Commercial Radio’s National Radio Conference takes place tomorrow at Luna Park in Sydney. On the conference agenda are digital radio, management, programming and regulatory topics, plus the launch of the second edition of the book Making Radio. Corridor talk will no doubt also include the latest developments on the new media legislation which has just passed the Senate.

British Digital Radio expert Nick Piggott from GCap Media is back in Australia again with the latest insights into the growing success of digital radio in the UK. He will speak after lunch.

During a recent ABU conference speech in Kuala Lumpur Piggott reported that digital now represents 55% of all households. “In these households DAB is the most popular radio platform,” said Piggott, who reported sales of digital radio sets have increased by 46% since May last year, with now over 3.25 million sets sold.

In good news for Australian radio operators, Piggott is will tell conference delegates about the increased listening times spent with digital radio, with digital users listening to 16% more radio than analog radio users.

There are now more than 250 types of digital radio receiver available on the British market.

The annual radio conference begins early, at 7.30am, with a breakfast session on sales called The Accidental Salesperson by Chris Lytle from the USA. Plenary sessions include the ACCC’s views on Cross Media markets, with Graham Samuel and panel discussions on advertising, digital radio and the internet.

Steve Ahern’s new edition of Making Radio will be launched at 10.45 after a Keynote Address from John Cleese and a session on growth opportunities for radio’s future.

For the full conference program click below.