Editor's note: Jamillah Knowles, host of 5 live's tech culture podcast Outriders went to Austin's sprawling music, arts and tech conference South by South West earlier this month. She was on the look out for radio in all its forms - SB.

Heading to the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas I knew I would be making radio, but I wondered if I would hear any while I was there. Terrestrial radio that is.

The most I heard was in the odd gas station along the way, the rest of the audio media I heard at the event was pre-recorded on presentations and videos. But that does not mean that radio was not on the agenda for SXSW Interactive and rather more naturally the music parts of the schedule.

There were panels and events designed to talk about radio and some of those became broadcasts. I was invited onto the Digital Planet program which was recorded as a panel discussion and then broadcast on BBC World Service. A little strange as a panel experience for the audience I am sure, but sounded pretty lively on the radio and later as the DP Podcast illustrates.

The South by South West conference website also has audio recordings of some of the other discussions that took place on the topic of radio, whether it was for music, college radio funding or web and radio matching.

The How to save College Radio session can be heard on their SXSW page. There are so many panels and discussions at SXSW so it is a delight to be able to return to events I missed and hear them. Even better that it feels like radio or a podcast.

College radio is not something I am too familiar with. I have been in a University studio at Coventry University while a surly DJ changed CDs for an hour, so I wonder if college radio is followed in the States with the same passion that accompanies college football.

Also online is the amusingly named panel Baby's got a Face for Radio. So do I, which is one of the many reasons why I prefer the medium, but there is also a world of visual representation that is now expected to accompany our radio lives. Radio listeners can have many digital expectations now including - listen back, meet the hosts, see images of program guests and also to find complimentary information for further exploration on topics that are sometimes only on air for a couple of minutes. This is a particularly nice description of new and established programs and their relationship with the web.

Radio K's excellent use of Tumblr, a well-known blogging tool, to build a beautiful page about their SXSW experience is wonderful. A nice bit of inspiration too for people looking to spruce up their online presence in relation to radio programming.

While the conference is happening, you can literally walk into people recording something and anything on the street with various and assorted devices from mobile phones to full television camera kits.

I noted a fellow on the street using the same make and model of microphone as me (Audio nerd much? Yes, thank you, I am.) and he happened to be a producer for 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, a terrestrial station where hyper-local community stories are an important part of the output.

The producer, Adam Carr told me that the station is non-commercial and plays mostly music. Interestingly his recordings for them are pieces of short form audio that are dropped in between songs.

I asked him why he was making terrestrial broadcast radio when you can stream a new station over the internet and around the world,

In Milwaukee a lot of people drive to work, do their dishes listening to the radio. Until there is streaming in cars and everywhere else, there is still a large audience for terrestrial radio. We have a huge online presence that we put a lot of energy into and it's almost as though the radio and online components are separate and supportive.
We're only 4 years old and we believe in the power of the internet to help us do what we do better. We embrace online and the entire station is entwined with social media. With community story telling we need to communicate with the radio listening audience and it's easy to do online.

He recorded a short clip of me describing my experience at the conference and I returned the favour with matching kit and asked how the work he does now as a radio producer differs from his experience as a listener growing up -

I know why I like making radio , but why is Adam drawn to a medium that some say is seeing cut backs? He told me, "We're using the same small and light microphones, in my back-pack I have an entire production studio. With wireless I can get my audio pieces where they need to be. I have a Macbook air with Protools on it, a mic in my bag that I can track on. It's such a small kit, that it's worth even interviewing me in the street - twenty years ago you would need a crew to do something like this. you can be so responsive and fast making audio pieces. The sky isn't even the limit anymore for story telling and it opens a whole new realm for radio."

I too was carrying a wireless netbook with editing software to file back reports. The kit certainly wasn't going to wear me out and being so portable, I have used this method around the world

Of course I was at SXSW for the Interactive part of the conference. Five days of geeking out. Around and beyond this the event covers film and music and as you might expect, music radio is an important part of the latter topic. There were many live recordings and inverviews with musicians at sxsw as well as radio accompanyment to bbqs and gatherings, even a new music panel with representatives from KCRW, WXRT, WERS, KMTT, and other broadcasters listening to new tracks and making up a jukebox jury. You can hear that panel here.

Writing this I am streaming Milwaukee radio through my laptop in London. I listen to 6 Music this way too when I am not near a digital radio. There's radio everywhere and I still interact with it in the same way as my big old stereo system radio with it's smooth and heavy dial and listing for Radio Caroline. Listening while doing other things, the soundtracks to my life. It's reassuring to know that people at cutting edge events like SXSW Interactive still have a passion to discuss, record and broadcast their passion for audio.

Jamillah Knowles makes a radio segment and podcast called Outriders for BBC Radio 5 Live

Listen to Outriders and sign up for the free weekly download on the 5 live web site.
You can find Jamillah's coverage of SXSW here as parts one and two.
There's plenty to listen to and watch on the SXSW web site.
The pictures show Jamillah with Adam Carr from 88Nine Radio Milwaukee at SXSW (Creative Commons: Tracy Lynn Apps - some rights reserved) and a SXSW t-shirt (Creative Commons: Jamillah Knowles - some rights reserved).

As a BBC Director who is often defending the BBC's actions against critics, I often get asked if the BBC could be more vocal about its strengths. So with this in mind, forgive me if this blog is a somewhat shameless celebration of what we do best.

Last week, I hosted a drink to say goodbye to Mark Damazer, the tenth Controller of Radio 4. Apart from paying tribute to Mark's successful tenure at the helm, it was a chance to reflect on the joys of the network and celebrate the strength of radio. Despite all the changes that the digital revolution brings, the fact that Radio 4 is achieving record listening is testament to the quality of its programme teams who deliver radio across a wonderfully broad array of subjects.

But to assess the true value of the network, it is sometimes best to move away from the UK and experience a culture devoid of Radio 4. In 2001, I moved to Connecticut for 2 years and while I appreciated so much of American life, almost every evening I would go to the computer after putting the children to bed and listen to programmes such as Today or In Our Time on Listen Again (as it was once called). On returning to the UK, I can recall that my first decision in this job was to confirm that I wanted our domestic networks to continue to be available for free online across the world. It did not cost significant money and there was no clear way to commercialise the services, so it was an easy decision to make.

On this theme, an article published in the LA Times this week not only drew attention to the strength of radio but gave a perspective on how Radio 4 is perceived beyond our shores.

To radio lovers, an explanation of the appeal of the station is not likely to be surprising news. However, the LA Times article also touches on a point that is central to UK radio and stretches beyond a pure celebration of Radio 4. It makes the case that appropriate public funding in radio broadcasting can lead to a stronger overall radio market. UK listening has remained healthy versus the US because of the diversity and breadth of what we offer. Of course the BBC must remain utterly distinctive versus commercial stations but when used appropriately the Licence Fee can help build the overall size of the radio market and stimulate growth across all sectors, commercial and BBC, by ensuring that radio does not become sub-scale in an increasingly competitive, global media sector. Of course, this does not mean that growth is all down to public funding; ensuring enough space for further commercial competition and driving industry innovation is also critical.

As for Radio 4, I am sure that with the very capable Gwyn Williams now in the Controller's seat, you will hear it going from strength to strength. Meanwhile, when you do travel abroad, do try to get to a computer and have a listen. I may be a touch sentimental but when you are thousands of miles from home it is easy to agree with Stephen Fry that Radio 4 is "the best reason for living in the UK". I wonder what the second best reason is?

Tim Davie is Director of Audio & Music at the BBC

Henry Chu's article appeared in Sunday's Los Angeles Times. It's the first in a new series by Times foreign correspondents about the ways of their host countries.
Gwyneth WIlliams, Radio 4's new Controller, wrote about her first week in the job and Paddy O'Connell interviewed Mark Damazer on his departure, both on the Radio 4 blog.
The picture shows Evan Davis in a Broadcasting House studio preparing for a recording of The Bottom Line.

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