Credit: IMAA
More than 80 independent media agency professionals attended the Independent Media Agencies of Australia’s (IMAA) inaugural Victorian Sound-Byte event in Melbourne.
The conference yesterday showcased leading Australian radio talent and industry experts to help members understand the audio landscape and integrate it into marketing strategies.
SCA Triple M Melbourne breakfast hosts Nick Riewoldt and Rosie Walton delivered the keynote, sharing insights from their show Mick in the Morning with Roo, Titus and Rosie.
“Every morning, we wake up looking forward to doing the show. We just talk about the stuff that excites us or interests us, and that’s where you get the good connection points of people listening,” Walton said.
“For me, radio is about connection with the city and connection with the audience, which then allows you to connect with what’s going on in real time, it’s a real point of difference.”
Riewoldt said radio presented the opportunity to cover a ‘breadth of topics’.
“Whether you’re covering the mushroom trial and getting fully immersed in that, or whatever’s topical or big in Melbourne, that’s something I really appreciate,” he said.
“I’m constantly surprised by the connection points you experience on a day-to-day basis. It’s a nice feeling to know what you’re talking about is resonating.”
Walton, who has worked at Triple M for nearly 30 years, highlighted the importance of authenticity in radio.
“It comes back to being authentic and transparent, with the audience, the content and the style of show, it’s so important,” she said.
A panel featuring Nova Drive host Joel Creasey, podcaster Ella Mae Ding, ARN GOLD Network’s Craig Huggins, and Mamamia Head of Content Eliza Sorman Nilsson discussed content trends, moderated by Half Dome founder Will Harms.
Sorman Nilsson emphasised the rise of intimacy in storytelling that radio presents.
“We’ve gone from chat shows to proper storytelling, where you really develop this intimacy with the content and the listener,” she said.
“It’s that intimacy that is now really driving influence and changing how people think and feel.”
Ding noted the value of authentic brand partnerships.
“If I align myself with a brand that I genuinely believe in, consume, or I’m curious to know more about, I feel like that translates with my audience,” she said.
Separate panels addressed the future of audio and podcasting.
CRA CEO Lizzie Young moderated a discussion on AudioID and measurement with leaders from SCA, NOVA Entertainment, and ARN. ARN’s Corey Layton led a panel on podcasting market strategies with representatives from Mamamia, LiSTNR, and NOVA Entertainment.
IMAA CEO Sam Buchanan said the event was “another success” in offering members access to leading industry expertise.
“The Sound-Byte conference would not have been possible without the support of the Australian audio sector, we’ve been incredibly lucky to have some of the leaders in Australian audio, both behind-the-scenes and on the mic, sharing their expertise with our members,” he said.
He added the event’s aim was to provide members with real-world experience and a deeper understanding of the national media landscape.
The Melbourne Sound-Byte follows last month’s inaugural Sydney event, attended by nearly 85 IMAA members from 45 independent agencies.
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