PARIS — The 2019 edition of Salon de la Radio/European Radio and Digital Audio Show takes place at the Grande Halle de Villette in Paris, Jan. 24–26.
Organizers say they expect this year’s radio and digital audio show to attract more than 7,000 visitors, 25 percent of which are international.
On tap for attendees will be a technical exhibition featuring some 130 exhibitors, displaying their products and services over a 3,920 square-meter show floor; 130 sessions and workshops, featuring speakers from France and abroad; and a host of special events and dedicated areas within the venue.
Exhibiting companies include Wheatstone, Tieline, Comrex, WorldCast, Digigram, AETA Audio Sytems, Lawo, GatesAir, WinMedia, NeoGroupe, RCS, The Telos Alliance, DB Elettronica and SAVE Diffusion.
Making an entry into the 2019 edition is “Podcast & Co.,” an area dedicated to audio-on-demand for podcasts, mobile journalism (mojo) and mobile video. This space, explains organizers, will allow for interaction and discussion between podcast operators and showcase the latest solutions to ease the daily work of content editors. Also new will be “The Sales House” for advertising industry specialists to demonstrate radio’s appeal, providing exclusive master classes that target buyers, agencies and advertisers.
NEW FEATURES
In addition, a 250-square-meter “Muzicenter Discover” lounge — in partnership with Yacast and Société Ricard Live Music, with sound provided by Yamaha — will allow program directors to discover new artists, and then meet with the record labels in the nearby Muzicenter Meetup area.
Finally, “Rebounce Audio — Podcast & Radio Hackathon” will focus on innovative production and formats to attract different audiences. Accessible 24 hours a day for teams to work on prototypes and mockups, the space will let participants test and propose inventive content and review different listening technologies (Alexa Skills, podcasts, 3D sound) in view of developing original uses for these tools.
“We’re launching several additional areas this year, and with good reason. On one hand, there is the podcast, which is quite a talking point and is generating great interest among professionals and buyers or advertisers. Then there are the advertisers selling these new media tools: voice assistants, podcasts, and national DAB+, which has started to appear,” said Philippe Chapot, European Radio Show director.
He added, “With a unique showcase and meeting space for music industry professionals, our goal is to create the opportunity to bring new voices to the attention of radio stations. It is important for us to support diversity and encourage the discovery of the latest talent. These changes are a way of expanding the professional audiences that form an integral part of the radio sector and have a rightful place at the radio and digital audio show.”
This year Spain and Portugal are the 2019 guests of honor and representatives from some 20 Iberian radio stations will be present and taking part in a Paris VIP Latino Tour, which will take them to various companies and emblematic places for radio around Paris. They will also attend a special concert as part of the “Semain du Son” event, a European Radio Show partner.
[Read: World Radio Day 2019 Underscores Radio’s Role in Encouraging Peace]
The European Radio show, the venue for the official launch of Connectonair.com (a new multimedia content delivery platform that will also broadcast this year’s show) will also host Paris Radio Night on Thursday Jan. 24 at the Cabaret Sauvage nightclub; the Grand Prix Radio and Digital Awards and Young Talent in Radio Awards.
