The full schedule for The Radio Festival 2006 has been released. The industry event of the year is taking place from Monday 3rd to Wednesday 5th July at Cambridge University and will be attended by hundreds of radio professionals from new starters to chief excutives.
For the first time, RadioToday.co.uk will be reporting from the event via our homepage so if you cannot attend, you can read about the latest as it happens right here. The highlights of the event includes a presentation by Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson and a creative talk by Matthew Bannister.
Here is the schedule in full:
Monday 3rd July 2006
4.00pm Registration
Coffee courtesy of Radiomonitor
Delegate Bags supported by Original 106 FM
Delegate Badges and Lanyards supported by Sony Radio Academy Awards
5.30 Opening Reception
Supported by Channel 4
6.15 The Guardian Media Group Lecture
Supported by GMG Radio.
Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson. Questions by Matt Wells, Media Editor, The Guardian
Producer: Moz Dee, BBC Radio Five Live
Tuesday 4th July 2006
8.00am Registration
8.30 Breakout Breakfast ? Independent Means
Jenny Abramsky, Paul Brown, Jez Nelson & Nathalie Schwarz
Producer: Phil Critchlow
9.20 Formal Festival Opening
For the second year running – the Radio Festival will be hosted by Radio 2s Jeremy Vine. As host of an extremely popular lunchtime phone-in, Jeremy’s perfectly placed to watch over the radio industry and bring together not only the views of those who work on the inside, but listeners too. Each session will provide a cutting edge insight into the state of affairs in 2006 and the challenges the industry faces. At an exciting time for Radio, the theme of the Festival is upbeat and celebratory.
Jeremy Vine
Festival Producer: Nicki Defago
9.35 Number One in the Market
What is the secret to ruling the radio roost?
The music? The marketing? The localness? The budget? The talent? Join Richard Park the man who has taken two different stations to number one in London as he asks the brains behind the six market leading stations from around the UK – How do you do it? Richard Park with Pauline Causey, Ceri Jones, Keri Jones, Paul Cooney, Mark Damazer & Lewis Carnie
Producer: Ric Blaxill
10.20 Podcasting: Opportunity or Threat?
Podcasting has come from nowhere to be a relevant consideration for any radio producer wishing to reach the widest possible audience. But is this still radio and can this form of programming ever be more than just a nice add-on? Is it a revenue source or a valuable form of marketing, and if so what are the success stories that point to a viable future for podcasting? Or as many broadcasters in the USA are already predicting, is podcasting the first step towards the end of traditional radio habits and the start of a more direct relationship between programme maker and listener, with a wide selection of producers supplying their stuff with the mediation of radio stations? on the panel we’ll hear from key proponents of podcasting as well as those who see concern in this latest assault upon traditional radio.
Paul Bennun, Pete Simmons & Roger Wright
Producers: Steve Ackerman and Paul Bennun
11.10 Morning Coffee courtesy of Radiomonitor
11.45 It?s All About Being Creative
For a blissful forty five minues, forget podcasting, bit rates, streaming and networking. Lie back and remember that technology is nothing without content; content creation demands ideas; and ideas come from people. After a twenty eight year career which has encompassed the fall of the chinagraph pencil and the rise of the Ipod, Matthew Bannister now feels brave enough to offer a personal perspective on creativity in radio. Where does it come from? What stands in its way? How can it be encouraged? As well as canvassing the views of the Sony Stations of the Year, Matthew will also share some of his own experiences – both good and disastrously bad.
Matthew Bannister
Producer: Matt Hall
12.30pm Future Funding Models for Independent Radio
Following 10 years of very strong performance, growth in revenue from radio spot advertising sales has stalled over the last four years, leading some people to question the viability of spot advertising as the primary funding mechanism for commercial radio. How important will spot advertising be in the future? What could replace it as the predominant funding model for radio? What needs to be changing now to secure continued future revenue growth for radio? Jonathan Gillespie chairs this panel debate that sets out to explore alternative funding models and how they could work for radio.
Jonathan Gillespie, Fru Hazlitt, Barnaby Dawe, Jason Gonsalves & Natalie Schwartz
13.20 Lunch courtesy of Arbitron/TNS
14.40 I’m With Stupid
This session examines the relationship between performers and radio. How important has it been to the career of The Pet Shop Boys? Where is radio getting it right and wrong? Does the industry grasp all the opportunities it can? How does our medium play a part in today’s world in breaking new artists and keeping established artists in the limelight? The session will feature a question and answer session with the audience.
Producers: Lewis Carnie, Phil Jones & Paul Sheehan
15.25 Whose Listener is it Anyway?
The hilarious panel game in which celebrity radio execs grill mystery listeners to guess their favourite station. Could you spot a Radio 4 listener by the paper they read or a Virgin listener by the designer labels they wear? Put yourself to the test and get ready to have your audience pre-conceptions blown away as quiz master Jeremy Vine and his glamorous assistant… Jon Holmes takes you on a magical mystery tour around the radio dial.
Jeremy Vine & Jon Holmes with Mary Kalemkarian, Phil Riley & Andria Vidler
Producer: Keith Pringle
16.15 Afternoon Tea courtesy of Radiomonitor
16.50 Whose News Is It?
With bloggers, citizen journalists, 24 hour rolling TV channels and mobile phone alerts all competing to tell our listeners what?s going on, what role is left for traditional radio new bulletins and programmes? Is the old BBC two sources irrelevant in the new world? Can members of the public be trusted to report what?s going on? How do you avoid being spoofed? These and many more questions?
Nick Ferrari, Steven Nolan & Richard Sambrook
Producer: Rupert Allman
17.40 Close
18.30 Drinks Reception ? supported by BBC Nations and Regions
Includes Fellowship and Awards presentations
20.00 Dinner ? supported by PPL
22.00 Entertainment with Phil Williams
Wednesday 5th July 2006
9.00am Registration ? Coffee courtesy of Radiomonitor
9.00 Breakout Breakfast ? RAJAR the Realities
After years of testing electronic devices and a comprehensive industry consultation, January 2007 will see the introduction of a new two year RAJAR contract based on a paper diary system that will also capture platform data. In addition, a pioneering meter panel will run in London as a joint industry initiative with BARB. But what will this mean for you, your station and your data? Hear what you can expect from 2007 and put your questions to RAJAR.
Sally de la Bedoyere
Producer: Alison Winter
9.00 Channel 4 Breakfast
9.55 It’s Darkest before the Dawn – Prospects for Radio in the New Media Age
It ain’t easy being in the radio business these days particularly with the scrabble for advertisers for the commercial radio stations. Even the regional BBC stations have been suffering from declining audiences. Yet radio has a stronger loyalty among its listeners than the butterfly behaviour of most TV viewers.
Sir Robert Worcester, Britain’s best known pollster has some, but by no means all of the answers.
Sir Robert Worcester
Producer: Deanna Hallett
10.40 The Future of Radio
Do Britain’s business leaders think radio has a future in an age of 3G mobile phones and MP3 players? Will radio be a prosperous business in 10 years time? Jeff Randall and guests assess the opportunites and threats facing the UK radio industry with contributions from some of Britain
‘s leading business figures.
Jenny Abramsky, Ralph Bernard, Lord Currie, Andy Duncan & Jeff Randall
Producer: Julian Bailey
11.15 Morning Coffee courtesy of Radiomonitor
11.45 Spotlight On Footlights
Cambridge University’s Footlights club gave us legendary broadcasters like Peter Cook, Jonathan Milller, David Frost, Russell Davies, John Cleese, Griff Rhys-Jones and Clive Anderson. Not to mention backstage talent like David Hatch, Jonathan James-Moore and Peter Fincham. But is the humour of the ivory towers still relevant of has the comedy baton been passed to Edinburgh and the stand-up circuit? Current head of BBC Radio Entertainment Paul Schelsinger joins Footlight President Tom Sharpe and Footlight veterans including Rory McGrath and friends. And there’s some light relief from some of the 2006 Footlighters.
Rory McGrath, Paul Schlesinger, Tom Sharpe & mystery guests
Producer: Trevor Dann
12.20pm Celebrity Interview
13.05 Festival Close
For more information contact Lucy MacKay on 0207 2552024 or email lucy@radioacademy.org