About

The Audio Academy is proud to put listeners centre stage at this year’s Audio Academy Festival. The UK’s most successful broadcasters, business leaders and technological innovators will share the secrets of their outstanding ability to connect with audiences, while immersive sonic experiences and practical sessions will show why it’s natural for us to put audio first.
Tickets still available via audioacademy.org.uk/festival
1
Day
65
Speakers
9
Sponsors
37
Sessions
1. October, 2026 | 11 St Andrews Pl, London NW1 4LE, UK

Audio Academy Festival 2026

Speakers

Adam Batty
Adam Batty
Writer, Producer, Presenter Freelance
Ade Oladipo
Ade Oladipo
Sports Broadcaster and Journalist
Alfie Moore
Alfie Moore
Comedian and Broadcaster
Ali Tant
Ali Tant
Director of Marketing Polydor Records
Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Presenter, Fame Under Fire BBC
Anthony Moore
Anthony Moore
Founding Partner & Chief Creative Officer Factory Studios
Ben Younie
Ben Younie
Group Director, UK Beano Brain
Bobby Friction
Bobby Friction
DJ and TV Host
Catherine Carr
Catherine Carr
Presenter/Producer Pocket Productions
Chris Hawkins
Chris Hawkins
DJ BBC Radio 6 Music
Chris Jones
Chris Jones
Head of Production, Audible Content International Audible
Clive Dickens
Clive Dickens
Managing Partner The Meliora Company
Danielle Perry
Danielle Perry
Presenter Bauer
Dave Masterman
Dave Masterman
Director Significant Productions
Dellessa James
Dellessa James
Senior Artist Relations Manager Amazon Music
Dom Chambers
Dom Chambers
Dom Hodge
Dom Hodge
Head of Yoto Studios Yoto
Elis James
Elis James
Comedian, Broadcaster and Actor
Elizabeth Day
Elizabeth Day
Author, Broadcaster and Podcaster
Emily Richardson
Emily Richardson
Co-Founder LALA Music
Faridat Raifu
Faridat Raifu
Georgia Cavendish
Georgia Cavendish
Senior Audience Planner BBC Audio
Grace Jasper
Grace Jasper
Audience Research Manager BBC
Greg James
Greg James
BBC Radio 1
Hanae Harmony
Hanae Harmony
Founder Harmony Sound
Heidi Dawson
Heidi Dawson
Controller, BBC Radio 5 Live & Head of the North of England BBC
James Cridland
James Cridland
Radio Futurologist and Editor Podnews
Jane Mulkerrins
Jane Mulkerrins
Times Radio presenter and Associate Editor, The Times Magazine Times Radio
Jeremiah Asiamah
Jeremiah Asiamah
Presenter BBC Radio 1
Joe Foley
Joe Foley
Podcast Producer Cup & Nuzzle
John Dash
John Dash
Jon Gill
Jon Gill
General Manager, Sport Goalhanger
Jon Harvey
Jon Harvey
Comedian, Writer and Broadcaster
Katherine Templar-Lewis
Katherine Templar-Lewis
Co-Founder Kind Studios
Kathleen Moroney
Kathleen Moroney
Executive Creative Director Forever Audio
Katie Thistleton
Katie Thistleton
Presenter, Journalist and Author BBC
Katie-Louise Buxton
Katie-Louise Buxton
Presenter, Producer, Music Journalist and DemoFactor winner
Laura Fisher
Laura Fisher
Audio and Entertainment Analyst MIDiA Research
Liam Fisher
Liam Fisher
Head of talkSPORT talkSPORT
Louisa Lewis
Louisa Lewis
Executive Producer, The Mishal Husain Show Bloomberg
Lydia Mossahebi
Lydia Mossahebi
Head of Youtube Content and Programme Strategy BBC Children's and Education
Matt Deegan
Matt Deegan
Partner Folder Media and Podcast Discovery
Matt Everitt
Matt Everitt
Founder Cup & Nuzzle
Michael Aldag
Michael Aldag
Musician
Mishal Husain
Mishal Husain
Host of The Mishal Husain Show, Bloomberg Weekend Bloomberg
Myles Clarke
Myles Clarke
Senior Music Engineer Dolby
Neev Spencer
Neev Spencer
Broadcaster Magic Radio
Nerm
Nerm
Broadcaster, DJ and Producer Shiva Soundsystem
Niall Smith
Niall Smith
Journalist, Archivist and Broadcaster
Paul Gerrard
Paul Gerrard
Director of Content Hits Radio and KISS Network - Bauer Media Audio UK
Peter Maginn
Peter Maginn
Managing Director, Commercial Insight Beano Brain
Rhodri Talfan Davies
Rhodri Talfan Davies
BBC

Program

Stages
Festival Stage
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00

Welcome!

09:30 - 09:45

Fellowship Presentation

09:50 - 10:00

The R-Word: Does Radio Still Matter?

10:00 - 10:45
Simon Myciunka
Steve Jones
Sophie K

Immersive Art Experience from RCP Events

11:00 - 11:30

ARIAS Listening

11:35 - 11:55

Greg James and Jeremiah Asiamah… in conversation

12:00 - 12:45
Greg James
Jeremiah Asiamah

In Memoriam

12:50 - 13:00

Lunch

13:00 - 14:00

Meet Gen Alpha: Why Audio Matters and How to Win Their Attention

14:00 - 14:45
Peter Maginn
Ben Younie
Neev Spencer
Dom Hodge
Lydia Mossahebi

Fellowship Presentation

14:50 - 15:00

The Future of the BBC

15:00 - 15:15
Rhodri Talfan Davies
Katie Thistleton

The Magic of the Cymru Connection

15:30 - 15:45
Elis James
Dave Masterman

Music: Stayin' Alive

16:00 - 16:45
Bobby Friction
Seani B
Danielle Perry
Dellessa James
Michael Aldag

Closing remarks

16:50 - 17:00

Audio Academy Festival Networking Drinks supported by PPL and PRS for Music

17:00 - 19:00
ARIAS Stage
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00

Courtrooms and Clickbait: Reporting Fame Under Fire

11:00 - 11:25
Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty
Jane Mulkerrins

Alfie Moore: It's a Fair Cop

11:30 - 11:55
Jon Harvey
Alfie Moore

The Media Club with Matt Deegan - live at the Audio Academy festival

12:00 - 12:50
Matt Deegan Matt Deegan

In Memoriam

12:50 - 13:00

Lunch

13:00 - 14:00

Fellowship Presentation

14:00 - 14:10

Arias Moment of the Year: Mishal Husain and Louisa Lewis in conversation with Elizabeth Day

14:10 - 14:45
Mishal Husain
Louisa Lewis
Elizabeth Day

ARIAS Listening

14:50 - 15:00

How Hits Radio became station of the year 2025

15:25 - 15:55
Paul Gerrard
Matt Deegan
Steph Hill

My Stalker Moved In Next Door: Victoria Glover

16:00 - 16:45
Victoria Glover
Catherine Carr

Audio Academy Festival Networking Drinks supported by PPL and PRS for Music

17:00 - 19:00
Impact Stage
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00

Clive Dickens: Clive Dickens: Can you trust your ears? AI, Authenticity and the Next Chapter of Audio’ live stream from Sydney

09:00 - 09:20
Clive Dickens Clive Dickens

"Everyone's got a podcast these days" - So why will audiences choose yours?

11:00 - 11:25
Grace Jasper
Georgia Cavendish

Lead Like a Rockstar:Steve Jones (Stingray)

11:30 - 11:55
Steve Jones Steve Jones

The future of radio is people powered

12:00 - 12:25
James Cridland James Cridland

Your Specialist Subject: The Fastest-Growing Part of UK Radio

12:30 - 12:55
John Dash
Stephanie Hirst
Faridat Raifu
Dom Chambers

In Memoriam

12:55 - 13:00

Lunch

13:00 - 14:00

Beatles to the Dancefloor - AI & Music

14:00 - 14:25
Nerm Nerm

What does the future of music journalism sound like?

14:25 - 14:50
Adam Batty
Steve Lamacq
Niall Smith
Katie-Louise Buxton
Laura Fisher

ARIAS Listening

15:00 - 15:20

Who Won the World Cup?

15:30 - 15:50
Liam Fisher
Heidi Dawson
Jon Gill
Ade Oladipo

Audio Academy Festival Networking Drinks supported by PPL and PRS for Music

17:00 - 19:00
Dolby Library
09:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
19:00

Dracula: A New Era of Cinematic Audio Drama

11:00 - 11:50
Robin Morgan-Bentley
Chris Jones
Anthony Moore

Reimagining John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Mixing the Ultimate Collections in Dolby Atmos

12:00 - 12:45
Chris Hawkins
Simon Hilton
Sam Gannon

Lunch

13:00 - 14:00

Demystifying Dolby Atmos

14:00 - 14:30
Richard Addis Richard Addis

The Story Behind "Speaking in Tongues: The Rolling Stones Podcast"

15:00 - 15:45
Ali Tant
Joe Foley
Matt Everitt
Myles Clarke

Forever Audio Presents: Mind, Body and Sound

16:00 - 17:00
Kathleen Moroney
Katherine Templar-Lewis
Emily Richardson
Tobie Pettit
Hanae Harmony

Audio Academy Festival Networking Drinks supported by PPL and PRS for Music

17:00 - 19:00

Contact information

Event location
Event date:
1. October, 2026
Event location:
11 St Andrews Pl, London NW1 4LE, UK
Organizer:
[email protected]
Contact organizer