Is radio’s future “live and local”, or is there more to radio than that? Where will the next decade’s listeners come from? Where should we be investing, and how should we get the best from our investment in talent and licenses? A look outside North America may give some of the answers. In this global journey, see and hear some of the brightest new ideas, and get the latest data from across worldwide radio.

Following the keynote speech from James Cridland, we have assembled some of the brightest minds from the radio and digital audio world to discuss and plan out just what the right path should be in meeting consumer expectations in 2022 and beyond.  Be ready to hear insights, ideas and strategies in how to keep your business relevant and successful in the new audio universe.

Moderator:  James Cridland

In the ever-evolving audio landscape, how is our industry keeping up with accurately measuring audio consumption and proving radio’s advertising effectiveness for their clients? With advertising decisions more than ever being data driven; where buyers are being asked to validate every dollar spent and where results are expected in real time, radio is competing for advertising dollars against the numerous digital audio platforms competing for the same ears. What is radio doing to inform how a campaign impacted the advertiser’s business? Did it drive traffic either instore or online? Did it drive e-commerce and did it amplify other media tactics? We’ve assembled a panel of experts to provide updates on measurement, discuss what advertisers are looking for from their audio partners, and discuss how radio can prove its contribution to advertising outcomes and compete in the digital world.

Moderator:  Caroline Gianias, Radio Connects

Producing a great morning is vital to a station’s success. Get tips, tools and technics on how to do it. What are the secrets behind a great morning show? How do you create that magic formula to keep listeners coming back for more, and what are the essential elements you need to deliver on a daily basis? We have gathered together some of the best in the business for this fully interactive session. They’ll share their methods and techniques, talk about the things you can do to make your sound incredible, and answer all your related questions.

Barb Williams –“The Big Shift – Radio to Audio”, Radio Trailblazer & Steve Young Broadcaster of the Year Awards

Introduction:  Fred Jacobs, Jacobs Media (US)

  BROUGHT TO YOU BY: leanStream

Pundits have been touting the decline of radio for decades now. Whether it was the arrival of television, the Walkman or the internet, streaming, social media and gaming…radio has weathered all battles and survived to remain a vital voice in our local communities. Today, the challenge and the opportunity lie in the expansion of its audio products into the digital landscape.  While traditional over the air radio still is a priority and core to the business, the audience move to digital requires broadcasters to embrace and adapt new business strategies. How do you balance this investment against your primary income source from over the air broadcasting? Where do you invest capital and where is the bigger payoff? How do you reconcile this today versus what the next 3-5 years might look like? Let’s hear from the experts, those people who have made the digital leap and are providing a new revenue source for their companies.

  Moderator:  Fred Jacobs, Jacobs Media (USA) BROUGHT TO YOU BY: TRITON DIGITAL  

This is a jam-packed live panel of both Canadian and international leaders who will take you behind the curtain of the podcasting industry. You will learn what’s working, what isn’t, how consolidation is shaping the industry, and which trends are impacting the future. You’ll also get the download on a variety of monetization, distribution, and measurement strategies. If you’re looking for smart insights about the future of audio, this is your session. Moderator: Steve Pratt, Pacific Content

For more than a decade now, some of Canada’s biggest radio stations have asked listeners to “join the conversation,” creating full-service radio stations where listeners’ stories and opinions matter as much as the music. These stations have a lot to tell all programmers about listener interaction and localism at a time when both have proven to be a challenge for radio. From programmers and consultants to on-air talent, we’ll talk about how all of radio can continue to engage with its audience.

Moderator:  Sean Ross – RossonRadio Newsletter

We know our industry has been lagging in the establishment of a proper and effective model for diversity in the workplace.  We also know that it is proven that diverse teams perform better.  So why are we still so far behind? Where’s the leadership?  How do we coach and mentor our staff to ensure more diverse voices in senior management positions? Who’s leading the pack in diversity initiatives?  There are lessons to be learned from those who’ve been there and from those now taking up the challenge.  This session will begin to formulate a roadmap for success.

Moderator:  Saroja Coelho – Morning Host – CBC Music

This past year saw the CRTC formally begin the long-awaited Review of Radio process by seeking input from the Canadian Radio & Music industries and all Canadians as it seeks to update the current Canadian broadcast regulations that have been in place for well over 20 years.  And as we all know, there has been massive change during this time. New technology is providing Canadians with a much wider universe of listening options. Weekly time spent listening to radio has declined over 3 hours over the past ten years. Revenues are being challenged; profit margins are shrinking.  New digital media undertakings are operating in Canada without the tax and regulatory responsibilities that Canadian licensed broadcasters must abide by.  And they are directly impacting over the air radio. Our governing policies and regulations need a comprehensive and thorough overhaul. Ownership limits to Cancon levels and support will be a large part of the conversation.

Moderator: Rita Cugini, Former CRTC Commissioner

Radio stations have been doing research much the same way for 40+ years now.  And it’s proven to be a powerful tool for stations to set strategy and monitor progress.  Times have changed. Stations are facing more competitors than ever – the battle is no longer station versus station, but station versus a wide array of audio alternatives.  Is it time to try new approaches? Or should we stick with the time-tested tools?” Moderator: Steve Parsons – General Manager, Boom 97.3/ 93.5 Today Radio, Toronto

Let’s face it- the advent of the PPM meter has done us no favors as an industry when it comes to the development of talent. Instead of encouraging storytelling and experimentation, we’ve told talent to keep it “tight and bright.  Roll the music and use the 7 second song intro to entertain the audience”.  The Result: an industry-wide lack of engaging personalities and a lack of Program Directors who understand how to develop talent. During this session, we’ll explore the resurgence of personality driven radio and why it’s our key to long-term success.  We’ll talk about what Programmers can do to “teach” their talent the foundations of a great story – tension, silence, drama, and surprise.  And Talent will come away armed with the tools to engage the audience- proper story structure, how to insert your likes, dislikes, and quirks, creating effective teases, powerful “outs” and more. When you tell a great story, you connect with people, engage them emotionally, and keep them coming back for more. Stories form the foundation of human communication and are the essence of radio and audio. Moderator: Dave Farough – Programming Advisor | Talent Development

Your brand is everything. So, what do you want your listeners to feel about you brand? Find out how to discover its true identity. In this session, engage in a conversation about your brand’s identity within the competitive landscape. James’ approach to this important discovery will be a simple, but compelling exercise into how you want your target markets to feel about your brand. He’ll discuss the vital filtration process to help identify your overarching brand strategy. After this, you’ll never think about your own brand in quite the same way!

Young listeners have not abandoned radio! Bringing new listeners into the radio experience is vital to its long-term success.  Not only are they avid music advocates, they also represent a key element in the advertising world where young radio audiences add reach to TV viewers which are typically older.  In this session you’ll hear success stories from stations that continue to excel in targeting youth and how they are contributing to the bottom line. Moderator: Sean Ross – RossonRadio Newsletter

What is radio’s place in the audio landscape? Where is it today in post-pandemic Canada? We’ll get the update from Radio on the Move 2022, presented by Jeff Vidler of Signal Hill Insights with Caroline Gianias of Radio Connects. The study, now in its 13th year, will include the latest Share of Audio findings and what’s happening with AM/FM streaming and in-car audio consumption from more than 4,000 Canadian adults. In a special breakout session, Fred Jacobs will join Jeff to dig into radio’s USP vs. audio alternatives, comparing results from Radio on the Move with those from more than 30,000 North American radio listeners in Jacobs Media’s Techsurvey 2022.

The evolution of visual radio and how virtual reality can pave the way towards creating a new and exciting immersive experience for audiences. Eyeora: A turnkey, Virtual Reality creative studio that empowers businesses and individuals to become VR content creators. Content can be shared, viewed, and monetized all on one socially connected VR platform – quickly, easily and cost-efficiently. Both the social and content aspects make up the eyeora VR experience allowing you to easily connect with your existing audiences as well as creating new ones.

Inclusion and equality are words more in the forefront of conversation today than ever before.  But that’s just the beginning of a long road ahead to ensure fair and proper representation in all areas of our business.  In this session you’ll hear first-hand struggles and the bias and racism in our industry plus success stories from those who’ve been there and what they’ve uncovered to be the best path to achieving their personal and professional goals. Moderator:  Rick Lee – Program Manager, Corus Radio Toronto

Julie Adam is an optimist who believes leaders should aim for kindness, instead of perfection. Imperfectly Kind is an inspiring collection of Julie’s thoughts and ideas — 28 of them — on why kindness is the must-have superpower you need to lead. Whether you are a new leader who has just started your first managing gig or a seasoned executive who needs a new approach, this book will show you how to use kindness to win in business and become a better leader. Host/Moderator: Kristopher Ramsammy – Trebas Institute Graduate 

Coming out of two tough pandemic years for radio and two surprisingly healthy years for podcasting, the conversation about the relationship between broadcasting and podcasting ​​has never been more vital or vibrant. How should media leaders be thinking about the future of the audio business? What strategies are working best for offering radio programming as podcasts? When does it make sense to build original podcasts that aren’t repurposed from radio shows? Are there opportunities to go the other way and develop original podcasts that add value to terrestrial radio? And of course, what’s the best way to monetize all of the above? This world-class panel will explore the relationship between radio and podcasting from all angles and will share real-world best practices, case studies, and strategies. Moderator: Steve Pratt 

What is the status of news on our radio stations? Is it more important than ever or has it been pushed aside by social media?  In these remarkable times where we find ourselves dealing with a worldwide pandemic, trucker convoys, vaccine mandates, residential school discoveries, George Floyd, to name but a few, we are seeing clearly defined and polarizing views on public opinion. It’s either left or right…and nothing in between.  Temperatures are getting so hot that newsrooms are getting inundated with threats and hate mail.  News vehicles are removing company logos to keep their reporters safe. To make matters worse we are now surrounded by a myriad of alternative digitally delivered news services providing their version of news, whether it is fact based or not. In the search for unbiased reporting, can Canada’s over the air radio properties have a real opportunity to fill a vital role in each of our communities as the voice of truth and reason? Find out the answers to these and other questions from a distinguished panel of experts who are living this world every day. Moderator:  John Oakley – AM640 Toronto

Radio SHOULD own sound, but it doesn’t. It’s not just the content or the music but, the cinematic production that captures the imagination. Radio needs to re-stimulate the ear and brain with killer sound. Forget the actual content itself for a second…it’s about what frames it. You need to step outside your formatic comfort zone. This sameness of radio is killing TSL.  It’s boring!  It’s time to change it up.  Time to take stock of what really matters.  The goal is to create radio that sounds great and makes you want to stay longer to hear more. Dave Charles and Lee Abrams are legends in radio worldwide. In this world exclusive, these two dynamos team up to offer sound advice to broadcasters in all formats about putting some unique zip in their imaging and stingers to pique listener interest and stand out in a sea of sameness online, on FM and in promo spots streamed on YouTube. Moderator:  Alan Cross  

Most top podcasts in Canada aren’t made in Canada. According to the Canadian Podcast Listener survey, less than one-third of the top podcasts in 2021 were Canadian. Despite this, a handful of domestically produced Canadian podcasts have managed to cut through the clutter to find an audience at home and abroad. What are they doing right? In this session, Dan Misener (Audience Development at Pacific Content) takes you on a tour of Canadian podcast “neighbourhoods” and highlights content areas where Canadian podcasters are best positioned to win.

Fred and Paul Jacobs lead this session providing radio broadcasters with actionable steps they can take to optimize their station’s look and sound in the vehicles of today and down the road. The top listening location for radio remains vehicles, but today’s dashboards have become more complex and competitive. Combining new 2022 research among 30,000+ radio listeners, the latest and greatest from CES 2022, this session is packed with practical advice from leading experts in automotive, technology and radio broadcasting. Produced and presented by Jacobs Media, Detroit, USA

Join Luminate for an in-depth look at the trends evolving the radio business based on local streaming and airplay data.  In this session, Luminate will take a look at the major provinces in Canada and highlight some interesting (and not so obvious) differences you should know, what genres radio should pay attention to in those provinces, and emerging artists that may be on their way to becoming the next big hit.  Additionally, understand how radio can use local streaming data to help program and spot the next big hit.  

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: LUMINATE

Will “Shape Of You” by Ed Sheeran test #1 overall for the third straight year? Will Country rebound? Will Hip Hop/R&B gain strength after a strong Contemporary Music SuperStudy 3? After last study’s pandemic-year results were “frozen in time,” did contemporary tastes evolve in 2021? It’s time for the fourth edition of the Contemporary Music SuperStudy, the industry’s benchmark study of consumers’ contemporary music tastes. 1,000 12- to 54-year-old listeners in the United States and Canada were surveyed using the Coleman Insights FACT360SM Strategic Music Test platform to get their opinions on the most-consumed songs of 2021 by radio airplay, streaming, and sales with the help of Luminate (formerly MRC Data). During this exclusive presentation at the CMW RadioActive 22, Coleman Insights President Warren Kurtzman will share the study’s major findings as released in April, along with new Canadian consumer-specific findings Coleman Insights will share for the first time. BROUGHT TO YOU BY: COLEMAN INSIGHTS