Radiodays Europe has wrapped up for 2025 with three days of sessions on radio, audio and podcasting.
On Sunday, what was once a couple of summits, has evolved into a full day of seven different rooms of sessions and speakers. See our round-up from the summits here.
The main event got underway on Monday morning with the opening session, presented by radio executive Paul Robinson and Greek television host and presenter Katerina Karavatou who hosted the main stage throughout (thanks for the RadioToday shout out, Paul!).
It was followed by John Simons and Jackie O – The Whole Truth, with some revealing insights into the workings of the biggest breakfast show in Australia.
Jackie spoke about how she met with her co-host Kyle around the end of 1999 and how their bond has evolved so much, that now they seem to be “two steps ahead of each other”. One key element of their successful radio show is the fact that they know each other tremendously well, hence this being her advice to those who are keen to engage with collaborative radio shows.
One thing is certain, Jackie appears to be optimistic about the future of radio, saying “there is still a lot of life left in it”, because it will always be a form of company for the public.
Later the same morning, Scott Mills was interviewed by Nik Goodman with a nice look back at his career, plus highlights and insights into his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show from the last six weeks.
“I wanted to have a morning show that genuinely feels like a family,” said Scott.
Laurence Harrison, Chief Partnerships Officer at Radioplayer, opened the ‘Reclaiming the dashboard – putting radio back in control’ session by reiterating the point that Radioplayer is owned by broadcasters, and they are working on their behalf.
There are three main obstacles that Radioplayer is looking to overcome when it comes to modern day radio usage in the car: addressing issues of complexity, content availability, and creating a viable roadmap.
Advancements are already being made, with a prototype dashboard on display at Radiodays Europe showcasing a hybrid radio interface, and synced entertainment systems – meaning you can seamlessly continue to listen to the radio straight from your car to connect devices, such as smartphones and smart TVs.
Lee Price hosted a session to a packed room of sonic branding fans, or jingles as we like to call them. We heard lots of audio and a shared agreement that Power Intros, where station branding is built in to songs starts, is still very much in use, along with Power Outros on some brands.
Turning attention to DAB, and Jacqueline Bierhorst, President, WorldDAB, and Project Director, Digital Radio, champions DAB+ as the future of radio, emphasising its potential for increased revenue at lower costs and its resistance to IP failures.
CH Media Head of Radio, Nicola Bomio detailed Switzerland’s FM switch-off, highlighting the country’s early adoption of DAB.
Supported by government funding and a massive marketing campaign, Switzerland saw a dramatic shift from FM to digital radio. While the switch-off proceeded smoothly, commercial stations opted for a gradual reduction of FM facilities rather than complete cessation. Initial ratings revealed a 10% increase for commercial stations and a 25% surge for foreign stations, with overall radio listening remaining stable.
Radio imaging isn’t just about sound—it’s audio marketing that speaks to the soul. PURE Jingles and an all-star panel dove into how data-driven branding doesn’t just boost ratings, it sparks engagement across every platform.
The message? Know your audience, and your imaging strategy will hit harder. One standout example? Just adding a story to a simple “pay the bill” promo increased engagement by up to 10%. Because it’s not about shouting at listeners but talking to them.
Consistency matters, creativity matters more. Teasing imaging before tune-outs, involving audiences, and keeping it authentic is how you win.
Niall Power, Head of Station Sound at Beat 102-103, shared the top 10 radio promotions from around the world, showcasing creative ways stations engage listeners and collaborate with brands and world events.
The audience enjoyed hearing about the creative processes that led to these successful and memorable promotions including Tat for Taylor where Beat 102-103, Ireland asked their listeners if they would get a Taylor Swift tattoo in order to win tickets to see her live in concert.
What’s “the cloud”? Well, it’s definitely not the clouds we see in the sky, but it’s basically “someone else’s computer” as Ann Charles, Object-based Media Specialist at Mediabooks, explained while opening a session.
And why is the cloud important for media? Chip Jellison, CTO at RCS, explained the key reasons for cloud adoption by media. This technology is designed to keep radio stations running smoothly and cost-effectively, therefore, it can offer many advantages to media and especially radio stations. Media can reduce costs without losing the opportunity to leave their footprint and stand out. They can also have a centralised management, while at the same time have access to the station and do all the actions required remotely, even broadcasting live.
A very important addition to the pros list is the fact that cloud adoption can keep media workers safe when they are required to cover a dangerous incident, such as Hurricane Helene. Kent Terry, Director of Technical Operations at iHeart Media, shared the story of iHeart Media who helped to keep the radio station WWNC on air throughout the storm and its aftermath. “Radio presenters could keep covering the storm from the safety of their home,” he said.
Dozens more sessions took place, and you can read a short blog from most of them on the RadiodaysEurope.com website, see our tour of the venue, and watch the highlights video below.
Next year’s location has been announced as Riga in Latvia, from March 22nd to 24th. See you there?