|
I just returned from the 2026 Radiodays conference which was held this year in Riga, Latvia. Yes, I had to look it up on the map to see exactly how close I would be to mother Russia. Close. A fact the Latvians live with daily.
Hundreds of radio broadcasters descended on the Atta Conference Center for 3 days of learning, sharing and mingling with our peers. I'm always amazed and thrilled at the energy this group has. People at the conference LOVE radio. They LOVE audio in all its forms.
I think I'm about the only American that attends this conference. For me, it is a chance to keep up with the trends in European radio. Because many of the stations are state owned, they have promotional budgets we Americans can only dream of. I get some great ideas. But there are independent broadcasters also, and they manage to remain competitive even though they are funded by advertising. I've had the privilege to work with some of these stations.
What were the highlights for me? Sunday offered several tracks, including podcasts, but I of course headed to the sales summit. We heard about how people are listening to radio from the Radio Centre. Despite all the competition, Europeans are STILL radio centric. We heard about monetization of Digital Audio. There was also a good session on audio branding. Do your clients have an audio logo? They should! Musical concepts are powerful!
My favorite session was Nikos Katrelias. He gave a heartfelt message on how important radio continues to be in our lives.
Monday and Tuesday were packed full of back-to-back sessions. It was hard to choose. I spent the day moving from session to session, filling my notebook with ideas. One of the most interesting was the session on Kyle and Jackie O. They are BIG Australian radio hosts who have had a falling out with ARN, are in a law suit, and missing their VERY BIG salaries. To give you some idea of how strong their position was, they were under 10-year 60 million dollar contracts. Yes, you read that right. Radio is alive and kicking down under.
Here are some interesting European numbers from one of the sessions:
- Radio is the last real reach media left.
- 87% weekly reach
- 3.1 Billion global listeners
- #1 in-car medium
How about those numbers!!!
My favorite part is reconnecting with friends and associates I've met over the years. We talk, we discuss, we party and enjoy the location. Radiodays Europe has taken me to places I would never have had on my bucket list. But I'm always glad I went.
My takeaway: Radio is radio, audio is audio, broadcasters are broadcasters around the world. We share the same challenges. We share the same victories. We all strive to reflect our communities, to entertain, to inform. Radio is truly the cockroach of media: we reinvent ourselves, rise to challenges and remain strong.
I already have next year's conference on my calendar. Until then, I will cherish the memories I made this year and continue to help my clients to survive and thrive in today's complicated world.
Long live radio!
| 
