In Amsterdam 1500 participants have gathered to hear 120 of the radio industry’s leading minds discuss ideas and initiatives about the future of radio.

This year’s theme is ‘a sound future.’

Opening the conference, organiser Anders Held said:

“I believe there is a bright future for radio if we reinvent ourselves and change… There is also a growing audio market and many new platforms which is very interesting.”

The EBU’s Graham Dixon, in an opening speech, said the radio industry should focus on how people listen, rather than focus on what radio does.

“The traditional definition of radio is still true, but it is now incomplete. It is not just about education, information and entertainment, it is now also about company and giving people a voice. it creates a community and connects us with the wider world.”

Despite all the new changes and innovations we still need terrestrial broadcasting for 3 reasons,” said Dixon.

The reasons are: security, social exclusion and gatekeepers.

“Terrestrial broadcasts can’t be hacked just at the critical moment that we need emergency information, but IP streams can.

“For those who can’t afford the internet, radio is cheap, after a one off puchase you can listen free.

“With broadcast radio, no one else is controlling your signal.

He acknowledged another big event for radio this year, the launch of the .radio domain.

“We hope that it will enhance the identity of radio… It is a resilient medium that continues to respond to human needs… Lets continue to write the next chapter of radio,” he said.

Other points made by speakers this morning include:
 

Click the links from our tweets below to see live feeds of each of this morning’s sessions.