Beds Talks: Fantastic Noise – the future of radio

For the longest time we had been consuming radio in the same way – via our FM/ AM dials. Radio is still hugely popular, 89% of UK people tune in at least once a week (rajar.co.uk). But since the dawn of the digital era, radio has been going through changes;

-Social media
-DAB radio
-The rise of the podcasting movement

Radio is constantly making adjustments. What is the future of radio?

Join us for this very special recording of the Fantastic Noise podcast (https://fantasticnoise.podbean.com) at the University of Bedfordshire discussing the outlook of our beloved audio medium.

Fantastic Noise launched in summer 2018 as an audio platform for themed discussions on what good radio and audio is.

Host Terry Lee is also the Coordinator of the University of Bedfordshire’s community radio station, Radio LaB 97.1FM.

Joining Terry will be:

- Luke Moore from podcast smash-hit ‘The Football Ramble’. Following the success of the Ramble, which launched in 2007, Luke has since co-founded ‘Radio Stakhanov’, a podcast production company and publisher which has recently topped the Itunes podcast charts with ‘JaackMaate’s Happy Hour’ & ‘Berkhamsted Revisited’. Luke is also a regular part of TalkSport’s ‘Season Ticket’, as well as occasionally appearing in other programmes in their schedule.

- Naomi Oiku, the Chair of the Student Radio Association (SRA). Following her graduation from Southampton Solent University in 2014, Naomi has worked at a number of radio organisations including Transmission Roundhouse, Celador, Kiss & her present employer Virgin Radio. For the SRA Naomi has been an active member for over 4 years, taking on the role of the South East Regional Officer & Marketing Officer before becoming Chair in 2017.

- Dr Lawrie Hallett, Senior Lecturer in Radio at the University of Bedfordshire. Lawrie worked as a producer and presenter on stations in the UK and Europe, before becoming a broadcast consultant specialising in technology and community-based broadcasting. Prior to working at the University of Bedfordshire, Lawrie was part of Ofcom's Radio Team where he developed and implemented policies around community radio and digital audio broadcasting in particular. He has also operated an Ofcom Small-Scale DAB Trial in Norwich since September 2015.

The event will be recorded, both as a podcast (to be published soon afterwards), and as a video (for the Fantastic Noise Facebook page).

There will also be a quiz at the end! With prizes to be won. Bring your smartphones to join in. Prizes currently include:

- a tour of BBC Three Counties Radio for a group of up to 4 - a chance to meet and talk to the presenters and producers and to experience first hand, the inner workings of a BBC local radio station.

- a tour of Bauer Media's Golden Square radio-base; home of radio brands such as KISS, Absolute Radio & Magic.

- TWO chances to win an Amazon Echo Dot Smart Speaker.

Before and after the recording there will be an opportunity for networking, and further discussion about radio and our evolving media landscape.

If you are joining us, you represent a radio organisation, and you own a 'pop-up' banner - please bring it along and pop it up on the stage!