A controversy about ownership, format and licensing changes at Classic FM spilled over into Radio Days Africa 2021 when a question on the issue was asked at a conference session.

Based solely on yesterday’s jam packed programme featuring four incredible sessions, you wouldn’t be able to tell that Radio Days Africa 2021 was slowly starting to draw to a close.

Last night saw the return of “The RDA Fringe: Podmeet”, a session done in collaboration with Podmeet founder Elna Schütz. This marked the fourth time that a Podmeet was being hosted and streamed in collaboration with Radio Days Africa. The session was subsequently simulcast on the Wits Radio Academy Facebook page, and shared to YouTube shortly after.

Calling all storytellers! Radio insiders will know all too well about the power of viewing the medium as the “theatre of the mind”. Day 8 of Radio Days Africa took the idea to another level, in a double masterclass session hosted by the legendary Lynn Joffe, titled “Creating an Audio Brand Story”.

Day 7’s morning session at RDA 2021 was both topical and timely, especially in the wake of ongoing riots in parts of South Africa that saw community stations Alex FM, Westside FM and Ntokozo FM going off air after being vandalised and looted overnight.

Week two of Radio Days Africa 2021 kicked off in style today, with two sessions that had panelists buzzing to share their insights and ideas, and attendees lighting up the chat box with their questions and feedback.

How do you build a long and successful career as a broadcaster? Two people who are highly qualified to talk about this topic are renowned presenter & journalist David O’Sullivan, as well as popular radio & TV broadcaster Sakina Kamwendo. Session 9 of Radio Days Africa (‘The Friday FireSide’) was a “three for one” special in fact, as a result of a surprise twist that saw industry legend Jon Perlman take over the hosting reins from O’Sullivan, effectively turning the tables and interviewing him for the second half of the discussion.

Day 4’s attendees at Radio Days Africa 2021 were in for a treat thanks to “Podcasting 101”, a masterclass presented by Jon Savage. With thirteen years of podcasting experience under his belt, the session was jam-packed with details about how to get started and sustain a show of your own in this growing digital branch of broadcasting.

After its popularity last year, it’s no surprise that “The Future Is Female” returned to Radio Days Africa in style this year. Renowned journalist Claire Mawisa returned to talk to a panel nothing short of powerhouse female broadcasters and media professionals, predominantly about their journeys to where they are today, as well as the challenges they’ve had to overcome along the way.

Back by popular demand, “Ask The Programme Manager” got things started on Day 2 of Radio Days Africa 2021. Hosted by long-time radio expert and enthusiast Tim Zunckel, the popular session featured contributions from Masixole Mdingane (Programme Manager at Umhlobo Wenene FM in South Africa), Naveen Singh (Programme Manager at Smile 90.4 FM in South Africa) and Lynda Oriaso (Programme Controller at Radio Maisha in Kenya).

Radio Days Africa is back with a bang! The theme for the 2021 edition of the conference is “Audio Amplified”, which aims to touch on the growth of audio consumption in a multi-platform broadcasting environment. One of the many broadcasting platforms available is campus radio, and to wet the appetites of delegates right from the get go, the morning session included an engaging discussion between some of the key stakeholders in the South African sector.