 RAIN NEWS FOR 4/24: ONLINE SITCOM ABOUT INTERNET RADIO PREMIERES ·Apr 24, 12:25 PM COULD IT BE WEBCASTING’S “WKRP IN CINCINNATI”? A 12 webisode online video comedy series called “Hot Snack Radio” premieres today (go to HotSnackRadio.com). A press announcement describes the characters as a “wacky enclave of would-be Internet entrepreneurs, struggling with challenges of operating an Internet radio station.” RAIN SUMMIT RECAP: HOW TO HELP MUSICIANS AND LABELS: Given the state of royalty TIME TO REALIZE ONLINE WILL HELP RADIO, SAYS BROADCASTER: Bonneville/Phoenix New Media Director James Webb says, “Stop thinking of your cume as IT’S “MYFACE” FOR THE REST OF US! WITH RADIO!: GetBack.com is a social network provider focused around late-60s through 1990 nostalgia-based media content. In other words, if your kids are “Twittering” about Black Lips and giving a MySpace “add” to Tokyo Police Club and you don’t know what any of that means, GetBack wants to pander to you. And they do. “MUSIC DISCOVERY” AS A BUSINESS IS A MYTH, SAYS BLOGGER: Marc Cohen is founder of Lirix, Inc., developer of “on-device dynamic ad insertion” and “a pioneer in the field of advertising supported music.” And in his “Ad Supported Music Central” blog (here) he calls the idea that “music discovery” is the next big thing “a myth.” He suggests that “discovering new music” is not a typical primary intention that drives a consumer — people discover music that’s new to them and that they enjoy while watching TV, talking with friends, and, yes, listening to the radio. “The Internet music discovery sites, even with their social networking skins, assume the primary object of interaction to be music discovery. This misunderstanding of consumer behavior will be fatal,” he writes. He refers to New York venture capitalist Fred Wilson (in RAIN here), and suggests, “The extent to which music discovery becomes a successful Internet business is wholly dependent on the success of streaming ad-supported music.” But Cohen thinks “downloading” is a superior music experience, and that’s where those actively looking to discover music will go. share: del.icio.us.  Reddit  Digg  Yahoo  Wink  Windows  Google  Newsvine 
Comment Other stories RAIN 5/9: LIGGINS WORRIES RADIO'S INTERACTIVE GAINS COME AT A COST RAIN 05/08: WILL FM REMAIN A VIABLE MUSIC SOURCE? EXPERTS DEBATE RAIN 5/7: TECH, TELECOM GIANTS JOIN FOR WIMAX BUILD OUT RAIN 5/6: BBC, ACCURADIO WIN "BEST RADIO" WEBBYS RAIN 5/5: REPS WANT HD, NET RADIO ON XM-SIRIUS DEVICES RAIN 5/2: Webby Awards emcees, ASCAP decision, Internet clock-radio RAIN 5/1: Judge sets ASCAP rate for AOL, Yahoo, and Real Networks RAIN 04/30: CBS Radio likes Internet radio; preparing Pandora competitor for summer launch RAIN NEWS 4/29: CLEAR CHANNEL LAUNCHES eROCKSTER FOR YOUNG ONLINE LISTENERS RAIN NEWS 04/28: EMMIS SPINS OFF INTERACTIVE; CBS PREVIEWS "DIGITAL NETWORK" |
The characters include “three indie rock nerds,” “intellectual rock journalist Gavin,” “overly cocky and slightly dimwitted Nico and cool webmaster John C.,” plus “Sam, an uber-cool and sexy female DJ.” The station is sponsored, naturally, by “Mahatma Jim’s Frozen Probiotic Organic Samosas.” In addition to the show episodes, Hotsnackradio.com will “masquerade as a functioning internet radio station, complete with interviews and streamed music playlists featuring original tracks from a variety of indie bands and musicians.” Two new episodes will premiere every Thursday.
negotiations for webcasting, it’s fair to say that music labels and webcasters find themselves in an “adversarial position,” 
But what she struggles with is “just how do you present it in your programming?“ That is, is it better to create special “independent artist” channels — which has the benefit of spotlighting important artists, but the danger of “ghettoizing” this music by playing it only where listeners specifically interested in independent artists will hear it? Or, is it better to play this music mixed in with widely-recognized, major label-backed artists — which would increase the potential audience, but limit the number of artists that “make the cut?” “Do both,” suggested singer-songwriter Jude, making clear he understood Internet radio’s clear advantage over terrestrial when it comes to breadth of potential consumer offerings. Jude explained that he’s found the Internet really helps listeners discover music “at their own pace.” Instead of an accelerated, record label-driven schedule puts artists and music through a cycle of “hottest new thing” to “passe” over the course of months or even weeks, Jude says he sees songs he recorded years ago still catching the attention of new visitors to his MySpace page. Starr added that working 
with independent artists also benefits her service. “When you add an indie artist, let them know — and ask them to put your station logo on their MySpace page, and to send out an e-mail to their database that fans can hear their music on your station,” she advised. “It’s truly viral marketing.”[You can see video of this panel, courtesty of 
listeners and think of them as users.” In Inside Radio’s “Insight” column (
Look, I remember 1989 (and 1979, and earlier…), but I don’t want to live there. The time-capsules (pick a year and get news flashbacks and bits about the top movies and music of the time) are cute — but I just sort of fear meeting new people (remember, it’s a social network) on the premise of, “Hi, my best years are behind me! What’s (not) new with you?”. That said, I did enjoy the radio service. Pick a year ranging from 1968 through 1990, and enjoy a stream of not only hits from that year, but some surprisingly deep and tasty “album cuts.” Maybe it’s good I can make friends who know what “album cuts” are. Maybe I’ll send my new friends “an Internet” and say hi. (PM)
