975 and on TWITTER @radioenda or email ecaldwell@allaccess.com.

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