Matt Deegan is at the forefront of radio and audio.
Matt is a Founder and Creative Director of the new media and radio consultancy firm, Folder Media. He helps develop new businesses for Folder and advises a cross-section of UK radio and entertainment companies how to grow and develop their businesses.
At Folder, Matt’s had a hand in creating three distinct projects – MuxCo, Fun Kids and Folder&Co.
MuxCo won licences for, and now operates a number of digital radio multiplexes across the country. Matt, with Gregory Watson, devised the business, wrote the winning licence applications and negotiated with a variety of radio stations to come on board as shareholders and service providers. MuxCo now broadcasts over 40 stations from 30 transmitters to nine million people.
Fun Kids is a digital radio station and children’s brand, that’s pioneered alternative working methods and has created a relationship with hundreds of thousands of families. Matt established the station, devised its programming and multi-platform strategy and leads the team today. The station has won many Sony Radio Academy and Arqiva awards and Matt himself has been nominated as Programme of the Year. The station now reaches over 500,000 children and parents each week on-air and many more through its website, podcasts and YouTube channels.
Matt created Folder Media’s content production business that devises and makes new types of radio, TV and interactive ideas for UK broadcasters under the moniker Folder&Co. There, Matt was an Executive Producer, and co-devised the Love Island podcast, The Morning After, for ITV – the most downloaded new podcast of 2018. He was also and Executive Producer on Worst Dates for BBC Sounds and Nappy Days for MTV.
Matt has also been strongly involved in the UK’s roll-out of DAB Digital Radio. For GWR and GCap (now Global Radio) he bid for and launched a number of digital radio multiplexes. He was also a Director of MXR’s network of regional multiplexes and was involved in the launch of a variety of local and national digital radio stations. At Folder, he’s a Director of their MuxCo subsidiary which owns and operates ten digital radio multiplexes and is also involved in a contract to manage News UK and Nation Broadcasting’s multiplexes as well.
Outside of Folder, he co-created Podcast Awards Ltd (which runs the British Podcast Awards, Australian Podcast Awards and Irish Podcast Awards) which he, alongside Matt Hill, sold to Haymarket in 2022. With Matt, he’s a Director of Podcast Discovery – a company that provides marketing services to podcasts like Crooked Media’s Pod Save the UK and networks like Podimo. He also writes a weekly audio newsletter and presents The Media Podcast.
Matt has been involved with a variety of industry organisations. He’s been a committee member for the Sony Radio Academy Awards, Radio at the Edge conference, the Association of Student Radio Alumni, the Radio Academy’s 30 Under 30 scheme and Radiodays Europe. He’s judged the Radio Academy Awards, the Arqivas, the BBC’s Gillards, the Student Radio Awards, the BBC’s Audio and Music awards, the BT Digital Music Awards as well as the Marketing & Promotions Awards. He was also a trustee for Insanity, a community radio station at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Matt is an in-demand conference speaker, in-person or on Zoom, speaking at Radio Academy events including the Radio Festival and TechCon, the Radiodays events in the Nordic countries and RadioDaysEurope, Mediadays Munich, the EBU’s Multimedia Meets Radio, Radiodays Ireland, the Manchester Media Festival, IBC as well as events for the Russian Radio Academy and private events for a variety of organisations including the BBC. Matt regularly speaks about the future of radio, the development of digital radio in the UK and boot-strapping a kids brand with Fun Kids and the rise of podcasts. He’s also commentated on radio in The Guardian, Independent, Telegraph, Mail Online alongside his weekly audio newsletter.