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We had an incredible morning with the team at Radio Skonto in Riga. What stood out wasn’t just the professionalism, but the energy of the show. Uplifting, hopeful, honest and caring, but also playful, sometimes tongue-in-cheek, and when needed, refreshingly direct. It feels less like broadcasting and more like a genuine relationship with the audience. A big thank you to Rita, Valdis Melderis, Sandra France and the entire SKONTO MEDIJU GRUPA team for the warm welcome and for giving us a behind-the-scenes look at how that magic is created. …and for the introduction to a very uniquely Latvian treat. Experiences like this are a strong reminder that, while our industry often focuses on technology, the real value of radio and audio remains deeply human. #RDE2026 #radiodays #Radio #Audio #Broadcasting #radiostreaming

30 years ago radio was about hearing new music first, great music mixes, getting closer to the stars, news, weather and traffic. Today there are better tools for all of this. And yet, according to Edison and Rajar Midas, research is showing that in the US and UK live radio still accounts for 64% and 65% of Share of Audio respectively. The relevance, as James Cridland so eloquently put it, remains: “Radio is a human connection and a shared experience.” That line captured something we kept coming back to at #RDE2026. Across conversations from Europe, Australia, the USA and South Africa, the same tension keeps surfacing: * Scale vs impact * Automation vs connection * Programmatic vs direct Radio doesn’t have a distribution problem. It doesn’t have a relevance problem. It doesn’t have a ‘coolness factor’ problem. The real risk is losing focus on its reason to exist, its raison d’être. In doing so, we dilute value, give it away too easily, or get distracted by sideshows at the expense of the core business. Case in point: Stations invest heavily in great content… but too often only monetise the live moment. Which means most of that value is lost the minute the broadcast ends. The real opportunity is in extending that value: Reuse it. Repackage it. Distribute it across platforms to grow your audience, and bring that audience back into your own ecosystem where the value is highest. (Video builds reach. Audio builds intimacy.) Because the value of audio isn’t just in when it’s live, it’s in how long it can keep working, where it can go, and how effectively it can generate revenue. The stations that get this right don’t just grow audience, they unlock entirely new revenue streams from the same content. At iono.fm, we focus on making this practical: Turning live radio into on-demand content quickly Distributing it reliably across platforms And enabling monetisation beyond the broadcast window This isn’t a regional challenge. It’s global. The shift is already happening. The question is who captures that value first. See you in Palma next year, for Radiodays Europe 2027. Until then, let’s stay connected and keep the conversation going. #jamescridland #podnews #radiodays #radiocontent #audio #radiostreaming #podcast #radio

Day 2 at Radiodays Europe Today’s conversations really sharpened something for us… Across markets - Europe, Australia, USA and South Africa - the same challenges keep showing up: * Audiences are fragmented across platforms * Aggregators own a big chunk of listening (and the data) * CPMs are being driven down by programmatic and global players * Sales teams are busy… but not always set up to win in digital One stat that stood out: 👉 ~40–50% of listening happening on aggregators where stations have almost zero user insight That’s not just a tech problem - it’s a revenue problem What’s encouraging though: There’s a real appetite to rethink the model The strongest idea that kept coming through: - Stop selling “cheap digital audio” - Start selling trusted audiences + content + context Because when you do that: - CPMs don’t sit at €4–€5 - They can move to €30+ - And campaigns become about impact, not just impressions Also a big reality check: - Audio is still powerful - But we need to make it simpler, more direct, and more valuable for both listeners and advertisers Loved these conversations - honest, practical, and very aligned with what we’re seeing across markets More to come from Riga We’ll still be around tomorrow always happy to chat about how stations can: • Monetise audio more simply • Sell inventory directly • Keep more revenue closer to the broadcaster Find us here: Annelize Bakkes https://lnkd.in/dqM7npK6 Francois Retief https://lnkd.in/d44S3mQR #RadiodaysEurope #Audio #Radio #Podcasting #DigitalAudio #AdTech #MediaSales #radiodays

One of the most honest sessions at Radiodays Europe from @Nikos Kartelias: “We don’t have a product problem. We have a communication problem.” That landed. Because the data (from WPP Media and Radiocentre) and presented by Donna B. is clear: - Audio works. - ROI is strong. - Listening is growing. And yet… budgets keep shifting to digital platforms. Not because they’re better. But because they’re easier to understand. Google and Meta didn’t just build ad platforms, they built education systems. They make advertisers feel smart, in control, confident. Meanwhile, we’re still explaining audio in: CPMs, reach and frequency. ''We’re writing prescriptions for pharmacists instead of explaining the solution to the patient.''- Nikos Kartelias At the same time, the industry is being pushed toward more complexity (programmatic, layered tech, fragmented solutions) …when many broadcasters still have something incredibly powerful: - Direct relationships - Trusted voices - High-impact inventory And the ability to monetise it directly. Sometimes the opportunity isn’t adding more complexity. It’s simplifying how we sell, explain, and package what already works. We’ll be around at Radiodays Europe tomorrow and Tuesday- always happy to chat about how stations can: • Monetise audio more simply • Sell inventory directly • Keep more revenue closer to the broadcaster Find us here: Annelize Bakkes https://lnkd.in/dqM7npK6 Francois Retief https://lnkd.in/d44S3mQR #RadiodaysEurope #AudioAdvertising #Radio #Podcasting #MediaStrategy #adtech #rde #adtech #radiostreaming #radiodays

We’re heading to Radiodays Europe. No stand. No stage. Just conversations. If you’re a broadcaster, publisher or podcaster thinking about the next phase of digital audio - whether that’s reliability, growth or monetisation - we’d love to meet. Riga, Latvia Reach out to us on LinkedIn or email us at sales@iono.fm #RadiodaysEurope #AudioIndustry #LetsTalkAudio #BroadcastInfrastructure #AudioOps #RDE #radiostreaming #digitalaudio #radiotech #radiostream #podcast Francois Retief Leigh Cox

If you’re a running a community or commercial radio station, then you already know digital audio is more than just hosting files. It’s about keeping streams reliable, tracking real listener data for ad sales and audience growth and making sure downtime never costs you audience or revenue. At iono.fm we combine reliable radio streaming, podcast hosting and dynamic ad capabilities into one streamlined ecosystem. We’ll be at Radiodays Europe and would enjoy talking with others working on the reliability, infrastructure and monetisation side of digital audio. DM us if you'd like to connect while we're there. Or email sales@iono.fm #PodcastHosting #radiodays #RDE #BroadcastInfrastructure #AudioOps #radiostreaming #digitalaudio #radiotech #ionofm #adtech #audioads

What keeps you up at night about your radio stream? A lot of digital audio conversations focus on content and monetisation. Fewer focus on the infrastructure underneath, until something breaks. At iono.fm, reliability is a core focus:: • Send dual input streams for redundancy,  • Automated alerts for connection drops or dead air, • Send Icecast, RTMP or SRT input, • Delivery from a load balanced pool of edge servers ..on all our packages! At Radiodays Europe, we’re keen to hear how broadcasters are thinking about resilience and scale in their digital stacks. #BroadcastInfrastructure #AudioOps #RDE #radiostreaming #digitalaudio #radiotech #radiodays #radiodayseurope Francois Retief Annelize Bakkes Leigh Cox

Collaboration across infrastructure and commercial partners is key to sustainable digital audio growth in Africa. #DigitalAudio #AfricanMedia #AudioAdvertising #Podcasting #AdTech

For those new to iono.fm : We’re a digital audio platform, a complete solution for radio streaming and podcast hosting with ad insertion and other advanced features. Proudly serving radio stations and podcasters since 2011. Today, hundreds of publishers rely on our technology to deliver reliable audio at scale. As we head to Radiodays Europe, we look forward to connecting with radio stations to discuss their digital growth strategies. If you’re attending, let’s meet up. 🤝 #DigitalAudio #RadioTech #RDE #radiodays

At iono.fm, we couldn’t agree more with Hendrik Baird. “The harsh reality is that podcasters operating primarily on platforms like TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube are not homeowners in the digital space — they’re tenants.” Discovery platforms are powerful. But ownership is protection. That’s why we believe every serious podcaster should have a stable, independent publishing infrastructure — one that ensures your RSS feed, archive, analytics and distribution remain under your control. At iono.fm, we help broadcasters and creators build that foundation, so your content isn’t just visible, it’s secure. Because your audience should be an asset you own, not access you rent. If your audience is the asset you need to monetise, you need the ability to package, measure and sell that audience on your terms. That requires infrastructure you control. South African Podcasters Guild Baird Media #PodcastHosting #AudioStreaming #ContentDistribution #PodcastAnalytics #BroadcastSolutions #AudioIndustry #MediaTech  #IONOfm https://lnkd.in/daq-MHJM