Radiodays North America has unveiled its lineup of speakers for its fourth consecutive conference, May 5-6, in downtown Toronto.
Being held concurrent to Departure Festival + Conference, this year’s main stage and keynote events will be hosted at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and Fairmont Royal York.
Among the highlights on this year’s preliminary schedule are Music, Radio & Regulation – An Open Discussion revisiting last fall’s CRTC hearings on Canadian Content in which broadcasters and music industry groups called for urgent updates to the regulatory framework. Moderated by Radiodays North America programming consultant Ross Davies, those participating include Stingray Radio President Steve Jones; Susan Wheeler, VP Regulatory Broadcasting, Rogers Communications; Scott Shortliffe, VP of Broadcasting at the CRTC; and Patrick Rogers, CEO, Music Canada.
The Morning Shift will explore what makes a great morning show in 2026. Moderated by
Ronnie Stanton, Senior Brand Manager and morning host at Z103.5 (CIDC-FM) and Lite 92.1 (CKPC-FM), featured speakers will include morning hosts Shawna Whalen of Q107 (CILQ-FM) Toronto; Paul Harper of JACK 102.3 (CHST-FM) London; and ‘Shem’ Parkinson, Executive Producer at KiSS 92.5 (CKIS-FM) Toronto.
Alison Broddle, Senior Managing Director British Columbia, CBC/Radio-Canada, will moderate Trust Issues: Navigating a New Era of Populism. It will feature Corus Entertainment radio and TV host Ben Mulroney; Vassy Kapelos, host of CTV’s Question Period; and Amy Goodman, host and executive producer of American multi-platform show Democracy Now!
Other sessions include a case study from the Netherlands on how a new audio measurement currency reignited advertiser investment through collaboration, strong market leadership and a clear vision for the future of audio, presented by Frans Kok, COO, Nationaal Media Onderzoek (NMO). Additional speakers include Simon Adler, senior producer and correspondent for WNYC Studios’ Radiolab; NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts producer Bobby Carter; BBC Radio 6 Music Head Samantha Moy; Sounds Profitable Co-founder Tom Webster; Kevin Johnson, CEO & President, WPP Media; talent coach Craig Bruce; iHeartRadio Canada and Orbyt Media Director of Radio Sarah Cummings; and CRTC Chairperson and CEO Vicky Eatrides.
“Radiodays North America is where the most important conversations driving the future of audio are happening,” said Peter Niegel, General Manager and Head of Programming at Radiodays North America. “This year, we’re pleased to bring an extraordinary lineup of speakers and creators to inspire meaningful dialogue that will define the next chapter of radio, podcasting, and audio storytelling.”
This year, Radiodays North America will also offer enhanced tracks at Departure Festival with an aim “to foster cross-sector innovation,” including several evening live podcast events, accessible to Radiodays passholders, including Alan Cross’ Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry on May 6 and Canadian music podcast Big in Canada on May 10.
Radiodays North America is additionally presenting Podcast Creators Day on May 7, in partnership with CBC, the National Campus & Community Radio Association (NCRA), and Canadaland. The event will feature sessions on audience growth, monetization, video strategy, AI tools, and brand partnerships. On May 9, the Soundwave Summit also takes place at Harbourfront Centre, bringing together creators and podcast industry leaders for a day of networking and panels. Both events are available as add-ons to the standard Radiodays North America pass.
