Next generation radio

Posted on May 31, 2008 by Steve Mays

Jerry Del Colliano shares a few ideas on “next generation radio” he’ll be presenting to an interactive session for radio executives next month:

“My view is that terrestrial radio is now a destination entertainment medium for available listeners – older members of Gen X and the baby boomers.”

“…there is no need to produce 24/7 programming online. … But the radio station of the future may only provide three hours of programming a day – that’s right, a day – and deliver it on a cell phone or mobile device.

“Podcasting will be the new radio for Gen Y.”

“The successful content provider in the future will have to unlock the genius of Steve Jobs in understanding a generation they are not in – and Jobs, arguably, knows Gen Y better than they know themselves.”

“In the past, a radio station had to be on-air, all the time and doing the same format over and over again. But in the future, new media will require radio broadcasters who want to play in this arena to be many things for which it does not presently have skills.”

If you’re interested in where radio might be headed, I encourage you to read the full post. Companies that provide programming to radio stations — like our company– are sure to be affected by the same forces. Are we ready?

Sheryl Crow rocks Redneck Riviera

Posted on April 29, 2008 by Steve Mays

Our man in Pensecolda, Matt Zeni, files this review of Sheryl Crows performance at the civic center last Saturday night:

Sherylpensecola “She talked about traveling to Panama City with her family many years ago and going to Mrs. Reed’s trailer park where they rented a space for a week or two with their “cool” Airstream trailer. She and the band traveled to Panama City Saturday and saw a lot of changes with many, many condos but Mrs. Reed and her trailer park are still there. She also mentioned that she ‘hangs out’ down the road in Destin.

She looks terrific for being 46 years young and all she had been through the past three years and she touched on the events in her life the past few years. She was incredible [photos]. First time I saw her in concert. I had the chance to talk with her about 5-10 minutes when she was (in Columbia, MO) about ten years ago. She was in town for a concert and for MU homecoming and she was at the station(s) with her parents.

She was amazing. I even called a friend back in Columbia while in the civic center before the show. She asked me to call her back when Sheryl played her favorite song, My Favorite Mistake. I did and Tracey enjoyed the 6-7 minutes thanks to T-Mobile. Nothing like a live concert on your cellphone! I saw quite a few cellphone and I-phones sending video and audio to all parts of the world.”

Thanks for the report, Matt. Makes a boy wonder how concert promoters will stop thousands of fans from streaming live video from concerts like this. Or if they should try.

13% no long have landline

Posted on March 24, 2008 by Steve Mays

“Americans without a landline are increasingly the Achilles Heel of research. The most recent government statistics show 13% of the population (18+) no longer has a landline. Arbitron SVP of marketing Bill Rose says “It’s getting tougher and tougher for us.” So their researchers have begun testing a new methodology to reach out to those consumers, who are protected by strict government guidelines on calling mobile phones. It works like this: Arbitron compares addresses against a list of known landline phone numbers. When they find an address without a number, they mail a survey that encourages consumers to share their cell number for future contact. ” — INSIDE RADIO:

Oh yeah, sign me up for that.

Major League Baseball imposes online restrictions

Posted on February 27, 2008 by Steve Mays

“Major League Baseball is instituting new restrictions for web content. Websites will now be held to two minutes of video (or audio) a day gathered at MLB facilities — but formal press conferences are exempt to this rule. Similar to the NFL, there’s no live streaming. But in an unique twist, sites will be limited to 7 photos per game. And no photo galleries, either (it’s unclear what they mean by that.) All non-text content must be removed after 72 hours. If you don’t follow the new rules, your press passes could be revoked.” — Lost Remote’s Cory Bergman

Paranoid Theory #1: MLB (and NFL) want to control their content from creation all the way to the end user (the fan). They foresee a time when they don’t need TV and radio networks to broadcast games and related events. It will all be streamed directly to a mobile device. MLB/NFL will keep all related fees and/or advertising. Media outlets that want to cover these events, will do so on MLB/NFL terms.

What happens when nobody needs a TV

Posted on February 18, 2008 by Steve Mays

“Last week, a Broadcasting & Cable editorial warned that TV newscasts could follow the way of the newspaper. This week, B&C’s Jennifer Yarter asks, “What happens when the web starts to replace the television?” Yarter said the catalyst of her column was a dinner with a group of tech-savvy 20-somethings who said they don’t watch TV or even subscribe to cable or satellite. They just watch whatever they want online. Yarter writes, “Most of these young adults are falling into a new territory of media consumption that could potentially eliminate the need for local television stations.”

“Absolutely, and consider this: the only thing that most local TV stations produce is local news. Local TV news in its current form, when translated online, looks very similar to everyone else’s news. If it’s not truly original or unique, it’s a commodity (especially in aggregated environments). And as more people get their local news online instead of making an appointment to watch it on TV, revenue loss will accelerate. A solution here is to start producing original content that bridges platforms — that’s unique enough to not only to attract an audience but create fans. Fans are people who accept no substitutes. Can local TV news, by itself, create this kind of online loyalty? I don’t believe so. It will require new, innovative, locally-produced niche programming that spans TV, mobile and the web. In other words, a whole new approach. Similar to the newspapers, it will be a matter of survival.”

— Lost Remote

I keep asking myself why nobody in a position to do so, is tackling this. The answer I keep coming up with, time after time is that reinventing your TV station (or your radio station) for the new world we’re in is –in the short term– risky and expensive. And the decision makers are close enough to retirement (or have their fuck-you money put aside) that they have decided (even if they haven’t admitted it aloud) to manage their stations to “a profitable demise.” Milk the cash cow until Bossie goes dry.

“Big Brother” software knows if you’re happy

Posted on January 19, 2008 by Steve Mays

Microsoft is developing what a British newspaper (TimesOnline) describes as “Big Brother” software that will allow employers remotely to monitor their workers’ productivity, competence and physical well-being to a degree never before seen.

Among other data, wireless sensors will provide employers with workers’ heart rates and stress level, and determine whether they are smiling or frowning.

“The systems work not only through desktop or laptop computers but even through mobile phones or handheld PCs, meaning that even out of the office the employee can still be monitored. In its most advanced format, the system will monitor users’ private interests.

The system works by recording and analyzing what words and numbers are used or websites visited, and by watching the user’s heart rate, breathing, body temperature, facial expressions and blood pressure. The patent application explains: “The system can also automatically detect frustrations or stress in the user via physiological and environmental sensors and then offer or provide some assistance accordingly.”

This just seems to far-out and scary to be true. For the record… I am happier than I appear.

Nokia Internet Radio service

Posted on January 4, 2008 by Steve Mays

Mark Ramsey (Hear 2.0) asks how long before mobile phones in the U.S. look like this Nokia phone available in Europe. As I watched the video demo, I imagined listening to a Missouri Tiger “broadcast.” Or an all-news channel from one of our state networks. Ramsey’s headline says it all.

Underage drinkers escape into blizzard

Posted on January 2, 2008 by Steve Mays

“A big underage drinking party bust on New Year’s Eve in northern Iowa led to a search for dozens of teenagers who fled outside into a blizzard. Kossuth County Sheriff’s deputies say they were called around 11:15 Monday night to a home in Wesley. Officials say the party was at the Mike and Dawn Reimers’ home. Several people ran outside when authorities arrived.

Deputies say some of those people stayed outside for up to two hours. Deputies called in rescue personnel, including three snowmobilers, to help with the search. Authorities think between 60 and 80 underage drinkers were at the party. So far, no charges have been filed in the case.” [RadioIowa.com]

Ah, youth. Reminds me of “No Arrests Made at Private Party Probe”

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