Top of the Tower Podcast #059: Talking Programming at RadioDays

In this week’s edition:

Did you miss out on one of the most interesting radio and podcasting conferences in recent years?

RadioDays North America brought together a lot of Canadian broadcasters – and a few of us from the US – for an intensive and inspiring two days of discussion about all the ways in which radio is still relevant and still connecting with audiences, whether it’s through traditional broadcasting, podcasting or even VR.

We were among the very few US journalists attending, along with Lance Venta from our sister site RadioInsight, and we had the chance to talk to presenters and share some great interviews with you. (We also summed up everything we saw and heard in a guest piece for Sean Ross’ Ross on Radio column – Sean was also one of the few US attendees there.)

In this installment, we talk to Shannon Burns, who at just age 30 is a coast-to-coast radio personality, doing top-40 on a national scale in middays for Bell Media’s Virgin Radio. How do you connect with listeners when you can’t rely on local issues like weather? That’s what she’s trying to figure out, and what she discussed at her “Radio: Can You Handle the Truth” panel.

And we talk to Rick Lee, program director at Corus’ 102.1 the Edge in Toronto, the latest incarnation of the legendary CFNY. How many places have two alternative rockers competing for a big-city audience? Toronto does, and Rick says he’s thrilled to have the competition. (Find out about his political ambitions, or lack thereof, too!)

We’re brought to you, as always, by our friends at Yellowtec US.