Q: I've attended other radio conferences. Is the content the same?
A: No. This is not a radio conference. It is an Internet conference for radio.
What is the distinction? Our goal is not to fill you with "radio speak," but to introduce you to concepts probably not being discussed elsewhere in radio. We hold this conference in Silicon Valley to attract great minds from outside radio.
We encourage you to continue to support other radio conferences, like the Radio Show. We believe this event features many of the same positive attributes, but we're adding a layer of depth to the information that we think is necessary to fully understand where radio is going in the near future. In fact, we think if you've attended other events, this event will fill any gaps in information you may have. This conference will immerse you in the converging technologies that impact radio. Industry conferences need to cover a lot of information about a lot of things impacting the radio industry as a whole. This conference is ONLY about the impact of the new media technologies that will change radio listening.
Q: Is this conference about the future, or can I apply what I learn now?
A: We're living in the future. Radio has had years of declining revenue, as have all traditional media. Meanwhile, search and online revenues are growing at double-digit rates. Radio must understand that the interactive strategy is no longer a sidebar to their revenue strategy. It is critical to capturing revenues, and not just ad revenues. We will show you other ways of generating revenues you may not be aware of.
Q: How much does it cost to attend?
A: $595 before May 16, 2014 and $795 after May 16.
Q: I want to bring others on my staff. Do you offer group discounts?
A: Yes. The more people you bring from one station or cluster, the lower the price. You must phone to receive a discount. Call 561-655-8778 and ask for Tom Elmo.
Q: Is this the same as the RADIO INK INTERNET CONFERENCE you held during the dot-com era?
A: Yes.... and no. This is the next generation of that conference. At the time most of the discussion was about the Internet, which was fairly new to radio. We helped attendees understand what was coming, what they needed to do with their websites, etc. Convergence is reflective of the changes since that time and the next generation of things radio needs to be thinking about. It's more than the Internet; it's about things that are converging and gathering audiences... the next generations of the Web, digital media, seach, user-generated content, social media, podcasting, mobilecasting, online video, audio, streaming, texting, and so much more.
Q: Will you be serving meals?
A: Continental breakfast and a lunch will be provided, along with a cocktail party.
Q: What is your cancellation policy?
A. We cannot accept cancellations. Substitutions, however, are allowed if submitted by the attendee and approved in writing by Radio Ink's publisher no later than two weeks before the event. No refunds. No exceptions. If you cannot attend, we will offer credit on a future conference.
Q: Who is moderating the event?
A. Publisher Eric Rhoads will moderate the event, and specialists will be brought in to moderate panels. Rhoads, a former dotcom technology CEO, has kept tuned in to technology impacting radio. His Silicon Valley contacts are deep, which enables us to bring top players to the table for this conference.
Q: I'm busy. How much time do I need to allocate?
A: We know you're busy, and we know taking several days away for a conference is difficult. Our conferences are fast-paced, no-fluff, and down-to-business. We start the conference late in the afternoon, hold cocktails and continue the conference the following day, ending about 6 p.m. This means you only need to spend one night out and only two days or less away from the office.
Q: What is the attire?
A. This conference is about creativity, and you cannot be creative in a necktie or a suit. We encourage casual attire.
Q: Who should attend?
Radio owners, group heads, senior executives, radio managers, programmers, interactive directors, advertisers, Wall Street analysts. Though technology is covered, this is NOT an engineering conference. This is a media futures conference for radio.
Q: I'm an advertiser. Should I attend?
Our Internet Conference was packed with advertisers who use radio nationally. They attended so they could understand where radio is going. Convergence is especially important to attend if you're a radio advertiser.
Q. Where do I fly in?
The closest airport is San Jose. However, San Francisco and Oakland are within reasonable driving distance and typically have lower airfares.
Q: How far is the nearest airport from Santa Clara?
Mineta San Jose International Airport is approximately seven miles from the Santa Clara Convention Center. San Francisco International Airport is about 30 miles away, and Oakland International Airport approximately 33 miles. Convergence attendees are responsible for their own transportation to the event site.
Click here for Convergence sponsorship opportunities (PDF).
