PARIS — The 2019 edition of Salon de la Radio/European Radio Show closed on Saturday Jan. 26 in Paris.
Organizers say the Show, which attracted 6,785 visitors in 2018, gathered this year more than 7,000 visitors, around 30 percent from abroad, including attendees from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Spain and Australia.
Attendees had a choice between 20 master classes, 70 round tables and special events, which focused on investment, new tools, listening behavior and advertising.
Spain and Portugal were this year’s guests of honor, with 20 Iberian radio stations sharing their vision and strategy, which included Prisa Radio, one of the largest Spanish-language radio groups, reaching 13 countries and located in major Hispanic radio markets.
The Show’s Radio Awards and Young Radio Talents’ Awards were, as every year, a great landmark.
2019 SHOW INNOVATIONS
Some of the topics brought to the table concerned DAB+ digital radio, which is finally taking off in France; new challenges of audio mobility with a growing number of people listening to radio on connected devices; digital in cars with connected services (on display was a Volkswagen Touareg SUV equipped with a DAB+ Crooner Radio device); tailor-made radio growth thanks to connected speakers; and the emergence of digital audio formats such as podcasts catching their audience.
This also raised the fundamental question of the specific challenges for the media industry, and the existence of major players such as Google, launching programs that support experimentation.
A comforting trend was audience measurement company Mediamétrie’s recent poll confirming the popularity of radio among young people under the age of 34.
To highlight this trend, the 2019 Show opened a special area “Podcast & Co” dedicated to audio-on-demand, where attendees were able to discuss with podcast operators. This was complemented by a 24 hour-a-day experiment “Rebounce Audio – Podcast and Radio Hackathon,” allowing participants to test different technologies and content.
Philippe Chapot, European Radio Show director, also opened an additional 250-square-meter “Muzicenter Discovery” space, with partners, Yacast and Ricard Live Music, showcasing new artists and talents to be discovered by program directors. This initiative was also enhanced by the Paris Radio Night on Thursday, Jan.24, at Cabaret Sauvage nightclub.
AWARDS
Awards for best stations went to France Inter, Nostalgie, Oui FM, Radio Classique, Belgian stations Nostalgie and La Première, Imagine La Radio and the web radio Krimi. The best DAB+ station was awarded to Crooner Radio, and the Radio 2.0. prize for audio experience to Elson (Hack the Radio).
[Read: European Radio and Digital Audio Show Expands Focus]
Wheatstone, distributed in France by SAVE Diffusion, won the Innovation Award for its ScreenBuilder 2.0, while Belgian new startup company LiLiCAST took home the best radio service honor with its Web App all-in-one recording, editing and sharing video tool. The Telos Alliance, distributed in France by ip-studio, won the Product of the Year Award for the Axia IQx AoIP console, a surface and mix engine rolled into one, as well for the Minnetonka AudioTools Server for processing and watermarking podcast files.
The 2020 Show is scheduled Jan. 23–25 and Germany will be the guest of honor.
