The Ontario Association of Broadcasters (OAB) Connection 2024 returns Nov. 6-7, with sessions exploring AI and digital revenue, among other hot topics impacting local radio.

The conference’s Leadership sessions will kick off with a presentation from Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer, Cumulus Media and Westwood One, on Effective Advertising Insights. He’ll discuss several Audio Active Group case studies on the effectiveness of radio campaigns in 2024.

Deloitte will present on AI and Media trends, while an afternoon President’s Panel will address the current state of broadcasting.

Conference Chair Jody Brooker says the panel will feature four radio industry CEOs – Stingray Radio President Steve Jones, Acadia Broadcasting President [and OAB President] Chris Pearson, My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) President Jon Pole, and Evanov Communications President Paul Evanov – “answering the big questions that keep us all awake at night.”

Brooker said the open forum promises to be a heartfelt, frank discussion.

“We’re going to really try to pull back the BS and talk about how we’re surviving,” said Brooker. “I think that’s going to be a great discussion. They all have lots to say and are very vocal people. I think it’s going to be as candid as it can be.”

Since last year’s conference, OAB’s membership is now exclusively made up of independent, privately-held radio groups, with the departure of Corus Entertainment, following its move to reduce staffing levels over the summer in Ontario markets like Kingston.

Brooker said that’s resulted in a more focused mandate to address challenges facing local commercial broadcasters.

“Regulatory issues, shrinking revenues, slimmer margins…how are some of our smaller broadcasters surviving and what are they doing to stay afloat and thrive? We’re not laying staff off, we’re not closing doors. Yes, it’s more challenging, but the private radio groups are still successful and we’re providing great things to our listeners. We know the importance of radio still,” Brooker emphasized, saying stations are starting to “climb the ladder again” after five difficult years.

“We’re at the point where our heads are above water. Is it challenging? Is the business landscape different? But we’re all seeing it come back now and have some momentum again,” said Brooker, who serves as General Sales Manager at Quinte Broadcasting. “We’re also putting out positivity to communities, listeners, businesses…and they’re getting return from doing radio.”

Brooker said this year’s conference will draw more heavily from the OAB membership talent pool than in past years, including a panel on promotional revenue and successful return on investment in small markets.

“I feel it will be a really good working conference, with real life things that we can take away, go back to our stations with and put into action,” said Brooker. “Every business category has been challenged. We’re going to put people on stage to really talk about it and get some answers to keep thriving. As privately-run companies, we have to stick together.”