Radio Experts share insights on European Stage.

In the upcoming episode of Radiotalks, Andy Matthews chats with Irish radio representatives heading to Radiodays Europe in Munich this weekend.

This episode features conversations with notable figures shaping the radio landscape. Nessa McGann, the Programme Group Co-Ordinator at Radiodays Europe, provides a glimpse into the event's significance and her involvement in panels addressing critical topics. Joining the conversation is Niall Power, the Head of Station Sound at Beat 102 103, who offers a preview of his talk on global promotions, offering a unique perspective on radio strategies from around the world. Aislinn Kelly from Limerick’s Live 95 joins in to share insights into the 'Ours to Protect' project, contributing to the Climate Action panel. This episode offers a glimpse into the highly anticipated event, providing a sneak peek at what to expect as these radio experts gear up to leave their mark on the international stage.  

Aislinn Kelly, researcher and journalist at Limerick’s Live 95, enthusiastically shares, "I'm excited to be heading over" to Radiodays Europe in Munich. As a recent graduate from the University of Limerick, this event marks her initiation into international radio conferences. Reflecting on her role in the "Ours to Protect" series, a radio and audio project spearheaded by IBI addressing climate change, Aislinn expresses her excitement for the conference, calling speaking there a "privilege." She passionately states, "I'll be talking about 'Ours to Protect' and how you can unite a lot of stations together to tackle this massive issue." Sharing insights into her background, Aislinn, who initially studied journalism, reveals, "When I started here in Live 95, I applied for the job as a researcher, and when I was talking to Gillian Devlin, who's the head of news, I said I'd absolutely love to do a series on climate change. It was almost by magic that 'Ours to Protect' was being worked on." Aislinn also highlights the inspiring community initiatives in Limerick, stating, "What I've been really inspired by, in Limerick, is just the community initiatives." Anticipating her talk on the series and Mariana Spring's discussion on disinformation, Aislinn exclaims, "I'm really excited for that talk." If you are heading to Radiodays Europe, make sure not to miss Aislinn speaking at the 'Climate Action for Climate Change' Panel on Monday, March 18th, at 10:15 a.m. 

Niall Power, offers insights into his role at Radiodays Europe, where he has been a featured speaker for several years. He details his presentation, where he will explore ‘Top 10 Promotions: 10 great radio promotions from around the World’, that encompasses features, stunts, events, and community-focused initiatives. With quotes like, "I take a very broad approach to promotions" and "I'm looking at sometimes features within shows that get the audience talking," Niall provides a sneak peek into his upcoming presentation. Niall emphasises that impactful ideas don't always require significant budgets, citing examples of community initiatives that resonate with diverse radio stations. If you are heading to the event, make sure to see Niall’s presentation on Monday, March 18th, at 12:20 p.m.  

Nessa McGann recently began her new role as Programme Director for Radiodays Asia. Nessa provides insights into her role in putting together the programme for Radiodays Asia in Kuala Lumpur. Nessa, deeply involved in coordinating the programme group and working with sponsors, sheds light on the meticulous planning that goes into creating a two-day event attracting attendees from Southeast Asia, Australia, the Philippines, India, Korea, Europe, and the United States. Discussing the distinctions between the radio industries in Asia and Europe, Nessa highlights the technological advancements, linguistic diversity, and sheer scale of the Asian market. Nessa also works as Programme Group Co-Ordinator at Radiodays Europe. She expresses a keen interest in programming and a passion for sharing diverse experiences from different markets. Speaking about this year’s event, Nessa discusses the addition of an extra day to the event. Opening the event, Sunday the 16th of March is filled with Summits focused on a range of topics such as Podcasts, AI and Sales. Nessa is speaking on two panels at the event this year, 'Climate Action for Climate Change' on Monday, March 18th, at 10:15 a.m alongside Aislinn Kelly, and 'BBC sounds connecting our listeners to the music, radio and podcasts they love' on Monday, March 18th, at 2:00 p.m. 

This episode serves as a sneak peek into the highly anticipated Radiodays Europe event, set to unfold from Sunday, March 16th, to Tuesday, March 18th. Listen to the full episode on Thursday 14th of March at 4:00 p.m. here.