Sessions not to miss at the Radio Academy Festival

The annual Radio Academy Festival kicks off today for a week of discussion, debate and celebration.

Looking and feeling completely different to last year’s festival, The Radio Academy has taken the event online and features five afternoons of over thirty guest and panel sessions, starting today and finishing on Friday 13th November.

You can register here to be part of it, and we’ve compiled a few key events not to miss:

Monday 9th November

The host of the UK’s biggest daily radio moment, Ken Bruce, talks about how the iconic PopMaster started up, and tells us some of his favourite contestant stories. Presented with a little help from his friends…

Tuesday 10th November

Minister for Media and Data, Rt. Hon. John Whittingdale MP, will be in conversation with Amol Rajan from BBC Radio 4’s The Media Show. They’ll look at the legislation and regulation of radio, discuss streaming and new technology, and look to the future of the sector over the next few years.

Wednesday 11th November

Head of BBC Local Radio, Chris Burns, gives her vision of local radio five years from now. How does she think the BBC will sit alongside commercial and community radio, and how will new technology play a part?

Friday 13th November

The new hosts of KISS Breakfast, Jordan Banjo & Perri Kiely, talk about their new show, how it was launched in lockdown and their dual roles as Diversity dancers and breakfast show DJs.

The BBC Controller of Popular Music, Lorna Clarke, marks one year in her new role as boss of Radio 1, 1Xtra, Radio 2, 6Music, Asian Network and Music TV commissioning, with a discussion with Radio 1’s Annie Mac about her vision for the future of those networks.

Nile Rodgers, the Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter turned radio host joins The Radio Academy live from his home in Connecticut to talk with Edith Bowman about his new Apple Music 1 show, Deep Hidden Meaning Radio.

Also lined up for this year’s festival are broadcasters such as Jeremy Vine, Scott Mills, DJ Ace and No Such Thing As A Fish, alongside some of the most influential people in the industry including CEO and Founder of We Are Grape Rachel Barton, Controller of BBC Sounds Jonathan Wall, Radiocentre Chief Executive Siobhan Kenny, Group MD of Bauer Media Audio Dee Ford CBE, talkRADIO station director Dennie Morris, New Content Director of KISS, Rebecca Frank and many more.

For the full list of sessions visit the Radio Academy website and sign up before 2pm to be part of it.