The Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) has announced the speaker lineup for its first Melbourne Sound-Byte conference, a dedicated audio industry event for independent media agencies.
The event, to be held on Wednesday, July 30 at Half Dome’s Melbourne office, is supported by Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) and will feature representatives from ARN, Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), NOVA Entertainment, Nine, and Mamamia.
The Melbourne edition builds on the success of the inaugural Sound-Byte held in Sydney last month, and will bring together radio hosts, podcasters, and audio executives to explore trends, tools, and opportunities in the evolving Australian audio market.
Triple M Melbourne breakfast hosts Nick Riewoldt and Rosie Walton will deliver a keynote session. Riewoldt, a former AFL player, joined the show last year, while Walton is a long-time Triple M contributor with three decades of radio experience.
Half Dome Founder & Head of Clients Will Harms will moderate a panel on “Content is Still King: The Art of Entertainment,” featuring Nova’s Joel Creasey, podcaster and former MAFS contestant Ella Mae Ding, radio announcer Craig Huggins, and Mamamia’s Eliza Sorman Nilsson.
CRA CEO Lizzie Young will host a discussion on the future of audio, covering AudioID and measurement, with panellists from SCA, NOVA, and ARN.
The podcasting market will also be in focus, with ARN’s Corey Layton leading a session alongside executives from Mamamia, LiSTNR, and NOVA Entertainment.
IMAA CEO, Sam Buchanan, said: “The Australian audio industry continues to grow, particularly across digital formats like streaming and podcasting, while traditional radio also remains a growing medium. The ongoing growth of the sector means it’s important for our members to understand the value of audio in their media planning and how they can leverage audio channels to deliver results.
“Our Melbourne Sound-Byte event is an opportunity for our Victorian members to exclusively hear from some of the local audio industry’s most experienced talent, both on-air and behind-the-scenes, to get some fresh insights into the future of the sector and why they should invest in audio.”
CRA CEO, Lizzie Young, said: “Audio is known for its intimacy, immediacy, and innovation. Sound Byte is a great opportunity to learn about audio’s evolution and how brands can best harness its power to deliver results that drive business growth, whilst investing in local media that funds the content communities rely on.”
The Sound-Byte events are part of IMAA’s popular Byte series, which launched with the Digi-Byte events last year. The Melbourne Sound-Byte event will be held on Wednesday, July 30.