RadioTalks Podcast from Learning Waves

In this episode of RadioTalks, we take a moment to reflect on a busy and exciting year across the radio industry. We hear from Learning Waves journalism graduate Jamie Ryan about his first months on placement at East Coast FM and what it’s really like getting started in radio. Award-winning broadcaster Kieran McGuinness shares his journey from musician to presenter and what drives his love o...

Christmas can be a difficult time of year for many and its always great to see radio stations in Ireland airing charity initiatives . On this podcast we chat to Edwina Grace from KCLR 96FM about their Toy Drive for 2025 and Callum Farmer who is the breakfast show producer for Spin 1038 about their event which is  Emma, Dave and Fiona's Big Night of Laughs.  See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

The annual IMRO Radio Awards ceremony took place in Kilkenny in early October, celebrating excellence across Irish radio. This year, the “Newcomer of the Year” award was presented to Ukrainian journalist Yuliia Riabova, originally from Odesa. Yuliia arrived in Ireland in 2023 and has since become part of the Radio Kerry team. In our interview, Yuliia shares her experiences of life in U...

In episode 31 of RadioTalks we talk to  Martin Howard, Programme Controller, Shannonside/Northern Sound and Melanie O’Sullivan, Marketing and Events Manager, Radio Kerry to discuss the recent Ai for Radio course delivered by Joanne Sweeney and how it has impacted Martin’s, Melanie’s role since completing the course. We also get some general thoughts and views on Ai and its u...

In this episode of RadioTalks, we hear from Jackie Neill - trainer, consultant, and producer with over 30 years’ experience in radio, editorial leadership, and production. Jackie shares insights from her media career, freelancing journey, running a business, and the importance of representation in the industry. Now Head Judge for the IMRO Radio Awards 2025, Jackie offers valuable tips on cra...

Looking Ahead – Radio into the Future with James Cridland, editor of  Podnews , a daily podcast newsletter, and a radio futurologist — a writer, consultant, advisor and speaker. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steven Reiner joined the Stony Brook faculty at the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year after working for more than a decade as a producer for the CBS News magazine program “60 Minutes.  Radio’s Role in Providing Trusted News for Consumers. with Professor Steven Reiner, Stony Brook University, USA Moderator:  Fiona Stack, Radio Kerry   See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Harnessing the Power of Diversity and Sustainability for Content and Commercial Growth GEDI with Laura Costello, THINKHOUSE, Aisling Heraughty, Ocean FM, Andrew Campbell-Edie, Irish Centre for Diversity Moderated by Robbie Fogarty from Sunshine 106.8  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustaining Radio’s Future with Aoife MacEvilly, Broadcasting and Video on Demand Commissioner, Coimisiún na Meán, Patricia Monahan, Director of Audio, RTE, Chris Doyle, CEO, Bauer Media Audio Ireland, Sean Barry, Managing Director, Wireless Ireland, Ronan McManamy, CEO, Clare FM/Tipp FM. Moderator: Will Faulkner, Midlands Radio 3 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

AI – Opportunities and Challenges for the Audio Sector with Glen Mulcahy, Titanium Media, James Cridland, PodNews, Joanne Sweeney, Digital Training Institute Moderator  –  Jess Kelly, Newstalk See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Presenters Story with Graham O’Toole, Nathan O’Reilly Moderator:  Niamh O’Reilly See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leadership | Resilience | Motivation – Sport and Business Jim Gavin, Irish Aviation Authority, former Dublin Manager and current Chairperson of GAA Football Review Committee in conversation with Adrian Barry, Off the Ball See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Radio in Cars and on Devices with Pedro Valiente, Head of Partnerships, Radio Player Moderated by Michael Kelly from The IBI See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecting with Younger Audiences with Andy Roberts, Radio Consultant, UK, Alison Healy, Today FM, Mark Cunning, Group Content Director, Wireless Ireland Moderator  – Kayte O’Malley, Galway Bay FM See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protecting Journalism into the Future with Andrew McLindon, An Garda Siochána, Ciara Riordan, BBC News, Dawn Wheatley, DCU, Bernadette Prendergast, Galway Bay FM Moderator:  Greg Hughes, Highland Radio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Future of Audio Advertising – The Agency Perspective With Jade Finn, Head of Planning and Investment, Dentsu, Emma O’Doherty, Chief Client Officer, Mindshare/Group M, Andy Pierce, Group Strategy Director, Core, Simon Geraghty, Research and Insights Director, OMG Moderator:  Ciaran Cunningham, CEO, Radiocentre Ireland See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Radio Days Ireland is a unique 2 day conference which took place on 27th and 28th March 2025 in the Gibson Hotel, Dublin. The event is a joint initiative by Learning Waves Skillnet, the training body for the Independent Commercial Radio Sector in Ireland and IBI, the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland.  In this Episode we hear from Niall Power from Beat  102103 on the Top 10 Radio Promo...

Radio Days Ireland is a unique 2 day conference which will take place on 27th and 28th March 2025 in the Gibson Hotel, Dublin. The event is a joint initiative by Learning Waves Skillnet, the training body for the Independent Commercial Radio Sector in Ireland and IBI, the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland.  In this episode we hear from Stephen Reiner, Ciaran Cunningham, Joanne Sweeney and A...

In this Episode of RadioTalks you will hear from Fionnuala Rabbitt, Managing Director at Highland Radio in Donegal and also current Chairperson of Learning Waves.  Fionnuala took over as Chairperson of Learning Waves in September 2024 following the appointment of former Chairperson Patricia Monahan to Director of Audio in RTE.  Fionnuala has been a Director of Learning Waves since 2017 a...

Radio in Ireland is so successful at raising money and awareness through many charity initiatives. We were lucky enough to catch up with some presenters to find out more, including John Breslin from Highland Radio, John Morley Galway Bay FM, Declan Meehan - East Coast FM along with Michael Crawley LMFM, Emma, Dave and Aisling - Spin 1038 and wrapping it all up PJ +Jim from Radio Nova - enjoy! See...

This episode dive into all things election coverage with three industry experts: Kieran Foley, WLRFM, Sarah Kieran, Media Lawyer, and Niall Delaney, Ocean FM. Together, they share their insights on the legal challenges, audience engagement, and overcoming obstacles in covering local, EU, and general elections See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of RadioTalks, we sit down with Patricia Monahan as she reflects on her time as Managing Editor of Newstalk and Chairperson of Learning Waves. Patricia shares insights from her incredible journey in broadcasting and offers advice to people starting out in radio. Listen to hear about her vision for the future of Irish audio and what’s next for the media landscape in Ireland. See omn...

 In this episode, we explore mental health, resilience, burnout, and confidence for journalists in the radio industry. We are joined by Tara Duggan, Group Deputy Head of News at Bauer Media Audio Ireland, and Sheila Naughton, Multimedia Reporter at Newstalk, who will share their experiences as journalists. Additionally, Áine O'Meara, Programme Leader at Headline Ireland, discusses her work with He...

In this episode we sit down with Fyona Smith, Managing Editor of Today FM. Fyona shares her incredible journey from Australia to Ireland, revealing how she fell in love with the country and what drew her to its vibrant radio industry. With a rich background in both radio and podcasting, Fyona discusses her career, her passion for audio storytelling, and the challenges and triumphs of leading one o...

In this episode, we chat with graduates from the Learning Waves Radio Presenter Course: Jessica Maciel, Radio Presenter and DJ, Max Kane, Researcher, Producer, and Newsreader at East Coast FM, and Kathryn McKiernan, Radio Presenter at 98FM. They share their inspiring journeys, experiences after completing the programme, and valuable advice for prospective participants. Additionally, we are joined...