2019 RadioDays Asia Debuts

Now In Gear

The RADIODAYS ASIA conference, being held at the HOTEL ISTANA, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, is off and running, attracting 150 companies, over 60 speakers and 300 radio and 
The opening keynotes were given by BIG FM INDIA CEO ABE THOMAS, who said that 65% of the 1,370,099,333 people who live in INDIA listen to radio. Even though measurement is difficult, he contended that radio is the 2nd most accessed media. Radio presenters score high on trust in India -- "if you haven't heard it on radio. it's probably not true" He also recommended stations to “Move from being a radio station to being a content company for audio and video.”

COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA CEO JOAN WARNER CEO offered the perspective from the Commercial sector, noting that radio gives a 17% return for an advertisers bigger than online and TV. She noted that in times of slow economic growth, it is important to remind them advertisers of the power of radio. She spoke about the work of COMMERCIAL RADIO ADVERTISING's new campaigns - interrupting advertisers’ ads to promote radio advertising. "Radio has a significantly positive impact on its listeners; radio is alive and growing" The CORA have proven that radio makes people happy. "Listeners are nine times happier listening to the radio."

Radio Futurologist JAMES CRIDLAND ended the opening session of RADIODAYS ASIA with a look at the future of radio - by looking at radio’s past. In the '90s, nine out of 10 people in the U.K. listened to radio because there wasn't must else ... no social media kids. CRIDLAND also noted that radio is still the lean back medium and therefore it is something that we can do at all times of the day and in all parts of our life. Radio can also give listeners "a shared experience with a human connection.". The best radio shows at the moment are those which make "the listener a star" something other platforms cannot do.

Why Do Citizens In India Share Fake News?

A study into trends in INDIA by the BBC’s LUCILE STENGEL and SAPNA SOLANKI found that fake content shared by people is due to three key elements -- digital deluge, skepticism about the news media, and a blurred definition of news driven by FACEBOOK and WHATSAPP. There is now a breeding ground for fake news in the ever-changing media environment. People want not only the facts but an explanation of 'why is this important for me?' This doesn't encourage people in India to check facts before sharing.

Other insights: People share messages that they don't read/watch; people like images better than text; the most popular images to share on WhatsApp are bold, colorful images; messages from people who have social standing or fame have greater impact and finally people 'cannot be bothered to verify' the validity of a message -- they just look 'is the person who sent it to me credible.' 

VIRGIN RADIO UK Content Dir. MIKE CASS spoke on how to launch a new digital breakfast show "If you've truly great content and truly great presenters, you can take your radio station to new heights. CHRIS (EVANS) is a driving force behind the radio station."

MIKE KASEM (VJ, radio host, actor, GOLD 905FM, MEDIACORP, SINGAPORE), VERNETTA LOPEZ (host, GOLD905FM, SINGAPORE) ended day one in KL for RADIODAYS ASIA talked with JON KIRBY (PD CH4FM DUBAI) about their successful double-headed morning show. Later the talk moved on to what life was like for MIKE KASEM growing up as the son of CASEY KASEM; MIKE told the audience one piece of advice his late father gave him was “never get married, son, because you’ll spend too much time focusing on someone else and not your work.”  also shared how in awe his visiting school friends were as they sat in the back of the car listening as CASEY did the voice of “SHAGGY” from the SCOOBY DOO CARTOONS and other famous voices for his visitors.

Follow ENDA W. CALDWELL on INSTAGRAM enda1975 for further updates from RADIODAYS ASIA 

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