Programme
Impact Amplified, our theme for this year, will see a range of industry speakers and hosts dissect the crucial role of audio and radio in turning up the volume and catching the ears of audiences everywhere.
Running across three stages, see the full Festival line-up below.
Radio Academy Festival 2024: Impact Amplified
Festival Stage, 9.30-11am
Host: Nadia Jae
The Radio Academy: Impact Amplified
Welcome address from Helen Thomas, Radio Academy Chair followed by Managing Director, Aradhna Tayal Leach.
The Great British Post Office Trial (Keynote). Nick Wallis talks to Sima Kotecha on the journey of breaking this story on the radio
Impact Amplified through AI. Digital media lawyer Cliff Fluet demonstrates the power of AI for producers and creators. He maintains AI is the most consequential tool available to the audio industry – and one that could solve a number of its biggest challenges.
Matt Chorley in conversation. Matt speaks to BBC Radio Leeds’ Rima Ahmed about his new 5 live show and his quest to deliver politics without the boring bits.
ARIAS Stage, 9.30-11am
Host: Neev Spencer
We catch up with some of this year's ARIAS stars to find out more from the award-winning teams.
This stage will open after the The Great British Post Office Trial keynote on the Festival Stage (live streamed).
Best Sport Coverage. Adrian Durham (talkSPORT) joins Nick Bright to chat about what makes GameDay award winning and the success of talkSPORT who scooped a total of 3 awards.
Impact Stage, 9.30-11am
Hosts: Emma-Louise Amanshia & Conor Knight
Get the more practical and inspirational stories from the experts who've done it and those who are still working out the new ways to do it...
This stage will open after the The Great British Post Office Trial keynote on the Festival Stage (live streamed).
How to ‘buy’ a podcast. As the podcast industry continues its expansion and new players enter the market, the acquisition of established shows and networks has become a crucial growth strategy for media brands, ad networks and independent creators alike. Lizzie Pollott (Acast), Leanne Alie (Head of Podcasts at Unlocked), Stuart Morgan (MD, Audio Always) explore strategies for identifying valuable content, negotiating deals and integrating third-party shows into existing networks with Imriel Morgan (Content is Queen).
Festival Stage, 11.30-1pm
Rise of the Podfluencer?: BRANDS, PARTNERSHIPS AND ME Lauren Layfield leads the conversation with Nick Callaghan (Spotify), Summer Baxter (Acast) and Nik Gandhi (Fresh Air).
Is the presenter the secret to a podcast’s commercial success? In a modern, multi-media world, the line between commercial and programming has never been so blurred. How do advertisers now want to to work with shows and how can presenters (and producers) be prepared for these new requirements?
The Future Will Be Visualised: Where the merging of audio and video is headed next hosted by Rylan with Joshua Adley (Listen), Rhyanna Coleman (YMU), Syeda Irtizaali (Editor of Unscripted, BBC) and Ellie Buckland (BBC Music).
Listen, the creative force behind the genre-defining The Traitors: Uncloaked, hit podcast Olivia Attwood’s So Wrong It’s Right, and brand-new show, Pop Top 10 with Scott Mills and Rylan, host a session that delves into the visual revolution. Featuring industry leaders from radio, podcasting, and television, we’ll explore what’s shaping the future of audio-visual formats and the many challenges and opportunities this presents.
MEASURING IMPACT with Adam Bowie
ARIAS Stage, 11.30-1pm
Best New Podcast: Rob Burrow Seven Meets with Tracy Gee (BBC Leeds) and Lindsey Burrow talk to Tanya Arnold about the making of the Rob Burrow Seven Meets podcast and his legacy. They’ll also announce something very special for Rob Burrow fans.
Best News Coverage : Israel, Hamas War with Aasmah Mir and Tracy Rubenstein (Times Radio) talk to Carolyn Quinn about their audience's reaction to their award winning coverage on the Israel-Hamas war.
Best Drama: Sherlock & Co. with Joel Emery and Adam Jarrell (Holy Smokes Media) chat to Caroline Steel on how their modern take on Sherlock & Co has been a hit with audiences on Goalhanger.
Best Music Breakfast Show. Boogie & Arlene (Forth1) talk to Nikita Kanda ( BBC Asian Network) about their Gold winning local radio show. And all 3 guests reveal early morning secrets!
Impact Stage, 11.30-1pm
Generation Election: How young voices dominated.
They called it the TikTok election. In the 2024 general election campaign, political parties forked over more cash than ever on social media ads as they vied for the support of young voters. But were they really on the same page as the young people they were trying to reach? And is the audio industry doing any better? Join our panel – Jonelle Awomoyi and Kirsty Grant from the BBC’s Reliable Sauce podcast, Bauer Media’s Henrietta Harrison and Jordan Kenny from Newsbeat on BBC Radio 1 – to find out how they championed young voices during the election campaign.
How do you break into the industry nowadays? Tom Bett (Transmission Roundhouse), Tommy Dixon (BBC Sounds/Audiolab), Jon Mounsor (Spotify), Adele Cross (BBC 1Xtra) talk to Molly Palmer (BBC Radio Wales) about breaking into the audio industry and how everyone’s path to a career in audio is different.
LOL - why laughter is so important in audio. Tom Price (Magic Drive), Ben Cartwright (Help I Sexted My Boss), Aniya Das (Northern News), Ella Woods (BBC Studios) talk to Kat Shoob (Magic Drive) about the importance of laughter and comedy in audio.
Festival Stage, 2-3.30pm
Give the audience what they want: Impact on community and audiences with Pete Snodden, Ahmed Hussain, Yvonne Milner and Rob Khan.
Paris 2024 - A summer of Olympic-sized impact with Michael Weadock, Natalie Sawyer and Adam Gemili.
Sound Bath: Can we switch off from the day job? When we work in audio, are we still able to use it to help us unwind? Fresh from their stint at this year’s BBC Proms, join sound artists Yasemin Kahveci and Cecilia Tyrrell as they lead a 'Sound Bath' - a fully immersive session in sound; a space to listen, to reflect on the day, escape the confines of your phone and leave your schedule behind.
Hear from the artists about how the piece was brought together before closing your eyes and embarking on a guided meditation - losing yourself in sound.
ARIAS Stage, 2-3.30pm
Best Specialist Music Show with Lady Unchained (National Prison Radio) tells Dan Noble the incredible story behind Free Flow, the gold winning show that’s a hit with audiences behind bars.
Best Comedy 'I Don't Know What to Say'(BBC R4). Laura Smyth tells Catherine Carr how her show ‘I Don’t Know What To Say’ ( BBCRadio 4) is centred around her own experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer, a topic that’s still taboo for many.
Best Coverage of an Event. Trevor Nelson (BBC R2) tells CassKidd (BBC 1Xtra) why the Windrush 75 event meant so much to him.
Impact Stage, 2-3.30pm
When did History become so cool?Historians and Podcasters Mina Moriarty, Hannah Parker and Greg Jenner talk to Rebecca Messina about all things History and how and when it became so ‘cool’.
Decolonising Our Audio Content - Sylvie Carlos in conversation with...
Curious about what decolonising the media really means for the audio industry? We’ve got you covered! Join Sylvie Carlos, academic researcher and producer of 'Our London, Our Spaces' (commissioned by the London Mayor’s Office), and multi-award-winning podcaster Hannah Àjàlá-Rahman (host of Love, Janessa) for an unfiltered conversation on why decolonising audio content matters using personal anecdotes and discussing media coverage.
PRIDE: On Air and in the Community with Suzi Ruffell (Virgin Radio), & Crosse, (Dublin's FM104s Strawberry Alarm Clock Breakfast Show) and Jack Murley, (Broadcaster & Pride List 2024).
Festival Stage, 4-5.30pm
Building a Winning Podcast Partnership: How to Work with A-List Talent. Nicole Logan (Goalhanger) speaks to Jack Davenport (Co-founder Goalhanger), Ami Bennett (Director - Colour It In), Rhyanna Coleman (Head of Podcasts, YMU), and Steph McGovern (Journalist, Producer and Presenter, Host of The Rest Is Money).
This panel explores how to manage relationships with A-list celebrity talent. Industry experts will share key strategies for fostering long-lasting creative and professional partnerships that are both commercially and creatively successful. The discussion will emphasize the importance of transparency, empathy, and efficiency in nurturing these high-stakes relationships.
Cutting through the noise: The Impact of Speech. Tina Daheley speaks to James Williams (BBC Radio Wales Breakfast & WalesCast), Julie Cullen, (Managing Editor, BBC 5Live), and Andrew Alexander (Executive Producer, Times Radio).
Uncanny with Danny Robins. Rhian Roberts (BBC Commissioning Editor- Podcasts, Formats & Digital) speaks to Danny Robins about the incredible success of Uncanny, from the original pitch to today where the programme is now one of the BBC's biggest podcast brands with over 30m downloads, a book, TV series and an annual gathering of believers at Uncanny-Con.
Closing Remarks from Festival Hosts & Festival Co-Chairs Dixi Stewart and Perminder Khatkar
ARIAS Stage, 4-5.30pm
Best Factual Series. Jane MacSorley, Innes Bowen (BBC Studios) and Kent De Pinto (Head of Non-Fiction, Audible UK) talk to Sangita Myska on the making of the incredible unfolding story of I Am Not Nicholas.
Best Entertainment Show. Scott Mills and Ben Stones (BBC Radio 2) chat to Stephanie Hirst on the magic formula of entertaining audiences for decades.
Impact Stage, 4-5.30pm
The Impact of Evolution: how to make money by staying nimble as a podcast business (with Audio UK).
In this session, Bernard Achampong, Chloe Straw and Hannah Brankin explore how to be successful and profitable as a podcast business. Podcast businesses are well known for their ability to shape shift and evolve, to constantly explore new business avenues in order to keep growing. This panel of experts monetise podcast content via commissions, self publishing, subscriptions, merchandise, live shows and many other methods. Come along for a quick fire session, where they share their tips and tricks.
Live Podcast Recording: Quiet Riot. Impressionist and satirist extraordinaire Rory Bremner will join Alex Andreou and Naomi Smith for a live recording of their smash hit, non-shouty politics podcast Quiet Riot, on the Impact Stage. Expect guest appearances from Prime Ministers, MPs past and present and anyone else that Rory can get his talented tonsils around…
After-Party in the garden, proudly supported by PPL and PRS for Music.
Meet the Sponsors
There will be opportunity to chat to our sponsors over refreshments at the Festival. Make your way to the Osler room to find out more about how they support audio and radio and see how they can help you.
With thanks to their generous support:
Friends of the Festival
Supporting inclusion and access to this year's Festival, our sincere thanks to our friends:
