Commercial Radio Malaysia president Nazri Noran (pictured) welcomed delegates to Kuala Lumpur for Radiodays Asia 2024, saying: “Radio has always been a big part of my life as it is for many of you here.

“Just days after celebrating our national day we welcome you to Malaysia. Radio is woven into the fabric of our lives in this country, but the landscape is evolving faster than ever.”

As CEO of Media Prima, Nori says his stations are “not just keeping up, we are innovating.”

“As we move forward it is crucial that we stick to our roots as well. Our strength lies in our diversity, we broadcast in many languages to reach every corner of Malaysia so that they feel heard and included.. Race, religion, royalty are core values in Malaysia, how we handle these sensitive topics is important and we need to project unity as well as diversity… The ongoing crisis in Palestine is a stark reminder of how the world is connected and this touches us here, affecting advertising revenue.”

Turning challenges into positives, he explained: “We have one of the best traffic jams in the region, which is good for business because it increases radio time spent listening…  in KL we have also had leadership changes and media has had to adapt to those governmental changes as well.”

“Radiodays Asia has become a meeting place to share ideas across the region and beyond,” said Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Bin Md Isa, the Chief Secretary for the Ministry of Communications, opening the conference.

“The importance of this event cannot be overstated, as we stand at the cross roads of technological change and shifting consumer habits. In Malaysia, Radio is a trusted companion in our daily lives that connects our diverse community.

“As technology shifts we must adapt and evolve while preserving the core values that have made radio an indispensable part of our lives. The coming of AI has made the landscape more competitive than ever before. In Malaysia we understand the need to ensure the talent and connection of radio remain paramount into the future to enrich the tapestry of our nation.”

“Radio remains resilient, a reliable source of news and a platform for cultural expression,” he said.

Radiodays CEO Peter Niegel told the 300 conference delegates about the energy in the Malaysian economy at the moment.  “Kuala Lumpur is part of one of the fastest growing economies in the world…”

“We have one of the oldest and one of the most loved industries in the world. Radio keeps coming with new ways to reach our audiences in this digital age. It is our job to make the most of those opportunities.

“Our focus in this year’s conference is identifying new opportunities for audio. While audio still remains strong, there are many new challenges. Radio holds its reach and podcasting is growing, but we need to constantly reinvent ourselves to remain relevant, to do that we will need to work with new technologies such as AI.”

Artificial intelligence is one of the topics in this year’s conference.

ABU Head of Radio Olya Booyar (pictured) says radio’s challenges are not unique.

“Everyone is struggling with change, we are no different from other industries. ABU members rely on technology as much as everyone else. Moving audiences to new platforms and improved production tools such as AI is important. Audiences make ever increasing use of their smartphones.

“We need to adapt to all the new tools, but we also need to remember that trust and reputation are some of the most needed characteristics in a crowded and sometimes fake media market…

“Radio of my parents generation is well and truly dead, but radio of the next generation on platforms we cannot yet imagine, has a bright future. For instance, podcasting has proven that long form content is still in demand…

“Tap into the collective experience of everyone here and learn how to dominate your market before everyone else does,” she urged conference delegates.

The conference continues in KL for the next three days.